McCain vs. The World
October 27th 2008 22:15
As we rapidly approach election day in the US, John McCain has found himself facing an almost insurmountable task. He is squaring off against the entire world. Okay, that may be a bit of a stretch, but he is having to overcome a wide swath of both overt and esoteric foes in this election. Here are some of the biggest hurdles (besides Obama) that he is having to clear in order to win:
* The media -- The media, with only a couple of notable exceptions, is deeply in the tank for Obama. It's hard to overcome blatant bias and a relentless onslaught of negative coverage.
* The legacy of the Bush administration -- Bush is the lamest of ducks at this point, and his unpopularity has been a constant drag on fellow Republican John McCain's chances for victory.
* The legacy of the GOP -- The GOP brand (even above and beyond Bush) is in tatters. McCain is a maverick, but the change mantra is an easier sell for Obama than it is for McCain.
* The burden of an unpopular war -- This has been off the front pages to a large degree, but folks are still tired of the wars (especially in Iraq). We've been in Iraq longer than we were in WWII.
* Hollywood -- It's rarely friendly to the GOP, but Hollywood has been in overdrive in its adulation of Obama. That's fairly inconsequential on a personal level, but they control a lot of messaging that goes out into our culture. It can be influential to the more easily influenced.
* The economy -- Make no mistake about it. This is the biggest issue hurting McCain right now. Rightly or wrongly, the public is blaming Bush and the GOP for the economic meltdown. McCain, who made an ill-advised admission that economics wasn't his strong suit, is not viewed by most as the one to rescue the economy.
Overcoming all those obstacles is a daunting task for anyone. Still, McCain was doing pretty well until the recent economic mess reared its ugly head. Now, he faces a herculean challenge. Can he still win? It's possible. McCain has survived impossible circumstances before. But when it's McCain vs. The World, the odds certainly aren't in his favor.
* The media -- The media, with only a couple of notable exceptions, is deeply in the tank for Obama. It's hard to overcome blatant bias and a relentless onslaught of negative coverage.
* The legacy of the Bush administration -- Bush is the lamest of ducks at this point, and his unpopularity has been a constant drag on fellow Republican John McCain's chances for victory.
* The legacy of the GOP -- The GOP brand (even above and beyond Bush) is in tatters. McCain is a maverick, but the change mantra is an easier sell for Obama than it is for McCain.
* The burden of an unpopular war -- This has been off the front pages to a large degree, but folks are still tired of the wars (especially in Iraq). We've been in Iraq longer than we were in WWII.
* Hollywood -- It's rarely friendly to the GOP, but Hollywood has been in overdrive in its adulation of Obama. That's fairly inconsequential on a personal level, but they control a lot of messaging that goes out into our culture. It can be influential to the more easily influenced.
* The economy -- Make no mistake about it. This is the biggest issue hurting McCain right now. Rightly or wrongly, the public is blaming Bush and the GOP for the economic meltdown. McCain, who made an ill-advised admission that economics wasn't his strong suit, is not viewed by most as the one to rescue the economy.
Overcoming all those obstacles is a daunting task for anyone. Still, McCain was doing pretty well until the recent economic mess reared its ugly head. Now, he faces a herculean challenge. Can he still win? It's possible. McCain has survived impossible circumstances before. But when it's McCain vs. The World, the odds certainly aren't in his favor.
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Comment by Lester Caudill
Round Politics
With that kind of Media coverage no wonder people feel John McCain is the Devil, and Barack Hussein Obama is the messiah.
Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Comment by PopulistConservative
Angry Electorate
I just hope that this is the year that "journalism" dies a well-deserved death. They've lost whatever shred of credibility they had left.
Comment by PopulistConservative
Angry Electorate
I also lay a lot of blame on McCain for how they've handled Palin. They rolled her out in an extremely ineffectual way and have served to undermine her in a number of ways. Long ago, they should've let Sarah be Sarah.