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 5 of 47)
61. The Democrats have great plans but did you hear how they plan to PAY for it all. We will be TAXED to death again!!!!!!!! When President Clinton came to office he mandated a RETROACTIVE TAX and I had to close out my savings account to pay it. Wake up people the democrats make you PAY
Kathy at 4:07PM on Feb 2nd 2008
62. "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!"
oh my goodness! I am so sick of hearing this! Bush is not McCain you ignorant b*s***d!
Summer at 4:08PM on Feb 2nd 2008
63. Summer...the reason the NY Times and so many DemoRats are supporting McCain is because he REALLY is one of them. He and his butt buddy fat Teddy Kennedy tried to legalize every dirty mexican they could find last summer, but luckily their bill didn't pass. As far as I'm concerned, McCain, Obama and Clinton are all traitors and it would be a blessing to this country if they were assassinated.
Robert Wayne at 4:10PM on Feb 2nd 2008
64. I think Hillary can win McCain because she outlines her positions very clearly. Let's face it she has more experience. Let's put it this way,if we were attacked today who would you put lives in their hands? Someone who has been tested or someone who wants to be a make believe president?
DeeDee Dana at 8:23PM on Feb 2nd 2008
65. One of the myriad reasons why so many folks out there dislike Hillary Clinton is that to anyone with eyes,ears and a brain she is an utter and complete phony - and phoniness is hard to swallow.
bone at 4:11PM on Feb 2nd 2008
66. Neither party has much to offer, but to think that Obama or Clinton will be elected is just absurd. The majority of Americans will show up on election day and do the right thing. Neither Clinton or Obama have ever done anything significant, period. Clinton's past will haunt her, and even though Obama is a great speaker and obviously very intelligent, the "closet is bare"--nothing in there. He is not qualified. You would have to be nuts to think that anyone this far out of the mainstream could run this country. It will never happen. There is a silent majority and they will be heard.
Bill May at 4:14PM on Feb 2nd 2008
67. ONE WORD - DUMMYCRATS
Joe at 4:12PM on Feb 2nd 2008
68. Obama or Hilary? Either one will be better than any of the Republicans who have squandered the world's goodwill after 9/12 on an aggression in Iraq. The national debt, the secret prisons, meetings, no-bid contracts, the corruption and lying of the Republicans will stop in November when we elect a Democrat to the White House with a solidly Democratic Congress. Then we can just begin to undo the huge damage inflicted by eight years of Republican rule. Bush has made such a mess that it won't be undone in just four years but we can make a good start by getting out of Iraq and replacing oil as a fuel.
Robert Alexander at 4:13PM on Feb 2nd 2008
69. Everyone seems to be touting Obama. He is the candidate of change. The handsome, charismic young candidate. However, his experience consists of a few terms in the illinois ligistature and 1/2 term in the Senate. Even Caroline Kennedy says he is as inspirational as her late dad JFK.
We had another canditate who had even more senate experience who was unacceptable to the democrats, and who Lloyd benson said, " I knew JFK, and your no JFK" that was Dan Quaile and he was only a vice presidental candidate. Whould Dan Quale have been qualifed as president? No. So why should a Dan Quaile of color be so Qualified?
The answer is Obama is not Qualified to be president.
Jeremy at 4:13PM on Feb 2nd 2008
70. Senator Clinton has the experience, dedication and the nerves it takes to run our country. Actually, I think Hillary Clinton deserves a chance to stand on her own merit. I'm tired of people saying things like "I don't want four more years of Bill Clinton." She is a person in her own right and has earned her place in this world as a leader and I think she is capable of running this country on her own, thank you very much. And about Obama--I don't believe he has enough practical experience to run our country. He comments regarding US foreign policy are actually kind of frightening. He is long on exposure thanks to Ophrah (Obama, the Dr. Phil of politics) and very short on experience. The thing that really gets under my skin is now blacks are attacking the Clintons (along with the media)and using the race card to do so. Has is come to this? Very sad. Let's just turn on someone and call them a racist (after they have actually spent some solid energy on the behalf of the poor and disenfranchised) in order to make sure a black man sits in the white house. Listen Obama supporters, if you like Obama and his position on things, then talk about just that. Please don't call the Clinton's racists. It's really uncalled for. If you have to stoop to that, you really must be desperate. It's really amazing to see the entire black community jump ship on the Clintons. Wow. I wonder if Obama was white, if that would have happened? I highly doubt it.
Jolene at 4:14PM on Feb 2nd 2008
71. Grow up. McCain is going to win it all. Barack has nothing but talk and the idea of twenty some years of nothing but Clinton's and Bush folk makes us a monarchy. Face it, the Dems suck this year. McCain wins easily, and rightfully so.
Ron at 4:17PM on Feb 2nd 2008
72. I AM CONFUSED WITH ALL OF THE HOOP-LA OVER OBAMA. HASEN'T ANY AMERICAN VOTER TAKEN THE TIME TO EVEN LISTEN TO HIS SPECHS AND OR HIS RECENT DEBATE? WITH EVERY SINGLE SUBJECT THAT AMERICANS FEEL ARE VERY IMPORTANT OBAMA SAID IN EVERY CASE AFTER GIVING A SHORT SPEECH THAT "I DON'T THINK THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN." WHETHER IT WAS HEALTH CARE THE THE 15 MILLION WHO WILL NOT JOIN ANY PROGRAM, WHETHER IT WAS ABOUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND WHETHER THEY NEED DRIVERS LICENSE AND WHAT EFFECT THEY HAVE ON TAKING JOBS AWAY FROM AFRICAN AMERICANS, WHETHER IT WAS THE WAR IN IRAQ AND THE FACT THAT BY LEAVING THERE WILL BE A SLAUTER OF IRAQI'S OBAME REGARDLESS OF ALL THE FACTS, THE STAT'S, THE OPINIONS OF EXPERTS AND ALL OF THE WELL KNOWN STUDIES, STILL OBAMA INSIST THAT "I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN." THAT' SWHAT YOU GET AMERICA WHEN YOU WANT TO VOTE IN SOMEONE WHO HAS JUST TWO YEARS EXPERIENCE FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB IN THE WORLD. GET THE FACTS FIRST BEFORE YOU VOTE. AND DO NOT FORGET OBAMA WILL IMMEDIATELY SIGN AN AMNESTY FOR ALL ILLEGALS AND WELCOME AL THAT WANT TO COMMIT A CRIME AND SNEAK INTO OUR COUNTRY.
Harry Edmiston at 4:16PM on Feb 2nd 2008
73. RANDY ..where do I begin
you cannot judge a person by their age -until you are given an actual substantial reason to do so
and don't think John McCain hasn't adressed people like you who have already made that cheap shot before
he said that his 90-something year old mother just got back from making a trip to Europe --all by herself! with no problems, so if a 90-something year old woman can stay active and travel, I bet her son can handle the White House, and continue to do what he does best and what he has always proven to do well -being in service of his country like a true and HONEST leader
besides, did you know it is illegal to discriminate against someone based on their age?
plus in those regards, you could equally say that Obama is too young; just like Hilary did when she accused him of not having enough experience in their debates
McCain has MORE EXPERIENCE THAN THOSE TWO COMBINED!!!
Vote for John McCain
*snd if that's the only thing you find wrong with the candidate, then I think I rest my case
Summer at 4:15PM on Feb 2nd 2008
74. I AM FOR HILLARY - SHE HAS THE GUTS AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND I LIKED IT WHEN BILL WAS IN OFFICE - THINGS WERE A HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN THEY ARE TODAY. SHE CAN STAND UP TO ANY REPUBLICAN AND HOLD HER OWN - SHE IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE US. I CAN'T WAIT FOR BUSH TO GET THE HELL OUT AND I CAN'T STAND THAT LITTLE NEPOLEAN "MY FRIENDS" MCCAIN.
FOXYLYNX at 4:19PM on Feb 2nd 2008
75. I will vote for McCain. I went through the Jimmy Carter era and Obama will bring on the same. Obama like Carter talks but has not plan or past history to back up his position.
Jim at 4:23PM on Feb 2nd 2008