Starts overhauling campaign staff, flinging some of the rats from his sinking ship.
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McCain Sinking
02 Jul 2007 12:30 pm
Comments (15)
Don't kid yourself, DP: McCain's done. His embrace of the immigration bill killed his candidacy. McCain is far more popular inside the Beltway than outside.
He's part of the McCain-Kennedy-Bush Axis of Amnesty. He's a loser.
The Kerry parallel may work for this news too; Kerry had a staff shakeup in Nov. 2003 which was widely seen as a sign of desperation, but he still got nominated. OTOH Kerry wasn't hated by large parts of his base the way McCain is.
Yes he was. The acronym "ABK" was all over the internets back in those days.
The acronym "ABK" was all over the internets back in those days.
Yeah, but was that sentiment common among real people, or just the Internet?
It's way, way early to be prognosticating an election a year and a half away. Nevertheless, I thought McCain was done at least 6 months ago.
Anyone think he'll surface as a popular cabinet choice for either party?
I don't remember ever seeing "ABK" -- googling, the top primary-season hits are from TNR and Kaus. But I meant that Kerry wasn't hated by Democrats.
[OK, fine, I found a reference from dKos. I agree with Gabriel, though, and I'd add that very few of these people probably hated Kerry before he emerged as a presidential candidate. A lot of hardcore wingers have hated McCain for a long time.]
We Democrats should be prepared for a media-backed McCain surge. Kerry was considered buried and Edwards seemed to be the only alternative to Dean if I remember my pre-primary history correctly. Once people started voting (or standing or whatever it is they do in Iowa), Kerry got the momentum push and won easily.
I'm not saying that it will happen. I'm saying we should assign it as a possibility to be monitored. Did anyone see Kerry "surging" before Iowa? (Sorry to use the tainted word there.)
Between flip-flopping Mitt parking the dog on the top of a car, and pro-choice Rudy who found other things to do besides serve on the Iraqi Study Group, McCain definitely became more palatable this week. The base may not like his stance on immigration, but they didn't like Bush's either. He's record is very conservative and the Washington Pundocracy hasn't yet abandoned him (although they might chuck him over great smelling Fred Thompson). It was a good week for McCain, but only because the others were imploding, so I think it's a smart move to re-org. He needs to win people over, in as much as that is possible given his damaged status. You don't want to go into your convention with the slogan: "John McCain - Because he sucked less..."
Edwards seemed to be the only alternative to Dean if I remember my pre-primary history correctly
No, Edwards really came out of nowhere (because of an Iowa newspaper endorsement, IIRC). On the Iowa election markets Edwards was in with "Rest of Field" for the nomination. Just before the caucuses (check Jan. 18, 2003) the markets had Dean first, Clark second, Kerry third; the rest of field, with Gephardt, Lieberman, and Clinton (who wasn't even running) pretty much nowhere.
Sorry, then rest of field, which is to say that "rest of field" (mostly Edwards) was in fourth place.
In any case, I think we shouldn't rule out a McCain comeback, precisely because of the Kerry example. And the Edwards example shows that someone who's really nowhere might win. Draft Newt! (And lose all 50 states.)
"We Democrats should be prepared for a media-backed McCain surge."
Are you one of those "low information" types? The media bailed on McCain when he refused to bail on Iraq. Now after McCain essentially gave the finger to the GOP base on the immigration deal, he's done.
"It's way, way early to be prognosticating an election a year and a half away"
Can we stop saying things like that? The general election is far away, but McCain's fate will be determined in the primaries, which aren't all that far off
Comments closed July 16, 2007.
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Heads in the Sand
McCain wont drop out. Running for president is his whole identity at this point. Besides I see him like the John Kerry of 2004. Written off for dead he just hung around in third place until the top people fell. After Giuliani flames out and the GOP decides it doesn't want a flip-flopping mormon robot and Freddy decides that he'd really just rather lie around on the couch McCain will be the only one standing. Him and Ron Paul that is.
Posted by DP | July 2, 2007 12:41 PM