MyDD :: With Friends Like These...

With Friends Like These...

by Todd Beeton, Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 11:18:06 AM EST

The first sign I had that the political winds were shifting in the right...er...correct direction prior to last year's election was Thanksgiving 2005 when I went to my Republican uncle's house and witnessed die hard Republicans turning on their own en masse. While I had sworn off politics for the evening in the spirit of familial comity, the same could not be said for several Republican dinner guests who openly ripped on Bush for his over-spending and the Harriet Miers debacle. I couldn't help but smile. It's not often that I find myself in a room full of Republicans but it's even rarer for me to be in agreement with a room full of Republicans. Little did I know how indicative that evening would be of the mood of the country at large and the loss of support the president and his party would experience in the year that followed. Now, almost two years later and as we approach a presidential election, the mood among Republicans isn't much better but you don't have to go far to sense it. This year, it's on full display among the GOP pundit class. Take Robert Novak's column today.

As measured by offices held, Republicans have been in much worse shape during my half-century of reporting in Washington. Their party was a mere remnant after the Democratic landslides of 1958, 1964 and 1974. But never before have I seen morale within the party so low.

Novak relates anecdotal evidence that this low level of morale has contributed to Republicans' fundraising troubles this year and catalogues the myriad ways the news the party got in August has no doubt contributed to the problem. But there's one big difference between last year and next year for the GOP: it's a presidential year. So that's good right? Perhaps the emergence of a presidential candidate will, as Novak puts it, "revive the party's spirits."

Except...

But none has inspired the party faithful. Front-runner Rudy Giuliani is anathema to social conservatives who were the core of Republican success for more than two decades. This situation explains the interest in Fred Thompson as a savior, although he did not fulfill lofty expectations prior to his official announcement of candidacy scheduled Thursday.

Sure Novak is known for being cantankerous and yeah it's his job to analyze politics, but we're hearing identical sentiments expressed by GOP strategists...you know, the ones supposedly tasked with winning them elections. Sunday's Meet The Press, for example, was a bloodbath.

First you had the farcical and defensive Mary Matalin whose case for Fred Thompson was so laughable she had to defend it with a "what...I'm on the team..."; she later got so upset with Bob Schrum that she threw her pen across the table. And here's how she defined Rudy's candidacy:

I like Rudy a lot, but he's not--he doesn't scratch all three triads of the Republican triangle...Which are national security, economic security and the cultural issues.

Now, granted, she's on board with Thompson so going after a rival is to be expected, but strategist Mike Murphy outdid Matalin by pondering the weaknesses of ALL of the major Republican candidates:

But I think all four of them have a glass jaw, which is what makes this a very interesting primary. I think no--none of the big four kind of have a lock on this thing. McCain's glass jaw was immigration, and he got that hit and it knocked him right back. A big, tough TV hit on Mitt Romney on kind of ideological gymnastics would hurt him. A hit on Rudy Giuliani on social liberalism would hurt him, and I think a little bit of a hit on Fred Thompson could hurt him, too. And we don't really know what the Fred Thompson candidacy is yet, and I think the problem they're going to have, just to give equal glass jaw time quickly to Fred, from a Republican point of view--and I like Fred, I think he'd be a pretty good president. But I also think Fred doesn't fit the super-conservative mold perfectly either.

Thanks for the tips, Mike. What he's saying essentially boils down to what's become conventional wisdom about the Republican field but you know you're in bad shape when GOP stalwarts don't sound too far off from liberal bloggers.

The larger problem for the GOP though isn't really what Republicans are writing in columns or saying on talk shows...it's what they're saying at home. As the New York Times article Within G.O.P., Stumping Fails to Impress relates, the issue of the weakness of the Republican presidential field is far more than a media storyline or fodder for a Sunday morning talk show; it's a very real issue among the base of the party. Some telling excerpts over the flip:

Interviews with dozens of Republicans across the country this Labor Day weekend found that despite the already lengthy campaign, which started almost a year ago, many candidates have made either no impression or a negative one, and many voters are still chewing over their options.

"The Republicans need to get their spunk back," said Leanne Stein, 41, who lives in Claridon, Ohio, and works at a retirement home.

[...]

Wayne Horton, 53, who works in construction as a house framer and lives in Burton, Ohio, has been mulling the field and has decided he likes Mr. Romney because he looks presidential, but worries that some people may oppose him because he is a Mormon.

Mr. Horton has pretty much ruled out the others:

"Giuliani, he's pro-abortion," he said. "It's hard for me to believe that he's a Republican front-runner. Giuliani's children aren't even supporting him. He's had three wives. I don't like that."

And Mr. McCain cannot win because voters are looking for someone fresh, he said. "He never impressed me, anyway," Mr. Horton said. "Plus, he comes from Arizona, where he let all the immigrants walk in with no repercussions."

[...]

Kent Frisby, 53, who lives in Concord, Ohio, and works as the chief financial officer at a private high school, branded Mr. Giuliani a "womanizer."

"He's had three wives, and how many girlfriends?" Mr. Frisby said. "Yeah. No way."

Caroll McLaughlin, 62, a medical assistant who lives in Auburn, Ohio, said of Mr. Giuliani: "He did a great job as mayor of New York. But he has a temper that needs to be controlled. And he's not easy to get along with."

Voters do say some nice things about the candidates though, really, but it usually comes with a caveat. My favorite was this:

"[Rudy's] got style, and he has firsthand experience with how to run government in a way that deals with terrorism," she said. "But he needs someone to coach him on all the issues. All he talks about is terrorism. What about health care? What about education?"

While my trip back to my uncle's for Thanksgiving this year is a couple months off, the anecdotal evidence I've collected from Republicans I know has reflected this. At worst they intend to stay home next November and at best they expect to hold their nose in the voting booth -- whether they'll be holding their nose for the Republican candidate or a Democrat is, unexpectedly, up for grabs.

Tags: republicans, meet the press, 2008 presidential election (all tags)

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Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

AL Hunt (admittedly he is on our side) had an interesting article on bloomberg this morning, addressing the structural problems the GOP faces:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=w ashingtonstory&sid=aYJRbpGVykGk

Republican Woes Run Far Deeper Than Iraq, Bush

Excerpts:

Among key constituencies, the most worrisome are young voters, the fastest-growing slice of the U.S. electorate and one where lifetime habits are ingrained early. These voters -- 18 to 29 year olds -- are deserting the Republicans.

``If current trends continue, Republicans are in desperate shape with these critical young voters,'' says Frank Fahrenkopf, the party's national chairman during Ronald Reagan's presidency.

To be sure, some of the Republican woes are predictable. In the past half-century, four out of five times the party that held the White House for two consecutive terms failed to win a third. And parties don't win elections while waging unpopular wars.

The always important enthusiasm quotient -- crowds, volunteers, polls, fund raising -- is all with the Democrats.

Youth voters are turning away from GOPers in droves. This is where the future of the party lies, and it is overwhelmingly with Democrats.

...Sex scandals have a short shelf life, though. And if the problem were simply an unpopular president and/or war, then an unconventional Republican standard-bearer -- say a Rudy Giuliani or a John McCain -- might overcome other obstacles, and the party could maintain its parity in American politics.

The more basic considerations are cause for gloom. The fastest-growing major ethnic voters in America are Hispanics. Several years ago, there was Republican optimism that the party's promotion of a can-do entrepreneurial spirit and fealty to old- fashioned values were winners with these voters; in the last presidential election, George W. Bush got 40 percent of the Hispanic vote, a significant increase from earlier contests.

The ugly fight over immigration, with prominent Republicans leading the bashing, has set back these hopes, perhaps for years. In the midterm elections last November, the Republican Latino vote dropped to 30 percent.

``If we get the same type of Hispanic support in the next election cycle that we did in the last, there is no way we could elect a Republican president,'' says Florida Senator Mel Martinez, chairman of the national Republican Party.

It looks strongly that the Republicans get even LESS Hispanic support in this upcoming election cycle than in the last. That is in big part due to Immigration problems, but also due to the fact that in Hillary Clinton (if she gains the nomination) Hispanics have found a very popular and very well liked leader they trust. That should also have positive effects on downticket races when it comes to Hispanics in the upcoming election.

Rove's Failed Plan

The problems with young voters are deeper, more profound. Some background: In the 1984 presidential election, those between the ages of 18 and 29 voted for Reagan by a margin of 59 percent to 40 percent. Four years later, a majority supported George H.W. Bush, the current president's father.

Rove, the younger President Bush's political mastermind, envisioned that younger voters, attracted by the promise of an ``opportunity society,'' would emerge as an important element in a generation of Republican dominance.

That plan has been a dismal failure. By 2004, young voters, a little over one-sixth of the electorate, were the only age cohort that supported Democrat John Kerry, by 54 percent to 45 percent. By the midterm elections last year, these voters backed Democrats by 60 percent to 38 percent. If young voters had simply split in the 2004 presidential race, Bush would have won an electoral landslide rather than a close race. If Kerry had gotten 60 percent of the youth vote, he'd be president today.

....

More enduring may be a cultural divide or the considerably greater tolerance of young people on social issues. On questions about gays, interracial dating or immigration, surveys by the Pew Research Center and other organizations show young people are far more liberal and tolerant than older voters.

Many Republicans reflect intolerance on these matters, and the face of the party is a bunch of middle-aged white guys, an image antithetical to young Americans.

``This is the most diverse, multicultural generation ever; they embrace diversity, they think differences are cool,'' says Hans Riemer, national youth director for Democrat Barack Obama. Republicans, he argues, are paying a huge price for visible hostility on some of these matters: ``Young voters are turned off by anyone who is repulsed by differences.''

Ties That Bind

This is of more than passing concern.

Although young people still vote in fewer numbers, that's starting to change; the biggest increase in voting in 2004 from the previous election was among the young. Moreover, academic studies consistently show that once Americans vote for a specific party in multiple elections it starts to become a habit.

``Persons that identify with one of the parties typically have held the same partisan tie for all or almost all of their adult lives,'' concludes the classic work, ``The American Voter.''

The young Republicans that Reagan hooked in the 1980s formed the base of much of the party's success in subsequent elections.

Fahrenkopf remembers visiting Reagan in the Oval Office two decades ago to bring him ``good news and bad news.'' The good news, the party chairman explained, was that Republicans were doing decidedly better than Democrats among young people for the first time in a couple of generations.

``What's the bad news?'' the Gipper asked.

``They don't vote,'' the party chairman replied.

They're starting to, and overwhelmingly they are not pulling Republican levers.

by georgep on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 11:35:07 AM EST

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

Bloomberg's article is pretty good as far as it goes, but it's still amazing that the old white dude pundit completely misses the demographic elephant in the living room. What about the women, Al Hunt?

This "youth vote" is being substantially driven by young unmarried women. Break it down and you'll see that it is the young women who are driving the increased voter participation and the young women who are breaking overwhelmingly Democratic.

That's OK, the longer the old white dudes miss the elephant in the living room, the more suprised they are going to be.

by hwc on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 12:08:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

Good point. Of course, "young voters" and "Hispanics" have shifted their votes for the 2006 election, so there is recent voting behaviorial history to look on. When in addition to young voters and Hispanics we will also see major movement towards the Democrats with the women demographic, they will be included as well and major note will be taken upon that seismic shift. To be fair, though, a lot of that is attributable to candidate Clinton and the historic elements that come with that. One can assume that if the Democrats play their hands right they will be able to keep a lot of that woman support in future elections (especially when Clinton runs for re-election 4 yrs. later,) but "young voters" and "Hispanics" addressed two demogroup shifts that have occured independently from whether a female or minority candidate is running.

by georgep on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 12:21:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

Actually, the "unmarried women" voters increased more from 2000 to 2004 and more from 2002 to 2006 than any other demographic group.

Of course, there is significant overlap between unmarried women and young voters. There is also signficant overlap with Latino/a voters as women drive the Latino/a and African American vote.

Also, unlike "the youth vote" or even the "minority vote", unmarried women are already a huge percentage of the voters: 22% in 2004.

The unmarried women vote is already becoming a powerful force for the Democratic Party, even when they are voting for old white dude candidates. The Clinton candidacy has the potential to turn already high surf into a perfect storm.

New Hampshire state politics provides a good glimpse into the future of the Democratic Party. Women candidates and women voters have turned the state from red to blue.

by hwc on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 12:32:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

So... when these "young women" decide they want to get married, do they start voting Republican? Replace young unmarried women with "young career women" and you have the real demographic that's driving this. I know quite a few older married women (like, now in their 70s and 80s) whose life goal essentially was to get married and be a housewife, and these women literally vote the way their husbands do. Even when these young, currently unmarried women do get married, they won't suddenly begin voting for Republicans.

I hope, anyway.

by Tom on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 02:28:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

You are so funny. Talk about full campaign mode. If you aren't on Hillary's payroll George, you should be.

John McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion

by Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 01:10:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

You make absolutely no sense. Where in my Bloomberg quoting above is any Democratic candidate even mentioned? Just more of the same ho-hum stuff from you, "Calvin."

by georgep on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 01:35:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

you inserted this :

For a piece that was all about Republicans and their less than thrilling candidates, you insert a gratuitous Hillary plug. You sure get damn defensive when someone busts your chops over your preferred candidate. Chill out!!

John McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion

by Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 02:59:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

Your post was attached to my initial "bloomberg article" post and made no sense whatsoever. At least attack your attacks to the correct post next time.

As for your dig: I was involved in a discussion with hwc about Hispanics. I am sorry it offended your sensiblities to bring Hillary Clinton (the clear Democratic frontrunner) into a discussion about HISPANICS and where they may go. I think it is you who needs to chill, especially after the gratuitous ratings abuse you engaged in last week that made you look like you are just trolling around on this board instead of being interested in engaging in any type of meaningful dialogue.

by georgep on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 04:14:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

I am chilled out. A number of the HRC supporters get bent out of shape went people here point out positions or other instances(Mark Penn) of her campaign that gives people pause. Will 99% of the poeple here vote for her if she is the Dem nominee? You bet!! Will that stop us from critiquing what we think she or any of the other candidates could do better? Not in the least. So get used to it.

John McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion

by Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 05:14:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

I have absolutely no problem if you want to have an issues debate. That is what the primary season is for. Just remember that all the candidate's "helpers" have played musical chairs for years. So, Obama ends up with Robert Gibbs, the slimiest operative we Democrats have ever had the dubious pleasure to have in our midst - Osama Bin Ladin morphs into Dean attack ad. It shows in Obama's campaign, not a good thing.

Anyway, that is not what this is about. Your "input" was a cheesy "Clinton employ" fizzle. Maybe less personal junk and more substantive discussion (or legit criticism) might be cool.

by georgep on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 11:58:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

Republicans in my small Central NY Town, which leans Republican in voting patterns, are running away from the Republican label for this falls local elections. They even created a separate line called "All the People" to run on.

by LionelEHutz on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 01:20:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

my comment above should been a regular comment to the thread. Sorry I accidentally tacked it onto a comment.

by LionelEHutz on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 01:22:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

Todd:

Very enjoyable diary. Thanks.

I can tell you what is going to happen at the family gathering of Republicans. I've now had it happen twice, including yesterday for a holiday meal with Republican seniors in NH.

My wife and I were talking about going to see the Hill 'n Bill Show. Two of the Republicans went absolutely apoplectic in their hate for Hillary Clinton. One old woman was ready to start foaming at the mouth.

My wife asked her, "That's interesting? What exactly is it you hate so much?"

The old lady went into a rant about hating Hillary because of that "no good, cheating, scoundrel husband of hers".

So, I asked who she liked in the Republican field.

"I like Guiliani!"

I had to just bite my tongue. She hates Hillary because her husband cheated on her, but she loves the paragon of marital fidelity Rudy Guiliani!

We talked a little bit about the many times both Clintons had reached out to Republicans in their speeches the night before. The old woman kept saying stuff like, "Oh, she's really smart" and "she's a great politician" and "but, I hate her!"

by hwc on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 12:17:04 PM EST

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

Unless a dark horse like Huckabee gains the nomination the GOP will end up with a nominee with huge problems. They will try to use Clinton hate as the fuel for the general election campaign but will find out as quickly as Democratic challengers have that it will not get them very far.

BlueSunbelt.Com Netroots for the Sunbelt states robwire.com My personal blog

by robliberal on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 12:44:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

the problem is (none / 0)

I think a dark horse like Huckabee is looking more likely as Fred Thompson is revealed to be an idiot.

The most encouraging thing from my perspective is that the Club for Growth types hate Huckabee. We may need them to stop him for us.

John McCain: 100 years in Iraq "would be fine with me."

by desmoinesdem on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 03:32:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: the problem is (none / 0)

Huckabee has a lot of problems of his own, and he is not at all likely to make inroads for the nomination. He is a decent/good candidate, sort of like our own Chris Dodd, but not at all likely to gain traction at this stage, IMO.

by georgep on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 04:15:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

here's the problem, hwc (none / 0)

All of these illogical Clinton-hating Republicans are not magically going to come to their senses in 2008. They are going to come out and vote against Hillary if she is our nominee.

I think there's a good chance that the disillusioned Republicans will stay home if we nominate someone other than Hillary.

I was door-knocking on Sunday and was chatting with an Edwards supporter from way back--in fact, one of the first Edwards supporters I found in my neighborhood in October 2003. Her husband has always been a Republican. They are in their 70s and have canceled each other's votes out in every election.

He came to the door as well, so I asked him if he'd picked a candidate. No, and he's probably not going to. "Right now I'm voting none of the above in both parties," he said. Not planning to caucus.

This is exactly the kind of voter the GOP cannot afford to lose. I don't want to give him any extra motivation to come out and vote.

John McCain: 100 years in Iraq "would be fine with me."

by desmoinesdem on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 03:38:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: here's the problem, hwc (none / 0)

The Democrats don't need Republican Hillary haters to win the national election. This isn't going to be a squeaker election. Clinton is energizing so many key parts of the Democratic and Democratic leaning electorate...African American voters, Latino/a voters, moderate Dems, teachers, and, of course, women.

Too many Democrats are like fans of a losing NFL football team that suddenly emerges as a legitimate SuperBowl favorite and can't deal with it. We have a superstar candidate, easily the biggest "star" candidate in 35 years, with the exception of her husband.

I know that an energized base is a foreign concept to Democrats, but look around. Hillary and Bill drew 10,000 people to two rallies in New Hampshire on Sunday. Democrats are fired up.

In contrast, Romney is speaking to small gatherings in VFW lodges and Guiliani has to resort to dragging his sorry ass around lobster restaurants just to find some hands to shake.

by hwc on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 03:51:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: here's the problem, hwc (none / 0)

i don't know where you're from hwc, but i'm from the south and i think you're really underestimating how much a lot of people hate the clintons, and especially hillary. it goes beyond the rational and is really a personal thing. the deal is that a lot of these rural voters, they're not really voting issues. in fact, most of the older ones voted democratic for years. they're all about the democratic platform with the exception of some cultural issues and patriotic posturing (depending on the candidate).

You might be right that the 2008 election isn't going to be a photo finish, but i just don't feel comfortable betting on somebody who might turn it into one...

by bluedavid on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 12:24:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: here's the problem, hwc (none / 0)

That could happen. On the other hand, the Clinton hatred was there long before Bill even had to run for re-election. Sure, it ramped up from dislike (Perot splits enough votes for Clinton to achieve the seemingly impossible and win) to hostility (Newt Gingrich is two heartbeats away from the presidency and maybe if they dislike Clinton enough...) to burning hatred (Clinton survives the Lewinsky scandal), but it didn't really translate into many extra votes. And whilst Republicans don't have time to make their base have that kind of burning hatred for, say, Edwards (they might have a chance with Obama, but only by going for very racially charged language that could hurt them everywhere but safe red states), they could certainly get that dislike there.

If they're staying home, it's unlikely to have much to do with the Democratic candidate (unless he's so singularly awful from our perspective that they don't feel the need to vote against him) but will probably be because they can't bring themselves to vote for the Republican.

Visit Forgotten Countries, my new foreign policy-based blog

by Englishlefty on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 04:09:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: here's the problem, hwc (none / 0)

If the Republicans base their campaign on being against someone, they are in deep, deep trouble.

Elections are about a positive vision for the future. (The Clinton #1 rule of politics).

It's all about generating excitement for casting a vote.

by hwc on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 04:17:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: here's the problem, hwc (none / 0)

Invest an hour of your time watching the video of the Clinton's rally Sunday in New Hamphshire I've linked elsewhere. This is a powerful, and positive, message for the general election

by hwc on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 04:19:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

The Republicans have another huge structural issue. I'm convinced that Romney is going to win the Republican nomination. He's the richest, hardest working and most willing to pander of the bunch. Heck, he's the only one that has any real record of success to run on. In a divided field he can pick up enough supporters to win.

Come the general election and he hits a major Republican brick wall: evangelicals.

Evangelicals have been warned against Mormons for decades as a devil's cult that will try to convert them and their children. There's no credible 180 degree turn that evangelical leadership can make to turn out the vote for Romney. They won't even try. The evangelical vote will either stay home or hold their nose and vote for someone else for President.

by WVaBlue on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 12:47:00 PM EST

I agree with you in part (none / 0)

the fundies will never vote for a Mormon from Massachusetts.

But I disagree with you that Romney can sneak his way to the nomination without the fundie vote. He is going to fall short, especially when rivals start running ads of him saying he's pro-choice and for gay rights.

John McCain: 100 years in Iraq "would be fine with me."

by desmoinesdem on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 03:34:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I agree with you in part (none / 0)

Every time I think that, I come back to the same point... if not him, then who? McCain is out. Giuliani's got his own set of major issues and Thompson is just too lazy.

I suppose Giuliani might have the most fundie appeal because he's the most authoritarian, is that what you're thinking?

by WVaBlue on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 06:44:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

Along those lines, the NYT has two articles detailing the mood and sentiment of GOP and Democratic voters as it relates to the candidates.

In the first one, Giuliani's name came up the most, but it was both positive and negative. Several people thought he would be good because of his 9/11 experience, but several others talked about him having three wives and lots of girlfriends. They also threw in his support for abortion. Romney gets the nod after Giudy, and McCain is seen as dead in the water. They were waiting for Thompson to say or do something.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/us/pol itics/04repubs.html?_r=1&ref=politic s&oref=slogin

The link below discusses Democrats and how they are feeling about the upcoming elections. Most people liked Hillary and Obama, but thought Obama wasn't ready. They liked Edwards well enough, but he did not seem to factor into the voters equation. Hillary was the favorite amongst those interviewed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/us/pol itics/04dems.html?ref=politics

Overall our side is happier about the upcoming elections.

by Kingstongirl on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 01:26:47 PM EST

Lets Not Be Naive (none / 0)

republicans are gearing up for the full-court press of presidential politics:

` bush will be made over (as much as possible) back into that average guy that every dullard American wanted to have a beer with in 2000;
` most of the cankers in the administration have been removed (rove, gonzales, etc.);
` the US military can not go beyond next April without a force reduction so magically what will happen: at least token force reduction which is possible only because of the great victory fearless leader is achieving in Iraq;
` US corporate media is still all too happy to paint democrats in a negative light and republicans positive.

The only question in 2008 will be how stupid is the American electorate, i.e., will they fall yet again for republican lies and deceptions propagated by US corporate media.
.

by gak on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 01:36:12 PM EST

Re: Lets Not Be Naive (none / 0)

They're already doing this. All the stories on how all the bad stuff that's been going on has been because of Cheney. Even quotes from Rove making it into the media discussion where he says he objected to Cheney being on the ticket. I doubt it will work too well, but there looks to be an organized effort to blame it all on the over-reaching Cheney. They've not yet tipped their hand as how to paint Bush though. Too trusting of his experienced friend? Naive? Too weak to steer the ship on his own? None of that sounds particularly good for him.

by Quinton on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 02:01:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

Yep. That's the problem the Repubs face with their field of candidates. All of them have a serious weakness. Romney and Guiliani have better mainstream appeal, but the evangelicals will sit on their hands. If they find a candidate the evangelicals love, the mainstream purple state appeal is undermined.

Even more important, I like to look at how the candidates are performing on the stump. What kind of crowds are they drawing? How are they handling Q&A sessions? How well are they articulating a vision for leadership on the issues Americans care about.

Several of the Democratic candidates in the race are better on the stump than anybody the Repubs have out there.

by hwc on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 01:38:50 PM EST

And here's Thompson, their Savior! (none / 0)

A funny piece about the man who is supposed to save them from all of what Novak speaks:

http://news.aol.com/elections-blog/2007/ 09/04/thompson-chooses-leno-over-new-ham pshire-debate/

by suzenews on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 01:59:00 PM EST

But don't forget the trump card (none / 0)

The analysis of Republican disarray is right on the mark, but please do not forget the mother of all dirty tricks, which would guarantee a republican president if successful: http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/9/4/16321 2/7547

This is the California initiative that splits its electoral votes in proportion to the parties and guarantees a Republican win in the Electoral College. This is something that HAS to be stopped.

by camilow on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 05:00:33 PM EST

Re: But don't forget the trump card (none / 0)

Where will it get the votes? Unless there are a bunch of Democrats in California who are stupid enough to say "hey, let's not guarantee the Democratic nominee 55 electoral votes in the next election," there just aren't enough Republican voters in California as a whole for this thing to get passed.

by Tom on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 08:12:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

global poverty (none / 0)

I would like to see the republican candidates support global poverty, we see that the focus of most candidates has been "fighting" immigration but I believe that global poverty and immigration have to do with the same core issue. If we focused on fighting global poverty there would be less need for people to leave their countries in search of a better future.

by aileench on Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 06:30:43 PM EST

Re: With Friends Like These... (none / 0)

Oh Jeez, why are these idiots even allowed to vote:

Wayne Horton, 53, who works in construction as a house framer and lives in Burton, Ohio, has been mulling the field and has decided he likes Mr. Romney because he looks presidential, but worries that some people may oppose him because he is a Mormon.

This guy might as well walk around wearing a t-shirt saying "I'm a moron".

Maybe he's the guy in that famous photo who's holding a sign saying "Get a brain, morans!".

"Looks presidential"?!? WTF?!? Have these people ever used their brains?

One of the saddest things about this country is that it's filled with literally millions of people who are so stupid, and who spend all of their time around other stupid people, that they don't even realize how stupid they are.

At least most--but sadly not all--of them appear to be Repubs.

by kovie on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 01:35:40 AM EST

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