McCain Clinches Republican Nomination
While it may be some time before we know the outcome of the Democratic races in Texas and Ohio, the Republican contest is now all-but-officially over: John McCain has won enough delegates to clinch the nomination.
Arizona Sen. John McCain, a political maverick and unflinching supporter of the war in Iraq, clinched the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday night. Barack Obama defeated Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic primary in Vermont, and the two rivals dueled in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island in a riveting race for their party’s presidential nomination.
McCain, 71, gained the 1,191 delegates needed to claim the Republican nomination with a series of primary victories, completing a remarkable comeback that began in the snows of New Hampshire six weeks ago. President Bush invited him to the White House for a show of support on Wednesday.
We knew it would happen eventually. Still, a pretty impressive comeback for a guy out of money and written off entirely months ago.
Graphic via CNN Politics
Lets go back to last year and see what the wise pundit was saying.
So the question is if you counldn’t see McCain’s path for resurgence with forsight, can you at least see it with hindsight?
Attractive to many Dem’s and indy’s McCain will begin to load both barrel’s at Obama and Clinton, with both of them spilling their guts in the primaries, his battle plan will be easier. Dem’s are to emotional…. no strategy for Nov.
Well, I am a Democrat and I have always kind of liked McCain, still do. I just don’t want him to be president. I suspect most centrist Democrats feel the same way.
I announced months ago that McCain was “my least unfavorite.” I suspect that’s where a sizable chunk of the primary voters wound up. Giuliani made himself a non-factor by bombing in Iowa and New Hampshire and ultimately adopting a “late state strategy.” Thompson couldn’t convince people he actually wanted to be president. Romney came across as phony and plastic. Huckabee fired up the most hard core Christian fundamentalists but left everyone else could. That left McCain.
Ultimately, I think, the nominating electorate wanted a grown-up. McCain can be smug, grating, and come down on the wrong side of some policy issues. But you get the sense that he actually believes what he’s telling you and that he’s not afraid to lead.
What I am would find fascinating is to follow the money game (having worked for fortune 500 companies and start ups, it is amazing the difference in how money is treated). I think there is a lesson in the Hillary and McCain on money in an election. If I remember correctly, Hillary burned 30 million in 2006 to win re-election. Contrast that with Hutchison spending $6.5M (and keeping $8.3 million cash on hand) in Texas. Why did Clinton need more than 4x to win what should have been as safe a seat? What could she be doing now with an extra $23M?
McCain went the gold plated Cadillac route early and the rusty Saturn late. Even Billy Clinton thought he was done wrong by. Seeing the campaign change gears would be instructive to me for future campaigns. Maybe being a bit more parsimonious up front and having more funds later will be a lesson that will come out of this year’s election.