Written 2008-07-17
This should be a very interesting presidential campaign because both the Republicans and Democrats are running candidates who, historically, can’t get elected.
Republicans don’t win by running liberal candidates. It takes a big C Conservative to win. The Democrats always lose when they run liberal candidates. For a Democrat to be elected, the candidate must move to the center and become more conservative, at least in terms of campaign speeches.
McCain is no conservative. He’s so liberal that much of the primary vote that got him the nomination was cross-over Democrats and liberal independents. McCain, historically, cannot be elected president of the United States.
Obama is no moderate. In 2007, he was the most ‘liberal’ senator in the U.S. Senate, judging by his voting record. Obama cannot, by historical precedent, be elected President of the United States.
So it promises to be a very interesting presidential election. Perhaps the choices of running mates will be a significant factor. Maybe even the deciding factor.
“The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass from your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work and then they get elected and prove it.” — P. J. O’Rourke