So sue, it's already been posted - but can I escape on technicality by linking to the
original article rather than the
Kevin Drum post.
This is too good to let slide, especially since one of the few poll numbers to turn around as quickly or decidedly as we'd like is the "Who will win?" question.
Let me be absolutely clear:
I am not comparing the two men
I am not comparing the Carter campaign and campaign strategy exactly to BushCo
I think Jimmy Carter is a wonderful humanitarian
But folks - if you don't feel the general malaise gripping the country, take a step outside your partisan skin for moment. I know -"what do you mean FEEL IT? I'm out there working every day AGAINST it! Sure... but there are certainly many, many, many voters out there that don't read Kos or Atrios and who don't throw things at Tweety on MSNBC or gag when they pass FOX on the cable box
I commented on Drum that I had this exact same thought driving to work this moring. Tired because I got to bed late, no coffee, just sitting in the traffic listening to the CBS radio morning news.
- More death and destruction in Iraq
- General tension in the middle east
- Gas prices, oil prices, natural gas prices this winter
- polls on the president's "like-ability" counter-balanced by his approval ratings and the "headed in the right direction" poll.
- flu vaccine shortages
I mean - replace "Irag" with "Iran", "ME tension" with the cold war.... maybe job concerns/outsourcing/income growth with inflation, and though I was only 7 -- I think that's got to be similar to what it sounded like driving to work in October of 1980.
It took America well into October to TRUST Ronald Reagan in 1980. Recall that Carter led for much of the campaign even with poor approval ratings.
Whether you think America was terribly wrong in 1980 is immaterial - it happened.
Purely from the horserace perspective - I'd suggest taking the polls, and then vote totals on Nov 3, and comparing them to 1980. I'll take bets right now that we're going to see similar results... and give you good odds. (j/k)
If you want to see movement in that "who will win" poll number -- this is the theme to push.
Swallow your love of Carter - like I said, this is NOT a reflection on him - it's simply a reflection of the atmosphere and what we're seeing in the world now.
Speaking as "regular joe" -- A world gone wrong - and the president seems to be to blame for at least some of it. It's still a scary period, so you don't toss the devil you know out lightly... but this guy, this Kerry guy... he sure looks like he's up to the job.
Sure - Karl Rove is willing go way nastier than whoever ran Carter's campaign (like I said - I was 7).... and this time, IT IS ENTIRELY THE PRESIDENT'S FAULT!
Not to mention - this time, the good guys will win.