What if McCain had chosen to run a positive campaign?

[RollWithIt]

Even with the Palin pick, if McCain had sworn off negative campaigning and had stuck to his "I'm an American Hero" biography, do you think this election would be closer?

[Rude Horner]

1. I don't know, but ...

I might have still had one stitch of respect for him. As it is, with the campaign he's run, he's lower than flies on shit in my book.

[President Decider]

2. No .... it would have only exposed the fact that he's a "one trick Mavrick .... I mean ... pony"

Even he was smart enough to realize his bread wasn't going to be buttered on being a POW alone.

[complain jane]

3. No it would be worse for him because

now he has that rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth, hateful, racist, lying "Christian conservative" base at least.

Without them he could have stayed home.

[Mike 03]

4. I doubt it would make any difference

He's not the man he used to be. The country doesn't want him. He would not be good for the country.

[Catshrink]

5. No -- no ideas, no plan, no substance.

[cynatnite]

6. The Palin pick doomed his campaign n/t

[President Decider]

9. I agree. It was weak to begin with ... but when he uttered the name Sarah Palin, people just said .

What the fuck is this guy thinking?

[Peachhead22]

12. I totally agree...

Palin can't do positive. She has a PhD in passive-agressive zingerology. :mad:

Now if McCain had picked Huckabee and gone positive, Obama might have had a real nailbiter of a campaign on his hands. Huckabee would have appeased their base as much as Palin but not fired up our base as much and not turned off those in the middle. I don't agree with much of anything Huckabee believes in, and obviously wouldn't have voted for him, but I think he's a nice guy. I'd be totally comfortable having a reasoned debate with Huckabee. Palin, I'd flip off the second she opened her mouth. :)

[cynatnite]

14. That's why I really believed he was going to pick Huckabee...

and I agree...it would be a very close race had he picked Huckabee. We wouldn't have this degree of mudslinging and Huckabee comes across as a very likeable guy. He would have connected with people.

Palin gets a double bird from me. :)

[Doctor_J]

7. What if my dog was a fish?

How could the Grumpy Old Man run an upbeat campaign? Especially with the stupid, corrupt bimbo riding shotgun?

[TheDonkey]

8. If this were bizarro world and a rethug would try to run a positive campaign? He'd lose by 20pts

fears and smears are all they have.

[votetastic]

10. Yes, he would be doing better...

The negative smears have only hurt McCain.

[JimWis]

11. He might have done a bit better - but not much - he just doesn't

have it.

[Orsino]

13. On what?

Whatever heroism he can claim is four decades old, and he has no accomplishments to brag of. Twenty-six years in the Senate, whoring for Big Money, and he has nothing to show for it.

[rucky]

15. Then he'd have to stand for something.

and issues are not his strong point.

[Flabbergasted]

16. For "Them" it was not an option...losing is ok as long as their base doesn't climb on the Obama

train or at most feel neutral about it.

Hating Obama has become what this election is about for conservatives.

[iceman66]

17. Yes.

Remember that McCain had a much higher favorability rating at the start of the campaign.

He has not been well-served by his advisors.

[OmahaBlueDog]

18. Better question: What if he'd not chosen to kiss Bush's *** over the past 8 years

What if he'd made more bipartisan efforts, like McSame - Feingold?

What if he'd chosen a woman like Kay Baily Hutchinson instead of Sarah Palin? What if he'd talked about taxes and economics instead of Bill Ayers?

Hopefully, he'll have the rest of his life to ponder "...if only I'd..."

[GoesTo11]

19. Then he wouldn't be McCain

trick question, right?

[Jennicut]

20. He would at least be behind in the election with honor and integrity

not as a Grumpy mean old man that no one likes.

[ladjf]

21. Obama still would have won. But, McCain could have preserved

his status as a great American hero and Sen. Obama would have had a better start in his Presidency.