McCain's Rough Night Overshadowed By Clinton's

As the battle over Indiana progressed between Sens Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton late Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, a set of depressing polls numbers were finalized for John McCain.

In the GOP primaries in North Carolina and Indiana, the basically uncontested Republican nominee did not gain more than 80 percent of the vote.

In Indiana, McCain earned the backing of 78 percent of Republican primary voters, with exited candidates Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney gaining 10 percent and five percent respectively. Congressman Ron Paul, who is still in the race, has received seven percent of the vote.

The numbers were even worse in North Carolina, where McCain won 74 percent of the vote, with Huckabee earning 12 percent, Paul earning seven percent, and four percent of Republican primary goers simply voting "no preference."

None of these totals, to be sure, will affect the Arizona Republican's almost certain path to the nomination. But it has been more than two months now since McCain became the presumptive GOP candidate, and in each state election since he achieved that measure he has continued to lose a relatively substantial chunk of Republican support. In Pennsylvania, for example, McCain won 73 percent of the vote, with Paul pulling in 16 and Huckabee 11.

The troubling figures, however, may be the popular vote totals - individuals who McCain will theoretically have to woo back into his good graces. In North Carolina more than 105,000 Republicans did not vote for McCain. And in Indiana, 85,000 voters - whether they were Republican, Democrat or Independent - cast their ballots for someone other than the Arizona Republican.

The totals reflect roughly 90+ percent of the totals reported in each state, and will likely change, but not by much.

Comments

[Nyland8]

The message McBatty is being sent is no different than the message they were all sent in the 2006 election cycle - GET OUT OF IRAQ NOW.

To not have gotten that message makes McMadman seem even battier than he usually does. The "conservatives" really don't like him and a huge segment of the Republican base still have enough memory left to recall that back in '00, he was Karl Rove's bitch. So if he couldn't even beat Bush in the primary, by what virtue does he belong on the top of the ticket now?

McCrazy should be easy to defeat for Obama come November. It is our race to lose.

8

[beachykeen02]

Everyone start thinking about what conservatives hate: They hate blacks. They hate the poor. They hate welfare. They hate univeral health care. They hate middle class getting a tax break. They hate gays. They hate anyoneone against the war. They hate almost everyone on this earth except themselves.

All we have to do is run us against the uber-rich, ultra right-wing. We can draw in the independent votes. Let's expose the radical right for what it is! Did anyone listen to Fox, and how they described the working-class voters as LOWER CLASS???? No matter who gets the dem nomination, we need to AMPLIFY the REAL views of the rabid right...

[Researchguy66]

I thought those people were "ignorant, racist trailer-trash". Oh, wait, I get it...you have to PRETEND to care about what they think...go­od strategy.

[elbzee]

What they REALLY hate is ANYONE WHO MIGHT TAKE THEIR MONEY! This includes social programs and taxes. Any conversation I have with republicans includes the phrase "they want MY money!" Of course, they associate blacks with the poor. Therefore, they believe all to be sucking off the teat of welfare which ULTIMATELY TAKES THEIR MONEY! It's money. Greed. Simple gluttony. (Does the phrase "root of all evil" ring any bells?)

[luckyoldson]

I'm certainly not for McCain, I'll vote for Obama or Hillary, but...and this is off topic...an­other headline on Huffington reads as follows: "LA Times Corroborates Arianna's McCain-Bush Report."

Where in that article is there an L.A. Times' "corroboration" of anything Arianna says she heard...ot­her than an "anonymous source" who won't give their name??

I have no reason to doubt Arianna, but running headlines saying something that is not true does nothing for her site's credibility.

[BigLib]

She has a book to sell.

and as for "reason to doubt" Arianna, there's still that charge of plagirism "settled out of court".

[Nyland8]

I read the article and it says this:

"Another woman who attended the 2001 dinner said Tuesday that Cindy McCain had told her she could not bring herself to vote for Bush. The source said she did not want to be identified, so as not to alienate the McCains"

Anonymous sources have always been used by the press to substantiate claims and assertions by others and this is a perfectly legitimate example of corroboration. The paper confirmed, to it's own satisfaction, that Arianna's assertions were true, and the person who corroborated asked not to be identified. The headline is accurate. So ... what's the problem?

Do you recall the Watergate scandal?

Does "Deep Throat" ring a bell?

8

[luckyoldson]

So you think a headline that says a major newspaper that provides a second-hand account via someone who refuses to identify themselves­..."corrob­orates" something Arianna says she heard?

Get real.

[monty]

LOL! McBush is too "liberal" for all these right-wing wackjobs? That's pretty funny. But, they will believe whatever you tell them, so, keep telling them McBush is really a Progressive Liberal.

[aaronburr]

Gee, what a brilliant analysis. Of course, it couldn't be possible that since McCain has the nomination completely locked up a lot of his supporters just stayed home while the protesting fringe turned out for one last shot. Of course not.

[luckyoldson]

Well, it does seem a tad strange that people would literally go to the polls to cast ballots for people who aren't even a possible nominee...­opposed to showing support for Mr. McCain...w­ouldn't you say??

And if his supporters are too lazy to get up off their asses to cast a vote for the man...does­n't that tell you something about how strong his support really is?

[poco767]

"Well, it does seem a tad strange that people would literally go to the polls to cast ballots for people who aren't even a possible nominee"
Apparently not if you are an Indiana or North Carolina democrat.

[DFL]

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF REPUBLICANS, MILLIONAIRES AND GULLABLE SUCKERS.

[ChibiOne]

Yeah, it must really suck to be on that bandwagon and not getting any benefits. But, as Sinclair Lewis said, "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, and carrying a cross." Also Mussolini, "Fascism could more accurately be called Corporatis­m."

[cariintexas]

The irony of the entire Mc Cain campaign is that they continue to run around, convinced that the Democrats will be so angry because "their candidate" did not win the nomination that Democrats will run in droves over to Mc Cain. Well I say let them keep on believing that it's stinkin thinkin. What does that say about Mc Cain's support among Repubs. Another thing, Allen Keys will be running in the fall against Mc Cain and Barack however any votes he gets will be from Mc Cain.

[GOP4MoreTears]

Just further proves my point that 20% of the Republican'ts base are morons.

[TocinoHumano]

Are you sure that number is right? I thought it was 20% AREN'T morons.

Or as they temselves spell it,

http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/n/U/moran.jpg

[TXfemmom]

McCain is a detestable slug, but when the Republicans get into steam with their hammering at Obama, and God only knows that there is much in his background to slam him with or to twist to their advantage, there may be a good many people who will hold their nose and vote for McCain.

I'll vote the Democratic nominee, but I shall have to hold my nose to do it, and the viciousness of the pro Obama people against Clinton, especially now, is not the stuff one wants to hear from A UNITER.

[monty]

Funny that you think Obama was more vicious that Clinton. You must be watching CNN or FOX.

[VillyVal]

That, or reading HuffingtonPost comments.

[Darsan54]

You're calling this primary race vicious !?! Puhleeeeeeeeeeeeeze ! Democrats will unite behind our nominee. The country needs it.

[BlackLeatherRain]

Having worked the polls in NC last night, I can say that there were many UNAs saying that they were Republicans, but changed to unaffiliated because, they "(weren't) gonna vote for that Republican candidate," so they participated in the Democratic primary, instead. Others made it as clear as they could that they registered as UNA specifically to vote in the Democratic primary, although they plan to vote Republican in the Fall.

It seems as if the "fed up with the system" Republicans are just as active as the Operation Chaos Republicans.

[hoopesaz]

I would completely agree. I fit into the former of the two.

[situationcritical]

detest.

[carray]

Hello...Ea­rth to you RePugnicans(or Dems?) saying this doesn't matter:
it does matter as it sends the Get Out Please party a message:McCain was the best candidate we had and he still is undesirable to those few RePugs who actually think!

If people went out of their way driving to a primary in an already decided campaign it means they are seriously dissatisfied with this monkey,er McBush.(Ge­e, if only the gas tax holiday was in place they would have saved 45 cents or so...total­ly arbitrary /sarcastic estimate, but ya gotta point things like that out to RePugs>sad but true!)

[FirstShirt]

Ah yes, but there was the joy of voting in the democratic primaries. Kind of like slumming.

[TocinoHumano]

Ah yes, the last rasping gasps of conservative America, as it wheezes and coughs up blood.

Where are you guys now, around 25% of the population and dropping? And your punk-ass bitch, Limbaugh, couldn't even keep McCain from getting the GOP nomination. He had a less than negligible effect on your primaries, yet you think he's somehow affecting the outcome of the Democratic primaries? Dream on, turkey.

And remember in the early primaries how, even in the states she lost, Hillary Clinton drew more voters than ALL of the Republican candidates COMBINED.? This is a woman that even a lot of Dems dislike, yet she did better than the sum total of ALL your candidates. Looks like the writing is on the wall.

Enjoy your childish pranks now, because America is waking up and you guys are finished. You're going to be having a lot less fun a year from now.

I'd like to say to you and all of your fellow conservatives that it has been nice knowing you, but it hasn't. Good riddance to the lot of you and your 19th-century worldview.

[barackobama4prez]

personally i think huckabee was the best repub candidate they had to offer. but even huckabee would lose. this is the democrats time.

[transendentilist]

Huckabee? Are you nuts? You want to live in a theocracy???

[bikerdude]

McCain/Huc­kleberry..­.McCain will bomb, bomb, bomb you and Huckles will pray for your sorry soul...
Now that is a sick combination. A militarist and a theocrat..­.

[Amidoinitrite]

Doesn't surprise me. Both of my parents have been staunch republicans for years (My father even has a republican party award signed by and with a photo of him and Senior Bush among others). They absolutely detest McCain and everything he stands for. I believe the term they used was "Disgusted", to be more correct.

[situationcritical]

Yeah, but what they attest in him are things that they mistakenly believe are liberal qualities. This means your parents are pretty right of right wing.

[Amidoinitrite]

Actually, what they detest in him (they are -my- parents after all and I would know what they detest), is his silly economic plan that involves borrowing huge amounts of money and then cutting the way the Govt. pays back it's debts, his ineptitude on subjects involving the middle east, his rampant flip-floppery, his admittion that he's not an economic expert, his association with the bush administration, Karl rove being one of his campaign advisors..­.The list continues.

They don't hate him for "Liberal Qualities". They are disgusted with him for his, and I quote, "inability to show he isn't mentally handicapped".

I just thought you might want the heads up on all of that so you can better understand some of the right wing. I didn't realize you were in communication with my parents, because in the post above I didn't state any of the reasons they were disgusted with him. I have no idea where you got Liberal Qualities other than his history of not being able to stop pandering and make his mind up.

[gevan]

Maybe those Republicans who didn't want to burn some of their precious $3.50 per gallon gas to drive to the polls in a basically meaningless contest now will find it in their hearts to risk financial ruin to get out of the house and exercise their civic duty in the November election._­._._.or maybe not.

[FirstShirt]

While the presidential primary was moot, the congressional primaries were not. the late Julia Carson's seat was up for grabs. you may remember Julia as one of the only democrats who voted against Bill Clintons program of shipping jobs to China.