[DonaldM_23]

In a historical presidential election, I'm hearing that Obama ran the best campaign in Democratic history. On the other hand McCain faces a list of things he did wrong. Was Sarah Palin his downfall? Did he handle the economic crisis wrong? Voice your opinion

[450donn]

What obama did right? As a democrat he by default had the major networks on his side. With the dumbing down of America and the major networks on his side, he was a shoe in. If you look at his speaches, they are full of "uhhhs", and "ands". This is not a man who can carry on an intelligent conversation without a teleprompter. This is a man that was able to read and then spew out what he had just read. His speech writers were great. They stay on two or three basic points over the past two years of his campaign and sold his party line to 51% of Americans. Luckily in four years we may have a chance to correct this grievous mistake.

[excon]

Hello Donald:

Obama won because he's good, and pure and right and everybody saw it - ceptin donn above.

Ifin you don't believe that, George W. Bush did such a terrible job, the country just didn't want to give the Republicans another chance. Makes sense to me.

excon

[ScottGem]

This is not a man who can carry on an intelligent conversation without a teleprompter. .

And Bush was a president who couldn't carry on an intellgent conversation even with a teleprompter.

This is a man that was able to read and then spew out what he had just read. His speech writers were great. They stay on two or three basic points over the past two years of his campaign and sold his party line to 51% of Americans.

This is ridiculous. Speechwriters are not ghost writers. They reflect the candidate, not the other way around (at least in most cases).

Luckily in four years we may have a chance to correct this grievous mistake.

We didn't correct the greivous mistake of 2000 in 2004, why should 2012 be different?

To answer the original question, frankly, I don't think Obama did anything great or McCain did anything bad. I think Bush screwed the pooch so badly that any democrat would have won.

[tomder55]

I have not completed my research on this yet and won't until the final count is in .

It appears that a significant number of voters who voted for President Bush in 2004 sat out of this election. McCain did not duplicate the "get out the vote " efforts of President Bush ,and not even close to the efforts that the Obama campaign made.

This seems to bear out in red states where the so called record turn out did not happen according to reports I've read. I think you saw intensity on one side and not the other.
I noticed this 1st when I was in San Diego this summer. Obama operatives were all over the streets during the Comi-con convention signing up registrants as fast as they could . I told my wife then that he was going to win .

McCain was the candidate on the Republican side because he was the last one standing . But there never really was an enthusiasm for him by the base. Had he picked someone other than Palin (who did energize the base ) his numbers would've been worse.

Finally ;McCain would've done better if there was not the economic duwnturn right after the conventions.

[excon]

Finally ;McCain would've done better if there was not the economic duwnturn right after the conventions.

Hello again, Donald:

THIS is the standard thinking in Republican circles... However, I disagree.

Great leaders need great challenges. The economic meltdown was such a challenge. Had McCain ACTUALLY shown leadership during that time, I think he would be president elect today, instead of the episode hurting him.

He SPOKE some leadership stuff. He SAID he was going to suspend his campaign, put off the debate and fly to Washington to rescue the country. Had he done so, I believe that HE would be president elect TODAY.

However, he didn't rescue the economy. He didn't suspend the campaign, and he didn't put off the debate. In fact, the right wing of his OWN party defeated him. He couldn't even LEAD them.

Today, it's widley perceived by MOST Americans, that the bailout was/is a mistake. Had McCain LEAD that group of Americans, he'd, again, be president elect today.

Everybody was watching, and he didn't fool anybody.

excon

[tomder55]

This is from an editorial at Investors Business Daily :

Overall, two-thirds of voters between 18 and 29 voted for Obama, an unprecedented turnout. In contrast, the only demographic that voted for McCain as a group was voters 60 and older.
The previous high point in voter turnout among youth was 1972, during the Vietnam War. Students in this election also were energized by their opposition to war, which of course worked in favor of Obama, who's vowed to withdraw troops from Iraq.
But Obama also devised a clever plan to sign students up to vote and get them to the polls on Election Day.
First, he hired the former head of MTV's Rock the Vote as his youth vote director. Then he brought a couple thousand college students to Chicago for training in something called Camp Obama, where they learned organizing techniques they could take back to their campuses to fire up thousands more kids to vote for Obama.
Obama also used Facebook, texting and other high-tech social networking tools to connect students in support of his campaign. In fact, a Facebook founder joined the Obama campaign.
Obama learned early that the key to getting kids to the polls is peer-to-peer contact and networks. Robo-calls and mailings don't work with these voters. He also appealed to their self-interest by combining rewarding community service — high among youth's priorities — with pay for college. This was music to their ears.
Finally, one of the biggest barriers to young people voting in the U.S. is registration. Obama made it easier by deploying campers to sign up students on campus. He also steered them to Rock the Vote's Web site, which offers a national form for registering online, as well as GoVoteAbsentee.org, which college students created to help kids navigate the various state deadlines for early voting.
This helps explain the enthusiasm gap among young voters. Half who supported Obama were very enthused about his candidacy, while just 11% of McCain's young supporters said the same of his.
The Republican National Committee ought to study the successful Obama model for turning out younger voters...

[tomder55]

Had McCain ACTUALLY shown leadership during that time, I think he would be president elect today, instead of the episode hurting him.

Actually had McCain sided with the Republicans who opposed TAARP he would've been better off.On that we agree . By voting for the bailout he lent credence to the false claim that the economic downturn was a Republican policy error .
You talk of leadership ?Obama as he has often done in his short political career,was a no-show.

[ScottGem]

This is from an editorial at Investors Business Daily :

Ok, so Obama adroitly made the most of his power base. He used the tools available to him to maxmize his potential.

What that says to me is that he showed presidential ability.

[excon]

Obama as he has often done in his short political career,was a no-show.

Hello again, tom:

I won't argue that either. But, why show up if the other guy is self destructing?

However, THAT tactic might, indeed, have shown leadership over the long haul, cause you can't lead if you don't win.

excon

[450donn]

Personally I like the adage,
"Lead, Follow, or get out of the way!"
It will be up to BHO to determine what sort of a person he really is!
Based on his public record so far I have already decided what sort he is.

[tomder55]

Scott .It shows me he knows how to run a campaign. It reminds me a little of the movie 'The Candidate' starring Robert Redford. At the end of it after he won election he turned to his handlers and asked "now what ? "

I was using the op-ed to illustrate my point in #5 that Obama had the superior "get out the vote " organization. The op-ed specifically says it is something the Republicans need to emulate.

I would actually give much of the credit for the successful campaigns by the Democrats in the last 4 years to Dr Dean ;Rham Emanuel ,and Chuck Schumer ;espcially Dr Dean the scream who showed the party how to utilize the net.

[DonaldM_23]

Personally McCain lived in the shadow of Mr. George Bush. Even during the debates he said quote on quote "I'm not George Bush". Mr. Bush approval rating was one of the worst I've ever seen, to be compared to bush and his quote on quote policies was a huge down fall for McCain. Honestly, was Sarah Palin the best choice? Personally if for some reason Mrs. Palin was the top chief in charge. I would be very scared!! I really don't care if she was great at making executive decisions. We are talk about the USA (United State of America) If you truly felt Palin was a good choice, god help your soul. Obama had a great strategy that attact everyone out side the 60 and up range. A lot of people are saying that any democrate could have won this race. Remember 2004 Kerry lost...

[450donn]

Personally McCain lived in the shadow of Mr. George Bush. Even during the debates he said quote on quote "I'm not George Bush". Mr. Bush approval rating was one of the worst I've ever seen, to be compared to bush and his quote on quote policies was a huge down fall for McCain. Honestly, was Sarah Palin the best choice? Personally if for some reason Mrs. Palin was the top chief in charge. I would be very scared!!!!!!!!!! I really don't care if she was great at making executive decisions. We are talk about the USA (United State of America) If you truly felt Palin was a good choice, god help your soul. Obama had a great strategy that attact everyone out side the 60 and up range. A lot of people are saying that any democrate could of won this race. Remember 2004 Kerry lost..................

OK I understand your point about Sarah Palin. So let me ask you this, Who among the four has had any business experience? Who among the four has ever had any governmental executive experience? Who among the four has ever had the responsibility to manage and direct the military? Who among the four has negotiated directly with big business and gotten concessions from them for the people?
Certainally not Mr. Voted Present, certainally not the other two. Only one person has had all of those responsibilities. But you like millions of others listened to the proproganda put out by the networks instead of doing your own homework.

[excon]

Hello again, donn:

Experience, exschmerience!

At least those guys know that Africa is a continent, not a country. This Palin dufus didn't!! She didn't understand basic civics in regards to state and local issues.. She didn't know the nations involved in NAFTA. She didn't know which countries make up North America. She entertained aids in a towel.

By the way, it wasn't the LIBERAL media who said this stuff. It was your right wing Fox News reported by Carl Cameron.

excon

[Galveston1]

In spite of everything, the arguments keep coming back to Sarah Palin don't they? Does that tell you anything about the future?

[tomder55]

Fox was quoting some anonymous McCain campaign workers who were more than willing to blame their gutless performance on Palin. This is nothing more that CYA job protection .They are looking towards their future prospects .But no Republican in their right mind should hire these losers to run their campaigns again.

These aides if they were indeed high enough in the campaign are responsible for one of the worst campaigns in modern memory. Palin was the only reason McCain had a chance at all.

Had she not shown up, Obama's furniture would've been parked in a truck outside the White House hoping for an early move-in a month before the election took place.
Palin is right in not responding to these gutless losers until they put their name to their slanders .

[NeedKarma]

Palin was the only reason McCain had a chance at all.

This is such an interesting statement.

They ate themselves up from the inside.
ABC News: Palin Aide Fires Back at Reported McCain Camp Slams

[tomder55]

Note the difference .there is a name for the Palin aide . Where are the names for the cowards in the McCain staff ?

[450donn]

Donaldm23;
Giving reddies for an opinion is against the rules of this forum. You stated an opinion and therefore your reddie is not valid.