Comments on: Did John McCain kill the House in November of 2018?

By: om

om — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 19:13:11 +0000

GerryR is a long winded concern troll. He/she/it/they is telling all about dire consequences (a scarecrow) that no one else can see, but is so gracious to ‘splain it to the deplorables who somehow can read Neo’s blog.

By: neo

neo — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 18:30:08 +0000

GerryR:

You’re at the wrong blog.

This blog has talked a great deal about Trump’s flaws, and most of the people here are not big Trump fans and are well aware of the problems, and worried about their effect on the electorate.

Before you characterize a blog you should learn something about its history and perspective.

This blog has beat to death the idea that Trump turns a lot of people off. It doesn’t need to be said anymore, and certainly not often or in every single post on the subject of elections; it’s understood and a given.

He turns off a lot of people here. He’s done some good things as president, but unless you’re already on the right they don’t necessarily appeal to you, and the GOP doesn’t really know how to capitalize on them.

By: AesopFan

AesopFan — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 17:23:40 +0000

“Democrats are making headway in key states that were reliably Republican. Ignoring the downside of Trump and not dealing with it will have consequences. Problem is that the base doesnt want to hear any of this. A blog that relies on those readers risks losing them if they ‘splain to them what they need to hear and deal with” – GerryR

Dear NewNeo,
It is pretty obvious this is a new commenter here, since this blog most emphatically does not rely on the Trump base and has no problem explaining things "those readers" don't want to hear and deal with.
However, he does make a good point, and it's even been addressed here, which is that the GOP really hasn't come to grips with why Trump even has a base, and what the party as a whole needs to do to better serve the expressed majority wishes of the country, which the courts (Dem appointees mostly but not exclusively) and legislators (McCain is egregious for purporting to support and then back-handing them) and some governors & presidents have ignored or actively thwarted.

By: GerryR

GerryR — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 14:35:31 +0000

AssistedVillage there are all kinds of issues but they are less impact than Trump has on a daily basis. What of any of issues the GOP are delivering on is getting out there beyond the daily Trump drama. The Democrats are going to figure out a better strategy maybe by 2020. 2018 midterm is an indicator that Trump is turning off voters and Democrats are making headway in key states that were reliably Republican. Ignoring the downside of Trump and not dealing with it will have consequences. Problem is that the base doesnt want to hear any of this. A blog that relies on those readers risks losing them if they ‘splain to them what they need to hear and deal with. Elections are won by coalitions. Where is the coalition building from Trump. Or is that too much ‘splainin.

By: GerryR

GerryR — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 14:15:09 +0000

NewNeo. Part of the issue is what you choose not to address just like your concern about what the MSM choose not to cover and what you focus on instead. After the election your two posts about why the midterms turned out to be close is this one about McCain and his Obamacare vote and an earlier one that people are still influenced by the MSM even though they dont trust them. Not much about how Trumps behavior itself is a driver of motivations to vote against the GOP except that his good traits are not transferable. Pandering to the base and gaslighting Democrats is not a foundation for future wins. This election and 2016 shows that it barely works as long as the Democrats dont have their own act together and take the bait. These close races in key states are a demonstration that if the Democrats do get it together in 2020 instead of overreacting to Trump we will find that the GOP and Trump have nothing built to last. People are tiring of this daily drama especially those who swing their vote.

By: Art Deco

Art Deco — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 21:39:01 +0000

Art Deco–One of the articles I found that did go into some detail on Carol and her accident was an article in the “Free Republic” which quotes Carol McCain as saying, ” My accident is well recorded. I had 23 operations, I am five inches shorter than I used to be and I was in hospital for six months. ”

Fair enough. Now look at that picture. It’s a reasonable inference she colors her hair. That aside, she looks fine for a woman of 70. Here she is in 1973:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1&biw=1256&bih=671&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=YkPrW52WDuOG5wL1-4PgDA&q=carol+mccain+&oq=carol+mccain+&gs_l=img.3..0l8.7833.7833..8271…0.0..0.79.79.1……1….1..gws-wiz-img.2UCSDxau7dk#imgrc=vhkXbJvNrLufAM:

She isn’t disfigured.

By: Assistant Village Idiot

Assistant Village Idiot — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 19:10:55 +0000

@ GerryR “This article blog barely addresses Trump’s impact…”

What neo said. Your comment does not address demographic changes, voter fraud, immigration issues, the national debt, or improved hamster care as causes of the loss of the House. You seem to want to tell us that Trump is a jerk and we should just focus on that, because somehow we have never heard that rumor and need you to ‘splain it to us. Sorry that other subjects are off limits.

A bit of advice: when you visit a site, don’t automatically assume you are the smartest person there.

By: neo

neo — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 18:45:21 +0000

GerryR:

You probably are not a regular reader here; sounds as though you’re not, although of course I don’t know. But if I tried to be completely comprehensive in each post and cover everything relevant, I’d never have a moment of time to myself, and might manage to cover one topic a day, if that. However, I certainly have written about Trump’s ways of turning people off, many times. Many many times.

It’s not an either/or situation. There are many factors that have played into the GOP loss this election. This article is not meant to be a full analysis of what they might have been. It is meant to deal with the question of McCain’s role regarding Obamacare and how it might have affected the election.

By: GerryR

GerryR — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 18:26:52 +0000

This blog is an interesting read but it is representative of why many midterm races that should be solidly GOP are not. This article leads with a question that leaves the “maybe” answer buried and shifts to discussing the failure of the GOP to fulfill their promise on Obamacare. It doesn’t say how much this was a decisive issue with voters. And it doesn’t talk about Trump’s own role in motivating opposition and turning off swing voters. Weigh the three. McCain’s no vote. GOP’s failure to have a follow up plan on Obamacare or any real plan at all. Trump’s own provocative approach that creates an over the top reaction. It plays well to his base. But it repels the people beyond his base. Who has the bully pulpit and has the most potential impact on swing voters. The only saving grace is that the Democrats have been just as repellent to motivate enough reluctant GOP voters to step up. This article blog barely addresses Trump’s impact, but focuses on a myriad other things. Okay if you want to cater to a base who have already bought into McCain=RINO or Democrats=Evil. Not helpful in setting the discussion towards how the GOP needs to do X to win in the long term. It just blows air on those embers already hot with the base.

By: Snow on Pine

Snow on Pine — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 16:14:23 +0000

See http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2027933/posts