Mccain continues nosedive toward conformity

[Preechr]

Originally Posted by KevinTheOmnivore

You said farting.

Yes, and I stand by my assertion.

Originally Posted by KevinTheOmnivore

Tell us then Preechr, what cabal of Republicans will meet in their dark tower and decide that McCain can't win it?

I'm not saying he can't win. I am saying he won't get to win as a Republican candidate for President, at least I seriously doubt it. What happened in the 99 primaries has no bearing on what might happen next year. All bets are off, and the guy that gets the Republican nomination is gonna be the guy that offers the most to the party, not the guy the party owes the most to.

In that light, McCain may have appeal to voters, but voters don't decide who the Republicans will run. Please explain to me just how the primaries are a democratic process... better yet, explain it to President of the United States Howard Dean. It's a show, not an election. Political parties are run like businesses, not lynch mobs. This is a decision made through a process of focused intelligence with regard to specific goals not necessarily understood by all Republican Party Members. I'm not talking about shadow government, illuminati stuff, but I'm willing to bet the inner circle has a perimeter that stops somewhere before uncle Bob and his buddy Barney chucking back dollar beers at the Republican Party Monthly Mixer over at the Moose Lodge.

Think about it, Kevin... You're a smart guy. Why the hell would the GOP hand the reins over to a man with a solid record of inclusiveness and non-partisanship when the Democrats are on the ropes?

Originally Posted by KevinTheOmnivore

What group of Republicans is really thinking about THAT right now, rather than protecting their own asses and interests???

It's funny... I wrote that last bit, then read this part, and now I have nothing to say. I think I have confused myself or something. I think what's screwing me up is that you seem to think the GOP is weak and vulnerable right now for some reason, where I see it as the Republicans are trying to decide on the best way to finish the execution while leaving the smallest mess to clean up.

Maybe that's a slight overstatement on my part, but there's no doubt in my mind that we are as closer to a one-party system than we've seen since Washington took office. It's their ball game to lose at this point, and I don't know that they are going to screw this up. As I said, it was smart decisions that got them this far, not just dumb luck.

Originally Posted by KevinTheOmnivore

The self-fulfilled prophecy thing might work for McCain. McCain is going to run as a fiscally conservative, tough on security Republican.

..or independent. I know I haven't given you a chance to respond to my latest round of proving you wrong, but self-fulfilled prophecy? This isn't the ending to a chick-flick, Kev... this is politics. Because it sounds good just doesn't factor into who runs our country.

Originally Posted by KevinTheOmnivore

He'll cut your taxes and bomb the third world. When all else fails, if you are a Republican, this is what you do.

But when he doesn't get the nod from his party, what will he do then? How will he run if he runs as an independent? I'd rather see you getting all excited over that prospect than building youself for an obvious disappointment. If he was Governor McCain, we wouldn't be having this argument, but alas he is not, and we are... and I'm right. You watch.

Originally Posted by KevinTheOmnivore

There are a lot of factors to take into account before McCain can be crowned.

Oh I bet you know by now I'm aware of that, don't you?

Originally Posted by KevinTheOmnivore

There are some potential candidates, but none who are as viable as mcCain who are also taking all of the same measures he is (Giuliani is pandering to the South and campaigning in primary districts too, but he stands no chance). I think Sen. Allen will become the second most viable challenger, or even a guy like Gov. Huckabee. Brownback is the sleeper.

Either way, I don't think the GOP is united enough right now to actually stifle McCain. He is poll # gold right now, so he is being embraced by everyone. He's going to hold them to that in 2008.

Polls mean nothing and any Governor can beat any Senator any day. 28 states have Republican governors right now, but Ahnold doesn't count. Want another Texan? Rick Perry might be freed up next year. How about another Bush? Wouldn't that be fun? I doubt Pataki could pull it off, but that's the four largest states in the union all represented by Republican governors right there... remember I said Ahnold can't run so California was implicit.

How bout Bill Owens? There's a success story for you. First Republican governor in Colorado in 28 years, and he got re-elected. Solid background in the private sector, better than Bush on education, infrastructure and taxes... This dude's on FIRE.

Hell, Haley Barbour or even Ernie Fletcher could whup any Senator you've got. Notice please that I'm throwing out names most folks have to look up. That's who you want to run if you're Karl Rove.

McCain's too dangerous, and Republicans aren't desperate enough, as I said before, to be running Senators anyway. I'm not even sure he could get on the ticket in the number two position if he'd even take that.

There's plenty of good meat out there in the herd of Republican governors, but a lot of them are up for re-election this year, so it's premature to make any guesses. It'll be a governor, though. Bank on it.