Does anyone else get the impression that mccain's presidential run....

[pepperbear]

rested completely on the outcome of this election? If the GOP had won, wouldn't that read, "George Allan may seek bid in 2008."

Just wondering why the great "moderate" hope gets pulled out of mothballs when he was SO DAMNED the first time around ("illegitimate children of color" and everything!)

[malaise]

1. McCain is going nowhere in

a hurry.

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. Even the FReepers hate him

That speaks volumes....

O, Those FReeper Hate Mongrels! :rofl:

[Democrat 4 Ever]

9. Except in his own mind. He has straddled the fence so much

he has saddle sores on his nether regions. McCain gave up his title as a moderate the day he allowed Chucklenuts to smear his wife and daughter. He is an old partisan hack who thew in with the wrong bunch but refuses to acknowledge their evil intentions. He still sees himself as having the hearts and minds of some group that loves his "wishy washiness." The neocons won't support him, the religious reich won't get behind him, and the Dems will take glee in pointing out his "flip floppery" on every damn issue depending on who he is talking to on any given day.

McCain is one of those rethugs who still doesn't realize that every thing he has said and done for the last 20 years is on video tape. We won't forget nor forgive McCain. He could have stood up for Max Cleland and didn't. He could have corrected the Swift Boat Liars and wouldn't. He could have stopped the lies of this out of control administration but he put partisanship and political ambitions ahead of everything. He is damaged goods and the funny this is he is the one who shot himself in the foot.

Buy a clue John.

[lady lib]

2. No. I'm almost certain that he was planning to run regardless. n/t

[still_one]

10. I concur. But, I do believe the loss of Congress caused him to announce

sooner, if for nothing else than to try and shift attention to him from the amazing victory of the Democrats

[lady lib]

15. Good point. n/t

[niallmac]

3. It all sounds so pathetic. McCain is done.

It takes brass spheres to bring him up again...says me.

[Olney Blue]

5. McCain lost his chance when shrub cut him off at the roots in 2000.

He would have been so much better than Bush, if we had to have a republican.

But it's over for McCain now.

[On Par]

6. I'd Be Surprised If McCain Becomes The Republican...

...standard bearer in '08. What made him right for 2000, makes him wrong in 2008. His luster has waned. We've fought the Vietnam war far too many times with all of these candidates. It's time to move on to a fresh generation of politicians who don't have all the political baggage from the past 6 years.

[Jawja]

7. Don't see how McCain

can package himself as the "great moderate hope" after his sucking up to the Bush criminal cabal the last 6 years.

All the Dems will have to do is spread that photo far and wide of McCain hugging *.

Just present it as "more of the same." Dems can drag out McCain's 2000 speech in Virginia where he slapped Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell and then air his appearance at Bob Jones University (I think) to show he is now sucking up to them. Talk about using "flip-flop" against them!

McCain is done. He is not seen as the independent maverick he was in 2000 and he won't be able to run on that platform.

[Kerrytravelers]

12. And, are moderates soft on torture? I'm guessing...

NO!

[NCMojo]

16. Can't say I agree with that assessment.

Sure, the progressive wing is sickened by his sucking up to the GOP establishment -- he sure as hell lost any chance at getting my vote -- but he needed to do that in order to secure the nomination. No way they'd let "McCain the Maverick" win in 2008, or any other year, so he had to buy his way into favor.

But Middle America doesn't see that. They still seem him as the political rebel, the moderate, unifying factor. By the time we get to 2008, they're not going to pay much attention to the hug, or to the "support our President" speeches. When it comes down to it, they'll vote McCain vs. Clinton straight-up -- and I don't think that works in our favor.

[jbnow]

19. Even Tweety has ended the loving though

He's very irritated that McCain stabbed Kerry in the back for his awkward bush bashing joke. Said he's suppose to be a friend and he knows Kerry wasn't insulting the troops and wouldn't insult the troops but turned his back on all that just for partisan reasons.

The right and left won't like him and with his view on the war being wonderful if only we sent more troops won't win the hearts and minds of the middle.

[Jawja]

21. Possibly.

But a lot of Democrats went for McCain in the primaries when he challenged *. Remember * declaring that "We don't want Democrats deciding our nominee..."?

Those Democratic votes won't come McCain's way in a general election this time.

You are assuming that Hillary will be the Dem nominee,as well. McCain might not do as well with independents as with another Dem nominee.

[pepperbear]

17. I think it's more of a matter of how THEY will package him. mn/t

[pooja]

8. I think he's too old. He's well liked, but lets face it, can he hold up

for 10 more years. We have had relatively young presidents in the last few years. I think people like to see a younger president that won't be on the verge of alzheimers or stroke or other complications.

[enough]

18. It's not just his age, but he doesn't seem to exude energy --

I just don't see him as having the charisma.

[onenote]

11. even if allen had won, he was dead as a candidate for pres

[Orangepeel]

13. ... is doomed?

I think the same thing that happened to him last time will happen to him this time. (which is good, because he might be able to win the general)

The conservative base believes that they lost because bush abandoned "conservative principles" by over spending and supporting immigration. They'll back someone like Brownback who will not hesitate to attack McCain and his family the way bush did.

[napi21]

14. Ithink McCain is the designated Pub candidate for 08.

I actually think they made a deal with him back in 2000 that if he backed off of Shrub then, he would get the nod in 08.

I doubt the outcome of 06 had much influence on his run, other than to convince Rover that his plan to play only to the extreme RW base might have been a mistake.

[sallyseven]

20. He said that he would commit suicide if the

Dems took over the house and senate. What the hell is he waiting for. People who threaten to commit suicide are usually insane.