Two years after Republicans lost control of the U.S. Senate, Democrats nominate a Washington outsider for president who taps a long-tenured senator to add experience to the ticket. Meanwhile, the Republican nominee, facing voter fatigue at the end of 8 years of a Republican administration, has an uphill battle. To shake things up, he selects a running mate that had not been on the conventional wisdom radar screen. Going into the GOP convention, he’s down in the polls, but comes roaring out with the lead.
2008? No, 1988.
Now we hear that the Gallup Poll of REGISTERED voters, which just a week ago had Barry Obama and Dunkin’ Donuts Joe up by 8 pts. now has John McCain and Sarah Palin up by 3 pts. That is an 11 point bounce for McCain / Palin so far in, as I mentioned, a poll of REGISTERED voters. Narrow it down to LIKELY voters and Republicans typically tack on anywhere from 3 to 5 additional points. Factor in the Wilder effect and McCain’s lead could be even greater.
The bottom line is there is the potential for McCain / Palin in this election to have the largest margin of victory of any candidate since Bush 41 beat Mike Dukakis 55-45 twenty years ago.
UPDATE: The new USA Today / Gallup Poll (which is separate from the Gallup daily tracking poll mentioned above) has McCain / Palin up 50-46 among registered voters and 54-44 among likely voters.
Filed under: 2008 Elections, History, John McCain, National Politics, Polls, Sarah Palin, Teleprompter Barry, Virginia Politics
The rest of the story: After taking office, the Republican President, a liberal ignorant of economic fundamentals (but I repeat myself), caves in to Democrat domestic policy demands, such as tax hikes. The economy tanks, and the Republican president and his party get blamed, and end up losing to someone named Clinton in the next presidential election. The young conservative Vice President leaves Washington, political future in tatters.
Let’s hope that part of history DOESN’T repeat.
Besides, can you see Palin sitting idly by while McCain sells out? She’d probably resign and run against him in the ‘12 primary.