As to McCain, although he did win the primary rather easiliy, that was for a myriad of reasons, but it certainly was NOT because most Republicans preferred McCain. In fact, specifically for the reason you mention (he was seen as leftist or centralist), there were many, many Republicans who had decided to sit out the elections and not vote. One very vocal voice was Focus on the Family's Dr. Dobson, who said he simply could not bring himself to vote for McCain. Another frequently heard opinion was, "I am going to go into the voting booth, hold my nose, and vote for McCain."
Hmmmm. It seems that you really agree that McCain won the primary so easily precisely for the reason I stated, namely that he was seen as the most centrist candidate, who, therefore, had the best chance of winning the presidency for the GOP. And for that reason many Republicans voted for him, even though they had to hold their noses while doing it. After all, what other reason could they possibly have had for voting for a candidate they didn't like? Why didn't they come out in force to vote for a more reliably conservative candidate, like, say, Mike Huckabee? Indeed, Vicki, the way I read your post, you really agree with me, although you can't bring yourself to say so. Let me put it this way: I myself have never voted for someone or something I disliked so much that I had to hold my nose while doing it.
I quite agree with you that Sarah Palin has certainly energized the GOP, and Republican voters undoubtedly like McCain a lot more now than they did before he picked Palin as his running mate. The question is, does the American people as a whole like McCain better now than they did during the primaries? During the primaries McCain had to persuade the Republican base to vote for him, but now he has to persuade the independents to come out in force to support him. And he has chosen to play this game of persuasion of the undecided by becoming ever more uncompromisingly conservative.
You say that Obama is very far left. This is so staggeringly different from my own view of Obama that I find it meaningless to try to discuss this question with you. You and I will simply have to agree to disagree. Whether or not the American people as a whole agrees with your assessment of Obama is something we will know on November the fifth.
Ann
