Well, let's cut straight to the point. John McCain is going to be the Republican nominee, and he should be if the Republican party is smart. In a 'position of power,' McCain performs very well as evidenced in today's interview. He surging in New Hampshire and he knows it. If he captures New Hampshire, Michigan is his as well. The counter-argument for Romney is that he is a native son of that state so the strength may be with him. Fact: Al Gore lost Tennessee in 2000.
After almost every question, McCain flashed a smile or let go a chuckle because he's in a position where he can speak his mind. McCain sat comfortably when Mr. Russert questioned him on his earlier statement concerning the 100-year hypothetical military presence in Iraq. At various challenging points in the campaign for him, if posed that question, McCain's anger would be firing in claymore directions. But here, today, he got to come on Meet The Press and revel in his positions. And as with all politicians, one never hesitates to tell you when they were right. And McCain has been correct on more than a few things - be it some were easy calls. 'Rumsfeld should go' was an easy call on both sides of the aisle.
For the purposes of this column today, the most interesting topic in relation to the campaign was his comments on Mitt Romney. 'He has changed his positions on almost every major issue. That is a fact. I could chronicle it for you. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t a good person,' he said. Translated, he thinks he is a shitty politician and would be a shitty leader. (That's a bit straighter talk, but an accurate projection.) He's exactly right.
As for the other candidates, Huckabee doesn't have a wide enough base to win the nomination, but taught the others some lessons in Iowa. Thompson is a lazy candidate, period. He's been that way from the start. And Giuliani... it's mystifying that his campaign thinks he is going to surge to the lead on Super Tuesday. Today's two guest strategists, Steve McMahon (D) and Mike Murphy (R), said that it has never been done. And Giuliani isn't going to be the first one to do it. One, he has no momentum going into that day, voters look to the initial states as a barometer - not to be underestimated. Also, and this plays more in this particular election, is that it is too blatant of a political campaign tactic. This time around, it is already well established that that does not play.
McCain is the truest Republican in the field. Say what you will about his immigration stance and ideas, but he is from a border state. And when we talk immigration, we're never thinking Canada. So on today's Meet The Press, you listened to the Republican nominee.
[Aside: Mr. McMahon and Mr. Murphy were very good at framing and interpreting the polls and speeches. It's always very easy for an opposition strategist to speak frankly about the other side... that's the point I guess. I can't remember seeing Mr. McMahon before (maybe just a memory lapse), but Mr. Murphy has been on quite a bit. However, he reminds me of a professional football coach that keeps getting fired because of a mediocre record, but then somehow manages to instill false hope and get hired again.]
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