Harwood: Senior GOP Congressman Says McCain Has "Basically Lost"

John Harwood of the New York Times and CNBC relays some grim news for Republicans tonight on MSNBC:

Look, I talked to a senior Republican member of Congress tonight who says he thinks the election has basically been lost over the last couple of weeks, that Republicans elsewhere in House and Senate races are also dropping, that this is looking to be a very very unfavorable election for them. So Sarah Palin can be part of the solution, if she can turn that around, stop the bleeding, whatever you want to call it, but they're in a very very difficult box right now.

Comments

[scrutiny1]

12:05 PM on 10/05/2008

John McCain is not only a continuation of Bush's policies, his choice for VP is a Bush/Cheney clone; a combination of Bush's brains and Cheney's character. We definitely do not need more of that.

[DanmaxKL]

09:47 AM on 10/05/2008

Here's a thought.... If the McPalin campaign stoop into the sewer for the home straight,as by all accounts they are staring down the barrel of gun,why wont the Obama campaign do some neg ads of its own.

There is a treasure trove of material that could be used. For example McCain sending birthday cards to Bonano crime lords, trying to intervene in the investigation of his wive's drug theft and subsequent use. Go to Politico.com( non partisan ) and one would be able to see a litany of stuff that could be used in counter attack. This is about safeguarding the undecided vote as well as other independants who might be swayed by issues of character. The Obama team have enough cash to run two ad campaigns simultaeneously: One focusing on the issues and John McCain's lack of any substantive answers to the problems that the country faces and another to undermine his 'character' . You gotta play rough at times ..if not the graveyard of failed democratic bids for the White house may be where this campaign ends up .

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE DESPERATION OF McCAIN. HE SO WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT , IT WOULD BE FUNNY AND AT THE SAME TIME PATHETIC IF THE STAKES WERE NOT SO HIGH.

FROM a worried Brit who lives in Malaysia.......

[08politicaljunkie]

05:54 PM on 10/04/2008

Oh, they're all billionaires now and headed for the Caymans. They got what they wanted

[Boadicea]

10:31 PM on 10/04/2008

It so angers me that you're right.

[deeppeace]

03:29 PM on 10/04/2008

What they do best is deceive and deflect. Don't believe for a minute that they're disillusioned.

When feral animals are cornered, they fight even more viciously.

Stay alert, stay prepared, keep up the effort, act with honor.

[mrJJ]

02:42 PM on 10/04/2008

Lost? The taxpayer Lost!

Goldman Sachs had up to $20 bln AIG risk-NY Times (Paulson protected GS with $85 B taxpayer bailout

NEW YORK, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc had as much as $20 billion at risk had the insurer American International Group Inc (AIG.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) collapsed, the New York Times said on Sunday.

Goldman was AIG's largest trading partner, the newspaper said, citing six people close to the insurer. A collapse of AIG threatened to leave a hole of as much as $20 billion in Goldman, the newspaper said, citing several of the people.

The Wall Street bank told the newspaper that it was never imperiled by AIG's troubles. Spokesman Lucas van Praag also disputed the $20 billion figure, saying it did not account for collateral and hedges that Goldman employed to reduce risk.

The AIG bailout came after the New York-based insurer saw losses spiral on credit default swaps, which are insurance contracts whose value is tied to underlying securities such as mortgages and corporate debt.

David Viniar, Goldman's chief financial officer, told analysts on Sept. 16, hours before the bailout was announced, that Goldman's exposure to AIG was immaterial.

http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN2834001720080928

[mrJJ]

02:39 PM on 10/04/2008

Squeezing blood out of a stone is a win for Republicans...

McCain Aide's Husband Headed Trade Group Lobbying on Bailout

Nancy Pfotenhauer, a senior economic adviser to McCain, has been all over the airwaves in recent days touting McCain's decision to "suspend" his campaign over the bailout. But her husband, Kurt Pfotenhauer, worked until late last year as the top lobbyist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, a trade group that in recent years downplayed fears of a housing bubble, only to be proved spectacularly wrong.

It looks there's another John McCain adviser with a personal background that doesn't exactly jibe with the candidate's recent effort to portray himself as a populist crusader for ordinary folks.

Last week in Green Bay, McCain declared: "At the center of the problem were the lobbyists, politicians, and bureaucrats who succeeded in persuading Congress and the administration to ignore the festering problems at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/mccain_advisers_husband_heads.php

[mrJJ]

02:37 PM on 10/04/2008

Lost? Successfully raiding the U$ taxpayers money isn't a loss...

Giuliani's law firm seeking bailout business 26 Sep 2008 In the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani has begun drumming up business, positioning his law firm to advise corporate clients on how to profit from the government's $700 billion bailout. Bracewell & Giuliani LLP announced it has formed a corporate task force to advise "financial institutions, private investment funds, institutional investors and other market participants" on the costly package. "Our team of former government officials and experienced attorneys in the fields of legislation, enforcement and finance are equipped to guide institutions in this quickly evolving and complex environment," Giuliani said.

[Whinger]

01:32 PM on 10/04/2008

It ain't over until the old man howls at the moon!

[breakfast]

08:30 AM on 10/04/2008

In politics, a lot can happen in 30 days. It ain't over until it's over.

And I pity the fool who wins.

[19iowa62]

01:18 PM on 10/04/2008

Current state-by-state polling electoral vote totals:

Politico – Obama 353 McCain 185
Electoral-vote.org - Obama 338 McCain 185 (15 ties)
FIVETHIRTYEIGHT - Obama 333.2 McCain 204.8
Wiki.bulsme.com - Obama 353 McCain 185

This race is a blowout by any measure.

Here is further bad news for the Republicans:

Senate: 58 Dem 42 Rep
House: 242 Dem 192 Rep 1 Tie

[Graywolf48]

10:37 AM on 10/05/2008

Ya know, ya don't wanta count your chickens before they hatch. In 2004 Kerry was doing good in the EV college thingy. Between 10/8 and 10/12 and from 10/19 to 10/21 and again on 10/31 and 11/1 Kerry was beatin' Bush pretty good. Then on 11/4 Bush took the EV lead and carried it right through til election day on 11/8. So there's a lot of volatility there. And with 30 days to rally all those Joe Six Packs (by gettin' 'em to sit up a little straighter on the couch) and those hockey moms by remindin' them that Barack's a Muslim, black supremacist that associates with crooks and radicals, this thing can still be turned 'round don'tcha know? It's the way real mavericks do!

[wookierage]

10:12 PM on 10/03/2008

this monday is the voter registration deadline in texas. about 6 of us in our little precinct are going to walk the last 400 or so houses left in our part of the world and get those people registered to vote. this is my little way of crushing the head of the republican python.

[gweedo65]

02:37 AM on 10/04/2008

Go Texans! If I lived closer to Texas I'd be over there in a heartbeat helping you out. As it is I'll be helping out in Nevada in a couple of weeks from California.

[19iowa62]

01:24 PM on 10/04/2008

In Florida, Republicans account for only 24% of registered new voters. Are there any indications that the same thing has happened in TX?

[LisaO8]

07:18 PM on 10/03/2008

Winker needs to go back to Alaska, fry up a mooseburger, have another baby, and call it a day...

[19iowa62]

01:28 PM on 10/04/2008

Sarah believes that dinosaurs and humans walked the earth at the same time. She’s out hunting T-Rex as we speak. There is nothing better than T-Rex stew, ya know.

[sonoffestus]

10:31 AM on 10/05/2008

Not anotherbaby.............the gene pool is already questionable in Alaska.

[11907281]

06:11 PM on 10/03/2008

SaPlin uses her baby like a prop.

[PeaceOnEarth62]

07:25 PM on 10/04/2008

Just like in There Will Be Blood.

[seabass]

05:32 PM on 10/03/2008

knife is in...we need to twist now...keep supporting Obama with $$$$ cause Nasty Johnny is about to come up with some really lowball things...that's his nature...foul beyond recognition. and winking sarah is not far behind, right charlie!

[Nikonicus]

04:15 PM on 10/03/2008

I think we may be witnessing the collapse of the McPalin campaign. Pulling out of Michigan, there's talk of pulling out of Pennsylvania, the afterglow of Sarah Palin has faded, the polls for Obama head north... It will be interesting to see if the collapse picks up speed as the election approaches.

Lest we get too smug, however, Obama will be inheriting a bad economy, two wars, high unemployment, a flat housing market and low consumer confidence. The task will be enormous. It's important that those of us who support him now also support him once he's in office and the "fun" of the campaign is over. That's when the real work will start.

www.nikonicus.net

[Provit2me]

04:36 PM on 10/03/2008

Bravo- I've heard that basic thought from a lot of people. It took B. Clinton 2 terms to get it solid (but we won't go there) But, yes support now, support later - let's keep it together..."O" 4 '08

[condieshoes]

03:44 PM on 10/03/2008

She's a player and she's playin' the baby to the crowds.....doncha love it!