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

[SEQUOIABISON]

Now is when the McCain folks start getting dangerous and go into Kamikaze mode.

They know they are losing and see the polls trending Obama's way so here comes the bombardment of negative ads, they are desperate and desperate people do desperate things.

Stay cool Obama people and keep hitting McCain hard on the Economy he is staggering but the ole POW may still have a last rally in him and some poisonous venom left to still do some damage? Be careful when handling these deadly vipers.

Obama/Biden

[bogues]

You are so right. There is no low that they will not sink to. We have to stay on top of the lies and unfair comments and correct them with the facts. Donate as much as we can and do not believe the lies.

[pomawg]

DONATE NOW:

http://www.barackobama.com

[KennaP]

the writings on the wall. mc pulled out of mich and we're now tied here in MO--red states starting to turn blue--in his heart, he knows he's lost--it doesnt matter how well she may exceeded the low expectations. the bottom line is he did go for the narrative and can only energize the group of people who would have voted for him anyway.

[mervr1]

Can anyone imagine this woman in front of other world leaders giving a speech, winking and speaking Folksy...A­nyone who is our enemy would really try and take us out for being stupid in electing her. Our credibility in the world is already in the toilet, think of what it would be then...Ful­l of soft brown squishy stuff.

[lgmurphy]

Let's give her credit: she hit every talking point. Other than that she said nothing...­..wink! I kept thinking about her days as a weather person. Some clouds, a little rain.....a­nd then SUNSHINE, wink, wink!

[applespider]

That's what I kept thinking, too!

"And now, to find out what's going on out there, let's turn to Channel 6 Accuweather Specialist, Sarah Palin...Sa­rah?"

"Doggone it, Joe, thanks! We're looking at a mavericky weekend once this low pressure system moves out mid-morning. Wouldn't ya know, we're all gonna need sunscreen Saturday at the kids' soccer game!"

[arvay]

This plays like a classic case of encouraging overconfidence in your opponents.

The last thing we need is for lots of Obama supporters to conclude that he will win easily and stay home on election day.

We need to act as though the outcome is in serious doubt.

[rock2casbah]

We don't actually listen to anything a republican operative says. We have over 8 years of training in that skill.

[Kerris]

I would be this confident as an Obama supporter, except for two things:

1) The so-called 6% Effect: where 6% more whites say on the day before the election they will vote for the black candidate, but then on election day those 6% crucial votes disappear.

2) Republican voter-fraud trickery: it's already starting with blacks without passports being struck off the voting register in one state, and anyone with a similar name as a convicted felon being challenged to prove they are not a felon themselves or lose the vote going on in another state... the games have begun.

Even if Obama "wins" he has to win big enough to avoid losing because of the effect racism and underhanded GOP tricks have on election day.

I am voting, I am praying, but I am not holding my breath.

[NamelessGenXer]

Donated another $100 this morning. Heading down to the local call center later today (and tomorrow). Lurking freepers: what have you done for your candidate lately?

[cobraxus]

remind people that voting for Obama on election day is like punching the entire Republican party in its fat ugly face.

[biglover]

Anyone with an ounce of brains could not have seen her performance as anything but pathetic. I am amazed anyone thought she did well. She was incoherent, her answers went on and on and on and the words werent even in the right order.

She was well programmed and spit out talking points but WHTF? was the rest of the chatter and prattle? She is a barracuda I will give that to her.

[loax]

If she is concerned about education, she should go back to school herself. her diction is that of a third grader. Her folksy charm is non existant. She reminds me of a circling shark, but with no teeth. Her non answers and robotic responses, refusal to go by debate rules was wrong. If she winked at me one more time, I was going to slap my TV!

[RickO]

I had the same reaction. It was patronizing, bracing and even offensive in a way. All I heard from her was blah blah blah. We can't afford this rube in the whitehouse.

[AliLiz]

If I hear another 'gottch', 'betcha',' how are ya', 'for ya' I will scream 'no....'

Is anyone else out there annoyed with this lingo? What am I missing? I wouldn't want Palin for PTA president.

[DamianG]

I with "ya"

[applespider]

Whatcha talkin' about, AliLiz? It's so doggone endearing, dontchaknow!

Pffff.

[joeyiscuban]

why are republican women better looking than democratic women

[takenote]

I have the opposite experience

[packerfans]

They can afford more face lifts.

[dutch163]

gee, that's important.­.
now why would we bring that up?
shallow?

[StephenDedalus82]

Why are republican women dumber than democratic women?

[RJII]

she performed 190% better then I expected..­.and she still stunk royal.

[takenote]

She is the head of OPERATION: QUESTION EVASION

[MittRomney]

John McCain should have picked me.

We need wisdom, not compulsiveness.

[lunadove]

Hang in there...
If the polls show the voters did not like her her "performance"
and she has another interview full of gaffes,
you may well still get the job!!
Good Luck!

[mom2sons]

That's what my sister said, he could have picked me. At least I would have been able to answer some questions. LOL

[planetjeffy]

Don't just jabber away - go to barackobama.com and give at least $25. We cannot afford 4 more years and I do not want to have to listen to Aunt Sarah ever again after Nov 5th.

[anopenmind]

You're right "We can't afford 4 more years of the same - Donate to Barack and Joe
https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/standardvidbottom?source=mainnav

[QuinnIsIrish]

I donated tonight.

[FloridaShutterBug]

Amen! I made my donation as soon as soon as the debate ended. We can't afford to leave this one to others - we *are* the others. This is our chance to turn our country around and I don't think we'll have this chance again.

Obama/Biden/America '08

[silentreader]

Keep it going, guys! Still a lot of work to do. This must be an electoral LANDSLIDE - nothing short of that will do (1. b/c they will try to steal it and we need a cushion, 2. we need to send a resounding message to the world that the majority of us are still sane and that this is still the greatest country on earth)

I want to beat them so bad, they will have to retire the Republican name. Seriously, when they have a serious chance 8 years from now, I want them to have to come back with a new Party name because we put the final nail in the coffin of the tainted Republican brand. Maybe they can revive the Bull Moose Party name!

[DamianG]

I feel the same way.

[wazzucoug]

Now that we have them on the ground we cannot let them up! We've got to keep squeezing until there's absolutely no life left. When it's all done, may they rest in hell!

[ColinSF]

Well put!