Rasmussen conducted a survey last year showing widespread support among likely voters for tougher measures against illegal immigration, including the border fence. Republican pandering to illegal immigrants on this issue alienates members of the party without winning Hispanic support.

 

71% Favor Requiring Foreign Visitors to Carry Universal ID Card

Saturday, August 18, 2007

 

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters nationwide favor cutting off federal funds for “sanctuary cities” that offer protection to illegal immigrants. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 29% are opposed. Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney proposed such a plan earlier this week.

 

By a 71% to 16% margin, voters also favor a proposal that would require all foreign visitors to carry a universal identification card as proposed by another GOP Presidential hopeful, Rudy Giuliani. Seventy-four percent (74%) also favor the creation and funding of a central database to track all foreign visitors in the United States.

 

By a 56% to 31% margin, voters want the government to continue building a fence along the Mexican border.

I don't think his base deserted him. He couldn't get those middle of the road folks, the undecideds, to fall on his side of the fence. It is also like Rick Warren said 'People vote their pocketbooks and in our current state, the economy trumped all.'

 

The base was not really behind him until Palin.

The base was not really behind him until Palin.

 

I think she brought more of the base on board. However, the republican base was not going to vote for Obama.

I think she brought more of the base on board. However, the republican base was not going to vote for Obama.

 

They were not going to vote for McCain either.

I don't think his base deserted him. He couldn't get those middle of the road folks, the undecideds, to fall on his side of the fence. It is also like Rick Warren said 'People vote their pocketbooks and in our current state, the economy trumped all.'

This is true. He sold out to the hard line right-wing faction and it cost him the independents, the moderates AND the disgruntled Hillary supporters.

This is true. He sold out to the hard line right-wing faction and it cost him the independents, the moderates AND the disgruntled Hillary supporters.

He had to bring Palin on board just to get conservatives revitalized.

He had to bring Palin on board just to get conservatives revitalized.

And they successfully revitalized Obama's campaign.

And they successfully revitalized Obama's campaign.

Come on BF, Obama did an excellent job of running a campaign. McCain ran a horrible campaign from start to finish.

Come on BF, his campaign did an excellent job of running a campaign. McCain ran a horrible campaign from start to finish.

Exactly my point! :ylsuper:

And they successfully revitalized Obama's campaign.

Obama's compaign didn't need revitalizing. It was going to take a miracle for McCain to win this election.

Exactly my point! :ylsuper:

Mine too, he was too much of a RINO, then he tried to pretend he was a conservative and failed miserably. :ylsuper:

This is true. He sold out to the hard line right-wing faction and it cost him the independents, the moderates AND the disgruntled Hillary supporters.

 

He was destined to lose because he was a RINO (which initially scared off moderates because of anti-Bushism) and because he was a RINO (which scared of conservatives). He had to pick his poison.

Mine too, he was too much of a RINO, then he tried to pretend he was a conservative and failed miserably. :ylsuper:

Nope. He would have won as a moderate centrist. Instead, he allowed himself to be bullied by the radical right. He played up to the hard-core conservatives, which alienated the moderates, independents and right-leaning and disaffected democrats. As you said, very poor campaign decisions right there.

 

He also failed by not staying on a coherent message. Instead, he spent the campaign chasing the news and switching up his message. He should have found one weakness and pounded on it relentlessly.

 

He then shot himself in the foot by choosing Sarah Palin. I initially thought she was a great choice; but it quickly became apparent that her selection took away McCain's trump card -- the experience issue. He had that on Obama and neutralized it by choosing the inexperienced Palin. This allowed the Dems to seize the issue and turn it back around against McCain.

 

He was also the victim of bad luck when the economy went south. He could have played that issue more effectively as well. He allowed Obama to take the lead and look more capable of handling it.

 

And let's face it, from the beginning he was mired in the muck of the unpopular Bush presidency. He didn't effectively separate himself; and playing to the far-right only made it worse.

 

This just wasn't a good year to be a Republican.

Nope. He would have won as a moderate centrist. Instead, he allowed himself to be bullied by the radical right. He played up to the hard-core conservatives, which alienated the moderates, independents and right-leaning and disaffected democrats. As you said, very poor campaign decisions right there.

 

He also failed by not staying on a coherent message. Instead, he spent the campaign chasing the news and switching up his message. He should have found one weakness and pounded on it relentlessly.

 

He then shot himself in the foot by choosing Sarah Palin. I initially thought she was a great choice; but it quickly became apparent that her selection took away McCain's trump card -- the experience issue. He had that on Obama and neutralized it by choosing the inexperienced Palin. This allowed the Dems to seize the issue and turn it back around against McCain.

 

He was also the victim of bad luck when the economy went south. He could have played that issue more effectively as well. He allowed Obama to take the lead and look more capable of handling it.

 

And let's face it, from the beginning he was mired in the muck of the unpopular Bush presidency. He didn't effectively separate himself; and playing to the far-right only made it worse.

 

This just wasn't a good year to be a Republican.

I agree with a lot of what you say here (Palin killed the experience card, bad year to be a Republican, horribly ran campaign, etc.) but even if he had played to the disenfranchised Dems and moderate independents, the conservatives simply would not have voted for him. Maybe those who are really, really afraid of Obama, but I like to think that most would not have.

OK

 

I'll finally admit it. I don't know.

 

What the heck is RINO?