archived: 15 - 21 Jun, 2008         Back                 Next

                                    OBAMA/HILLARY TICKET
                                    [By Eric Cox]

     Maybe most would agree that Obama/Hillary running as a team would assure that McCain could not have in effect a third Bush term.

     I will list the various reasons why McCain cannot be elected.  But the Democratic problem and the problem for the country is that he is consistently doing well in the polls, getting half of the independents and most of the votes on fighting terrorists.  Do recall that President Bush won the White House on this issue--that he would be better at protecting us.  And it could happen again with McCain's muscular approach to dealing with those who would do us harm. He seems as much a unilateralist as Bush, at least on terrorism and on Iran. In fact, there is evidence he wants to bomb Iran, giving us a third war while we are mired in two other wars that we are not winning. Some thoughtful commentators think he is more belligerent than Bush.

    With the joint ticket Hillary would do well with women, non-college graduates and Hispanics and Obama well with the better educated and with Afro-Americans.  A quick look back at recent history shows the logic of the combination. Reagan was not keen on having a more moderate Daddy Bush on his slate and maybe Kennedy was not keen with LBJ as his running mate. But Reagan and Kennedy won with such a combination and I think the Obama/Hillary team could do the same, possibly garnering 55% or more of the votes. If that could happen our nation would be poised for a much needed, radical change in our domestic and foreign policy.  In fact, such a win could usher in a new Progressive Era with untold benefits to the body politic. There could be an end to the Iraq war, universal health care, return to an internationalist foreign policy, great improvements in education and science, and a cut back in our vast expenditures for our war policy and military imperialism with our bases in some 100 nations. Few are aware that the Pentagon's bite of funds that Congress can allocate eats up 60% of funds not locked into mandates.  Many would not believe the 60% take, but they would if they read Robert Scheer's new book titled The Pornography of Power. In another venue I plan a long article on the wonderful possible results of this new Progressive Era. 

   But back to reasons why McCain can't be elected even if the polls don't tell us this. 

   Most know of his old age and that he will be if elected three years older than Reagan, our oldest president. Also his medical record was a bit scary with two types of cancer and the many medications he takes.  And at least a few including several GOP senators and some generals fear he may be unstable with something more than a bad temper. For example it is reported that on the Senate floor he pushed another US Senator.  The list goes on. If elected it is likely that he would appoint one or more new members of the Supreme Court, with five current members now in their 70s and one almost 90. The likely result would be a national ban criminalizing abortion, thereby dividing and roiling the nation.  And if there is a chief reason he should not be elected is that he wants to continue the disastrous Iraq war for many years, maybe for 100 years as he stated, even if about 70% are against this foolish, costly war that continues to take the lives our soldiers, disables thousands and creates havoc in a nation that was no threat to us. And there is one more reason that does not get enough exposure in the media. He favors a large tax cut in the face of massive US debt, a totally irresponsible idea. 

   McCain was the most politically attractive of those who actively sought the GOP nomination. He delivers well reasoned, thought faulty, speeches and delivers them well and can captivate audiences. Also the press has been kind to him.  

   Yes, he could pull it off, to the great hurt of our body politic.  Just maybe an Obama/Hillary team would be the best way to fend off this frightening development.

                        POLL WATCHING 

    Democrats’ attention is glued to the polls.  Frankly, the early “horse race” polls are interesting but are generally not indicative of November results.  Why?  Most potential voters are not fixated on the Presidential contest until later in the summer. Future events may well shift public opinion. 

    One recent poll catches attention; an ABC News/Washington Post (ABC) poll weighing public opinion of the candidates on issues and on personal traits.  ABC provides an interesting perspective of public attitudes.   

First, the poll results: 

   On issues, these are the salient points: 

1.      Obama clearly holds the edge on nearly every domestic issue; economy, gasoline prices, environment, etc.  Since February, Obama has improved his public standing on what may be the central issue of the campaign, the American economy.   

2.     McCain continues to hold public opinion on international issues; international affairs and terrorism but by margins that are less than Democrats generally have been garnering.  

3.     Two issues deserve special attention.  The American public is split on the future of Iraq.  Despite the fact that most Americans believe that starting the war in Iraq is wrong; the one point spread between McCain and Obama, and their vastly different approaches to resolving the war, denotes a continuing split of opinion as to the future direction of the occupation.  For Democrats who believe that Americans do not want to continue Bush’s future course, the ABC poll should give pause.   

Democrats also assume that Americans want a Democratic President to make appointments to the US Supreme Court.  ABC’s poll indicates that Americans are, again, split almost evenly between the two candidates on that issue.  

4.      On personal traits, Obama is clearly gaining some advantage.  Americans equally see both candidates as “strong leaders.”  The split is a clear improvement over public perception of Sen. Kerry in 2004.  Americans, by a wide margin, see Obama as better representing their views and understanding their problems.  On which candidate will bring needed change, Obama has clearly bested McCain. 

    In the past two weeks, Sen. McCain has continued to press his views on Iraq, the Supreme Court and Obama’s leadership.  The ABC poll suggests why McCain is playing that short term strategy.  McCain is trying to connect with voters on the two issues in which he is running essentially even with Obama and he is mounting an attack on Obama’s ability to lead to drive the public’s favorable perceptions of Obama down.  

   Obama has focused on his strengths in order to connect with Americans – economic issues.  Obama is also countering McCain’s attack on his personal characteristics by demonstrating his willingness to engage McCain on terrorism and Iraq.   

    From the broad perspective, Obama is entering the election in a stronger position than Kerry in 2004.  McCain’s early attacks appear not to have moved Obama’s numbers appreciably.  If Obama continues with these numbers over the course of the next 30 to 60 days, we expect the “Swift Boaters” of the Republican Party will be out in full force.   

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