Halperin: What John McCain Underestimates

[featherman]

1. The astonishing enthusiasm that Obama inspires in his supporters — and how much it contrasts with the respect, but not passion, McCain enjoys from his own backers. (And the size of Obama’s crowds…)

2. The “Major League vs Little League” difference between Obama’s infrastructure and his own.

3. The inherent difficulty/sensitivity of running against two figures at once. McCain will have to 1) explicitly criticize a sitting Republican president before Republican audiences and 2) prevent the historic event of electing the nation’s first African-American president that many in the country (and the media) desire.

4. The ever-present danger on the trail that he might evoke Bob Dole with a Bob Dole-like misstep (fall off a stage, sound like a Washington fossil, seem angry and out of touch).

5. How little most Americans care about foreign policy (beyond the Iraq War) when the economy is in the tank.

6. How many voters (even Republican stalwarts) dread the idea of a virtual third Bush term.

7. How many members of the media dread the idea of covering a virtual third Bush term (and how much they buy Obama’s argument that McCain is an extension of Bush-Cheney).

more at the link: http://thepage.time.com/halperin%E2%80%99s-take-what-john-mccain-underestimates/

[Flying Dream Blues]

1. Great piece...thanks for posting. Kicking and recommending! nt

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. I hope for an angry meltdown

on national TV. Or a slip of the tongue letting folks know he plans to re-institute the draft or something else equally unpopular.

[ksdemo]

3. This will be an interesting election. I think Republicans have their work cut out for them. nt

[blondeatlast]

4. Another point: McCain has rarely faced any real opposition. His campaign teams

still consist of lobbyists, AZ cronies, and AZ RNC stalwarts--his elections here have been little more than a walk in the park.

Obama's run as a Democrat in Chicago--that alone takes savvy and skill--and it's clear he has a top-notch team and with Howard Dean at the helm, it's ggoing to be even more dynamic and exciting than it was before.

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. I hope for a clean election based upon the merit of each candidate.

If that is the case, Obama will win in a landslide. McCain has absolutely nothing to offer anyone.

[AndyTiedye]

7. The Real Question is "How Big a Landslide Can They Steal?"

We can hope for a clean election, but after 2000 and 2004, we know better.

[NRaleighLiberal]

8. Indeed...so big enough that theft would be obvious (well, again, am counting that we have a media to

report such a crime....no evidence of that right now, of course!).

[AndyTiedye]

9. That's the Problem. The Repiglickin' Media LOVES McInsane

They all have their orders, straight from the executive suites of their parent corporations.
They will do everything in their power to put McInsane in the White House.

[AndyTiedye]

6. Many Who DO Care About Foreign Policy Dislike McCain Even More

[corkhead]

10. he has to somehow run against the failed policies of * without alienating the 28%ers

good luck with that :rofl:

[gasperc]

11. wow, for a right wing hack

I have to give him a wee bit of credit.

[featherman]

12. The most intriguing part of this is the idea that there are those in the media

who might actually help the Dems regain the White House this year... I'll believe it when I see it and I'm not holding my breath but that would be a significant and refreshing change from what we went through in 2000 and 2004

We shall see

[smoogatz]

13. If he underestimates Obama, he'll lose. If he doesn't, he'll still lose.

The only question is, by how much. I don't just want to win, I want an overwhelming mandate and a filibuster-proof senate majority.

[book_worm]

14. point 4, McCain already sounds angry and out of touch.