Pre Convention

While seeking the party nomination it has been historically about speaking to the base. – McCain did not do that.  McCain kept his ‘maverick’ policies.  The problem affected the base so much that popular republicans publicly voiced their support for Clinton after all other candidates dropped out and McCain was the only remaining choice.

What were the issues?

• “Amnesty” for illegal immigrants and Mccain wanted a fairly easy path to citizenship for millions of undocumented foreign workers.
• 82% lifetime American Conservative Union (ACU) voting record
• Against earmarks (pork-barrel spending)
• Voted against the Bush initiative to have Medicare pay for prescription drugs for old folk
• While the other candidates moved more right McCain did not budge and maintained his middle ground.  Willard “Mitt” Romney and Mike Huckabee spoke directly to the base leaving McCain to have a defensive campaign.
• The McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill made it difficult for interested non-profits to advertise during the primary or general elections. This in effect tied the hands of those who wanted to set the direction of the GOP.
• His wildly incompetent at using his own perfect pro-life record in the Senate. McCain either remained silent or mildly addressed his views and stance.
  
• McCain likes to make common cause with politicians across the aisle from him, leaving the GOP gasping at his inconsistency.

GOP Debates

The GOP debates with their “hand raising” kept the voice of McCain to a murmur.  The only tactic to stand out was to expand on his stance on earmarks, military experience and staying in Iraq. This alone should get him the presidential election except it made McCain looked like he was a social Libertarian instead of the Republican candidate.

• The general public do not understand earmarks and how ‘inside the beltway’ negotiations work.  McCain never using earmarks in fact hurt the GOP time and time again in elevating position.
• McCain’s sacrifice for this country is nothing to piss off, but it is not the only quality the Republicans want in a president.
• Majority of the American citizen doesn’t want to be in Iraq.  All the other candidates avoided the subject and focusing their attention to troop support.  McCain was never had an opportunity to expand on how the experience will assist in making military decisions.  It was all about the quick word and quotes.
• McCain came out of the delegates looking quite liberal.

NOTE: The political debates were a joke.  The candidates that stood out where the ones willing to risk it all.  McCain always took the safe road.

Missing Maverick

The McCain Maverick ideology is appealing and should be to the general US voter.  The Maverick was no where to be seen, like a retiring superhero.  McCain Maverick costume was put in the closet and let there to accumulate dust.

The McCain Maverick was nowhere to be seen on the campaign trail.  He stuck to his stance on earmarks, military experience and staying in Iraq — but no Maverick.

But in fact, the Maverick would have seemed far more suited to a political climate in which dissatisfied voters believe the country has taken a turn in the wrong direction and are looking for someone who promises to upset the old, established order of things. Closeting the Maverick took away the power of the McCain image.

“They managed to take a guy who has one of the great, compelling stories, who had a clear lead, who managed to raise $24 million,” says Republican pollster David Winston, expressing a dismay that many of McCain’s admirers are feeling about the wreckage of his campaign. “They’ve left this guy with virtually nothing.”

McCain’s advisers killed the Maverick and will be one of the greatest supporters of President Obama as a Senator.

Television Appearances

McCain hit the talk show circuit as if he was promoting a book. He went on Ellen, The View and other very liberal talk shows to promote again the death of McCain the Maverick.  Time and time again the talk show ask “where is the real McCain”?

Not going on David Letterman was the only smart move made by McCain.   Although it was under the guise of “putting the campaign on hold” with actually putting it on hold. It took McCain three days to go from New York, NY to Washington DC while hitting the morning talk shows.

One of the safest place for McCain should have been “Meet the Press” but time and time again, McCain stumbled through the interviews, mumbling and barely gave an adequate or mediocre interview. It was pitiful, I was hoping at least one time he would have chugged a ‘Red Bull’ . . . goodness he could have used some wings.

Convention

The convention is to change everything.  It is about stirring the hearts of your party, delegates and preparing for the last leg of the journey into the White House.  What happened?  McCain didn’t lead, but followed.  A no-nonsense Palin brought McCain back to conservatism, just by association.

Key Moments

• The key problems of McCain campaign never did speak to the religious base and lost the limelight as soon as Palin took the stage.
• What did McCain talk about when he took the stage? Expand on his stance on earmarks, military experience and staying in Iraq
• The choice of Palin stirred the GOP.  Fox News anchors, off camera, pointed that this is the end of McCain’s run and left most stunned.   The one time McCain dusts off his Maverick and makes a bod decision angers the supporters more.  It lack a backbone.  He had two vetted possible candidates (Romney and
• When McCain  addressed the delegates there was nothing new.  He read his resume and did not give the sense of a leader. (Compare to Obama/Biden it was not so much about who but where – where the Democrats will go from there and where they will lead the country).
• When your pick for Vice President complains about the current Washington DC . . . she is complaining about you.

Post Convention

Via Palin, McCain never went back to the middle.  After a polictical convention the candidate goes out to get the votes from the rest of the US citizens.  McCain failed to move to get the votes from the moderates.

A stadium filled with conservatives who chant “drill baby drill” is no different than a crowd yelling “off with his head”, “terrorist” – both show that McCain supporters were not the middle America.

It was the time to move towards the moderate movement.  Most of the United States populous is more moderate.

Where was McCain and Palin, sitting on the right.  During this time Obama took his movement and focused his platform to be the three top issues : economy, mortgages, and environment.  McCain

Turn of Election

When McCain was loosing, his focus did not change.  The pundents acknowledged that McCain will loose within three (3) weeks after the GOP convention.  The time was to change ,McCain needed to turn the focus from the Presidency to Congress.  But he didn’t.

McCain ignored advise and his own party . . . too not only fail at another attempt at President and took the GOP plans for Congree with him.

At the local “The Black Cat” (coffee shop) individuals gather and discuss politics while having a hot cup of coffee with a fresh warm muffin (from the local bakery “Ashland Bakery Company“).  In this small town (Ashland) the political conversation is rarely, if ever, pro Palin.

Ashland like Wasilla is a small town (under 10K population) in the United States.  Lets compare Ashland to Wasilla.

Population

Ashland: 8202

Wasilla: 9236

Religion & Voting

Common

• They both are near water.  Wikipedia has two images of the shoreline of Wasilla and Ashland are quite similar.
• Railroads and Fur Trading are an important part of Ashland and Wasilla history.
• Crimes statistics are very similar, low.

Ashland, WI

Wasilla, AK

Differences

• There is public transportation in Ashland (Bart Bus) for about $ 1.00/one way with .18% of the residents using mass transit; Wasilla’s cost is $2.50/one way and less than .00% ridership.
• Ashland has sidewalks, wasilla doesn’t.
• Ashland has two options for higher education (Northland College, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College). There aren’t higher education opportunities in Wasilla (unless you count hairstyling and real estate schools).
• Ashland has a Hospital within the city limits, while the nearest hospital for Wasilla residents is 29 miles away.
• Average home price in Ashland is around $84K with Wasilla’s average is about $226K.
• 92% of the Ashland population work and live within 30 mins of each other; Wasilla under 30% with the majority commuting (one per car) to Anchorage.
  • Ashland residents invest in Ashland.  In fact, Ashland has an good old fashion downtown Main Street with coffee shop, Diner, Movies theater (5 screens), bakery, pharmacy, restaurants, and many shops.
  • Wasilla is filled with boxed stores and franchises including Target, Gap, Banana Republic, Nordstroms, and TGIFridays. It is an outdoor mall connected by a large four lane highway, called Main Street.

Which Main Street would you want?

A

B

My choice: B.  Ashland, WI

Personal Thoughts

How can two small towns be so different, so polar?

Ashland and the United States has a higher percentage of Religious than Wasilla.  That is the complete  opposite of Palin’s public promotion and the public perception of Wasilla. Can it be that Fox News and all those religious programs have been wrong?  Based on statistics it is not the religious that vote republican, it is the wealthy.

Is it because Ashland is more compassionate and sympathetic to the real issues of the United States due to the lower cost of living?  For Ashland residents, is it about the poor, hungry, job security and homeless?

It could be a secular education that produces a more balanced mind?

• Ashland 30% of the population has completed higher education
• Wasilla’s 11% of the population has completed higher education

It also could it be values of the Mayors and his/her leadership?  Asking both if being a Mayor of a small town qualifies to be Vice President or President of the United States:

• Ashland’s Mayor Ed Monroe responded, “No”
• Wasilla’s Mayor Dianne Keller responded, “Yes”

I decided to compare Wasilla to other small towns in the United States (via Sperlings) and found that Wasilla is not anomaly.  I looked closely at other cities/towns that have a population under 10,000, home prices above $215K and less than 50% religious residents.  These cites/towns do have a higher population percentage that votes Republican.  The variable of more or less religious isn’t the fact that affect voting either Republican or Democratic.  The higher income, higer cost of living and higher home values affect the residents voting Republican while more balanced values, educated populous, lower cost of living and lower home prices affect the residents voting Democratic.

God is irrelevant it is all about the pocketbook.

Resources

• City Data
• Wikipedia
  
• Sperlings

The September survey found that almost three-quarters (71%) of white evangelicals say they support McCain for president, compared to 23% who support Barack Obama. But the margin closes to 62-30 percent among white evangelicals ages 18-29.

Younger white evangelical women are much less favorable toward Sarah Palin than their mothers, with only 46% of them rating her “warmly,” compared to 65% of evangelical women over 30.

The survey also found generational differences on key social issues.

• 58% of younger white evangelicals support some form of legal recognition for civil unions or marriage for same-sex couples. No news here, older evangelicals remain strongly opposed.
• Young evangelicals are as solidly pro-life on abortion as older evangelicals.

The nationwide survey of 1400 adults, including an oversample of 400 evangelical Christians, ages 18-29, was conducted September 4-21, 2008. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent for the total survey sample, +/- 4.1 percent for white evangelical Christians, and +/- 5.5 percent for white evangelical Christians ages 18-29.

The survey results are part of a larger national survey of attitudes about religion and America’s role in the world to be released in October. It will be the basis of a two-part RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY series broadcast on PBS stations beginning the weekend of October 24 (check local listings for broadcast date and time).

The biggest problem with the evangelical children being against abortion but they practice un safe sex with those phoney promise rings.

I found much humor in the first 2008 Presidential Debate between McCain and Obama.  It was all about Jim Lehrer.  Here is a man that began his news career at The Dallas Morning News and Dallas Times-Herald, covering the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 and a retired Marine.

Lehrer was considered an ‘Anderson Cooper’ of his generations.

He should have kicked debate ass!  But, he was all comic relief. Here are the reasons that Jim Lehrer,  the first 2008 Presidential Debate Moderator, made me laugh.

1. Treated McCain and Obama like a Gay Couple in Marriage Counseling

“I’m just determined to get you all to talk to each other,” Lehrer said. “I’m gonna try.”

Lehrer cut in: “Say it directly to him! Say it directly to him!”

Obama was the only one directly speaking to McCain and doing everything the counselor, Lehrer, suggest.  On the otherhand, McCain was the stubburd one. McCain did not turn his eyes or head towards Obama but did have the muscle control to look down at his notes sometimes with an added salty grin.

Lehrer even tried jump starting a conversation for them

“Do you have something directly to say, Senator Obama, to Senator McCain about what he just said? “

Apparently Lehrer wanted Bette Davis and Joan Crawford like characters for the television ratings.

2. Too Complimentary

It was a debate, I believe, a waste of time.  We know nothing more of either candidate except we now know how to time manage a debate. Lehrer wasted no time in complimenting them of their abilities to keep within their time limits.

LEHRER: I have some good news and bad news for the two of you. You all are even on time, which is remarkable, considering we’ve been going at it …

OBAMA: A testimony to you, Jim.

LEHRER: I don’t know about that. But the bad news is all my little five minute things have run over, so, anyhow, we’ll adjust as we get there. But the amount of time is even

Geez, take a compliment Jim!!!

Too passive.

3. Did not have control

Pet Peeve : When two people are talking at the same time.

Lehrer had no control . . . none.

LEHRER: We’re going to go to a new… (CROSSTALK)

LEHRER: We’ve got time for one more lead question segment. We’re way out of… (CROSSTALK)

LEHRER: Quick response and then… (CROSSTALK)

Obama even help Lehrer get control.

LEHRER: All right.

OBAMA: I’ve got to make this point, Jim.

LEHRER: OK.

OBAMA: He objects…

MCCAIN: I have voted for alternate fuel all of my time…

OBAMA: He — he — he objects…

(CROSSTALK)

LEHRER: One at a time, please.

OBAMA: He objected…

LEHRER: One at a time.

MCCAIN: No one can be opposed to alternate energy.

OBAMA: All right, fair enough. Let’s move on. You’ve got one more energy — you’ve got one more question.

Lehrer should have left his NPR persona at the studio and bring it on.

4. Treating the Audience like children

“We’re trying a new format here…it’s going to require my absolute concentration. I don’t want to worry about anyone cheering or hollering or making any noise behind me,” he said. “There’s going to be an understandable natural tendency to cheer, hiss, boo or whatever-don’t do it.”

“I don’t want to be difficult about it, but I will be hard about it,” Lehrer said, adding that pictures are forbidden and as for cell phones. “Turn them off!” he shouted. “This is not a competing pep rally.”

“This has to be a credible process, this has to be a credible debate,” he said, “It not only has to appear to be fair, it has to be fair, and it’s my job to do that.”

All he was missing, “If I hear one peep I am going to stop this debate. Do you want me to stop this debate? If I hear one single moan, wheeze, hiss, laugh or any sound, I am going to stop this debate. You won’t like it if I have to stop this debate.”

I personally want to hear the reaction from the audience. I really do, its just like a laugh track for a television sitcom . . . entertaining in itself.

5. He Assigned Chores to Candidate’s Wives.

Lehrer noted that John McCain’s wife, Cindy, and Barack Obama’s wife, Michelle, are seated on opposite sides of the hall and would help enforce the quiet policy.

I would have loved to have seen Michelle and Cindy to:

• Constantly do the “shhh”, like a possessed librarian.
• Go over to individuals and make ‘mother-like’ threats
• Move their chairs to face the audience to take their Lehrer assigned authorities seriously.

Final Notes

This was a very safe debate, old school NPR.  Besdies, it was just the two parties.  We need Nadar, Barr and Paul on stage for the future debates.  I need to see the real difference between the candidates. The candidates have moved too far into the middle to be different. As it stands Obama would be a great replacement for Palin.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzylwR5NX-Q