Pass the Butter--McCain is Toast!!! (w/Poll)

There has been much consternation in the last few days on the impact of the "Barack Boomlet" on the Democratic side in the contest for the 2008 Presidential nomination.  

While there's little doubt the effect is significant, it may do much more to decimate the Repugs' chances of fielding a candidate who can be successful.  Follow me over the jump to see if you agree.

I'm not too big on secondhand info or spectatorship when it comes to something politically significant, so when I read in yesterday's paper that Barack Obama, hot on the heels of his MTP salvo, would be at a rally in Tempe, I decided to go see for myself.  

It was a beautiful sunny day.  I wormed my way into a good spot, and waited semi-patiently as the crowd continued to build...and build.  By the time Sen. Obama arrived, flashing that welcoming and infectious grin, the crowd had grown to about 4000 (at 10 am on a Monday!!!) and was ready to hear and see for itself.  To their credit, the organizers kept the preliminaries brief.  While everyone wanted to hear from Harry Mitchell and Jim Pederson, they were there to see and hear Obama, and he did not disappoint.  

His totally-comfortable-with-himself demeanor and winning grin won over the faithful immediately.  He scoffed at the Repugs' fear tactics and negative ads, asserting that Americans are smarter and more hopeful than that.  No notes, no talking points, no slogans--how refreshing!!!  As Klein noted in the Time piece, he doesn't talk down to the audience.  He nimbly touched on a range of topics, including Darfur, and meaningfully implored, "This country was founded on HOPE!!!"

Not a long talk, but a good one.  Toward the end, he built to a crescendo that left the crowd up.  The Zonies grinned and basked in the reflected glow. A Pump for the workers and students, lots of free and hopeful media coverage.  

The impact here?  I think he raised the chances for Jim and Harry.  Still tough, but doable, and the frame fits.  Both Pederson and Mitchell are far more hopeful and upbeat than their dour and gloomy opponents, Kyl and Hayworth.

For the Dem presidential candidates?  More clear than ever, IMHO, that the Dems have little to no relish to relive all of Hillary's 'baggage', and little to no patience with her hedging on the War.  Barack opposed it from the git--no contest.  Like no other candidate, Barack would have the chance to transform America's image in the world to one that is far more inclusive, thoughtful, global--his recent visit to Africa was triumphant, and he LIVED in Indonesia, for God's sake!  The retreads--Gore, Kerry, et.al.--look more like retreads than ever before.  With such candidates as Clark, Edwards, Bayh, etc., tho, the Dems have a deep bench--let the games begin!!!  I think we win with a genuine exchange of progressive ideas and a buffet primary that offers the voters real choices.  

The Repugs???  I think Barack puts the Zombies back into the Crypt.  I was disgusted the other day when McCain was on Hardball the other day, trying to cutely defend the indefensible--his support of this Sick War.  When Tweety asked him about the dust-up w/Obama, he subtly gloated.  Yes, John, you may have won that skirmish, but guess what brilliant young man may just clean your clock and win the Political War for 2008???  McCain has been ubiquitous here, endorsing the Hater Randy Graf in 08 (Jim Kolbe hates him, and the NSRC long ago pulled funds), Hater Hayworth (Foghorn Leghorn, Abramoff's favorite rooster!), and his tired-looking sidekick, Bushlover Jon Kyl (his biggest issue is the so-called Death Tax).  

On the heels of his appearance w/Falwell and the other abundant examples of obvious pandering, Mr. Straight Talk has lost his cache.  The moment he caved on Torture, he presented his Huevos, such as they were, to George W. Bush.  

And now this bright hopeful new face of Barack Obama makes it all-too-clear that he's not just old and compromised, the World has just passed him by.  

McCain was on w/Imus this morning, incredibly trying to defend the indefensible, sounding depressed, defeated, given to audible sighs and speaking in a voice that kept cracking.  Imus was Death on the War and all of its supporters this morning, calling the Bush Regime War Criminals, mocking their ditching of the "Stay the Course" meme, laughing at their total lack of credibility, and opining that, quite soon, Bush may assert that he was never really for the War!!!  McCain was reduced to saying that the War had been conducted badly, and that he had told them what should be done--weak shit.

I really think that McCain is damaged goods, and that the parade has passed him by.  Well, who else does that leave for the Repugs???  Giuliani is anathema to the Wingnuts, and his 9/11 Halo has certainly lost some luster w/the recent discovery of human remains on the site.  The Evangelicals can't stomach Mormon Mitt, Frist (the Diagnoser-in-Chief???) is pretty much a joke, and George Allen, whatever the outcome of his Senate run, has pretty well Macaca-ed his way out of the Presidential Sweepstakes.  For the Repugs, who like orderly succession, this cannot be good.  For all of his myriad faults, Reagan did project an optimism that America liked.  

America is tired of the lying and bullshit, of being warmongers and war profiteers, and hated around the World.  America wants, somehow, to find HOPE again.  Our Congressional winners, and being in the saddle again will help--a lot.  But the overarching image is that grin--comfortable, at ease, friendly, welcoming, genuine...and hopeful.  

The whole Repugnant fear-and-hate thing is played out.  America wants to hope again.  Barack Obama offers that tantalizing possibility.