Looking at the polls, I was not worried about McCain. I thought the GOP would NEVER allow him to win the nod. Actually they may still not allow it. But let's assume they do allow it.
10 months out, the polls currently show McCain winning against Hillary and Obama in a general election.
First of all, this is 10 months out, and McCain has really been a sleeper win. He has been under the radar. People will get to know the straight talker, and his campaign will reveal just how liberal America actually is.
Why?
I believe McCain, and I respect him as a person and as a truthful person. I think he will run on principles of Republicanism.
He will truthfully say what he will do in office. He will run his campaign on fundamental Republican principles. But that, my friends, has never won an election in my memory.
When, I ask of you, have Republicans EVER run a national campaign on principles? Can you remember a campaign that did so? I can't.
Reagan used blame and scapegoating to run against poor black mothers on welfare, he also used lots of pro-America saccharin to pep us all up after the 70s.
Bush Sr. had Willie Horton, but he also depended entirely on Reagan's coattails.
Bush Jr. pretended he was a centrist, even stating that he would tackle global warming in 2000. He ran a dirty dirty campaign and in 2004, it was even worse...a campaign of swiftboating and fear.
McCain will not allow that, and the GOP has the weaker ideas and record. Furthermore, the GOP has no EXPERIENCE campaigning on ideas.
I submit that the ONLY reason McCain is currently winning is that he is ahead in national election polls....and that isn't enough.
If McCain runs a campaign of ideas he will lose. Because our ideas are better for America.
Furthermore, if the Democrat sounds like McCain on some issues like immigration and climate change policy, the Democrat will win. Because of generic preference for a Democrat this time.
But that is not going to happen, because we have fundamental differences in approaching health care, education, women's rights, children's rights. Our philosphy is inclusive, theirs is exclusive. If the GOP wants to put a straight talker against us, I say bring it on.