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Home Front: Politix
By winning back unhappy GOP voters, McCain makes it a race
2008-04-18
Republicans are no longer underdogs in the race for the White House. To pull that off, John McCain has attracted disgruntled GOP voters, independents and even some moderate Democrats who shunned his party last fall.

Partly thanks to an increasingly likable image, the Republican presidential candidate has pulled even with the two Democrats still brawling for their party's nomination, according to an Associated Press-Yahoo! News poll released Thursday. Just five months ago — before either party had winnowed its field — the survey showed people preferred sending an unnamed Democrat over a Republican to the White House by 13 percentage points.

Also helping the Arizona senator close the gap: Peoples' opinions of Hillary Rodham Clinton have soured slightly, while their views of Barack Obama have improved though less impressively than McCain's.

The survey suggests that those switching to McCain are largely attuned to his personal qualities and McCain may be benefiting as the two Democrats snipe at each other during their prolonged nomination fight.
Posted by:Fred

#10  Maybe next Rantapalooza, we can form an Atlanta chapter and have a video conference in to the goings on at Fred's side!
Posted by: BA   2008-04-18 19:50  

#9  Grew up in Gwinnett now in Forsyth. Of course most our aliens are picking onions this time of year.
Posted by: Beavis    2008-04-18 16:04  

#8  Gwinnett, Beavis. Of course, when I say a HUGE increase, it is in terms of % points, so we still don't hold a candle to Fulton/DeKalb/Clayton.
Posted by: BA   2008-04-18 15:48  

#7   (my County alone has seen a HUGE increase in murder the last 5-10 years, albeit mostly red-on-red).

Dekalb or Clayton?
Posted by: Beavis   2008-04-18 13:49  

#6  Yep, TW, I hope that trend continues. Here in GA (probably one of the bigger illegal alien States, due to us being the nation's biggest poultry supplier), at least 3 of our "ground zero" Counties have now moved to be included in ICE's "287(g)" Program. Basically, that Program allows local Police/Sherriffs to be "deputized" by taking a little ICE "training", which, in turn allows the locals to gain access to ICE's database. That way, when an illegal is arrested for anything else (e.g. DUI, Driving w/o license, Robbery, Hit-n-run, etc.), the City/County can look up their immigration status, and while holding them in the City/County jail, can kick-start the Deportation process too.

Just as an example, my home County (which just 10 years ago was ultra-conservative WASP land) has just signed up because last year they gathered the following statistic:

* in 2007, 39,000 people were arrested. Of those 39k, 12,000 were "foreign born". Now, I realize that not ALL 12k were illegal aliens, but knowing the changing landscape, I'd bet at least 2/3 of that 12k are illegal aliens. Now, our Sherriff can start deportation proceedings, especially on those arrested for more violent crimes (my County alone has seen a HUGE increase in murder the last 5-10 years, albeit mostly red-on-red).
Posted by: BA   2008-04-18 13:35  

#5  President McCain's views on illegal alien amnesty may not matter much given the active posture taken against that position by not only the border states, but interior states and communities across the country. Not to mention a J-curve trend of increasing deportation by ICE.
Posted by: trailing wife    2008-04-18 10:02  

#4  They just now figuring this out?
Give that man a rubber doughnut!
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2008-04-18 09:01  

#3  Issues don't have to matter when you're the alternative to either one of the gruesome twosome of Barry and Hildegard. The media are the only ones who can't see that. We bitter souls out here in the rest of America seem to be the only people who know what the hell is going on.
Posted by: ElvisHasLeftTheBuilding   2008-04-18 02:21  

#2  We'd better hope McCain has some coattails and can bring some new Republicans into Congress. Ironically, he'd probably rather have both houses in Dem hands - the better to display his "bipartisanship" by ramming through mass amnesty for illegal aliens and grabbing his ankles compromising on judicial nominees.
Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo)   2008-04-18 01:56  

#1  What nonsense. McCain was never an underdog to anyone who understands the political situation and the electoral system. The fainting over the Messiah - one of the least impressive people to run for prez in years, which is saying a lot - was confined to the Dems and their media wing. The Glacier has always been an extreme long-shot - the country does not want the Clintons back (even half of the Dems don't - part of the Messiah's fuel to date is as the "non-Clinton").

Barring unlikely/unforeseen developments, McCain could put several Blue states in play, and win an electoral blowout. Overall his chances are much better than even to win.
Posted by: Verlaine   2008-04-18 01:16  

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