How Sarah Palin lost John McCain the Presidency
Steve Newlin, Senior Contributing Editor
I know what you’re thinking. Sarah Palin’s vice presidential nomination rallied the Republican Party’s core Religious Right. They love her. The adore her. They pack stadiums to see her. Heck, they even want her to be the president. But there’s a simple fact in US politics: No matter how powerful the Religious Right is, it can never, in and of itself, win a presidential election.
The Religious Right could not even win the Republican Party’s primary election. If the Religious Right was as powerful as most people think it is, it would be Huckabee leading his party’s ticket, not McCain. But Huckabee did not win. McCain demolished Huckabee in the primary because McCain was able to get support from people who I’ll call fiscal Republicans, those who support free market ideas but who do not politicize their moral and religious beliefs, and from moderate Democrats. Let’s face it, Huckabee could not get moderate Democratic support on the most moderate day of his life with an electrified moderating machine.
So my point has no bearing on Palin’s popularity within the Religious Right. My point is that when McCain pandered to the Religious Right and picked Palin, he alienated those moderate Democrats and fiscal Republicans who won him the primary, and his numbers dropped accordingly. Let’s face it, if Right Wingers such as Christopher Buckley are leaving McCain, you can be certain that moderate Left Wingers have already left.
This is why one Republican pundit called Palin a “fatal cancer” to the Republican Party. Cancer is alive, but it will eventually kill its host. That’s exactly what Palin did. She rallied the Religious Right to life, but then killed McCain’s campaign.
And the ironic part is that McCain and his handlers completely forgot, or completely failed to consider, that the Religious Right would have voted against Obama regardless of who ran for the Republican Party; merely because members of the Religious Right would not want a black man as president. Does anyone really think those nutjobs who call Obama an “Arab” or “terrorist” would have voted for Obama if McCain had picked a moderate running mate? There was absolutely no reason for McCain to pander to the Religious Right, as he had a lock on them from the get-go. However, by pandering he now doesn’t have a chance in heck of winning.
#30
Correct, his proposal as I understand it is that he SAYS he would be increasing the marginal rate (that portion above a certain income) above income of $250K, but his web site also says this:
“The top two income tax brackets would return to their 1990’s levels of 36% and 39.6%.
What he’s not telling you, on his totally obfuscating web site is that the two top tax brackets apply to anyone making over $160,850 (single) or $195,850 (married). NOT $250,000. [IRS tax table]
Unless someone has a devious explanation for this, he’s stating on his own web site that the $250K mark IS A LIE
“Obama will ask the wealthiest 2% of families to give back a portion of the tax cuts they have received over the past eight years ”
Who knows what that means……but it sounds like one of those wonderful retroactive tax plans, which are very open-ended (see Clinton years).
He’s a silver-tongued liar. This isn’t from FOX news, it’s from his website and the IRS tax tables. The idea that only people making over $250k will pay more taxes under his regime is laughable.
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=164272,00.html
http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/taxes/Factsheet_Tax_Plan_FINAL.pdf
I’ve noticed that when Dvorak himself posts, it’s definitely not a raging-leftist agenda like his assistants. Dvorak seems pretty even-handed, but his minions do seem to agree with the Communist Party USA, who are just giddy with the prospect of an Obama presidency.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iMCyQU-2FEywiO4DDeBcAT2ZJmlg
We have already been taxed. 8 years of the sadistic Bush administration and its fiscal policies have taxed us all through deficit spending. Obama will get the rather unenviable job of collecting on those taxes already placed on the yoke of the American taxpayer by dubya.
Kudos to Montanaguy who seems to have a pretty good handle on the situation. Keep up the good work, montanaguy, you are one of the few rational thinkers on this site.
McCain should have picked Romney.
With Romney as VP, this entire economy debate would have been in McCain’s favor thru Romney.
The religious right would have lived with Romney’s religion rather than Obama’s. They may not have liked it, but it would have been the lesser of two evils.
McCain screwed up.
#20, “J”,
I think the title should be How Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin lost John McCain the Presidency.
I would add Paulson and Letterman to that as well. He was in the thick of it until he decided to go to Washington to fix the mess and came up a failure. His brushing off Letterman made him look very foolish. Palin is his biggest error and Joe is the nail in the coffin.
So much rabid fanaticism for one candidate over the other….
Everyone so desperately wants to believe that someone can step into the 2008 presidency and magically solve all of our problems…
Sorry to tell you folks but these two candidates are nothing more than professional politicians hand-picked by their political parties. They have no more ability to solve our problems than Joe Sixpack or Joe the Plumber.
#27–montanadude==projection is when you apply your own values/fears to an object/person/issue/subject that really doesn’t raise/relate to what you project.
Obama has said very clearly “No tax increase unless you make more than $250K.” Any claim that he is going to raise taxes below $250K is BS or projection—–unless you back it up with other statements Barrack has made. Websites with links is even better. So==bravo.
I won’t look at the links because I think predicting the future is mostly a fools errand–or worse.
Government must move to a positive cash flow. Taxes is the dumb-stupid way to do it so I expect that will be the way eventually found by whoever takes office.
I have offered a new tax base acceptable to most clear thinking people but I’m sure it would be rejected on misplaced moral grounds.
And so it goes.
PS==but still. Why do you/repugs concentrate so much on taxes when the spending is even worse? Its a more direct appeal to self centered emotions I know, just wondering if there is any more to it?
#38
see #31. There’s my basis, in part. He’s saying one thing live and another on his website.
#27 – Hannah
>>1) He’s clearly promising a tax increase.
If this is your understanding of Obama’s tax plan, your right to vote should be revoked.
>>The next target will be the 401K…
You’ve really outdone yourself here. That has to be the single most asinine statement I have heard during the entire campaign.
#32 – Baggums
>>Dvorak seems pretty even-handed
Heh. Yeah, if “even-handed” means a steady stream of anti-Obama/ anti-Biden posts. He is reluctant to be pegged as a McFanBoi (and there’s really nothing positive to say about McBush/ Palin), but every single political post I’ve seen his name attached to has been a slam directed towards Obama/ Biden.
Maybe he just wants to collect on those bets he’s made that McBush will win, or maybe he really believes that shit in the Moonie paper and the right-wing blogs. I really hope it’s the former, but you never know.
I’ve got a couple of friends who are leaning towards McCain, purely because Hillary isn’t running. I’m talking Liberal Democrats! They find every excuse against Obama and forgive every little thing from McCain, and they also seem to be in love with Palin. Hillary shock is the only reason I can seem them doing it.
(I don’t understand why my Firefox isn’t working. I click the Submit button and Firefox just sits there…)
So…..this is news?
You just figured this out?
Newsflash!!!!
Everyone Knew This 3 Weeks Ago!
McNutty was already losing, he just sealed his fate with the absurd choice of Sarah “Mooseburger” Palin.
He should have picked Romney.
And, of course, he should NOT have been McCain.
It was quite funny, all of the commentators commenting, “McCain should do this”, “McCain should do that”, “if only he woulda…”,
etc.
Well…….then he woudln’t be McCain anymore, would he?
He and Mooseburger should just shuffle off to Alaska start in on all that beer his wife has, share it with the natives, the Eskimos, the Joe Six and 12 packs suffering through those 16 hour nights.
McCain “lost” the presidency when he compromised the best part of him to suck-up to the Repulicans.
On the other hand, had he NOT compromised himself, he never would have been nominated.
“…members of the Religious Right would not want a black man as president.”
Really? There’s plenty of black religious people, I would think the abortion issue would be larger than race.
Hmm, I remember saying that Sarah Palin would bring down the McCain campaign, umm lets see when was it… Oh yeah THE DAY SHE WAS NOMINATED!
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Religious right wing belief is so bereft they hadda go all the way to Alaska to find a sycophant higher ranking than local school board.
But still, I am hoping for a McCain win. Call it the “full employment for Tina Fey” vote.
This morning after the debate I found myself thinking, “John McCain is a good man.” He has experience and tenacity. The next thought was I could never vote for him because of his VP choice. …just one man’s opinion.
Not sure that Palin COST the election for McCain. I do think it more has to do with the shift of the Republican party to the Religious right, and the idea of Big Government. Republican used to mean less government, lower regulations and a free market. Tht trouble is they have begun to believe they know what is best for the people, to include something as obtuse as Religion. I have been a registered Republican for over 25 years now, and have watched it change and alter itself into what used to be considered Democrats style and process. Now we have CIA, FBI, TSA, HSA, FHA, FCC, etc. All these groups of government, with most trying to regulate what happens in the supposedly “Free” market systems. The funniset thing I saw was some politico shouting for a better “Free” Market system with MORE government regulation. The ultimate in misnomers. So I cannot believe it solely has to do with the “Pick” made, but rather the REASON for the pick being made.
I want LESS government, less imposition onto what were once considered FREE citizens. The Constitution states life liberty and pursuit of happiness….yet now it should be amended to read “in as far as the government allows”.
If McCain were elected, what would be the first thing he would do as president?
Can’t answer?
What would McCain’s approach to governing be?
Can’t answer?
McCain is incompetent because he is running for president with no plan and seemingly no ideology at all.
You can’t win an election on that.
Despite having maybe 1 or 2 reservations about Obama, McCain offers nothing and I think swing-voter types see that clear as day.
Palin has brought McCain the all important “speaking in toungues vote”.
Bla la hex morph volden nubrol!
#53–brm==right you are. I admit I buried it pretty deep but I was thinking just about what you posted, though not as much detail as you provided.
My point being that these catch phrases will be used with the thinnest of rationales to great approval among the repug base with never a thought given as to “why.”
Thanks for your help.
This says it all for me,
run your mouse over the doors windows objects, etc
http://www.palinaspresident.com/
Couldn’t agree more.
>> Mark said, on October 16th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
>>>“…members of the Religious Right would not want a black man as president.”
>>Really? There’s plenty of black religious people, I would think the abortion issue would be larger than race.
The Religious Right is not inherently racist but bring rooted in the South, there are a lot of racists in the movement.
>BdgBill said, on October 17th, 2008 at 1:40 am
>Palin has brought McCain the all important “speaking in toungues vote”.
Do you live a segregated life from Christianity? Or at least that kid of Christian? The Charismatic vote is easily big enough to easily swing an election.
——–
Growing Numbers of People
A decade ago, three out of ten adults claimed to be charismatic or Pentecostal Christians. Today, 36% of Americans accept that designation. That corresponds to approximately 80 million adults.
http://tinyurl.com/36xavh
________
However, the tricky part is to appeal to the Charismatics without alienating other voting blocs.
#46 Mark – Do you know the predominate constituency of the “Religious Right”? They be white folk. And a superstitious narrow minded lot at that.
heh.
i love how republicans sing and dance and say hallelujah when the republicans give them a $200 tax cut. it’s nice to have, but face it that doesn’t even buy groceries and diapers for a month for a family of four.
do you not realize that to pay for these tiny little tax cuts, g.w. bush has sold our entire nation to red china so that you can have some extra beer money?
seriously, the tax cuts mccain is proposing are a pittance, if you even qualify.
and you think we liberals believe in magic.
ha!
# 53 brm
“I’d bet fifty bucks, but we wouldn’t be able to collect until the next election.”
Congratulations! You probably just committed a felony.
Seriously though. If $50 is the level of your confidence you shouldn’t be running off at the mouth.
Why not $50,000? Not so sure are you? If you were $50,000 would be no problem.
#2 (how apropos)
here’s what you sound like:
“liberal bad. me good.”
I think this article hit it on the head. I was largely undecided but leaning towards Obama. A good running mate would have swayed me to McCain pretty easily. Once McCain chose a running mate with all the bad qualities of both Bush and Cheney rolled into one it sealed the deal for me. I consider myself a fiscal conservative, but the infusion of the religious right into the Republican party has really left me alienated.
GIVE ME BACK MY PARTY, RELIGIOUS NUTJOBS!!!!
I guess I’m a Democrat for the next 8 years until they F^$K it up and I’m back in the Republican camp. I plan on voting against every incumbent just on principle alone because of the pork they allowed into the rescue bill, regardless of their platform.