The folks at Openleft.com are getting giddy over general election polls IN FEBRUARY! They seem to think that Obama’s ability for group hypnosis will hold without change until November.
Funny how things can change in just a couple of days.
Today, Ralph Nader announced his candidacy for President. Whatever you think of Nader or his ability to be President, this does not portend well for the Democrats.
Ralph Nader’s issues platform makes either of the Democratic candidates look almost “mainstream.” In 2000, he was even able to Out-left Gore. It seems to me that as time goes along Barack will need to make some move to the center. This will happen as he provides specifics to some of his programs. I expect a fair number of the Obama cultists may become disillusioned with a candidate who actually wants to win a general election and not just exist on HOPE! Nader will be there to pick up those who want to continue to live in that HOPE.
Admittedly it’s early and the Obama people seem to forget how the polls swung over the past 6 monhts. but if we’re going to hypothesize, I see no reason to think that Obama’s message of HOPE puts only states that Pres. Bush narrowly won in ’04 in play. If Nader is able to give HOPE to those who become HOPELESS along the way, states like Minnesota, Wisconsin and Oregon, states with narrow Bush loses in 2004, could also be in play.
