There is one thing conspicuously missing from my white GOP neighborhood this election…..SIGNS in peoples front yards supporting their candidate. The previous 2 elections they were plentiful, the majority for Bush but a decent amount for the Democratic candidate. Yet as I drive through the neighborhood I’ve seen exactly 3 signs, 2 for McCain and one for Obama. Now that tells me that the GOP people in my neighborhood are not supporting John McCain, and quite possibly have jumped ship to the Obama camp but are not willing to advertise it. Of course that leaves undecided or not to going to vote, which I think is highly unlikely in this critical election.
Back in January when the primary was held the signs were abundant! My voting center was buzzing with activity that cold winter day and Mitt Romney signs far outweighed John McCain or any of the other Republican candidates. Of course we know what happened, Romney won Michigan and a week later dropped out of the race and John McCain eventually becomes the nominee. That’s when plenty of GOP people like myself said, no way, no how, will I ever vote for him and seriously started listening with an open mind to what Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were saying.
What I have to wonder and I’m sure many others have too is — what would this election look like today had Romney won? With his superior business knowledge and in the current financial mess we’re in this Presidential race could look much different. Even had John McCain chosen him for the VP this election could be dramatically changed. Yet time and time again John McCain makes snap decisions and shows an appalling lack of judgment. This time he’s taking the Republican Party down with him. The GOP needs to clean house and it looks like that may begin in November if Ed Rollins is correct. I certainly hope so!
Ed Rollins, a senior Republican campaign consultant, advisor and McCain supporter had this to say last night on CNN.
The trouble with the Republican party now is in its leadership which like its current candidate has old ways of thinking. The way the primary is set up that winner takes all does not fair well when you have numerous candidates running. The delegates should be allocated as a percentage of the vote in that primary, this way it gives candidates a means to hang int there and provides voters in other states the time and the opportunity to have a say and have a stake in the candidate of the party. Since primaries extend over several months the order of which states have the earliest primaries have the greatest impact on choice especially with a winner take all approach.
Second, the premise of its my turn to be the candidate for our party is idiotic in choosing a leader. Third, when a religious sector has that significant amount of impact on decisions made based on religious beliefs is against what I thought the constitution was about and why people immigrated here to begin with. The party is broken, time to bring in a new coach and a new way of thinking! One middle age lady told me “McCain reminds me of my old mom, always talking about the past, we need to be talking about the future!”
The GOP is in huge trouble even if they win… If you enjoyed Bush just wait till you get McCain… People were suckered by the tripe McCain & Huckabee were selling to keep Romney out. If Romney was the GOP choice, no one would be running around like Chicken Little ranting about Wall Street. History will repeat and Obama will be the one term Carter and Romney the Reagan in 2012.
In my neighborhood the Obama signs outnumber the McCain. But I also noticed the lack of political signs. Out here I noticed something else interesting beginning, perhaps, four years ago: many of the local candidates’ have no indication of party affiliations on their signs. All candidates (Republican, Democrat, or whatever) appear to be running away from party labels. It is interesting that Gino thinks the Republican Party should switch to a proportional scheme to award convention delegates. Earlier in the primary season, news reporters, in a rare attempt to bring in historical context, noted that the Party shifted to the winner-take-all format several election cycles past to avoid the mess of a long contest and perhaps gain an advantage by ending the intra-party contest early and shift focus and resources to the inter-party fight. Me, I like the mess. I do wish we could shorten the election season. Two years is simply much too long.
Gino – I agree the winner take all approach in the GOP race in this election was it’s downfall. Had it been allowed to play out longer with the viable candidates running I think the ultimate nominee would not have been John McCain.
Rex – I am NO Bush fan let me make that loud and clear! About 2012 and Romney…the GOP never got behind him last time what makes you think they will next? For right now I just want this election over and Obama in the White House before I start worrying who’s going to run in 2012.
Mary – I noticed that too about the signs. I prefer their political party is on the sign. About the election, I so agree…2 years is way too long and it’s mind boggling to even start thinking about this beginning again in 2 years!
In my area there has been a real problem with signs being stolen from yards within one day of going up. This is happening to McCain and Obama signs, and nobody will speculate if it is zealous voters or just pranksters.
What if Romney had been tapped by McCain for VP?
That might have been a force to be reckoned with.
I agree that the campaigning begins way too early.