What do you think are the valid points/issues of the Presidential candidates that could make them win?

Originally Posted by jabo

What do you think are the valid points/issues of the Presidential candidates that could make them win?

I'll give you what I think might help them - not necessarily things that I agree with though.

Obama

• Democrat - this is bound to help him. Many people in the USA are tired of the Republicans and some just plain want a change of party.
• Youthful. Normally, this probably wouldn't be a huge issue but McCain is ancient so the age difference is quite noticeable. I'm sure it will have some effect on how some people vote.
• Strong on climate change - wants to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. This is very popular with liberals.
• Foreign policy - Obama wants to get out of Iraq ASAP which is bound to be popular with many, compared to McCain's policy of stay there for 100 years or something ridiculous. Obama has recently said that he believes in a strong US-Israeli relationship which is fairly popular, at least with many Evangelical Christians.
• Poverty and health care. This is a priority of Obama's - to stand up for the poorer citezens and give them health care insurance. This is bound to be a popular move considering that there are possibly 45 million Americans without health insurance at all.

McCain

• Republican - while obviously the Republicans aren't popular with some Americans, there are still Conservative groups who would never vote for a Democrat anyway.
• Experience. Obama lacks experience but McCain has this by the bucketfull - he is 72 after all. McCain certainly has experience with foreign policy although he has stated he needs to learn more about economics (which he later denied saying, despite this was said on national TV).
• War. Not popular with many liberals or some Conservatives, but there is a group that believe the Iraq war should continue indefinitely. His tough talk over Iran might prove popular too with Conservatives who don't like anyone talking down to the USA.
• Clinton. The race to become Democratic nominee has been fairly divisive and some strong Clinton supporters have said that they would vote for McCain rather than see Obama get in. This might have some effect on the elections in November.

That's my list. I'm sure there are plenty of other issues that will effect the outcome in November too, but there weren't many others that came straight to mind as I write this.

I believe McCain's going to have an uphill battle as he tries to get rid of the legacy of Bush and rebrand the Republicans somewhat. It will probably be a very close fight though.

Dan

This will likely be a two issue election.
1) Economy
2) Foreign Policy

or....

1) Foreign Policy
2) Economy

Sure Obama will prattle on about healthcare or McCain will talk about Global Warming, but the two biggest issues that voters will make their decisions on this year will be the two I listed above. Which of the two issues is most important seems to be changing on a weekly basis, and this is important, because it will be a major part of determining the outcome.

A year ago, foreign policy, specifically the war in Iraq was the dominant issue. When things started to shape up in Iraq and the economy worsened, the Economy completely eclipsed Iraq. Now, jobs numbers are going back up, the real estate and financial markets seems to be stabilizing, foreign policy seems to be pulling back into first position.

The candidates can make whatever points they want about the two issues at hand but the stark reality is hard to avoid. McCain is a complete retard on the economy. Obama has no clue when it comes to foreign policy. Maybe the saving grace for McCain is that Obama has no economic credentials either, and has presented raising taxes as his brilliant idea of how to stimulate a slow economy.

The election is a farce -- we're screwed no matter what. None of the remaining candidates are even attempting to seriously address core issues like devaluation of the dollar, our soaring fiscal and trade deficits, and the looming social security and medicare debacles.

McCain -- spend 100 years in Iraq for all I care
Obama -- socialized medicine and more entitlement programs

Is anyone attempting to indicate how the government will pay for these things? No. You see, a half trillion deficit doesn't matter to them because they just monetize the debt through the federal reserve, and poor people and future generations pay for this hidden "inflation tax" through higher prices.

Spending without taxing, what a great system! Too bad 95% of the public can't see their noses in front of their faces or they might care. Somewhere, the founding fathers are spinning in their graves.

Obama has one major, overriding selling point. He isn't a republican. That's really all it will take this time around.

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

Obama has one major, overriding selling point. He isn't a republican. That's really all it will take this time around.

Last time I checked, Osama Bin Laden and Ahmadinijad are also not Republican. Overriding feature my *ss. The only reason the Democrats are struggling in this election, which should be a gimme, is because they don't want to look at some of the very basic polling information. Though the majority are not in favor of the war, an equal majority does not support immediate withdrawal from Iraq, regardless of improving conditions.

November is a long way away, and if the economy and Iraq both continue to improve, Obama is going to have to start singing a different tune if he wants the support of the general American populous. That cr*p may play well in San Francisco, but it doesn't in most other areas of the country.

Regarding 100 yrs in Iraq, it always amazes me when people repeat spin that is clearly misrepresented. We are still in Korea, Germany, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. We went to war with Germany over 60 years ago. Where is the outcry? I hope Obama keeps on repeating that line, because it shows his inexperience every time he repeats it.

Some of the things McCain has going for him are that he needs Joe Liebermann to tell him why he wants to bomb Iran. Or that he's qualified to be president, and he doesn't need any training, but he needs on the job training. Really, all of his lies are brilliant. My wife's favorite is how John McCain thinks women in America shouldn't be paid equally to men for the same work.

Truth is, none of that matters. Sure, McCain lies through his teeth every time his lips move. That's not the point. Bush's disastrous war in Iraq, $4.50 gas, the plummeting value of the dollar, and all the other miserable failures of GWB have doomed this election for the republican party. The dems could run Osama bin Forgotten and win - Barack Obama, a man who can speak English without putting food on the family that's misunderestimating him, can only be an improvement to have in the White House, and has an easy job getting there.

They say the tell on knowing a politician is lying is that his lips are moving. Certain things I have to give credibility at face value though.

Ahmandinijad - I want to wipe Israel off the map
Obama - I want to raise taxes
McCain - I wont drop the ball in Iraq when we are winning

Counting McCain out just because he is Republican is not in line with any of the polling data from the last year.

It would be very difficult to directly attach the housing crunch or gas prices directly to Bush. China and India have much more to do with it. $4.50 per gallon gas is doing more for the man madeglobal warming movement and the green folk than almost anything else. Telling people they are creating the next ice age with questionable scientific evidence doesnt get people out of their gas guzzling Canyonero. Raise the price of gas to $4.50 a gallon, and watch the gas guzzlers flood the used car market and devalue rapidly. All those previously gas guzzling car owners are now looking to buy fuel efficient vehciles which has created a market and thereby large sums of investment money for alternative fuel vehicles.

I forget who posted it, but if we could attribute $4.50/gallon gas to Bush, it would be safe to say he has done more for the green movement than any president before him. A shinning success by any measure.

Ahmandinijad - I want to wipe Israel off the map

I know Rebooblicans like Ahmadinejad, holding him up for what he is, a wacko. But he is not the head of Iran; just a poster boy. The real power is with the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, who is the head of the government and military. He is NOT elected. Iran is an Islamic Republic.

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

Obama has one major, overriding selling point. He isn't a republican. That's really all it will take this time around.

what? how would that be a factor??? I mean, there are also republican voters in this country...

Originally Posted by jabo

what? how would that be a factor??? I mean, there are also republican voters in this country...

But I believe many swing voters have had enough of Bush and the Republicans and will vote for the Democrats instead - just because they aren't Republicans.

Regarding 100 yrs in Iraq, it always amazes me when people repeat spin that is clearly misrepresented. We are still in Korea, Germany, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. We went to war with Germany over 60 years ago.

It's not misrepresented spin if you believe we SHOULDN'T BE in Korea, Germany, Kuwait and Saudia Arabia.

We do not allow other countries to have military bases on our land, do we?

Besides, we are approaching a state of crisis where all our liberty may be at stake, and the cause isn't military, it's economic. Are all these bases REALLY helping us for how much they cost?

Originally Posted by whym

But I believe many swing voters have had enough of Bush and the Republicans and will vote for the Democrats instead - just because they aren't Republicans.

I believe that there were more registered democrats only this year because the democratic race was more close, I know I registered as a democrat in honor of "operation chaos"

Originally Posted by nyef

It's not misrepresented spin if you believe we SHOULDN'T BE in Korea, Germany, Kuwait and Saudia Arabia.

I certainly don't hear Obama making the case that we shouldn't be in Korea, Germany, Kuwait, or Saudi Arabia. I doubt he ever would because it would further demonstrate his naivety when it comes to foreign policy.