Comments on: Method to McCain’s No-Negative Messages Madness?

By: Sean Hackbarth

Sean Hackbarth — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:28:56 +0000

Name names. What leaders are “center-left?” Trent Lott’s gone. Boehner? More like pro-status quo. McCain’s controlling the RNC so to say they’re center-left implies McCain is.

The big tax cut GOP candidates, Romney, Rudy, and Fred, didn’t fare well. While I love tax cuts there comes a time when they have politically diminishing returns. Cutting incomes taxes when they’re 70% is a lot easier than then they’re 38%.

How did McCain win the nomination? Easy. Conservatives were split between too many candidates. Most thought McCain was dead. Only one, Romney, actually went after him but lost the credibility game. McCain wins New Hampshire, chugs away, and outlasts everyone else.

Now, where’s my think tank. ;-)

By: steveegg

steveegg — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:48:31 +0000

The timing is semantics. While it has been a slow creep to the left for McCain, it’s only vital now.

I agree we blew our chance. I wish I knew how we blew it; I’d be rich enough to start a think tank for you to run.

Do note I didn’t say McCain was center-left; I said the leadership is center-left. McCain, while advocating a single tax cut and some spending cuts, is otherwise emblematic of that.

By: Sean Hackbarth

Sean Hackbarth — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:26:33 +0000

When I think of “mushy middle” I’m thinking policy-wise. McCain hasn’t moved to the middle so much as he’s been there for years. He’s trying to be more “kinder and gentler” than Bush 41 and out compassion Bush 43.

It’s a risk for him to alienate his base when he’s not doing enough to activate a potentially new base of independents (ie. he’s not doing enough online like Obama).

Conservatives had their chance in the primaries and couldn’t get behind a candidate.

And the idea that McCain is center-left is silly. Old school Rockefeller Republicans would think he’s too extreme. He’s calling for tax cuts and spending cuts.