Winning in theory

According to Drudge, this "DNC press release attack summary" shows the amount of time the Democrats have devoted their resources to attacks on candidates:

DNC Press Release Attack Summary:

Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) - 37% (99 press releases)
Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R-NY) - 28% (74)
Senator John McCain (R-AZ) - 24% (64)
Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN) - 8% (20)
Governor Mike Huckabee - 2% (4)

While it is natural to expect the top candidates to be attacked the most often, what fascinates me is the disproportionate amount of fire which McCain has drawn compared to his actual strength in the Republican race.

This can only mean one thing: McCain is the most feared possible opponent of Hillary Clinton -- regardless of how well he polls within the GOP.

In a hypothetical one-on-one national race, McCain consistently outpolls Hillary by wider margins than either Giuliani or Romney. (Which is very impressive, considering his lackluster performance in the primaries.)

Fortunately for the Democrats, Republican primary voters are not guided by who has the best chance of winning in the general election.

Drudge's analysis is intended to make the point that because Mike Huckabee is "an easy kill" (which I think he is), the DNC has decided to completely back off from attacking him, thus making it easier for his primary campaign.

I think the recent Huckabee surge is a flash in the pan, though, and were I advising the DNC, I'd tell them that they're making a strategic mistake in attacking McCain. Attacks on McCain from the left could generate Republican voter backlash in his favor.

It's a shame that McCain's name is forever tied to the hated McCain-Feingold bill, which is one of the worst blows dealt the First Amendment in recent years. I can forgive almost anything (and I would certainly vote for him against Hillary), but it makes him a hard sell.

Other than the McCain-Feingold albatross, though, the guy is a real statesman, the closest thing the country has to a modern Eisenhower.

If he ever got on the general ballot, he could win big.

So much for alternate history theorizing....

posted by Eric on 12.12.07 at 07:51 AM





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Comments

I think much the same way about McCain. Although I greatly admire his courage in service during the Viet Nam war and agree with many of his positions, McCain-Feingold is, as you say, a horrid piece of legislation. The Supreme Court should have invalidated most of it as unconstitutional long ago.

Joe Lammers   ·  December 12, 2007 05:53 PM

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