Wednesday, December 27, 2006

John McCain's '08 Advantage

Today's Washington Times Inside Politics column has a blurb worth noting during this slow week between Christmas and New Years -

"Despite a flurry of reports that Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani are surging in the 2008 presidential primary race, many Republican strategists believe that Sen. John McCain remains in firm control of the contest," Paul Bedard writes in the Washington Whispers column of U.S. News & World Report.

'He's doing everything right, has the funding, and is ready to take on the opponents,' says one GOP adviser to the White House.

Another key Republican political strategist says that it is significant that none of the opponents have so far taken shots at McCain: 'They are leaving him alone; nobody's gone after him, and that's crazy.'

"Over the past week, strategists in interviews have laid out McCain's advantages over the competition. First, he has huge name recognition and a good reputation. Second, he has the ability to outraise most of his opponents. And third, he is well organized in key primary and caucus states and has built an aggressive staff.

In fact, the strategists see the fingerprints of the McCain campaign in recent stories about how Romney has moved to grab the conservative mantle by switching his positions on gays and abortion."
Take a shot at McCain? At Johnny Mac?

Why would potential VP candidates want to take a shot at their potential employer?

Besides, have you ever seen John Weaver professionally gut a man? Ask Grover Norquist what it feels like.

The GOP should have nominated McCain in 2000. They decided not to. Would anyone like to debate Bush's last 6 years in office?

If McCain stays healthy I don't see how he doesn't get the Republican nomination.

If he stays healthy.