The McCain campaign is going downhill. As much as I would like to see him doing good as he had just weeks ago, these are hard times for McCain in part no thanks to the conservative aspect of the Republican Party. Having Palin in the equation does not help either.
The accusations thrown against Barack Obama by the conservatives are becoming too disgusting that even Senator John McCain could not stomach. Upon hearing a supporter giving off a reek of racism against Barack Obama, McCain valiantly defended Obama.[1]
This is possibly not the way to run a campaign. McCain should really promote his agenda instead of defending Obama. Yet, the conservative supporters — the part of the Republican Party which I truly hate — are forcing McCain to defend Obama in order to have some sort of decorum in the presidential race. McCain is one of those people which honorable fight means something.
I am indeed reserve a lot of respect for John McCain. This respect originates from the days when I was an undergraduate at Michigan. I was simply impressed at the senator’s willingness to break rank to do what he thinks right. His positions on social issues in comparison to average Republicans, on the environment as well as on free market particularly appeal to me. Just tell me who is brave enough to tell to the farmers in the Idaho that ethanol subsidy is unhelpful for the economy? And tell me, who is brave enough to meet the automotive workers in Michigan that they need to compete without government aid?
Even Obama is unwilling tell these groups the truth.
His defense of Obama against his own vulgar supporters earns him even more respect from me. The more his supporters irrationally attack Obama personally and viciously at that instead of focusing on issues, the more McCain would be forced to stand up for Obama. Such action would crowd out time for McCain to use to promote his own agenda.
It is just too bad that when McCain defended Obama, he was booed by his own supporters.[2] That demonstrates how unschooled the conservatives are.
Palin herself is not helpful. Apart from her disappointing uneducated remarks on various items — on Russia for instance which has been made fun by the SNL — her continuous personal and dirty attack on Obama makes McCain’s job harder. Furthermore, her recently publicized abuse of power in Alaska could only makes matter worse.[3]
At the rate things are going, unfortunately, the Republicans are likely to witness a disaster in November. If it continues like this, the Republicans would lose the centrist and independent — the groups which McCain had a hold on at the beginning of the campaign. If the Republicans lose and there is a backtrack in the advances made in the recent decades toward freer market, it would be because the conservatives handed the victory over the Democrats.
Even I, initially eager to be within the McCain’s camp, am being put off by the conservatives.
[1] — [Rage rising on the McCain campaign trail. Ed Henry. Ed Hornick. CNN. October 11 2008]
[2] — McCain’s response was met with boos from the crowd. [Rage rising on the McCain campaign trail. Ed Henry. Ed Hornick. CNN. October 11 2008]
[3] — Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, unlawfully abused her position as Alaska governor to exert pressure for her former brother-in-law to be sacked as a state trooper, an independent investigator has concluded. [Sarah Palin acted ‘unlawfully’ in feud with state trooper, report says. Philip Sherwell . Telegraph. October 11 2008]
