Neither Media Bias Nor Palin Will Cause McCain Loss

While by no means conceding this year's election, if all the pundits and polls going on about an alleged Palin drag on the ticket, or how the media is winning this thing for Obama, take a look at one image and you'll know precisely what is to blame.

Whether he turns it around now or not remains to be seen. But it sure wasn't about his VP selection. She remains the chief bright spot in this campaign because she still draws crowds. And the media was just as biased on Sept. 17 as they are now.

As someone said in a previous election, it's the economy stupid. Just match the dates to that graph.

Add in McCain's previous statement on the economy not being his thing, his campaign suspension and subsequent stumble by not creating any compelling narrative as to why he came to DC in the first place before going back to campaigning just as before, and you can see quite clearly when this election turned.

As for comprehensive arguments - forget about it. It isn't that they aren't good. But since 9/17 this election has been and remains up to undecided, lower information voters and comprehension when it comes to politics isn't their bag.

If the polls are off and McCain can continue to gain, maybe he pulls it out. But even if he does, it still won't be Palin or the media that made the contest look in doubt going into the final two weeks.

Graph via Real Clear Politics

Comments

[Thomas]

It isn't the economy.

It's the bailout. McCain decided to lead on the single most unpopular bill passed by Congress in my lifetime.

We desperately need a 527 to attack Obama for voting for this bill. I'm convinced most people don't know where he stands on it.

And McCain should attack Obama and the Democrats for trying to tart the bill up with handouts for Acorn. Reinvigorate conservatives by promising no more handouts for Wall Street.

[mary]

I agree with you Thomas. I somehow think that BO and McCain had a "gentleman's agreement" that they would both vote either for the bill or against it so it would not be an issue. Unfortunately, when they loaded it with pork, after McCain had steadfastly argued against the pork in the debate, that was fresh in everyone's mind and they thought McCain to be a hypocrite. A lot of people are angry with McCain for not voting against the bill.

Had a discussion with a friend about this today. He claims that BO reneged on a signed agreement to only use the money from the government for his campaign. According to my friend, BO said in a debate with Hillary that he would sit down with John McCain and discuss the details and he never followed through on that promise, that very public promise, as my friend says. So really, why isn't John McCain also talking about this? Reneging on a signed agreement is a serious thing.

[BobinStamford]

Oh, it's that stupid woman too.

Nice try.

[judi]

While I agree McCain should have voted against the bill, it was not loaded with pork. The bailout bill could not originate in the Senate since it was a financing bill (per the Constitution). Therefore, they had to find a bill that had already passed the House and the Senate with a high margin so the Senate could tack on a new amendment and send it back to the house.

It just so happens that the bill they chose was a tax-break no-brainer bill that had already passed the Senate with over 90 yays. They tacked on the bailout amendment, which was basically the bill the house voted down with the extra FDIC insurance and the graduated spending provision added. They didn't want the main bill to be a reason for people to vote against the bailout amendment.

[mary]

I like to consider myself pretty well informed, I mean wasn't the arrow stuff and the rum stuff in that bill? That isn't pork?

[jharp]

Hey.

I've got an idea for ya. McCain was the cause of the McCain loss.

What ever happened to "the buck stops here". Good God, the wingers pass blame everywhere but where it belongs.

McCain sucks on the economy.
He made the worst VP choice in history.
He sucked at the debates.
He promised to continue the war.
His health reform sucks.
He wants to bomb Iran.

[jharp]

Holy smokes. This has got to be pretend. It's worse than George Bush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLVSURlFoQs&eurl=http://www.talkleft.com/

[Ralph]

Conservatives should never underestimate the affect of media bias. Culturally they set the debate. If we set the debate it would be a much different debate. We can never lose site of that. Our ideas are correct. Theirs are not. Theirs have held sway for 60 years. I dream big. We can have the culture gong our way if we work at it and never lose site of the goal.

[WilliamYork]

JHarp when do you work, or do anything for that matter, other than read and make liberal comments on these message boards. All hours of the day or night, you are here and there spewing grits of commmie wisdom from the left. You must be confined to PLO duty or something.

[jharp]

WilliamYork,

"JHarp when do you work"

It varies. Sometimes early, sometimes late. And I spend a fair amount of time on business travel. But generally I plan my own schedule. Try it. It's a very nice life.

"or do anything for that matter"

Well since you asked I played golf today.

[ET]

Mr. York, let's also notice that Mr. harp took the day off while you and I worked. Yet he can't wait for uncle barry to take money from our pockets and give it to him. You see, successful people like you and me are part of the problem to uncle barry. Malingerers like jharp, who has been "in business"(nebulous)..."for himself"(employs no one else)..."for 26 years"(a generation)...needs a "leg up"(he still makes less than $250k per year - can you BELIEVE that?).

No wonder losers like the harpomarxist rant on this blog. He has nothing better to do.

Imagine how much more his kids lives would have been enriched if he had spent more time in the office and less time on the range....

sad, really.

[jaime]

"asked I played golf today."

Ugh. My schedule is so nuts, I haven't even been able to hit a driving range in the last 3 weeks.

[jharp]

"Mr. York, let's also notice that Mr. harp took the day off while you and I worked."

Yes I did. It's what successful businessmen do.

"Yet he can't wait for uncle barry to take money from our pockets and give it to him."

No. You really don't get it. I have no interest in any of your money. I have enough. What I am interested in is ending the $500 billion dollar deficits, ending the goodwill mission in Iraq, and fixing healthacre for all Americans.

"jharp, who has been "in business"(nebulous)..."for himself"(employs no one else)..."for 26 years"(a generation)"

True

"he still makes less than $250k per year"

Why do you continue to make this idiotic completely unfounded claim. You have no idea of my income. Period.

"harpomarxist rant on this blog. He has nothing better to do."

I'd have to agree. Nor do you.

"Imagine how much more his kids lives would have been enriched if he had spent more time in the office and less time on the range"

Maybe so. But I often have my son with me. I make plenty of money and life is full of choices. I choose to play golf when I can.

[Ken Nelson]

McCain is McCain's problem. or more to the point the amazing damper he is able to place on base enthusiasm.
I hope he wins. I think he will. But he will suck. Just less often and less permanently that "The One".

As to the media, actually I disagree. If they did their job, Obama and McCain wouldn't be the nominees. With Clinton to face, Republicans wouldn't have been so silly.

It is a lot to ask that a candidate overcome a large money gap, media in the tank for Obama and virtually all cultural "influencers" for Obama. But, that said, Obama has so many obvious flaws that it should have been easy for McCain to paint him as the loon he is. That leads directly back to McCain as McCain's worst problem.

BTW: I'm not sure how this comment thread got onto leisure activities... but in the last week I went to the gym three times, played golf, tennis, and (with my son and brother) shot a few thousand rounds through various semi-automatic weapons. Not a typical week, but not that different from the usual. (-:

[mary]

Has anyone noticed that the Catholic bishop in Colorado has been pretty vocal this election cycle, more so than usual? Remember he's had something to say about Miss Nancy and her beliefs and Joe Biden and, as I recall, told someone not to bother with the sacrament of communion.

Well, now I know why. apparently Soros is funding Catholic groups for BO and they are trying to paint the guy as pro life? That is just amazing, considering his performance on the aboriton issue at the last debate. How can anyone mistake this guy as prolife?

"In comments sent to LifeNews.com today, Catholic League president Bill Donohue exposes the nexus between George Soros and two left-wing Catholic groups.

In 2006, Soros’ Open Society Institute gave Catholics in Alliance $100,000 (double the amount he gave in 2005), Donohue indicates. In the same year, Catholics in Alliance listed Catholics United on its 990 as an organization with which it has a formal relationship.

Donohue says John Podesta, who runs the Soros-funded organization, Center for American Progress, admits that he works closely with Catholics in Alliance and Catholics United. "

“His activism for Senator Obama, and the work of Democratic-friendly groups like Catholics United and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, have done a disservice to the Church, confused the natural priorities of Catholic social teaching, undermined the progress prolifers have made, and provided an excuse for some Catholics to abandon the abortion issue instead of fighting within their parties and at the ballot box to protect the unborn,” continued the archbishop.

“To portray the 2008 Democratic Party presidential ticket as the preferred ‘prolife’ option is to subvert what the word ‘prolife’ means,” he said."

http://michellemalkin.com/2008/10/22/soros-funding-pro-obama-catholic-groups/

[kasper]

Agreed. McCain IS McCain's problem. Was never a supporter.

However, MSM is also McCain's problem, and has been a BIG problem for anything on the conservative side of issues. MSM is truly out-of-control. Even Fox news is cashing-in lefty.

I have avoided TV in the last few months, so I've missed alot of the kind of crap. But, with Shepp's reporting last night (really bad), right after Brit's pathetic group of political pontificators, I'm hearing big time cave-in. The only not changed, partly because he's so damaged anyway, O'Reilly is his usual useless ranting self. They're all scrambling to get themselves in line with "change."

Conservatives are the losers because we continually (for 30 years) have allowed the left to define the issues. And, when there is a response, its laced with apologies, still accepts the left's premise. That, and the absolute inexplicable inability of our representatives to state conservative principles every time they are confronted with the left's distortions and out-right lies, is why we get .... crickets....

They way a lie repeated enough times becomes the truth. Well, same goes for the truth, if it is repeated enough times. No, I haven't forgotten, most of our politicians are RINOs anyway -- hence, (reach across the aisle) McCain. I really think he has had a pretty protected political life, until he actually ended up the the GOP nomination. So far I've only seen irregular flickers of understanding from his campaign. Palin is great, but she's not going to be enough. Has his campaign stated and repeated a solid platform? I get bits and pieces, but what is the whole picture?

I'll be voting straight Rep., but the GOP hasn't got chance in hell. Prepare yourselves. Reality will hit when the first results of the ACORN voters start coming in election night.

As an aside -- Obama voters couldn't care less about Ayers, Wright, Annenberg Project, lack of records to the public. Actually guys like Ayers are a plus. Have you been paying attention to the masses? The Democrat party is shameless and proud of it.

[kasper]

Sorry for the rant. Should have proofed better.

still accepts = still accepting

They way = They say

[Worst President Ever]

Palin's doing her damndest to make sure McCain loses - not that he needs a lot of help. There's her $150,000 shopping spree - wonder how Joe Six-Pack and Joe The Plumber's gonna take that.

She also likes to spend the state's (taxpayers') money carting the family around:

"Gov. Sarah Palin charged the state for her children to travel with her, including to events where they were not invited, and later amended expense reports to specify that they were on official business."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-palin-family-travel,0,7233585.story