I've never disliked him, and occasionally, before his cyncial "Bushist Born Again" turn after 2000, actually admired him.

I know there are some on this Board who still hold that he has integrity and independence. But I wonder if anyone saw him on MTP with Russert this morning. He was dancing and dissembling. Explaining his support for making permanent the Bush tax cuts because he never votes for tax increases, although he was eloquently vocal in opposition to these cuts in 2001. Defending Jerry Falwell... "the religious right has an important role to play in the republican party." His own naked ambition shaping his opinions... very sad actually, I felt sorry for him.

I think his presidential ambitions ended about 8:17 EDT.

"I havent had this much fun since my last interrogation"

Yeah, I think Russert did a nice job of exposing some huge flaws in the man's record especially with regard to his dismissal and then pandering to the Religous Right.

Uncomfortably entertaining.

I didn't see it, though I'm not really surprised.

However, one thing McCain does have is a damn magnetic personality and charisma. Always has, always will. He's incredibly likeable. He was one of the most popular guys with the best looking girls on his hip at the Academy, and he was also damn close to marrying some hot Brazilian piece before he met his first wife.

I'm not saying his likeability makes him electable, but it keeps him from being too easily excluded.

Oh yeah, and speaking of the Academy, I saw that Jim Webb is running as a Democrat for Senate against George Allen in Virginny.

Watched it too and just shook my head. Maybe he'll meet Hillary on the way to the ditch.

You read "The Nightengale's Song" Cory?

I like Webb a lot. McCain as well, this is what politicians do.

Loved it.

Curious, even in terms of politicians and what they, of necessity, must do, you think he came across well?

It reminded me of the MTP with Dean in 2003 when he had soared ahead in the polls, and he had a meltdown under Russert's mostly benign questions. I knew it was the end.

I don't think this means much right now. Now in a couple of months it's might be different.

I liked McCain until I started reading his voting record. However, he's still better than 99% of the Republicans in Congress.

Arlen Specter's pretty reasonable though. Unlike McCain, the more I read about Specter, the more I like him.

I thought McCain was direct and eloquent on the immigration issue. He was also quite candid on Iraq, where he saw mistakes, where he saw success, how he'd've done it differently.

Despite sucking the party teat in order to "rebuild the bridges" he torched in 2000, I still like him.

It would absolutely suck if he kept scorching people and then lost the nomination to one of these "Scarlet A for Amnesty" bible thumpers.

i've definitely lost lots of respect for him in the last few years. his speech at the republican national convention was a farce--i sincerely doubt mccain would have gone into iraq had he been president. but being the democrats' favorite republican certainly wouldn't help him in a primary. anyway, here's an excerpt from meet the press:


http://movies.crooksandliars.com/MTP-McCain-Falwell1.wmv

He said... "and no one knows more about the immigration issue than President Bush."

But finish the context...Bush as former governor of a border state. Sure it's a bit of hyperbole, but McCain is standing with the President in the face of some damned rabid and downright scary rhetoric from their party. I thnk the point he was trying to make is, "To whom are you going to listen, the former governor of Texas, which has the longest border with Mexico, or some smacked-ass dimwit from Iowa?"

Looked to me like the Straight Talk Express just hit the Christian Right Brick Wall. He came off as cowering and back peddling. I can't imagine that will be enough to win over more than a few Christian Conservatives, especially at the cost of rationally thinking moderates and independents.

Except that rationally thinking moderates and independents may be capable of realizing that exactly zero candidates will match up issue-for-issue with all of their voting preferences.

They may also believe McCain is courting a bloc of voters to help get him an electoral push only, and leaving them at the altar after the inaugural balls.

unfortunately, that preacher from the Sopranos last night would carry about 20 states.

And you don't think that voting bloc will figure that out too? They may be crazy, but they're not stupid.

And McCain's appeal with independents is his perceived integrity and ability to buck the system (lord knows it's not his voting record). I don't know how politically smart it is to hitch your wagon to a president who is losing credibility by the hour and represents the worst of the GOP establishment. McCain had it right the first time when he pointed out the dangerous influence the Christian Right had on the party. He's clearly made his deal with Bush so why pander to the Extra Chromosone gang now?

I think people here somehow seem to forget that we have a two party system, that McCain is a republican, and that you need to win your own party's nomination before you can win the general election.

I don't see McCain winning the republican nomination. I just don't think conservatives trust him on too many non-defense issues. That said, coming out in support of renewing the tax cuts and saying there's a place for the religious right in the repub party help him not hurt him. Probably just not enough to matter.

If he did get the nomination, he could kiss Jerry Fawell on the lips and still likely beat any of the names dems seem to be throwing around. I suspect though it'll be two governors running against each other and likely ones that aren't getting a ton of mention yet.

For all the things and issues we disagree on, I would say you understand the basic mechanics of politics of most in this thread.

Good analysis. As a Dem, I hope McCain doesn't win..because the Dems are so fucking ham-fisted, they'll probably try to "Swift Boat" McCain with some kind of fucking "Manchurian Candidate/Been in that box in the jungle too long" bS and lose all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Its quite sad that after all the blunders, most just don't fucking believe that these guys can do anything right. In the end this will probably show in election day as well

Wow, you just got the Loogar Gold Star. Congratulations.

Predictions:

1) Bill Richardson wins Democratic domination
2) Bill Frist wins Republican nomination
3) Paul Hackett pulls a Wesley Clark and runs for president.
4) Dennis Kucinich grows an inch in his pants.

Re-elect Al Gore.

(Or said another way, are you high? In 2004 all the Dems needed was about 5% of the Latino vote in Florida to switch and we'd have President Kerry. This "the dems are clods" idea is way overstated.)

Yeah, but they were running against Bush. The only worse candidate for teh Repubs is bringing Dole out of retirement. It was easily the worst 2 candiates to run for public office in my lifetime.

We can assume you are younger than 18, and thus not around for the guy in the tank?