The Spectacle Blog
I think that McCain’s vulnerabilities on immigration in the general election are exaggerated, because we haven’t seen much electoral evidence that Americans actually vote on the issue in large numbers, however fired up about it they may be. Even if this remains a big problem for him, however, I really don’t see how one could argue that Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, or Mike Huckabee would have been stronger general election candidates for the GOP. Romney had the flip flop/plastic man problem, Thompson had the “fire in the belly” issue, and Huckabee didn’t have much appeal beyond social conservatives. And as I noted, by the time voting started, Giuliani’s post-9/11 star had faded. McCain is an imperfect candidate, for sure, but he was the most electable in a field of flawed candidates.
View all comments (1) | Leave a comment
Related Blog Posts
More Blog Posts by Philip Klein
http://spectator.org/blog/2008/05/14/re-mccain-and-electability
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
