Thank You, Pennsylvania!
(For McCain, it can’t get better than having your foe load your weapons for you)
Perfect! Precisely what I had hoped would happen. In Tuesday’s pivotal presidential primary in Pennsylvania (alliteration unintended), Democrat Hillary Clinton essentially blew rival Barack Obama out of the water, beating him 55 to 45%. That’s despite the fact that Obama outspent her on broadcast media advertising by better than two-to-one, around eleven million dollars to five. Some of Clinton’s ads, however, made points Republican John McCain’s people can simply save on their computers. For instance, one of Hillary’s TV spots pointed to how much money Barack has taken from “…lobbyists, corporations and PAC’s” over the years, and how beholden his campaign is to lobbies in various states. Since Obama remains the Democrat favorite nationally, in delegates and polls, this should be just so much gravy for Senator McCain.
The Arizona Senator, who clinched his party’s nomination in early March, is being wisely coy about the whole thing. Referring to the ongoing Democrat dogfight, McCain says, “I don’t have a view on that. But I know there are very different opinions on it.” Yeah, that’s one way of putting it, John. Another would be to say, “Have at it, folks. Meantime, I will campaign on the issues.” Which is just what McCain has been doing, to the benefit of opinion polls. A top McCain aide was subtle and oblique on the situation, observing that the Democrats should “…take their time – don’t rush.” Oh no; we wouldn’t want that. Heh, heh.
Even before the Pennsylvania results were fully in, Obama, the junior Senator from Illinois, was wheels-up for Indiana. The primary there in two weeks is seen as another must-win for Clinton. Already speaking at a Hoosier state rally, in Evansville, Barack as much as admitted that things have turned kind of nasty recently: “It’s easy to get caught up in the distractions and the silliness and the tit-for-tat that consumes our politics, the bickering that none of us are immune to…” Obama pointed out to the crowd that there are a couple of wars, a recession, and “…a planet in peril” to be tended to. He didn’t say which planet. Saturn?
Clinton, who is expected to follow Obama to closely-fought Indiana, even though Democrats in North Carolina will vote in their primary the same day, was upbeat in her victory speech in Philadelphia. She told the cheering crowd there that she’d been counted out, but that the American people “…don’t quit. And they deserve a President who doesn’t quit, either.” Well, Mrs. Clinton, what about a President who spent five-and-a-half years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, experiencing unspeakable deprivation and torture, and didn’t quit? If I were you, I’d leave the subject of “quitters” out of the discussion.
The former POW just mentioned, for his part, continued a campaign swing through especially economically depressed parts of the country. Operating for the moment on the not-unreasonable assumption that his opponent in November will be Barack Obama, Senator McCain alluded to the Illinois lawmaker’s inexperience. Referring to Obama’s plan to hike the capital gains tax, McCain said, “That’s out of touch with America’s economy and it’s a fundamental misunderstanding of the basics of economics.” That’s putting it mildly, Senator. It would be more accurate to say that raising taxes on money that already has been taxed as income and then invested back into the economy is among the very worst ideas for solving financial ills. As economist Thomas Sowell, among others, has noted, no country in history ever has taxed its way into prosperity. Many, however, have taxed their way into ruin.
There is no way to be certain, at this point, who John McCain will face in the fall. There probably won’t be until after the Democratic National Convention in a few months. Nine primaries are on the schedule between now and then, even though they include Guam and Puerto Rico. It still looks as though the Democrat contest will rest with the party’s ‘super delegates’. McCain’s people say they’re prepared for a tough fight either way. For Heaven’s sake, let’s hope so.
April 23, 2008 at 3:15 pm
[...] Tom Sirmons wrote an interesting post today on Thank You, Pennsylvania!Here’s a quick excerptOperating for the moment on the not-unreasonable assumption that his opponent in November will be Barack Obama, Senator McCain alluded to the Illinois lawmaker’s inexperience. Referring to Obama’s plan to hike the capital gains tax, … [...]
April 23, 2008 at 8:35 pm
[...] sirmons.wordpress.com(For McCain, it can’t get better than having your foe… [...]
April 23, 2008 at 9:25 pm
[...] Conservative Commentary wrote an interesting post today on Thank You, Pennsylvania!Here’s a quick excerptAs economist Thomas Sowell, among others, has noted, no country in history ever has taxed its way into prosperity…. [...]