Call me silly, but I think this looooonnng drawn out primary process might help us in the end...

[SKKY]

Here's my thinking on this. As long as HRC and BO continue to trade blows, we're GIVING the Republicans all the fodder they need. Now, that may seem like a suicidal thing to do, but it seems to me that by doing this, WE'RE the ones setting the tone for the General Election, and basically telling the Republicans what they're going to use. If we're successful in that, then we've had way more time to plan our responses to the oncoming "Swift Boat" style attacks over Rev. Wright, Ayers, or Bosnia. Since the Republicans had a relatively short primary and McCain wasn't been fully vetted, we have the potential element of surprise on our side since he basically won't know where we're coming from. Mohammad Ali had a name for this- he called it Rope-a-dope. Thoughts?

[grantcart]

1. silly

don't see how that helps but you asked for it

[searchingforlight]

2. I actually believe there is an element of possibility in your view.

I have been thinking that John McCain is going to be new news to the electorate and all the trash between our candidates will fall on tired ears.

[SKKY]

3. Exactly.

By the time the GE rolls around, the general public will be like, "Yea, ho hum. Rev. Wright. Big deal. So, Sen. McCain, just how many whorehouses did you visit in Rio?"

[AlinPA]

4. What ever the broadcast media needs to do to help McCain they will do.

They will ignore any attempts to question McCain. Look for at least 5 months of the R's "issues": God, Guns, Hatred for Gay people and of course Flags. McCain needs "boots on the ground" ready to go into Iran in October so that any disagreements with him will be seen as un'Murcan.

[murielm99]

5. I think it is hard to say.

People have very short memories. By November, the primary fights could be something from the dim past. If something happens one month before the election, that is all they will remember, like Macaca and Foley.

It is about timing. That is why the republicans have tried to pull an October Surprise before each major election. We need to be sure this does not work for them, in case there is no serendipity, like there was in 2006.

[lapfog_1]

6. History is not on your side in this argument.

Something like over 90 percent of the past presidential races (in the last 60 years or more) have been won by the person nominated by their party first.

If we drag this out until the convention, a mere 9 weeks before the general election, no matter who the nominee is, we will lose to John McSame...

And, at this point, I firmly believe that this is the Clinton plan.

[caledesi]

10. McCain is or will be toast! Either Clinton or Obama will beat him badly. NT

[crankychatter]

7. Obama led McCain in Nat'l Polls till Clinton went Berserker AND

since that time her negatives went up... Obama's went up...Clinton still loses but now Obama loses too...

those are the statistical facts

but, think happy thoughts

I have some of my own

[CTyankee]

8. The flip side tho is that we have beaten our own side down so much

that there won't be any respect for our party's nominee in the GE left. Meanwhile, McCain has all the months free and clear.

why in hell do we do this to ourselves....? All we are doing is giving a negative message about our party to the voters...

[PM7nj]

9. It could help, but not that way.

The way I do think this long primary could help is that we have someone who is going to be the Dem nominee running around all these swing states campaigning. Obama and Clinton have visited every nook and cranny of Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, etc. McCain has been... somewhere. Seriously, I think McCain has been in PA only two times this year.

Of course, if we have Hillary and Barack fighting it out in all these states, so that could hurt more.

[Raine]

11. I see your point but I'm not sure.

In theory it sounds good but I still think it gives the reTHUGs ammo. In the meantime MacCain skates by with no one paying attention and dumping on the stupid things he says.

[dubeskin]

12. Here's another way it could help...

Think of all the airtime and discussion Hillary and Obama have created. People are still talking about them, and care. The more the media talks about them, the more people talk about them, the more publicity their campaigns and issues are getting. By keeping the talk lively, Americans are able to see what the Democrats are taking as this year's big issues. Repetition, repetition, repetition.

[joeybee12]

13. A week is a lifetime in politics...all this hand-wringing is unnecessary...

...once sights are focused on McLame, he will fall quickly.