It's Over

It’s over.

McCain came into this debate trailing in the polls and facing a landslide deficit in electoral votes. He had to have a game changing performance. He had to win outright, hit it out of the park, KO his opponent. He didn’t

Obama was very poised and smooth. He waffled on a few things for sure but he nailed some answers as well. Part of it is just the difference between a man in the prime of life and a man who is elderly. Some of it is ‘generational.’ A lot is that Obama is the better debater. But most of it is substantive.

McCain just did not deliver the substantive goods. He was not really clear on nearly anything. He just talks about ‘I know how to’ leaving us asking, “OK, if you know how to, tell us!”

One friend called and lamented, “they both really say the same thing.”

A TV focus group person after the debate repeated that sentiment, “they said the same thing.” Other nodded agreement.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!! That’s what we have been saying all along - McCain is NOT a conservative so he is going to sound pretty much like Obama.

Speaking of not conservative. The worst part was when McCain said that the government should ‘buy up the bad mortgages.’ What? We should nationalize the worst part of the mortgage industry?! Is that small government Republicanism?

Oh my. One of the big lessons here is that if the GOP continues with a system that allows a primary candidate to ‘win’ a state with 30% of the vote it will continue to guarantee the nomination of someone 70% of Republicans don’t want.

So ‘my friends’ it’s over.

But it may be good news overall. My biggest fear was that if elected McCain and his type would rise and reinvent the GOP. His coming landslide loss will allow the GOP to re-evaluate itself. Perhaps true conservatives and constitutional loyalists will gain ground. If somehow this can be the end of the Bush-McCain wing of the GOP we will all be better off.