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 4 of 47)
46. McCAIN'S A LIBERAL AND ROMNEY'S A MORMAN, WE REPUBLICAN'S DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A CHOICE. McCAIN IS ALSO 71 YEARS OLD, HOW LONG BEFORE HE LOSES HIS MIND COMPLETELY? HE WOULD BE OLDER THAN REAGAN WAS OR EISENHOWER WAS WHEN THEY RAN. FOR ME IT'S EITHER HUCKABEE OR I'LL VOTE DEMOCRAT FOR THE FIRST IN MY LIFE. ANYBODY ELSE MISS NIXON YET?
RANDY at 4:01PM on Feb 2nd 2008
47. 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 4:00PM on Feb 2nd 2008
48. I don't know why anyone would want a president that constantly puts down America. I for one am not going to hop on the Obama band wagon just because he is an eloquent speaker and full of charisma. We need someone with strength and conviction and someone who is not ruled by left wing media driven polls. We live in a great country and always meet our challenges head on. America continues to strive to do the right thing and make the world a better place. Mitt Romney is the most presidential and he has reasoned ideals that would help our country fulfill all the goals that we have.
freeThinker at 10:34PM on Feb 2nd 2008
49. The only difference between Obama and Clinton is that she has more experience than him. She already
stated that she is against the war, and changed her position. Obama keeps harping on this one
difference and at this point it doesn't mean much.
He should stay a senator and try again later!
vera at 4:11PM on Feb 2nd 2008
50. At this point I am praying that McCain does not make it. It surprises me that he is getting the votes, backers and support that had allowed him to rally to this point. I thought the American people had made it VERY CLEAR that we no longer belong in this war and all McCain can talk about IS the war...he is not a hero, just another "Bush" who loves war.
Terri at 4:06PM on Feb 2nd 2008
51. Obama will kick McCain old and ugly butt. McCain like to preach fear, but we all know that our beautiful America is so powerful and no fool at this time will mess with us knowingfully, that we have come of age with lots of fool proof security measures and more to come. We need a president who is in touch with the new school. Afterall this is about what we can do for the next generations. I want to see a new day and a new America that I will beleive in-
and will be able to give all my all for. An ideal America where a man will be define by the content of his character
And that ideal and true America will be brought about by Mr. Barrack kind of Leadership qualities.
The Clintons have no integrity. They
have always lied and seems will always be and shrug it off thier shoulders as a learned mistakes or one of those things.
This is not okay, especially when lives will be affected in the final analysis or outcome.
Jesse at 4:06PM on Feb 2nd 2008
52. Yeah, I;m running to vote for a candidate whose platform is based on words like 'hope' and 'change'. To all you naive and young voters out there who like Obama because he's closer in age, the nice and safe dreamworld you live in was provided by Republicans like reagan and bush, who put our enemies in their place (the graveyards which is where they belong). Not Clinton who scrapped the military and allowed al qaeda to grow in the 90's. Wake up already!
Joe at 4:02PM on Feb 2nd 2008
53. Ah, you wacky liberals! Do you really think either of your candidates could make it to the White House? Neither Clinton or Obama posses the leadership experience to run this great country. And to assume that Republicans will cross over to the dark side and vote Democrat, is just plain silly! Let us not forget '04, when all the polls that the media presented showed that Kerry should have soundly beat President Bush. And what happened on Election Day? Seems that all those little polls were wrong. Despite what the media say, this country is not that liberal! I'm positive we will see a similar outcome this year.
Jennifer at 4:04PM on Feb 2nd 2008
54. I think the turks have been smoking some of that opium. McCain/Lieberman will crush any and all leftist competition.
pat at 4:05PM on Feb 2nd 2008
55. Any Dem who wins the nomination would beat McCain, Not because of what Hillary or Obama does, But because of what Bush has done, Bush has defeated McCain!
S.A.Jr. at 4:05PM on Feb 2nd 2008
56. OK women voters! It is our time to make a change. The world is getting smaller each day, surely there are better ways of solving problems. Hillary has her finger on the problems here in our country and abroad. Hillary has the knowledge, the experience and the guts to make a difference. Hear us roar! Barb
barb at 6:05AM on Feb 3rd 2008
57. Hillary Clinton is too polarizing a figure to win states that aren't on either coast and Barack Obama is so painfully naive when it come to foreign affairs that other heads of state will feast on him if elected. John McCain is a true national hero who has the guts to buck his own party when necessary. I hope that he wins easily
dante at 10:07PM on Feb 2nd 2008
58. Should Ms. Clinton become our new president,can we expect that she will return the treasures which they stripped from the White House when she and hubby gave up residence there ?
Bill at 4:07PM on Feb 2nd 2008
59. ". Would never ever vote republican again never ever"
-renie
^I don't mean to be rude, but that is a really stupid thing to say
You would seriously solely judge John McCain because of his political party, and not because of his amazing background, knowledge, true leadership skills, and experience ?
McCain is not Bush. Yeah they have the same political party, but even though McCain is supporting a different strategy for the war the key word is different!! he has gone on to say that he also disagrees with the way the war was handled too; he says he would have done things differently
I am confident that he is the only right candidate.
**& btw did you know that many democrats support McCain too?
yeah that's right, even the New York Times --a democratic newspaper
supported John McCain
Summer at 4:06PM on Feb 2nd 2008
60. There's no denying that this country is on the verge of disaster. If you don't want to end up broke, cash in everything and buy gold and leave this mess for Argentina or Europe. Three candidates running....one is a black muslim, the other a communist woman and the other an insane liberal Republican. All three are in favor of letting third world toilet Mexico completely destroy this country. Un-fu*king-believable!!!
Robert Wayne at 4:06PM on Feb 2nd 2008