Hypothetical: would a different candidate have made the GOP competitive?

[maxsolomon]

I cannot think of another republican who ran this year who could have stood up to the Obama campaign any better than McCain. Not that he's stood up particularly well; he has a lot of self-inflicted wounds.

Mormonism aside, would Romney have done better? At least he's YOUNGER than McCain.

Frankly, I think this Obama campaign could have beat Bush in 2004. I'm that impressed.

[On the Road]

1. I Think Obama Could Have Beaten Bush This Year

but McCain has run such a poor campaign that I think Romney or Giuliani would have done comparatively better. Romney is at least a polished politician with a moderate background.

Thompson was clearly not up to it. And while Huckabee has a certain appeal, he's a bit out of the mainstream.

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. Bozo the clown could have beaten Bush this year.

:crazy:

[On the Road]

21. Yeah, But People Were Saying That in 2004

I do not believe this election was a cakewalk under any circumstances. You have a great candidate running a great campaign against a poor candidate running a poor campaign, and it's still less than 10 points.

[TheCowsCameHome]

24. Everyone is running away from Bush

He's like a leper, even to the right.

And you know and I know why the gap is as close as it is..................

[CarlFrank]

2. McCain/Bloomberg

I think that McCain would have done better with a different VP. Had he picked Bloomberg, for instance, he would have had great credibility in the economic crisis and would have alot of executive experience behind him. His base would not have liked it - but they will never vote for Obama anyway -- and I think that team would have been attractive to a lot of independent.

[Kerrytravelers]

4. I agree. I think a different VP choice would have made this a different race.

I don't think guys like Romney, Rudy or Huckabee would have gone full blown racist. I think this is coming more from the Palin camp. I think McCain is on a train that is headed straight for a head-on and he doesn't know how to stop it.

[THUNDER HANDS]

3. Huckabee would have done a hell of a lot better

(a) because huckabee is likeable
(b) because huckabee is funny
(c) because huckabee has actual exective experience
(d) because huckabee wouldn't have to play to the fundy base, he would bring them along automatically
(e) because huckabee wouldn't have picked someone like Palin

I don't know if he'd be beating Obama right now, but I think his campaign would have been run a lot better.

[coalition_unwilling]

16. I was scared at the prospect of Huckabee--just

his congeniality alone would have made him harder to defeat.

[gypsylud]

17. I stayed up nights fretting over huck as vp. nt

[nichomachus]

5. That's like those discussions about

whether the 1955 Yankees could have beaten the 1934 Red Sox.

All the dynamics would have been different. So, there is no point of comparison.

Personally, I think Romney would have raised a lot more money -- the Mormons alone would have contributed hundreds of millions after a SLC shakedown. No donation to Romney -- no Temple Permit. It would be as simple as that.

The sad thing is that, had Romney run, the Mormons probably would have concentrated their money on him and not on pushing Proposition Hate in CA.

Also, I think a lot of the Pukes that are either jumping ship or just holding back with McStain would have been more comfortable with Romney. Most newspapers would have been OK with Romney, and you might see the endorsement numbers reversed.

[politicasista]

7. delete

Apologies to the OP. :hi:

[maxsolomon]

12. Who trashed Gore & Kerry?

I just think Obama's Chicago Campaign is really really smart. They've taken Lakoff to heart, and framed this race.

[politicasista]

13. delete

Misunderstood your OP. :)

[maxsolomon]

26. such deference is appreciated

but unneccessary - i have a thick hide.

[busybl]

8. yes

competitive, but unsuccessful.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

9. McCain 2000 (version ??????)

Would probably be more competitive in this election. I might've liked him a little more myself (or at least not been so terrified at the prospect of him winning). Of course, he still might've been more competitive this year had he had based his VP pick on appealing to moderates and independents (i.e. Ridge, Lieberman, Hutchinson, Collins, Snowe) rather than on firing up his base and polarizing everybody else with Palin.
IMHO the Palin pick will now and forever be remembered as the moment that the McCain "Straight Talk Express" drove itself right off a cliff and burst into flames.

[Chulanowa]

10. I think McCain COULD have done it

it's not like the guy's an idiot. He's wrong as hell, but for the last 26 years, he's known how to politic and campaign. He made two fatal flaws.

First, he basically started campaigning for Obama. Everything McCain says is Obama this, Obama that, Obama Obama banana fanna Fobama.

Second, he picked Bible Spice as his running mate. Folks, I'll be honest, when McCain was nominated, even with the doofus campaign he was already starting, I was worried. I was worried he'd pick Huckabee. A smart, funny, and generally likable (if batshit insane) man who shore up the fundy base, who has actual experience. That would have been a fucking dangerous ticket for us.

The Republicans didn't have any good selection for a ticket leader. McCain really was the best they had. Had he campaigned a little differently, and picked Huckabee (or even Romney, he appeals to undecideds at least) we would be looking at a much tighter race. I expect to see Romney or Huckabee make a comeback in '12. They'll run, and, of course, lose, but the Republican party will start to catch its wind again. Or htey could nominate Jeb Bush with Alan Keyes and finish killing the party.

[DrToast]

11. A different candidate would have resulted in a bigger lead for Obama

McCain was the best candidate because he is perceived as being a moderate.

But picking Palin really blew that.

[mb7588a]

14. YES. McCain was dead on arrival. nt.

[Iggo]

15. I happen to think that...

....had Giuliani run on a complete platform instead of just that single plank, we'd've had a race on our hands. I don't know if he could've raised as much or more money than our guy, but who knows...?

Anyway, we got what we got for an opponent and we're cleaning his clock.

[SuperTrouper]

18. Gingrich/Bloomberg would have been formidable.

[gravity]

19. Romney would have been much tougher

He would be much more articulate on economic matters especially the financial crisis. His VP choice would have been important though, because Romney doesn't have the fundie credentials like McCain.

Obama would still probably win, but he would have his work cut out for him.

[Uncle Joe]

20. I believe around 1980, Howard Baker could have saved their party.

But they decided to appeal to the lowest common denominator base instinct of the people and instead of elevating some measure of integrity, promoted a self-serving, dog eat dog, style over substance, myopic vision of an ideology with the intent of destroying any concept of the public good and the need for effective, responsible government to protect the people from corporate malfeasance.

It's been a gradual downhill for their party ever since, and the erosion of their moral and financial values have only been camouflaged to the people by a living for now policy while passing an ever increasing debt to future generations and an increasingly conglomerated inbred corporate media, intent on distracting and brainwashing the American People from the critical issues of the day.

[Spike89]

22. It always was a change election

In no way am I diminishing Obama's sterling campaign, but stepping back a bit, this would have been extremely tough for any repug going against any democrat. A year ago, way before the stock and housing crash were obvious, polls showed a generic democrat mopping up a generic republic party candidate (about 10+ Dem).

I really believe either of our top candidates would have beat anyone the Republicans had, but I do think it could have been much closer than it is now. Romney might have done better when the economy dove, but depending on his running mate, he'd probably have left the fundie segment of the party cold. I think Huck would've been blown out by Labor Day and may not have been able to beat Edwards, even after the affair broke!

I'm very happy with our candidate and his campaign and it isn't a slight to say it was his all along to lose...sometimes that is the hardest type of campaign NOT to screw up.

[Occam Bandage]

23. No. I think a different VP could have. Romney or especially Bloomberg would be close

if not in the lead.

[grantcart]

25. mormonism aside Romney wouldn't be Romney

stupidity aside Palin would be great


Lots of people who are familiar with mormonism or scientology are never going to support a candidate from these far out sects.