CaveDog
Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2008
- Messages
- 42
Despite the good turnout in primaries, the truth is that most people don't vote until the general elections and when that happens the dyanamic of the race will likely turn. The polls still show that public sentiment remains squarely against the Iraq war and that will be the achilles heel of the rest of the republican field.
Republicans don't seem to have learned the lesson of the Democrat's sweep of congress in '06, denying the reality of the Iraq factor. In light of the steady public opposition to the Iraq war, the more likely scenario is that the Democratic candidate, no matter which of the two remaining are chosen, will appear more dove-like than the other hawkish Republican candidates and will surely use that as a bludgeon in the general election. All they need to do, for example, is harp on McCain's "100 year" comment and it's all over.
Truth be told, the bulk of Americans strongly oppose the war in Iraq and want out. Whether the right wants to accept that is irrelevant. War policy is unsustainable without public support and for that reason withdrawal from Iraq is inevitable. The public will just keep electing candidates who oppose the war until it happens and the next instance of that will probably be in November. The '08 election will probably look much more like '06 than '04 and even in '04 president Bush didn't pull off any mandate. The only question is whether we get a president who supports traditional conservative policy or one who promotes a more left wing agenda on issues aside from Iraq. With that in mind, Ron Paul is actually the only electable candidate in the current field and even if subtly, the Paul campaign should get that idea across.
Just my .02
Republicans don't seem to have learned the lesson of the Democrat's sweep of congress in '06, denying the reality of the Iraq factor. In light of the steady public opposition to the Iraq war, the more likely scenario is that the Democratic candidate, no matter which of the two remaining are chosen, will appear more dove-like than the other hawkish Republican candidates and will surely use that as a bludgeon in the general election. All they need to do, for example, is harp on McCain's "100 year" comment and it's all over.
Truth be told, the bulk of Americans strongly oppose the war in Iraq and want out. Whether the right wants to accept that is irrelevant. War policy is unsustainable without public support and for that reason withdrawal from Iraq is inevitable. The public will just keep electing candidates who oppose the war until it happens and the next instance of that will probably be in November. The '08 election will probably look much more like '06 than '04 and even in '04 president Bush didn't pull off any mandate. The only question is whether we get a president who supports traditional conservative policy or one who promotes a more left wing agenda on issues aside from Iraq. With that in mind, Ron Paul is actually the only electable candidate in the current field and even if subtly, the Paul campaign should get that idea across.
Just my .02
