Los Angeles
CHANGE MY LOCATION
Jay McDonough
Progressive Politics ExaminerJay began writing politically themed commentary and founded his blog, Swimming Freestyle, in October 2007. Here he'll write about politics from a progressive perspective.
Examiner Feeds
These websites were picked by the Progressive Politics Examiner as useful resources.National Examiners
Angele Sionna
Early Childhood Parenting Examiner
Most Recent Post
Spooky & Cooky Halloween Treats For Children (for cheap!)
Early Childhood Parenting Examiner
Most Recent Post
Spooky & Cooky Halloween Treats For Children (for cheap!)
The Yin and Yang of the McCain Candidacy
Add a Comment
by Jay McDonough, Progressive Politics Examiner
John McCain's success in November will, to a large extent, be dependent on his ability to appeal to the Republican base, attract a majority of Independent voters, and secure the votes of some disaffected Democrats.That would be difficult in any election, but even harder in 2008. The Republican brand is now badly damaged and, as a result, Party affiliation is depressed. The recent Rasmussen poll breaks down party affiliations:
During the month of April, 41.7% of Americans considered themselves to be Democrats. Just 31.6% said they were Republicans and 26.6% were not affiliated with either major party.The President's approval rating has been hovering around 30% for well over a year now, and even some 30% of the Republican base disapproves of the President's job performance. Approval/disapproval numbers for President Bush are flat out dismal when Independents and Democrats weigh in:
George Bush's Job Approval
CBS News: Democrats 12%. Independents 22%, Republicans 55%
Rasmussen: Democrats 11%, Independents 28%, Republicans 70%.
Gallup: Democrats 7%. Independents 26%, Republicans 60%
Disapproval of Bush's Job Performance
ARG: Democrats 95%. Independents 78%, Republicans 27%
CBS News: Democrats 87%. Independents 67%, Republicans 29%
Fox News: Democrats 82%. Independents 63%, Republicans 28%
Senator McCain is now in the unenviable position of having had to appeal to base Republican voters in order to secure his party's nominee, but now bound by those positions and, giving him the benefit of the doubt, ideologies that are problematic for a Bush weary electorate, now including disaffected Republicans and Independents.
The McCain campaign is clearly struggling with trying to have it both ways. McCain's surreal speech in Kenner, Louisiana Tuesday night was a horribly botched attempt to convince voters he is, in fact, different than President Bush. Yesterday, McCain's chief economic advisor, Doug Holtz-Eakin, tried rather comically to suggest Senator Obama's economic policies were more akin to the President's than Senator McCain's.
A McCain surrogate, Senator Lindsey Graham, appeared on "This Week" this morning and mucked up the message yet again (the video is here):
STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me bring Senator Graham back in on this because you brought up two. You said the tax policy and the health care policy were essentially, Senator Graham, John McCain is calling for an extension or maybe enhancement of the Bush policies.I think most would agree the McCain positions on Iraq, the war on terror and foreign policy are, for all intents and purposes, "an extension or maybe enhancement of the Bush policies" as well.
GRAHAM: Yeah, absolutely.
Here's a new poll of the issues voters consider the most important in 2008:
"Which of the following issues will be MOST important to you when you decide how to vote for president: [see below]?"
%
Economy 42
War in Iraq 24
Health care 12
Terrorism 11
Illegal immigration 8
Other (vol.) 1
Unsure 1
(CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. June 4-5, 2008. N=921 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3.)So, at least for the top five voter issues in the upcoming election, there's no appreciable daylight between John McCain and President Bush. To be fair, Senator McCain has some policy positions that do vary from the Bush Administration's, most notably global warming. But it's apparent from the poll, voters just aren't placing great importance on the issue (yet).
Convincing voters Senator McCain is in some way fundamentally different from President Bush on the issues that matter will require some Houdini like moves by the Senator: And, in the end, it can only be accomplished by the use of illusion and sleight of hand. In other words, just a fancy trick.
Topics: General Election , McCain
Subscribe
FeedComments
More from Progressive Politics Examiner
How McCain intends to pay for his health care plan
The longer version, McCain and the Keating Five
Topics: McCain , Keating Five
Obama/McCain. How ugly will it get?
Topics: Obama , McCain , Keating Five
A Picture for the Day
Topics: A Picture for the Day
Bin Laden's real strategy?
Palin lied about Sudan divestment too
Topics: Sarah Palin , Sudan
The Economist article Sarah Palin probably won't read
Topics: Obama , McCain , Palin , The Economist
The SNL vice presidential debate
Topics: Obama , Palin , SNL , Tina Fey
John and Sarah in High School Musical 3
Topics: McCain , Palin , JibJab
