Comments on: A long, boring horse race http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race Comeday morm and, O, you're vine! Sendday's eve and, ah, you're vinegar! Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:59:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Matthew http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race/comment-page-1#comment-43949 Matthew Tue, 13 Mar 2007 11:08:34 +0000 http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race#comment-43949 That has always been my feeling. If Limbaugh dislikes him, McCain must be doing something right. That has always been my feeling. If Limbaugh dislikes him, McCain must be doing something right.

]]> By: Scrivener http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race/comment-page-1#comment-43861 Scrivener Mon, 12 Mar 2007 22:06:07 +0000 http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race#comment-43861 Well, if I'm agreeing with Limbaugh about something then I must be wrong. Well, if I’m agreeing with Limbaugh about something then I must be wrong.

]]> By: greypilgrim http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race/comment-page-1#comment-43781 greypilgrim Mon, 12 Mar 2007 12:38:16 +0000 http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race#comment-43781 Your criticisms are the same ones Limbaugh and his cronies are using to bring down McCain, so I do not really expect him to get the nomination. He is too much reviled within the conservative wing of the party. On campaign finance, Limbaugh has been gleefully pointing out how McCain has suggested he <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17417007/" rel="nofollow">will not accept public financing of his campaign</a>, if chosen as the nominee. Although the article I link to says that he will accept public financing if his Democratic opponent will, also, we all know that in effect means he won't accept public financing. It's difficult to blame him, however. The system is broken, despite his efforts to fix it. What is he supposed to do? Handicap himself on principle, just so his opponents can't accuse him of a flip flop? Believe me, they will find something else to criticize him for. Your criticisms are the same ones Limbaugh and his cronies are using to bring down McCain, so I do not really expect him to get the nomination. He is too much reviled within the conservative wing of the party. On campaign finance, Limbaugh has been gleefully pointing out how McCain has suggested he will not accept public financing of his campaign, if chosen as the nominee. Although the article I link to says that he will accept public financing if his Democratic opponent will, also, we all know that in effect means he won’t accept public financing.

It’s difficult to blame him, however. The system is broken, despite his efforts to fix it. What is he supposed to do? Handicap himself on principle, just so his opponents can’t accuse him of a flip flop? Believe me, they will find something else to criticize him for.

]]> By: Scrivener http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race/comment-page-1#comment-43692 Scrivener Mon, 12 Mar 2007 02:45:25 +0000 http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race#comment-43692 Oh, I don't question his service to his country in the slightest. I thought the Bush peoples' attacks back in 2000 were absolutely heinous. But it's one thing to be a hero in wartime and to be strong in the face of torture, and another to be a powerful politician who can control a vast bureaucracy. I think McCain would be incapable of maintaining control of the White House. Granted, I don't know him personally or anything and maybe I'm being unfair. It just seems like he is always spinning in circles whenever he talks policy--e.g., lots of tough talk about torture, but with absolutely no follow-though, no attention to the details of his own policy, and then a whole bunch of dithering and avoidance after his plan is completely demolished. Campaign finance is his big issue, right? But who the hell knows what he believes on that issue anymore? I've lost track of whether this is the week he's pandering to the fundamentalists or being the "straight-talker" who's gonna be more moderate. I agree with you that his personal narrative is compelling, much moreso than any of the other GOP frontrunners. But he has not figured out a way to tell that story very well, yet. I think Edwards and Obama both have extremely compelling personal narratives as well. Oh, I don’t question his service to his country in the slightest. I thought the Bush peoples’ attacks back in 2000 were absolutely heinous. But it’s one thing to be a hero in wartime and to be strong in the face of torture, and another to be a powerful politician who can control a vast bureaucracy. I think McCain would be incapable of maintaining control of the White House. Granted, I don’t know him personally or anything and maybe I’m being unfair. It just seems like he is always spinning in circles whenever he talks policy–e.g., lots of tough talk about torture, but with absolutely no follow-though, no attention to the details of his own policy, and then a whole bunch of dithering and avoidance after his plan is completely demolished. Campaign finance is his big issue, right? But who the hell knows what he believes on that issue anymore? I’ve lost track of whether this is the week he’s pandering to the fundamentalists or being the “straight-talker” who’s gonna be more moderate.

I agree with you that his personal narrative is compelling, much moreso than any of the other GOP frontrunners. But he has not figured out a way to tell that story very well, yet. I think Edwards and Obama both have extremely compelling personal narratives as well.

]]> By: greypilgrim http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race/comment-page-1#comment-43381 greypilgrim Sat, 10 Mar 2007 13:07:50 +0000 http://sodsbrood.com/pilgrim/2007/03/09/a-long-boring-horse-race#comment-43381 I don't know that McCain is lacking in spine; I would describe him as ambitious, in the same way that Hillary is ambitious. Sometimes his ambition to be President overpowers his sense of what he believes and, as you say, he says or does what he thinks is expedient at the moment. I think his tendency to buck the Republicans and to cooperate with Democrats on domestic issues dilutes the repulsiveness of his toadying to Bush. I don't think he'd be a bad President, unless he changes after being elected, which is entirely possible. Anyway, campaigns have a way of changing men, too, and I may grow to dislike him once I see him in the heat of battle. Speaking of which, I admit that I often find the personal stories of candidates (however tailored for the audience those stories might be) to be extremely compelling. One of the things I like about John Edwards is his personal story--his poor upbringing, the tragedy of losing a child, etc. Same with McCain: veterans' stories always affect me powerfully, and McCain's war story is especially powerful. I guess that's why I have trouble with the word spineless; it smacks of what the Bush people accused him of back in 2000, when they said he had given in to his North Vietnamese torturers. I don’t know that McCain is lacking in spine; I would describe him as ambitious, in the same way that Hillary is ambitious. Sometimes his ambition to be President overpowers his sense of what he believes and, as you say, he says or does what he thinks is expedient at the moment.

I think his tendency to buck the Republicans and to cooperate with Democrats on domestic issues dilutes the repulsiveness of his toadying to Bush. I don’t think he’d be a bad President, unless he changes after being elected, which is entirely possible. Anyway, campaigns have a way of changing men, too, and I may grow to dislike him once I see him in the heat of battle.

Speaking of which, I admit that I often find the personal stories of candidates (however tailored for the audience those stories might be) to be extremely compelling. One of the things I like about John Edwards is his personal story–his poor upbringing, the tragedy of losing a child, etc. Same with McCain: veterans’ stories always affect me powerfully, and McCain’s war story is especially powerful. I guess that’s why I have trouble with the word spineless; it smacks of what the Bush people accused him of back in 2000, when they said he had given in to his North Vietnamese torturers.

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