I believe the Democratic candidate is likely to thrash John McCain, no matter who it is. Hillary Clinton would beat Senator McCain handily, mainly because of Senator McCain. He has tied himself to this Iraq War and is telling anyone who'll listen that he plans to stay in Iraq for another hundred years. It's hard to imagine a more unpopular position to base your campaign on in the general election.
Though Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would score easy points against McCain on this count, Obama has an advantage here. Sen. McCain can turn around and accuse Sen. Clinton of being just as complicit in the drive to war because she also voted for the resolution that authorized the Iraq War. Whereas, Obama can say McCain showed poor judgment in going into Iraq in the first place and McCain has no defense to that. He could argue that the Iraq War has gone great, and I hope he does. Good luck with that strategy.
Why would Democrats want to neutralize this obvious advantage they have by picking a candidate that also voted for the war?
Secondly, the right-wing base is very displeased with John McCain. Conservative talk show hosts, pundits and bloggers have spent the last couple of months pummeling McCain. The only thing that can re-energize them to back his candidacy is -- Hillary Clinton.
Now, this is a little unfair to Sen. Clinton because I don't think she has done anything to earn that animus. She's polarizing only because they have spent the better part of two decades attacking her and her husband, and trying to turn the American people against them. Barack Obama might seem polarizing after eight straight years of right-wing attacks, too.
However, fair or unfair, the right-wing can't wait to go to war against Hillary. On the other hand, if it's Obama versus McCain, I think they might dislike McCain more. This has got to be a major liability when you are trying to rally your own side in a general election.
Finally, according to the polls, voters are overwhelmingly in favor of change this election cycle. If Obama is running, he is clearly the candidate of change. If Clinton is running, McCain could almost make an argument that you would get more change from his presidency than you would under another Clinton administration. I think that argument would be wrong, but why open the door?
Overall, Democrats can make it easier or harder on themselves this year by picking one of the two remaining candidates. I'm confident they'll win either way, but why take the risk? Obama is the better candidate to run against McCain, who looks like he is going to be the Republican candidate in the fall. By picking Obama the Democrats can make a strong and persuasive case that there is only one candidate who can bring real change to Washington -- Barack Obama.
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Obama More Likely to Beat McCain
Posted Feb 5th 2008 12:02PM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: Young Turks, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama
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Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 47)
31. I am a registered republican. I am voting for Obama as many of my Republlican friends are. If Hillary wins I vote for either GOP candidate. I do not want devisivness in Washington anymore. Nothing gets done. If Hillary wins the nomination and maybe the White House, the GOP will fight her tooth and nail.
billy at 6:09PM on Feb 2nd 2008
32. Not excited about any of the candidates...of either political persuasion..Only hope and pray Hillary Clinton is not thrust upon us.. She is a mean spirited, ineffective, self aggrandizing, low life who shouldn't even have the attention she is receiving..
Hillary would sell her Mama for power... She has no feeling for this Nation..nor the citizenry.. It is all about HER.
The Clintons are lying leeches.. Enuf...
Willie D at 3:47PM on Feb 2nd 2008
33. I believe either Democrat Candidate could beat McCain. I think he is "looking" popular because the media is promoting him. They want him on the ticket because he would be easier for a Democrat Candidate to beat (whoever that candidate may be). Many I know and many I have heard talk about this seem to feel the same way. They are not for McCain. He is getting hyped and others just follow who they think will win rather than thinking about the candidates and the issues and then deciding for themselves who they really want to vote for.
ebraceland at 3:47PM on Feb 2nd 2008
34. Most Democtatics have their heads in the clouds, this election is theirs to lose, They can win if they give us a center of the road candidate & stop giving us candidates with the same political leanings as Fidel Castro. Just as on the last election day they were sure Kerry was going to win, Now they offer us the light weight Obama ot the much Hated among many Ms. Clinton.
John McCain will be the next POTUS.
FT at 3:52PM on Feb 2nd 2008
35. Our country has eight years of division from the "the Uniter". We will suffer severly under another 4 years . Obama is the only uniter in the field! He will tromp McCain!
Patricia at 3:49PM on Feb 2nd 2008
36. i like mccain's views on the iraq war. the clintons already had 8 yrs. and ofer nothing new. if you remember her priority was universal health care she had 8 yrs to get it done.
i dont think it is wise to put a moslim in office at this time when so many moslem exstemist want death to americans. so i will vote for mccain, and hope he keeps the pressure on the terriost without backing down. vietnam was the only war we lost without lossing a battle, thanks to the president caving to the hippies at home, who accussed our soldier and spit on them.
pressmen1 at 4:07PM on Feb 2nd 2008
37. People talk about the Clinton presidency like it was a bad thing - we all prospered and had a tremendous surplus and balanced budget. We had the respect of the rest of the world. Why is that a bad thing? I think Hillary is extremely smart and a veteran of the DC wars so now knows how to get bills and programs through Congress - something Obama has no clue. No give me the experience and wisdom - let Obama learn the ropes. Much is made of his commemnts about not going to war but he wasn't in Congress at the time of the vote - who knows how he would have voted when presented with the same set of erroneous information as all of the remaining members of Congress were. Anyone remember how Sec. of State Colin Powell was also misled by his own President when he tried to make a case for the invasion before the UN???? He was mortified when he learned - like Congress - that they had been lied to.
Nancy McCue at 3:55PM on Feb 2nd 2008
38. Amazing!!! McCain is no more than a stuffy, rude and crude old man whobelieves in war and amnesty. What a loser!
Obama has NO CLUE what he is doing (unlike JFK and more like Jimmy Carter) and says the EXACT OPPOSITE of how he votes). Clinton is the only candidate worth voting for, I'm afraid. Like it or not, there is very little REASONABLE CHOICE!
Budo at 4:18PM on Feb 2nd 2008
39. I ASSUME MOST OF YOUR RESPONDERS HAVE OVERLOOKED THE "WHITE MALE VOTE" CLINTON IS NOT A MALE, AND OBAMA IS NOT WHITE. MC CAIN WILL WIN OVERWHELMINGLY! SINCE THE WAR WILL STILL CONTINUE HE IS THE MOST QUALIFIED, PLUS HIS ATTRACTION TO HISPANICS. HILLARY DOES NOT NEED OBAMA AS A RUNIING MATE SINCE SHE AUTOMATICALLY HAS THE MAJORITY OF BLACK VOTERS IN HER POCKET.I ALSO MC CAINS BEING LABELED SOMEWHAT LIBERAL THAT WILL HELP SOME DEMOCRATS TO SWITCH, AND THE CONSERVATIVES WILL NOT NECESSARILY VOTE DEMOCRATIC REGARDLESS OF MC CAINS NOT BEING AS STRONG A CONSERVATIVE RUSH AND OTHERS WOULD PREFER.I ALSO FEEL MC CAIN WILL PICK ROMNEY WHO IS YOUNGER TO CONTINUE TO KEEP REPUBLICANS IN OFFICE THE NEXT 12 YEARS,
frank zarcone at 5:04PM on Feb 2nd 2008
40. Don't understand why people talk about Hillary and then drag in Bill. Once Bill is in, all that is dragged up is the negative, most of which was never proven. The POSITIVE is that during the 8 years of the BILL Clinton administration the middle class (which really no longer exists thanks to GW and"Dead-Eye" Dick) was much better off than during the previous 12 years of the Reagan-Bush debacle. For one thing, the budget was balanced. That first refund many people credit Bush with was made possible by Bill Clinton's fiscal responsibility. Yeah, he was a whore-hound, but so what. At least he didn't send our troops into harms way for what were really "personal reasons". Don't remember when he said it, but: "Well, he tried to kill my Daddy . . .".
One last thing about Bill: Polls at the time clearly showed that if he could have run for a 3rd term he would have beaten anyone the GOP could have put up.
As to Hillary and the war, at least she has the courage to say that she made a mistake. For ANY politician to admit to a mistake is like a breath of fresh air - it is so damn rare.
You can color it any way you like but just like the Patriots were the BEST team in the NFL in 2007, Hillary is the BEST candidate for President in 2008 but even that is no guarantee she will win. Always remember that you should never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers.
Rudy at 3:51PM on Feb 2nd 2008
41. Would never ever vote republican again never ever
renie at 3:53PM on Feb 2nd 2008
42. It's cut and dry. If Obama wins the democratic nomination the republican wins the election. Simple as that. I myself with switch and vote republican. Many others I know will do the same. There will be a woman president in this country before a black one.
PinHyPutt at 3:56PM on Feb 2nd 2008
43. Mccain is a joint taker and nerd + he will steal our sacks i say fuck both of them.dont vote for none of those jerks.bitchhhhh
itz1964 at 3:57PM on Feb 2nd 2008
44. "Senator McCain. He has tied himself to this Iraq War and is telling anyone who'll listen that he plans to stay in Iraq for another hundred years. It's hard to imagine a more unpopular position to base your campaign on in the general election."
^That's because John McCain doesn't say what he thinks is "popular" or what will gain him more votes
John McCain says what he thinks is right, and what he thinks is best for this country. McCain tells it like it is, and he doesn't lie just so that people like you will give him your approval and decide to vote for him
If you're smart, and want to make the only right choice:
Vote for John McCain!!
Summer at 3:59PM on Feb 2nd 2008
45. It was not long ago that to be a Republican meant to stand for strong state's rights, small and unintrusive federal government, VERY responsible and "tight" spending and fiscal policies, rabid defense of personal privacy and freedom of expression and fair play, no torture and humane treatment of adversaries in times of conflicts, police actions, wars, etc. To be otherwise was to be anti-American and was to be our enemy. Think critically on what I've just delineated and you will see that we have become our own enemy.
John Palazzini at 3:59PM on Feb 2nd 2008