If you looked at past elections the popular vote is NOT that close. In the previous 12 elections only 1964, 1972, 1984 and 1988 did the winner get a higher % of the popular vote. And in 1988 it wasn't that much higher.

1) Wrong... she actually drew crowds far larger than McCain and as large as Obama on her own. McCain was the drag on the McCain campaign. Without her on the ticket... he would have lost by 10-15%. Like her or not... Palin will be a huge national figure for a long time.

2) He was right. FUNDAMENTALS are strong. That is why GDP was only slightly negative last quarter - far better than expected. AND You are right, in that it was stupid of him to say 'ooops'! He should have stuck to his original statement and offered proof.

3) YOU ARE absolutely right. He should have fought that pay-off... er um... rescue package all the way - had he done so, he would have caried a huge victory. The conservatives did not vote for him (only 80%) because he is not a conservative. Many conservatives voted for Obama - as they see him as the 2nd coming of Carter - who's fiscal stupidity and TAX INCREASES brought in basically 30 years of conservative rule. The conservatives are counting on Obama to do the same thing.

My thoughts... the US is still, a Right of Center country and very conservative. McCain lost the election because he tried to act too much like a centrist and too little like a conservative. But, McCain is not a conservative and never has been. If you need proof of this, look nationally at local ballot issues that would be Right -vs- Left and you will see that the RIGHT won most of their issues... even in California. :2 cents:

Looking back, I think the strategy he was trying to make by picking Palin is to win over Hiliary Clinton supporter, it kinda work at first because Hila's supporter is angry. Her rating once roars but till that stupid interview where she claim she have foreign creditability because she can see Russia from Alaska. After that everything drop like a bomb.

Yes.. and she can thank the McCain campaign people for making that statement first. She had to defend it - or make McCain look stupid.

Compared to previous elections, the popular vote isn't very close, but in real terms, I agree, it's pretty close.

But it doesn't surprise me at all. First, the country has been strongly divided, entrenched almost 50/50 for some time now. Secondly, Obama is anything but a conventional candidate. Up until the final vote was cast yesterday, conventional wisdom says Obama should not win. He's young, he's socially black, he hasn't spent much time in the Senate, he has a thin resume, his name is Barack HUSSEING Obama (as his opponents reminded everybody within earshot all day every day), his life story - while an American Dream is unlike one most Americans know or can relate to, he's an unkown in many respects, he's liberal, he said he'll increase taxes on the most powerful in society, and so on. Because of these things he became a punching bag by Republicans - they derided and smeared him as a Muslim, a terrorist, Kenyan rather than America, etc etc. All things that played up to emotions and cast doubt among key voting groups such as the elderly (who broke in favor of McCain on election night in spite of how the polls suggested Obama had closed the gap in the days up to the election).

He was always the underdog. A convergence of circumstances (economic meltdown) along with his strategic campaigning and superior oratory skills put him over the top. He made his greatest weakness of inexperience a strength using the 'change' theme.

She drew crowds of hardcore neo-cons that were voting McCain anyways. She wasn't reaching independants. and she was turning of liberal republicans. Don't believe me go look at the vote totals.

Sounds like sour grapes by you. You still don't get it. REAL people losing REAL jobs and REAL homes don't want a lecture on economics. Even if he was right, that doesn't matter, what people wanted to hear was "I understand your pain and here's what I'm going to do to help" not "It's all in your head, I have charts and numbers to prove it."

So some Americans WANT things to go bad in America? Not very patriotic. I mean what would be so bad if things went great? Because a liberal or a democrat did it? Who fucking cares? That's fucking reatrded to WISH for things to go bad so you can get your guy in ther to make things "good" when youc an have "good" things happen NOW. What kind of retard thinks "I hope I lose my job and home and have to live under bridge for 4 years so a republican can be president in 2013" THEN things can get fixed.

you fail at politics. If he actually been more of a centrist he might have won. Here's a tip, 70% of America is NOT Republican. You will NEVER win an election with 30% of the vote. Get it yet? The GOP needs to tell the Jesus freaks to fuck off and find another party. The fiscally conservative, but socially liberal republicans can get in dependants and conservative democrats to vote for them. That kind of GOP can have success. The jesus freaks need to worry about REAL issues and quit trying to run everyone else's lives. No is forcing them into gay sex or gay marriage. No one is forcing them to have abortions. No one is forcing them to watch porn. if other peopel want thes ething IT IS NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS. If they want their kids to see evolution as a myth and creationism as real and have prayer in school they can put them in private school. Or they just take them to church.

If Palin was a centrist/moderate she would have been successful in holding those Clinton supporters who jumped ship to McCain's ticket immediately after the RNC. This could very well have led to victory. Ditto for comments alienating the 'less real Americans' like Latinos who aren't from small town America, ditto for the youth vote who are less religious than the old guard that Palin appeals to. But because of her views she lost them as soon as she got them. If she was a centrist politically and a moderate socially, the McCain ticket definitely would have had a real chance to win.

McCain lost because he did not distance himself enough from Bush. If McCain would have started talking like a libertarian or like Ron Paul, then maybe people would have believed he is different than Bush. McCain moving to the center is a failure because mcCain has no chance to beat obama in the center if Obama moves to the center.

I am truly glad that McCain did not nominate ron paul as vp. I am glad that McCain did not start talking like a free-market libertarian because I am sure it would have been lies. If the USA will turn into socialism, I prefer a genuine liberal democrat such as Obama to do it. A republican like McCain will more likely create socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor. At least Obama seems to be a fair person. Obama seems to actually care about the welfare of the people, unlike McCain who seems to care more about soldiers and war.

McCain is simply a big failure. He is almost as stupid and stubborn as Bush. Unlike Bush, he unfortunately had an opponent who was difficult to defeat. People like Bush can only be elected during fantastic times ... such as following a Clinton presidency and stock market boom.

McCain in 2000 maybe could have beaten Al Gore. Back in 2000, most people had no clue how bad life would become under Bush. I hope Americans have learned the dangers of electing republicans to the presidency. I think it will be several decades before Americans forget about Bush.

If you cant make a sane decision on a running mate, you are NOT fit to run a country... especially this one.

Crowds are crowds.. I guess your point is Obama grew crowds of NON liberal Democrats? Whats you're point? If they were Neo-Cons.. they still showed up in big numbers. Numbers just as big as Obama. That's a lot of neo cons.

So basically, your saying you would rather have your hand held than told the truth? And such is the rest of America... and you say who is stupid? Sour grapes by me? Don't think so. McCain/Palin was not my choice... nothing to be sour about today. And I do actually believe the US Economy is fundamentally sound. That was one of the only things mccain said that I agree with.

Do you think they WANT things to go bad? Or just know that they will? But, that's politics. Welcome to the history of the world. However, I never suggested anyone wanted to lose their jobs.. its only an observation - that conservatives do not ultimately want to be in the white house during the coming global recession. I am not the first person to say this. That doesn't go to say that they want to loose their jobs.

I fail at politics? I guess that's your poli-sci degree speaking... so I'll let it go at that.

No.. but about 60% of America is to the RIGHT. The last true conservative who ran for president carried about 80% of the national vote. As for Jesus freaks... I'm not sure what that rant has to do with anything other than, Jesus Freaks have a right to vote for their values just as much as you do. If Jesus freaks don't like the porn industry in LA, they should move away from LA. If the porn industry doesn't like the Jesus freaks in Oaklahoma, then it should stay out of Oaklahoma. That's the basis and foundation of democracy. People should be allowed to decide what the local laws are for their community. No one is forcing you to go to church, so if jesus freaks want to spend all there time in church, its none of anyone's business.

As for the private school issue - you are right. And that is what most all of them would do if they could get the school vouchers they have been lobbying for for most of the last decade.

Ron Paul is a loon, he would be a terrible President.

exactly.

I'm sure in some areas a KKK member running for President could get big crowds doesn't mean he's winning an election. Obama was about bringing new people to his side. Palin was just preaching to the choir. How you can see the election results and not clearly see that is beyond me. If Palin was so good at getting crowds how comes she LOST?


First of all you are putting ME into this. I'm not telling you what I want to hear I'm telling you what PEOPLE want to hear. And yes people rather be lied too. Or to put it more correctly people rather be told that what they believe to be true is actually true. Don't ever run for office because you will never get elected telling people things are in their head and they are wrong. In the end they are right because without their support you're not getting elected. That's just the way it is. To deny otherwise is being obtuse and foolish.

well I like to see some of this proof that thing will go bad because of Obama. Then I would like the Powerball numbers for tonight.


I'll be 40 next month my first election I voted in was 1988. I was paying attention to politics long before that. You were probably in diapers then.

WRONG

Which election was that. I couldn't find any links to that. Reagan got 60% in 1984, but that's not 80%

They have a right to mind their own fucking business. See I have no problem with the Amish. They are hard core for Jesus because they leave everyone alone to live their own lives. They do not try to control mine.

Why should they get a voucher? My TAX dollar should not be used for RELIGIOUS purposes. If parents are so concerned for their kids souls they'd get a 2nd job to put their kids in private school. If the private school is so worried abut kids souls they LOWER their tuition. In the end they care more about money like everyone else. Vouchers are bullshit. besides I though republcians are against government handouts? Typcial hypocritical republican BS. No wonder I left the party.

Very well said.

It's scary because as one of the powerful countries of the world it's scary to see how easily a bad President can be elected. The West needs better leaders. Look back and see some of the people the US have elected and ask yourself if they were the right choice for the right reasons.

He was just as far down in the polls before he picked her - then he picked her, polls went up for like a week, then people got to know her and polls went right where they were before. I don't think she made any difference whatsoever in the final outcome. She energized the far right wing nutters, that's about it. :2 cents:

Gorge Bush didn't support him.
Palin was not a good choice too.

He may not have won ANY states if Bush had been publicly campaigning for him.