Pain For McCain - But Don’t Count Him Out Yet - And Dems Need To Fight Apathy
John McCain has suffered some major setbacks in his campaign. His walk through the center of Bagdhad, orchestrated and unreal, certainly hurt. His support for the war has cut his base. His just-announced reduction in staff is also a blow, as well as weak fund raising.
But, for several reasons, don’t count McCain out. First of all, the Republican field is light. Mitt Romney looks good, but has a long way to go. Rudy Guliani benefits from McCain’s drop, but scrutinity is his enemy. Fred Thompson is all about wishful thinking, and the rest of the field is grim.
When all the votes are counted, when others falter, McCain may be the last man standing.
After all, this guy survived five years of beatings and torture as a POW. His will to fight on is unparalleled in modern times. This is only April. If you think he’s finished, you are thinking wrong.
On the Democratic side, things are in a state of neutral. Clinton, Obama and Edwards seem content on keeping the peace right now, awaiting events in Iraq, and polling almost weekly to figure out what is going on. The biggest challenge for all the Dems now is to fight apathy and keep themselves in the news. The Democratic candidates need a jolt. Maybe that will happen when Alberto Gonzalez heads up to the hill for the final throes of his fragile reign as Attorney General.
I long for the good old days when the Democrats were feuding over Hollywood fund raisers and nasty messages on You Tube.
This April, politically, is enough to make you drowsy.
But then, we have the Philly Mayor’s race. The best is yet to come.
