Suncoast Pinellas News
McCain Can't Win
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Published: June 7, 2008
Now that there can be no doubt he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party, it is a certainty Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States. And just as certain is the reality that no one else who ran for the office, regardless of party, seems as capable as he does now. It is hard to imagine a set of circumstances that allow John McCain to wrestle a win from Obama.
McCain will lose for many of the same reasons that caused Hillary Clinton to miss out on her big chance to be president. No matter how hard he may run from the notion that a McCain presidency would be tantamount to "Bush's third term," the suggestion is too pervasive. It is also far too easy to prove as true to be shaken off.
It may not be his toxic association with the current administration that crushes the McCain campaign. There hardly is a week without a new verbal glitch from McCain.
From admitting to a crowd that, "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should," to a basic misunderstanding of the difference between Shiite and Sunni Muslims in Iraq. It's the death of a thousand gaffes.
McCain will need a very delicate touch when dealing head to head with Obama. McCain came off looking foolish when they tussled last.
The ridiculous plan to offer a gas-tax holiday to "help American families" was so ill conceived that it was startling that a candidate with as much experience as McCain as would advocate so strongly for it.
Obama was able to point out the clear flaws in the plan: It would save the average family $20 to $30 while emptying the coffers of the federal highway trust fund.
If John McCain runs as anemic a campaign as he has so far, Obama's win is assured.
What is less clear is if McCain can win even if he is able to fix the clear problems with his campaign.
James Hibbs is a student at the University of Florida.
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