Looking back, I do think McCain was the strongest candiate Repugs could have run

[Hawaii Hiker]

I'll admit, back in April/May area, I was definitely concerned McCain could win....Of course, he self-destructed by picking Palin, his poor debate performances, him bolting off to Washington during the economic crisis, etc...

But I think he was the best that Repugs could have come up with.....Guiliani would not have faired much better, Romney & Huckabee would have lost by a far greater margin than McCain did...And had it been any of the others (Brownback, Tancredo, Thompson, etc.) Obama would have gotten 525 (of 538) electoral votes....

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. They did not have a deep bench.

If McCain was the best of that sorry lot, that tells us what pathetic shape the Republicans are in. Remember when they got all excited about Fred Thompson? :rofl:

[Captain Hilts]

3. Our bench was solid to about the 7th batter in the line up. nt

[begin_within]

4. Remember when they were all excited about Elizabeth Dole?

[Captain Hilts]

2. Romney would have done better with women and the financial crisis would have helped him...

as he can effectively talk about economics and finance.

Romney would also have done FAR better in debates with Obama.

[dkf]

6. Yes, Romney would have done much better.

People were looking to someone who had a clue on the economy. Obama won over McCain in this area specifically over temperament. I'd bet on Obama's intelligence, but not on his background knowledge of our financial system. He definitely benefited from McCain as his opponent, not to mention Sarah Palin.

[Captain Hilts]

8. And the economic crisis ended up helping him because McCain handled it so badly...

thinking people thought, "Obama doesn't know a whole lot about economics, but he knows when to keep his mouth shut and he'll consult smart people."

After 8 years in political polling, I'm still stunned by Republicans' total stupidity in not nominating their best candidate. Romney actually has experience in business and government and his father was a moderate Republican, who, like Mitt, was not enough of a red-meat Republican to secure the nomination from Nixon in '68.

[dkf]

11. We benefited from the fact that Romney is a Mormon.

Thank goodness for religious bigotry.

[Captain Hilts]

13. And the press clearly preferred McCain. So, Romney got a rougher go of it. nt

[Kahuna]

18. Right. I bet the repukes are sorry that they did not nominate Romney..

I actually did fear him the most.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. But the fundies don't like Mormons. McCain had to turn over a rock in Alaska

to find an acceptable wacko to placate the fundie base. They think Mormons are heretics and they would have had a tough time with Mittens.

[Captain Hilts]

10. Well, yeah. Rick Warren has condemned Romney to hell along with Catholics and Jews.

I guess he won't be going to the inauguration.

[grantcart]

26. his you tube pronouncements showing him on both sides of a dozen issues

would have become major problems.


Also as Romney has never been a Senator you have to figure in that he would have had some missteps in a debate on national issues where he was spectacularly weak.

[Captain Hilts]

28. By the general election the same thing could have been done on Obama.

FISA, DC gun ban, campaign finance, Cuban embargo, offshore oil drilling....

[azmouse]

5. McCain's age also hurt him.

[no_hypocrisy]

12. I also don't see Romney selecting Palin as a running mate.

[alsame]

17. I was worried about a Romney/Huckabee ticket. Huckabee is

just as crazy as Palin, but he comes across as sane and personable, plus he has an actual record of governing.

Obama still would have won, but I think it would have been much closer.

[Captain Hilts]

21. Yes. These two men spoke well and had good party manners. Unlike McCain. nt

[opihimoimoi]

7. Them Pubs paid a steep price for the ARROGANCE they possess

Now, they are stymied with a weak Team....pity....they put up an interesting fight...not bad for the party that Lies Cheats Steals...

[Ian David]

14. Let's see how they do with the Sarah Palin / Chuck Norris ticket in 2012. n/t

[Two Americas]

15. nothing to do with McCain

The people rejected and repudiated Reaganomics and the religious right.

The people are moving dramatically to the Left. Why some Democrats are denying, obscuring and suppressing that is a mystery.

[Kahuna]

19. You're only half right. Of course there is never any one reason

why things turn out the way they do. It's always a combination.

[Two Americas]

20. if that is true

If it is true, if "it is always a combination," and if there is never any one reason for things turning out the way that they do, and if that then makes any statement that prioritizes and analyzes the causes "only half right," then we could never say anything about anything without being "half wrong."

Any statement by anyone about anything could be invalidated by saying "it is always a combination" and "there is never one reason."

Which half of my post is right, and which half is wrong?

[Hawaii Hiker]

29. Yeah I agree. - This is NOT a center right nation like the pugs like to claim

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Democrats should realize that MOST people cannot stand the religious right, & I don't like the idea of Rick Warren speaking at the inaguration.....

One of the many positive things about a Democrat winning an election was in doing so, this is SUPPOSED to make sure that the religious right leaders are not helping to formulating policy.....The only way Rick Warren (and any other religious right leader) should be in the White House is if they see it like everybody else - with a ticket on a guided tour!!!....

[Two Americas]

30. the people

The people completely rejected and repudiated Reaganomics and the religious right.

But one would think that it were the political left that had been rejected and repudiated to listen to the things the conservatives among us and the party leaders are saying.

[Cha]

16. Maybe..until along came

palin and sunk him like a boulder.

[Jennicut]

22. Romney was better on economics but so unlikable personally

He really was slimy and slick.

[book_worm]

23. It could have been a closer election (Obama still would have won) but McCain did himself in

by choosing Sarah Palin, if he had told the fundies to fuck off and selected Olympia Snowe, for instance, it would have been more competitive. And then when he said the fundamentals of the economy are strong--showed he was out of touch.

[sniffa]

24. I disagree

I still think Huckabee was their best option. 4 years prior I think he'd be their best option in 2012 or even 2016. Things could/will change obviously.

[Number23]

25. Romney should have been their guy

With all of those big strong teeth and healthy children, he should have been a Repub's dream. But he suffered the dual curses of good education and non-"traditional" religious beliefs. Repubs only love an Ivy-league grad if they only got in because of legacy (read: pro-rich/white affirmative action) programs.

McCain WAS their guy -- 8 years ago.

[DCBob]

27. Gulliani would have been their best candidate.

He might have won depending on how he handled his past scandals.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

31. I agree. I hated to see him on tv, during the election - thought

he was an excellent debater. For all the hype about McCain having so much experience - I never once
got blown away by how much he knew - except for dropping a couple names from foreign countries. Think
he is intellectually lazy.

[blue_onyx]

32. Really?

I thought Giuliani would have been the worst pick for the GOP. The religious base of the GOP wouldn't have liked him and I don't think he would have appealed to independents either. I think people would've been really turned off if they saw his poor performance during 9/11 rather than the "America's mayor" image most television news presents. I'm sure there would have been a lot of independent ads regarding 9/11 and it would have hurt Guiliani badly. I don't think there were any great choices for the GOP.