Why was McCain defeated?

Question

This is a serious question and I would really appreciate it if people respond with mature answers. I do not care to hear why you love or hate McCain or why you love or hate Obama. Please don't bash. Be adults. Any empty responses saying "GO OBAMA!!!111" or "WE'RE SCREWED AMERICA!" will be reported. Don't be childish.

Anyway...I am personally an Obama supporter but did not have a whole lot of bad things to say about McCain...I just voted for who I thought was the right choice.

Why do you think McCain lost this election? Was he on the wrong side of history? Was it Sarah Palin? Was it his age, ties to Bush or the GOP?

Most well thought out, informed opinion gets five stars.

Answer 1

Here is my take on it. Traditionally, the next elected president is a "reaction" to the predecessor. For example, even though Clinton was a great pres, his personal life was immoral according to most Americans and therefore, Bush represented (because of his strong faith...which he learned in his rehab...sorry had to get the Bush jab in I know you wanted mature answers) "morality", so one could argue that's why he was elected. Now, Obama represents change in the unpopular presidency of GWB. He is a thinker, not a reactor. Obama is someone who the people can count on to try to work things out the right way, through peace and diplomacy, BUT also carries a tune that NO ONE better mess with the US because hes not afraid to take action. John McCain on the other hand is too closely associated with the Republican party. Don't get me wrong, I really liked McCain at the beginning of this whole thing, A LOT of people did, it's just that he started to let the competition get to him, and he let on that he had a huge temper. People associate rash decisions and tempers with Bush, and with the majority of people disapproving of Bush, McCain sort of sunk his own ship. Do I think McCain could have been good? Sure. But Obama is the direction that our country actually wants to take right now. Also, I think Sarah Palin really did in McCain, she just was so bad for his campaign, and was probably the source of a lot of his temperment throughout the end there.

Hope that was decent haha I know how many "f*** obama" things you'll get =/

Answer 2

Well the long answer.



McCain won the nomination--Why? Because he was seen as a moderate and democrats and independents voted in some of the REP primaries to give him the nomination.



this setup McCain and disenfranshised a large portion of the Conservative Base of the republican party--We did not like him professionally.



So then he went out and attacked Bush's policies--and Bush--which only further allienated the base--we just invested EIGHT years of FREEDOM in IRAQ and AFGHANISTAN and NOW are own candidate went around attacking the guy that stood his GROUND and tried to Free 50 million people.



Now--Thanks to Palin we were a little impressed. But lets face it --she was an unknown and came across in the Press as an "IDIOT" to put it polite--granted she believes the Conseravtive MANTRA--Lower taxes for all ---strong defensive. Free trade.



But her experience in general knowledge was elementary at best--I WOULD HAvE WIPED the floor with Biden in the debate.--but that is not here or there.



So what did we have--A man that attacked his own party in an effort to get moderate voters---WE SHOULD ALL LEARN- "YOU CAN'T OUT DEMOCRAT A DEMOCRAT"



and in the end--the "MODERATES" voted for OBAMA and McCain's strategy of attacking the base of his party did not work.

NOR SHOULD IT EVER!



the Conservative base needs a simple plan to regain the Republican party.



STRONG DEFENSE, Strong borders, Lower taxes for all.

Smaller government--more accountability--and less corruption.



Bush, McCain and ALL the republicans should have argued--WE ARE IN IRAQ and we will not abandon 25 million people to Radical and extremist now to fight them in the FUTURE--every chance they got--INSTEAD they ran away from Bush and left him hanging on his OWN.



They should have said--LOWER TAXES bring in MORE REVENUE.



They should have said--Government does nothing efficient--so don't trust it with your healthcare. Instead we will pass laws to make it more affordable--and do that.



These are just a few things.



But Generally--McCain ran against Bush in generally---and OBAMA was already doing that--so why would you vote for McCain.

Answer 3

McCain lost for a number of reasons.



1) The Obama camp ran an excellent campaign.

2) Obama outspent McCain by hundreds of millions of dollars.

3) McCain was not able to separate himself from bush

4) A bad economy is never good for the incumbent party.

5) and most importantly - McCain lost his way. He ran as the republican candidate but he ran on a democrats agenda. His message was erratic. He abandoned core republican values. The only thing he did right was to select Sarah Palin as VP. I know she is unpopular with democrats and centrist republicans but, she mobilized and inspired the republican base. She held true to republican values. She is the only reason this election was even close.

Answer 4

He was a moderate Republican instead of being a right-wing with a moderate VP. He alienated himself by going after the Swift Boat veterans and evangelical ministers instead of endearing himself to them.



I think Palin would have been his saving grace, had she not been pummeled by the media as some profound idiot.



I don't buy this "wrong side of history". You could be on said "wrong side of history" if Obama's change is negative and McCain would have brought positive change.



My problem is that now the Democrats have control of the Presidency, the Senate and the House. Insufficient checks and balances, there. It's frightening to think of the theivery Pelosi and her ilk are already conjuring.

Answer 5

As an outsider I would say that there were a number of reasons.

1.People have had enough of the Republican policies of the last 8 years and McCain was to close to Bush for their liking.

2.The choice of Palin as running mate showed a lack of judgement.

3.The campaign was extremely negative focusing on criticizing or trying to raise doubts about Obama.

4.McCain made a lot of promises but gave no substance about how he would fulfill those promises.

5.The people liked what Obama had to say and believed him to be the better candidate.

Answer 6

McCain sacrificed himself for the GOP. He is 72 years old and the most left of the Republican party. He did not opt out of public campaign finance and for a reason, Republicans knew this election was unwinable. What he has done is allow the GOP to attempt to regain congress allowing a younger more conservative canidate Romney, Jindal, Huckabee, Pawlenty...etc to take the presidency in 2012. After Obamas victory speech I think both parties realize not alot can be done in 1 term and the incumbent Obama will be vulnerable in 2012. Bob Dole did the samething at 73 yrs old in 96 to pave the way for G.W in 2000.

Answer 7

It was because he wasn't conservative enough. Had he stuck with true conservatism, he would have won.. He was too moderate.. He always was... Too bad to. I think he`s a good man and it was his turn. No one has given more or loved this Country more than John McCain.. He is a true patriot and a fine American. No, it wasn't Sarah Palin. She was the fire behind the campaign. She understands and stands behind the principles of conservatism and that is what we needed to win...

Answer 8

OK, but im going to get a severe amount of thumbs down here.



1. McCain was doing OK until the economy appeared. He couldn't talk about it like he wanted to because he would have seemed interventionist and lost core votes. Obama took advantage of this, using his 'just trust me' approach.



2. McCain had to have a radical right-wing VP in Palin to mobilize his core vote that was flagging. Thats why right from the beginning, Palin was appealing to the core voters by tagging Obama as a friend of terrorists a socialist and unpatriotic etc. All core voter key words. Palin was a very bad move for Undecided swing voters, she turned most of them over to Obama.



Analysis: without Palin fewer core votes more swing votes. With Palin, more core votes less swing votes. Either way it wasnt going to be enough.



3. Obama managed to mobilize a disenfranchised section of voters by appealing to them by getting them to believe in a vision of the future. He also made them believe their vote would count. Most of the nations 12% African-Americans voted with him and more than half of the Hispanics. Not because of Race but because of the vision.





This election was never about race. It was about mobilization of voters and getting the swing voters on Obama's side through good campaigning.

Answer 9

I appreciate that you want a well thought out answer, but I only have one that doesn't need a lot of thinking at all; blind hatred of President Bush.

President-elect Obama successfully connected Senator McCain to the current administration. The rest was not doing irreversible damage to the campaign.

Answer 10

I heard McCain was not philosophical enough. It was not the right timing for Palin. I think his age was a factor. The presidency can really age a person due to the stress of the job. And yes, Bush did not help.

Answer 11

I would just like to say that I don't think people should be blaming it on Sarah.

(Not in regards to you, I am an Obama supporter as well)

They knew who they were picking for VP and still did, i personally think they didn't have a campaign like Obama's. However, there are too many reasons to say.

Answer 12

Senator McCain lost because President-Elect Obama won.

Answer 13

I think a lot of it was anti-bush sentiment and Obama's charisma. His policies didn't hurt either. Most Americans also felt he would fix the economic mess.

Answer 14

Because Obama DING DONG followers thought they can change the world by jumping up and down

Answer 15

In a nutshell, it was because he was erratic. The U.S. Presidency requires steadiness at the helm.

Answer 16

1: Bush

#2: Palin

#3: The way he handled the crisis with that suspending his campaign b.s.

Answer 17

He did not get enough votes.

Answer 18

It's called voter fraud. Sponsored and paid for by BHO.

Answer 19

He ran a smear campaign, looked confused most of the time, and had no real plans or visions for the future.

Answer 20

Because that kool-aid is strong stuff.

Answer 21

CUZ PEOPLE ARE STUPID, ILL TAKE GOD AND MY GUNS YOU CAN HAVE OBAMA

Answer 22

He's old??