The longer this goes, the more it hurts McCain

[Ma'ake]

Originally Posted by UtahDan

I agree with you here, but I also agree with Tex's first remark that W sitting there in the White House as unpopular as he is has phenomenal power. I have thought for the last two years, and nothing has changed my mind, that this is the Democrats to lose. The public is down on Bush, conservatives are discouraged, liberals are fired up, the country is war weary and Republicans have been "in charge" for a long time. They are going to get blamed for pretty much everything at this point.

I believe that in order to win McCain has to be be anti-Bush, not just silent about Bush. I also agree with the comment that being in a presidential election has dulled his political instincts. He didn't used to care so much what people thought because he had the luxury of wild popularity in his state. Now he cares and the charm is lost.

At this point, I see Obama winning comfortably. He needs to needs to turn the ball over in the redzone a several consecutive possessions to lose. He knows it and is just sort of laying low. I think it will work, and just like I don't think it is bad for the market to have its ass kicked periodically so too it isn't bad for the conservative movement to get shaken up. Democrats were in exactly this sort of malaise at the end of the Clinton years. And the cycle goes on....

I think you have it nailed, at least with the current situation. Obama can definitely still lose this thing, especially as the fight narrows to battle ground states where race could be a factor. It will be interesting to see how the TV money will be used in these last 5 weeks.