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 46 of 47)
676. Last time we had a balanced budget, prosperity, hope for the future, and world respect, the prez's name was Clinton
jkkdan123 at 9:50AM on Feb 6th 2008
677. One thing for sure, republicanism has been proven to be an ugly, utter failure
jkkdan123 at 9:52AM on Feb 6th 2008
678. SOME VERY GOOD POSTS HERE. I KNOW A FEW STAUNCH REPUBLICANS AND THEY ALL HATE THE CLINTONS. I HAVE TO BELIEVE EVEN A STAUNCH REPUBLICAN CAN'T SUPPORT MCCAIN ON HIS IRAQ STANCE. A DEMORCRAT MOST LIKELY WIN THE ELECTION. PERSONALLY, I PREFER OBAMA BECAUSE HE IS A FRESH FACE AND WON'T BE LURED BY SPECIAL INTERESTS. HE'S A GOOD FAMILY MAN, ALSO. WITH OBAMA IN THE OVAL OFFICE I DOUBT YOU WILL FIND AND WHITE STAINS ON THE CARPET.
Bill at 11:03AM on Feb 6th 2008
679. How is a typical Chicago liberal an agent of change? But for that matter, how are three liberal jerks -- Obama, Clinton, McCain -- one iota different. McCain will lose his friends in the media once the primaries are over, but his candidacy would be just as damaging to America as the other 2. Maybe not as quickly, since he does not seem prepared to surrender to any and all groups who would raise a threat to the US. But all three want to confiscate private property for the state they would head.
john at 10:49AM on Feb 6th 2008
680. last election Bush won because the democrats hated their choices...guess what? we will switch parties again and vote republican...the democratic partys
best is obama? what a friggin joke
david at 11:11AM on Feb 6th 2008
681. IF OBAMA IS THE CANDIDATE THE REPUBLICANS WILL HAVE A FIELD.....HIS CHURCH IS BLACK AND MUSLIM BASED...JESSE JACKSON AND AL SHARPTON WILL COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK....AT LEAST THEY ARE TRUE BLACKS....OBAMA GOT WHERE HE IS BECAUSE HIS MOTHER IS WHITE AND HIS GRANDPARENTS WERE WHITE...THE CLINTONS HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONS FOR THE BLACKS....NOW THE BLACKS ARE DESERTING THEM FOR A DARK SKINNED WHITE RAISED FRAUD WHO GIVES GREAT SPEECHES BUT DOES NOT HAVE THE POLITICAL OR GLOBAL EXPERIENCE TO BE PRESIDENT
JIM at 11:29AM on Feb 6th 2008
682. Senator Obama is more than apt and capable of beating ANY republican winning. I look forward to the Obama --- McCain run off
Shan at 11:30AM on Feb 6th 2008
683. I really like Obama, unfortunately I do not believe he has the experience in foreign affairs and the contacts in Washington and overseas that the Clintons have, and given the horrible position we are in internationally after eight years of GW's 'on-the-job-training,' I really cannot vote for him. I think we need a president who can hit the ground running, and Hillary has the kind of insider knowledge of the position that none of the other candidates have. There are too many issues to resolve and too much is at stake for us to waste time training someone new.
Bliss at 11:45AM on Feb 6th 2008
684. I believe a lot of Republicans would vote for Obama
when given the choice between McCain and Obama. Whereas given the choice between McCain and Clinton I think Republicans would come from out of the wood work to vote for McCain. There will be a much larger Republican turn out if Clinton is on the Democratic ticket.
Carl at 12:48PM on Feb 6th 2008
685. OH CONTRARE O NOT-SO-WISE TURK PEOPLE. HILLARY BEATS OBAMA AND MAYBE EVEN MCCAIN,,BUT OBAMA WILL NOT BEAT THE OLD GEEZER. DO YOUR HOMEWORK, FOLKS. INEXPERIENCE AND WISHFUL THINKING YOUTH WILL NEVER LEAD THIS COUNTRY. THEN AGAIN, JIMMY CARTER DID IT. BUT LOOK WHAT HE DID? NOTHING, EXCEPT MOVE US BACKWARD AND WEAK.
Drive-bye Guy at 1:39PM on Feb 6th 2008
686. Someone asked "what experience does Hillary Have?
I say she has plenty!!!she has been defeating the right wing machine all these years and a lot of the hard ones fell on the wayside Damato,Ginrich,Hyde,Packwood,Guiliani,Lazio the list goes on and on.
The Republicans can't stand another lost! In a nutshell she makes them look like simpletons!She's got Smarts and fortitude!
Pete at 3:16PM on Feb 6th 2008
687. If you think the swift boating of John Kerry was something just imagine what will happen to Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton has been scrutinized every which way by the Republicans - there's really not much else they can look at - that's why they are so afraid of her. Obama, on the other hand, is a new guy in with the left liberals and who surprisingly came up really quickly through the ranks in Illinois - and we all know about Illinois politics and the Daley machine. So who knows what they will dig up there. Hillary is the best choice for victory in November. She has united a solid electorate behind her and has not tried to divide us as Obama and Oprah have tried. I don't remember such division in the US as has been seen in this election - Clinton played the race card - hah that's a good one.
monap49 at 4:11PM on Feb 6th 2008
688. I think the Republicans want Obama as the candidate because mcCain can beat him.. Yes, there will be a big fight when Hillary is our candidate..because of the misogyny in this country..male and female alike. but Hillary can beat McCain...60 year old female business owner here. Besides I think we have had enough of males running this country..The big change is Women In Charge.
Patricia at 4:15PM on Feb 6th 2008
689. Democrat here against Obama. Says he wants "Change" and "unity". His church does not look very UNIFYING to me. www.tucc.org. Has ties to Farrakhan , unifying?
dude at 4:50PM on Feb 6th 2008
690. If it comes down to obama and McCain, I will vote
for McCain. He is a true patriot in my mind.
I don't think we need a president w/muslim ties
running the country.
sandy at 11:05AM on Feb 8th 2008