Hello Everyone:

A lot of blame is going around on both sides about why John McCain lost the election and and how he may have done better. I am sure that this is a question which pundits, pollsters, and historians will discuss and debate for a long time. Because of that, I thought it would be a good idea to credibly analyze this issue.

On the McCain side, a lot of the blame for his loss is being put on the issues of media bias and Bush:

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jeff-poor/2008/11/05/rnc-dnc-chairs-clash-over-whether-media-aided-obama-election

RNC, DNC Chairs Clash Over Whether Media Aided Obama in Election

By Jeff Poor (Bio | Archive)
November 5, 2008 - 19:05 ET

"Duncan took a different tact. He said if you did an analysis of pro-Obama, pro-McCain, anti-Obama and anti-McCain stories - you would find a troubling trend..."

http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/reagan_palin_critics/2008/11/06/148508.html

Michael Reagan Slams Palin Critics

Thursday, November 6, 2008 2:04 PM

By: Rick Pedraza

“Palin is not the reason that John McCain lost,” Reagan tells Newsmax. “The reason John McCain lost is because of George Bush and his lack of leadership in Washington, D.C. with his own party — his lack of leadership in reaching out to conservatives members of his own party to get their help and be able to talk with them to move this government forward...”

On the Obama side, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow (both of them are media pundits who are in the tank for Obama) said that Obama won because of the good campaign that he ran and NOT because of the economy:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27575836/

'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Read the transcript to the Wednesday show

Guests: Richard Wolffe, Howard Fineman, Dawna Friesen, David Shuster, Chris Cillizza, Chris Kofinis

KEITH OLBERMANN, HOST: "Before any talk of dirty politics or the pick of Sarah Palin, should the takeaway from this election be, on a political level, that the president-elect won not because of what anybody else did or because of unexpected economic developments, but because he ran a superior, even perhaps superlative campaign?

RICHARD WOLFFE, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. You know, you hear the conventional wisdom coming from Republicans that if it were enough of the economic crisis, everything would have been OK, or at least, the race would have been closer. And it reminds me of the excuses you heard after 2006 mid-terms when people said, especially one Karl Rove, when they said, you know, if it weren't for those sex scandals and corruption stories, we would have been just fine..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27576148/

'The Rachel Maddow Show'for Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Read the transcript to the Wednesday show

Guests: Michael Beschloss, Cory Booker, Lincoln Chafee, Jim Webb

RACHEL MADDOW, HOST: "Well, one of the ways when people get involved in what their country needs and what they want to do for their country is they get involved in party politics. And Obama won, sort of by building his own machine. He didn't typically go through the Democratic Party channels...

MADDOW: In looking at the reasons for Sen. McCain's defeat, a lot of people on the right have said, well, it's really about the economy. If we hadn't had this economic collapse, he would have won this, or at least would have had a shot..."

It strikes me that that is a weird thing to call on as an excuse for electoral defeat. The idea that you would accept that you can't win when the issue is the economy, and not even try to sell the idea that your party does have the right answers on the economy..."

My conclusion about this is that there is some truth, error, and omissions of relevant information coming from BOTH of these partisan sides!

Here are 10 main reasons that I can credibly document about why Obama won and why McCain lost:

1) There is no question that most of the mainstream media (except for FOX News which was for McCain) was in the tank for Obama and was doing everything that they could to try and help Obama:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16816

PEW: By a margin of 70%-9%, Americans say most journalists want to see Obama win

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on October 23, 2008 - 2:51am.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16130

POLLS: Much of the media are still in the tank for Obama and that is NOT right!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on July 22, 2008 - 6:07am.

2) A bipartisan consensus of credible political analysts, Bill Schneider of CNN, and polls confirmed beyond the shadow of any doubt that the economic crisis helped Obama and hurt McCain politically:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16857

Bill Schneider of CNN on how the financial crisis is politically helping Obama!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on October 29, 2008 - 6:39am.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16717

A bipartisan consensus agrees that Obama should win because of the bad economy!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on October 7, 2008 - 3:00pm.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16806

GALLUP POLL: Obama does better against McCain as economic negativity increases!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on October 21, 2008 - 12:11pm.

It is a fact that in September BEFORE the economic crisis, Obama was having problems with negative swiftboat attacks from the other side which a lot of Democrats were very concerned about at the time:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16555

Mark Halperin explained why Obama is having problems with GOP attacks right now!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on September 15, 2008 - 9:58am.

The economic crisis insulated Obama from those negative swiftboat attacks:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16744

ANALYSIS: Negative attacks will NOT work on Obama because of the economic crisis

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on October 11, 2008 - 7:47pm.

3) John McCain was NOT able to stay on message about the economy and with other issues:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0811/05/sitroom.04.html

THE SITUATION ROOM

Interview With Colin Powell; What Next For Sarah Palin?

Aired November 5, 2008 - 18:00 ET

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: "McCain said he will leave it to others to determine why he lost. Many Republicans blame powerful anti-GOP headwinds and a campaign that relied on a series of tactics, not an overriding defining strategy. Senior McCain advisers admit mid-September's economic collapse sealed his fate, both the event and his reaction to it.

MCCAIN: I will suspend my campaign and return to Washington.

PETER HART, DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER: He came as being erratic and not ready to deal with the economy. And at that stage, people started to look at Obama, and Obama had a new fresh wind, and that was the difference..."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hevgMEB4X2XNT3umP8t2lFh36NlQD93SP9B80

Analysis: McCain jumps around in bid to stop Obama
By BETH FOUHY – Oct 18, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) — "The misadventures of Joe the Plumber were just the latest stumble for Republican John McCain as he veers from one idea to another in a thus-far elusive quest to slow Barack Obama's momentum..."

4) Bush and his low poll numbers were hurting John McCain very badly:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16923

Republican strategist Ed Rollins called Bush "a failure who destroyed his party"

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on November 6, 2008 - 3:31pm.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0811/05/acd.02.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Obama's Transition to Power; Making History

Aired November 5, 2008 - 23:00 ET

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "Another question and this is a big question was the role of President Bush in this election, for people who disapproved of President Bush, take a look at this. Open up the United States, disapproval of Bush, 67 percent of people who disapproved of that President Bush voted for Barack Obama.

And keep in mind that that number is 72 percent. So you're talking about three quarters of -- I'm sorry, two-thirds of the three quarters of the people in the electorate who do not like, who disapprove of President Bush voted for Barack Obama..."

I thought that John McCain waited far too long to throw Bush under the bus:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/1008/McCain_tags_Bush_GOP_Congress.html

October 23, 2008
Categories: McCain

McCain tags Bush, GOP Congress

"Banner headline in today's Washington Times that may help with Virginia's swing voters while angering some of the president's loyalists: "McCain lambastes the Bush years..."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/23/mccain-lambastes-bush-years/

EXCLUSIVE: McCain lambastes Bush years
'We just let things get completely out of hand'

Joseph Curl and Stephen Dinan
Thursday, October 23, 2008

ABOARD THE STRAIGHT TALK AIR — "Sen. John McCain on Wednesday blasted President Bush for building a mountain of debt for future generations, failing to pay for expanding Medicare and abusing executive powers, leveling his strongest criticism to date of an administration whose unpopularity may be dragging the Republican Party to the brink of a massive electoral defeat.

"We just let things get completely out of hand," he said of his own party's rule in the past eight years..."

5) Obama with his decision to bypass public financing was able to massively outspend McCain:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16848

Video & Transcript: CNN documented how much Obama is outspending McCain!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on October 28, 2008 - 5:47am.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0811/05/acd.02.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Obama's Transition to Power; Making History

Aired November 5, 2008 - 23:00 ET

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: "A point worth making, though Anderson, as Obama changed the map and changed so many of these red states blue, change did not come cheap. Let's look just at the state of Florida here; $36 million Barack Obama spent on television ads; $12.6 million combined for John McCain and the Republican Party. Obama wins the state by three percentage points. That's one example.

Let's come further up to the north. Out here in Indiana it is remarkable. Indiana is a blue state this year. That is a huge development but look at this. The margin is tiny; 26,000 votes, the tiny margin in Indiana. If you move this up and see, $11.1 million in Democratic ads spending, only $2.6 million for McCain and the Republicans..."

6) Obama as a community organizer ran a very good campaign that was on message and it was MUCH more of a movement than it was just a regular political campaign:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0811/05/ldt.01.html

LOU DOBBS TONIGHT

Obama's Transition; Pelosi's Agenda; Shift of Power

Aired November 5, 2008 - 19:00 ET

JOHN FUND, WALL STREET JOURNAL: "The great untold story of this election is Barack Obama's background as a community organizer which he was very good at really served him well here. This is the first candidate I've ever seen who is as good a campaign manager as he was a candidate.

LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: And Now, I guess he's moved from community organizer to nation organizer. Is that it?

FUND: Exactly right.

DOBBS: And Bill Schneider, to what degree do you think these folks who signed up in such large numbers, first-time voters, will stay involved in the process? The turnout was amazing. First that they registered in those numbers, and then actually showed up at the polls.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They did show up at the polls, and they gave money. Look at all the money he collected in small amounts from these contributors. We've had this debate before. But I really think this was a political movement like the Ronald Reagan movement in 1980. This was not just a campaign. A campaign is something you support. A movement is something you believe in and belong to. They feel as if they belong to that just like the conservative movement.

DOBBS: And I owe you an apology because months and months ago you referred to the campaign during one of our discussions on this broadcast as a movement. And I absolutely -- that movement. I said it's a campaign. You said it's a movement. Mr. Schneider, you were right. It was a movement.

SCHNEIDER: And the evidence is movements are the kinds of things that can raise incredible amounts of money in small donations. Reagan did that and Obama did that..."

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-had-a-message-and-he-stuck-to-it-2008-11-05.html

Obama had a message and he stuck to it

By Sam Youngman
Posted: 11/05/08 07:34 PM [ET]

"While different interest groups and demographic representatives sought to take credit for President-elect Barack Obama’s victory, they might have overlooked the two things Obama had all along: a simple, defined message and the discipline to stick to it.

Obama’s campaign touted their theme of “change” and “hope” early on, and they never looked back..."

7) Sarah Palin was a VP pick who only satisfied most of the GOP activist base while she hurt McCain with independents and moderates:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0810/22/acd.02.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Market Meltdown; Another Investigation on TrooperGate; Targeting Sharks for their Fins; Ten Most Wanted Culprits of the Collapse

Aired October 22, 2008 - 23:00 ET

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: "David, what do you make of this news that Sarah and Todd Palin are going to be giving depositions in this trooper investigation on Friday, in St. Louis? It's certainly the last thing I guess the campaign wants to be talking about today.

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Absolutely. It's one more diversion of a campaign that desperately needs to have a consistent message about the economy day after day..."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0811/05/sitroom.04.html

THE SITUATION ROOM

Interview With Colin Powell; What Next For Sarah Palin?

Aired November 5, 2008 - 18:00 ET

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: "And then there was Sarah Palin. Exit polls show she hurt McCain with Independent and suburban voters who called her unqualified to be president..."

http://jonathanturley.org/2008/11/05/exit-poll-palin-hurt-ticket-with-vast-majority-of-voters/

Exit Polls: Palin Hurt Ticket with Large Number of Voters

Published 1, November 5, 2008

"And Sarah Palin now has gone from being a strong plus to a growing liability for John McCain as he seeks Independents and Democrats to come over. She's still very strong with the base but not beyond that..."

Over sixty percent of voters said that she was manifestly unqualified — that obviously includes many Republicans. Other polls have shown Palin was the most cited reason for voting against McCain by voters. While she clearly did bring out the hardcore faithful, she also clearly scared off the independents and moderates are that were essential for a win. Click here. Not only did McCain pick someone viewed as an extremist, but he succeeded in highlighting the age factor since many people were not willing to risk that Palin could be president given McCain’s advanced years..."

8) Obama was very fortunate politically that there was bad economic news before each debate:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16344#comment-331475

Mark Halperin: The financial crisis hurt McCain in the debates

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on October 9, 2008 - 7:09pm.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16344#comment-334888

There was also bad economic news on the day of the third debate:

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on November 5, 2008 - 12:11pm.

If the economic crisis did not dominate all of the debates and/or if Obama had accepted McCain's offer of the additional debates that he initially called for, then Obama probably would have had a hard time:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16344

ANALYSIS: Why Obama will have a very hard time when he debates McCain!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on August 20, 2008 - 2:15pm.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15840

Obama first challenged McCain to debate so Obama needs be willing to debate now!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on June 19, 2008 - 1:55am.

9) African-American Obama supporter Roland Martin admitted to the role that race played in this election:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0811/05/ec.07.html

CNN ELECTION CENTER

Obama's Transition to Power; Sarah Palin's Plans?

Aired November 5, 2008 - 20:00 ET

CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: "And it was about the diversity of this country in terms of the coalition that was formed here. How much did race play a role in all of this? Gosh knows we talked about it a lot going into it, Roland, whether or not it was going to play a role. How much did it?

(CROSSTALK)

ROLAND MARTIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, of course race played a role, because, first of all, let's start from the beginning, all right?

African-Americans largely behind Hillary Clinton. They said, look, we don't think the guy actually has a shot at winning. You go to Iowa, 95 percent white. They vote for Barack Obama. All of a sudden, literally overnight, African-Americans say, wow, whites folks may actually vote for the black guy.

All of a sudden, that changes. He runs a race where he does not -- where he -- where race is not front and center, but it is still the unspoken word there. He rides black support in the critical primaries and then picks up critical support in other areas as well.

And then, of course, he begins to develop that message, then broadens it from there. But they also targeted Latino votes in those critical states, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado. You saw how they were able to use that. They put together a very -- a 21st century coalition..."

Media critic Howard Kurtz explained that the race issue helped to give Obama more positive media coverage than McCain:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15230#comment-335118

Howard Kurtz explained how race affected Obama's media coverage:

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on November 7, 2008 - 11:44am.

HOWARD KURTZ, HOST-CNN'S "RELIABLE SOURCES": Some conservatives say the media narrative unfairly suggested that a vote for John McCain was a vote against racial progress. And studies show that Obama drew far more positive coverage than McCain..."

10) GOP strategist Ed Rollins said that "John McCain paid absolutely no attention to" the evangelical vote:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0811/05/ldt.01.html

LOU DOBBS TONIGHT

Obama's Transition; Pelosi's Agenda; Shift of Power

Aired November 5, 2008 - 19:00 ET

LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: "What happened to the evangelical vote this year?

ED ROLLINS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I'll tell you what happened to it. John McCain paid absolutely no attention to them. I had people telling me I'm voting from him because he's a lesser of two evil. I'm not putting a McCain bumper sticker on. He never went to the group. March 15th when he won the primary he never went to the group. He started reaching for independents who don't make up their mind until there's two choices and they didn't think he really believed in their cause until he named Palin..."

I cannot believe what a lousy campaign that John McCain ran. I could have run his campaign better!

I waited until after the election to post this but here is what I would have done right away if I was running McCain's campaign to immediately put doubt in people's minds that Obama was ready to be President:

1) I would have quoted and ran ads of Obama's two firm promises that he made on Meet The Press NOT to run for President in 2008, I would make the point that he broke those firm promises not to run, and then I would quote him talking about his own lack of experience in the Senate in 2004:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10648

TRANSCRIPT: Obama Promised one year ago Today NOT to run for President in 2008!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on January 22, 2007 - 2:23pm.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6430019/

Meet The Press Transcript for November 7, 2004

Guests: Karl Rove, senior advisor to the president; Senator-elect Barak Obama, D-Ill.; Maureen Dowd, columnist, New York Times; William Safire, columnist, New York Times

MR. RUSSERT: "Before you go, you know there's been enormous speculation about your political future. Will you serve your full six-year term as U.S. senator from Illinois?

SEN.-ELECT OBAMA: Absolutely. You know, a little--some of this hype's been a little overblown. It's flattering, but I have to remind people that I haven't been sworn in yet. I don't know where the rest rooms are in the Senate. I'm going to have to figure out how to work the phones, answer constituent mail. I expect to be in the Senate for quite some time, and hopefully I'll build up my seniority from my current position, which I believe is 99th out of 100.

MR. RUSSERT: Barack Obama, we thank you for sharing your views.

SEN.-ELECT OBAMA: Thank you so much..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10909406/

Meet The Press Transcript for January 22, 2006
Barack Obama, James Carville, Paul Begala & Mary Matalin

MR. RUSSERT: "But there seems to be an evolution in your thinking. This is what you told the Chicago Tribune last month: “Have you ruled out running for another office before your term is up?” Obama answer: “It’s not something I anticipate doing.” But when we talked back in November of ‘04 after your election I said, “There’s been enormous speculation about your political future. Will you serve your six-year term as United States senator from Illinois?” Obama: “Absolutely.”

SEN. OBAMA: I will serve out my full six-year term. You know, Tim, if you get asked enough, sooner or later you get weary and you start looking for new ways of saying things. But my thinking has not changed.

MR. RUSSERT: So you will not run for president or vice president in 2008?

SEN. OBAMA: I will not..."

Obama also said in this YouTube video on November 8, 2004 that he would not be comfortable running for President in 2008:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2encXLmPDo

Obama Admits; I Should Not Run For President In 2008 (0:36)

Added: September 09, 2008

Obama; "I am a believer in knowing what you are doing when applying for a job".

That is what he said in this video on November 8th 2004 right after he won his election to a 6 year term in the U.S. Senate, (look at upper right corner of video).

2) I would have quoted and ran ads of Obama saying "Probably the strongest experience I have in foreign relations is the fact that I spent four years living overseas when I was a child in Asia—Southeast Asia" and then both Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden using this quote to question his qualifications:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/13948

Obama said strongest foreign relations experience was living overseas as a child

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on November 21, 2007 - 9:17am.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/11/20/clinton-hits-obama-on-foreign-relations-experience/

November 20, 2007

Clinton hits Obama on foreign relations experience

Posted: 04:55 PM ET

DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) – Just one day after Democratic hopeful Barack Obama said he felt his strongest foreign relations experience came from spending four years overseas as a child, rival Hillary Clinton fired back—and then John Edwards took aim at her. And for good measure, Sen. Joe Biden chipped in with his own two cents on the matter.

"Now voters will judge whether living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next President will face," Clinton said. "I think we need a President with more experience than that."

On Monday, Obama told an Iowa audience, "Probably the strongest experience I have in foreign relations is the fact that I spent four years living overseas when I was a child in Asia—Southeast Asia."

According to the campaign, Obama was six years old when he moved to Indonesia in 1967, and stayed until he was 10...

Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also joined the fray Tuesday afternoon when asked what he thought of Obama's comments.

"I think he's right," Biden said smiling. "That is his strongest [foreign policy] credential."

3) I would have quoted and ran ads of Joe Biden saying that Obama was NOT ready to be President:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Decision2008/Story?id=3498294&page=1

TRANSCRIPT: The Democratic Debate

George Stephanopoulos Moderates Democratic Debate on a Special Edition of "This Week"

Aug. 19, 2007

STEPHANOPOULOS: "Senator Biden, it seems like your colleagues here don't want to reach the judgment that you've made. Why isn't Senator Obama ready?

BIDEN: Look, I think he's a wonderful guy, to start off, number one. It was about Pakistan we were talking about. The fact of the matter is, Pakistan is the most dangerous, potentially the most dangerous country in the world. A significant minority of jihadists with nuclear weapons. We have -- and I disagree with all three of my friends -- we have a Pakistan -- we have no Pakistan policy; we have a Musharraf policy. That's a bad policy. The policy should be based upon a long-term relationship with Pakistan and stability.

We should be encouraging free elections. There is an overwhelming majority of moderates in that country. They should have their day. Otherwise, they're going to go underground.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But Senator Biden, you did go beyond talking about Pakistan. You were asked: Is he ready? You said, "I think he can be ready, but right now I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training."

BIDEN: I think I stand by the statement..."

4) I would have quoted and ran ads of Hillary Clinton's primary quotes that heavily imply Obama was NOT ready to be President:

A) Sen. Clinton On Obama And The "Commander In Chief" Test:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxDLKUeoJm0

Sen. Clinton On Obama And The "Commander In Chief" Test (1:11)

Added: June 03, 2008

On March 3, 2008, Sen. Clinton questioned whether Barack Obama had passed the "Commander in Chief" test while acknowledging that John McCain had.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0803/20/lkl.01.html

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Sen. Barack Obama Speaks Out on the Iraq War, Race, Hillary Clinton and Pastor Jeremiah Wright

Aired March 20, 2008 - 21:00 ET

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: "I think it's imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander-in-chief threshold. And I believe that I have done that. Certainly Senator McCain has done that. And you will have to ask Senator Obama with respect to his candidacy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KING, HOST, LARRY KING LIVE: Is there a danger in that kind of thing, only in the fact that it would presume that if you get the nomination, the McCain people would run that throughout the campaign in an advertisement against you?

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, you know, I think Senator Clinton has been running a campaign out of the Republican playbook over the last several weeks..."

B) Clinton's Commander in Chief Threshold Test:

http://blip.tv/file/969976

Clinton's Commander in Chief Threshold Test (1:11)

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) Said That While She And Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) Had Crossed “The Commander In Chief Threshold … You Will Have To Ask Senator Obama With Respect To His Candidacy.”

CNN “Newsroom,” 3/8/08

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0803/08/cnr.09.html

CNN NEWSROOM

Results of Wyoming Caucus; Obama and Clinton Speak in Wyoming

Aired March 8, 2008 - 20:00 ET

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: "In this election we need a nominee who can pass the commander-in-chief test. Someone ready on day it defend our country and keep our families safe. We need a president who passes that test. The first and most solemn duty of the president of the United States is on protect and defend our nation. And when there is a crisis and when the phone rings whether it's 3:00 p.m. or 3:00 a.m. In the White House, there is no time for speeches and on the job training. Senator McCain will bring a time of experience to the campaign. I will bring a lifetime of experience and Senator Obama will bring a speech he gave in 2002.

I think that is a significant difference. I think since we now know Senator McCain will be the nominee for the party, national security will be front and center in this election. We all know that. I think it's imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander in chief threshold. I believe that I have done that and certainly Senator McCain has done that. You will have to ask Senator Obama with respect to his candidacy..."

C) Clinton gets sarcastic, mocks Obama:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/02/25/clinton-gets-sarcastic-mocks-obama/

February 25, 2008

Clinton gets sarcastic, mocks Obama

Posted: 11:00 AM ET

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/02/25/bts.clinton.mocks.obama.cnn (2:57)

Watch Clinton campaign in Rhode Island Sunday and make light of Obama's message (starting at 0:40).

"Speaking to a crowd at Rhode Island College, Clinton said, "None of the problems we face will be easily solved," and then went on to mock Obama's message of unity.

“Now, I could stand up here and say, ‘Let’s just get everybody together. Let’s get unified,'" Clinton said to laughter of the crowd.

"The skies will open, the light will come down, celestial choirs will be singing and everyone will know we should do the right thing and the world will be perfect,” she said dryly as the crowd erupted..."

5) I would have quoted and ran ads of Bill Clinton's primary quotes "that voters who would support someone with Mr. Obama’s experience were willing to “roll the dice” on the presidency" and calling Obama's history on the Iraq war "the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BssFN9KWU4g

Roll the Dice for Obama, Bill Clinton (1:39)

Added: December 29, 2007

This video is a response to Bill Clinton's comment during his interview with Charlie Rose

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/us/politics/16clinton.html

Bill Clinton Says Obama Isn’t Ready

By PATRICK HEALY
Published: December 16, 2007

"Former President Bill Clinton made an unusually direct attack Friday night on Senator Barack Obama, one of his wife’s leading rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, suggesting that voters who would support someone with Mr. Obama’s experience were willing to “roll the dice” on the presidency.

Appearing on “The Charlie Rose Show” on PBS, Mr. Clinton repeatedly questioned Mr. Obama’s preparedness for the White House, noting that he took office in January 2005 and became a presidential candidate about two years later. (Mr. Obama was an Illinois state senator before that.)

“When is the last time we elected a president based on one year of service in the Senate before he started running?” Mr. Clinton said. At another point, he appeared to compare Mr. Obama to a “gifted television commentator” running for president. “They’d have only one year less experience in national politics” than Mr. Obama, he said..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Ytbr-7VaE

Bill Faults Press for Obama "Fairy Tale" (0:50)

Added: January 08, 2008

Bill Clinton on the campaign trail, January 8, 2008

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0801/08/sitroom.01.html

THE SITUATION ROOM

Bill Clinton on Obama: "Fairy Tale"; Interview With Mike Huckabee

Aired January 8, 2008 - 16:00   ET

WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: "It is wrong that Senator Obama got to go through 15 debates trumpeting his superior judgment and how he had been against the war in every year, enumerating the years, and never got asked one time, not once, well, how could you say that when you said in 2004 you didn't know how you would have voted on the resolution, you said in 2004 there was no difference between you and George Bush on the war, and you took that speech you're now running on off your Web site in 2004, and there's no difference in your voting record and Hillary's ever since?

Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen..."

I would have tied all of these quotes together making the points that:

1) Obama himself did not think that he was ready in 2004 or 2006, he bragged about having to learn his way around the Senate in 2004, and his living overseas as a child does not qualify him to be President.

2) Obama's own running mate, his closest primary challenger, and the last Democratic President are on record as heavily implying that he is NOT fit for office while Hillary Clinton said that McCain is qualified.

3) It is not enough for Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Clinton to say that other candidates in other primary races had their differences (like Bush 41 calling Ronald Reagan's economic policy "voodoo economics" back in 1980 or John Kerry and John Edwards disagreeing about NAFTA back in 2004) because those are just a policy differences, they are not saying that a candidate is unfit to be President!

4) I would then focus on selling John McCain as being the "bipartisan maverick" who has passed "The Commander In Chief Test" and "who will bring a lifetime of experience to the campaign."

This is what McCain should have done in order to have run the best possible campaign on one consistent message. That would have helped to neutralize any help that the Bill and Hillary Clinton could have given to Obama and it may have kept more of Hillary's primary voters from going to Obama. To try and win more of Hillary supporters, McCain could have criticized to a much greater degree how the media was as unfair to Hillary as it was to him which would probably have been very well received by many firm Hillary supporters:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0806/09/acd.01.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Obama and McCain Face Off Over Economy; Hillary's Next Move

Aired June 9, 2008 - 22:00 ET

JOHN MCCAIN: "Senator Clinton has earned great respect for her tenacity and courage. The media often overlooked how compassionately she spoke to the concerns and dreams of millions of Americans. And she deserves a lot more appreciation than she sometimes received..."

Here is the YouTube video of McCain criticizing how the media treated Hillary which starts at 38 seconds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7RuX4pQPLY&feature=related

John McCain Speech from Kenner, LA, June 3 2008 (21:53)

Added: June 03, 2008

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15744

VIDEO: Dan Abrams asked about Hillary's primary loss "Is it the media’s fault?"

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on June 9, 2008 - 5:58pm.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15744#comment-309677

There is NO question in my opinion of anti-Hillary media bias...

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on June 9, 2008 - 6:07pm.

John McCain should also have pressed much harder for Obama to follow through on his own challenege to debate "Anywhere, Anytime" long before the economic crisis came and dominated the news headlines:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMGgyPm9kh4

Obama: "Anywhere, Anytime" to Debate McCain on For. Policy (2:18)

Added: May 16, 2008
Barack Obama, May 16, 2008

In conclusion, there is no guarantee that this strategy would have worked because McCain's pick of Sarah Palin as VP helped to take the experience issue off of the table. The questions that have to be asked are would this message would have stuck through the media bias that McCain was up against, would it have stuck against Bush's low poll numbers, would it have stuck when McCain was being massively outspent by Obama, and would it have stuck through the economic crisis?

The answer to those kind of questions is almost like asking what would have happened if the Titanic had struck the iceberg a moment sooner, a moment later, or at a different angle?

We will never know for certain what the answer to that question is. The Titanic may not have sank, it may have sank slower where more lives could have been saved, or it may have sank the same way it did.

There is a chance that it may have worked while what McCain did was obviously NOT working. Obama in my opinion was very fortunate that McCain ran a lousy campaign and that he got a lot of lucky political breaks along the way which pretty much made him electable and would have probably made anyone with a "D" next to their name electable as well as long as they could prove to the country that they were sane:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15297

Hillary said Obama is electable; How even I or Mickey Mouse could be electable!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 18, 2008 - 4:45am.

In point number 4 of this post, I said that "John McCain could make some kind of a fatal gaffe or mistake..."

After McCain had already said during the Republican primary that the economy was not his strong point (which Mitt Romney hit him hard on), he made a fatal gaffe when he said "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" at the time of the economic collapse:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4KY39jLdu4

McCain: Fundamentals of Economy Strong (0:28)

tpmtv
September 15, 2008

"McCain repeats his line about the fundamentally strong economy."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1056475/McCain-calls-U-S-economy-fundamentally-sound-day-Lehman-Brothers-declared-bankrupt.html

McCain calls U.S. economy 'fundamentally sound' on same day Lehman Brothers declared  bankrupt

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 9:32 AM on 16th September 2008

"John McCain appeared to have scored a huge own goal when he described the US economy as 'fundamentally sound' after the financial collapses of  'Meltdown Monday'.

The Republican presidential candidate attempted to shake off the worldwide gloom following the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers with an upbeat assessment.

As share prices tumbled, he said the 'fundamentals of the economy are strong'...

Mr McCain has admitted that the economy is not his strong point..."

While this was bad for McCain and for the country, it was a very lucky political break for Obama which in my opinion definitely helped to make him electable!

However now is the time to move forward. I did this post to help cut through the partisan spin that people on both sides are saying which may not be true and because this election will be studied a lot!

I think that now is the time for everyone to unite and to give Obama the chance he deserves!

Mitch Dworkin

http://www.securingamerica.com/

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16039
RESOURCES: Speeches, Articles, and Career Highlights to help define Gen. Clark!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on July 7, 2008 - 2:51pm.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10756
StopIranWar.com: "War is not the answer"
Submitted by Wes Clark on February 21, 2007 - 11:40am.

http://www.securingamerica.com/ccn/node/7191
Listen to Gen. Wes Clark fight for Dems on Sean Hannity's radio program: An excellent example for all of us to follow and what we all need to be doing to help fight back against extreme right wing Neocon smear propaganda!