Obama has a way of taking problem-solving out of the context of partisan division -

And it’s playing well while the press is treating him like JFK. He’s about to hit the big leagues and will have to answer a few Yes or No questions. If he doesn’t answer “NO” to “do you favor giving illegal immigrants drivers licenses?”, he loses more than just the right. Actually, he loses everyone but the left.

There is some really intense hatred of McCain on the far right.

Not just far right. He has some big-gov’t/statist positions that doesn’t play well with the general conservative population.

The class warfare speeches certainly didn’t help, either.

She keeps saying that she wants to “solve your problems” — this is simply not what the presidency is about! I felt over and over that she was patting the public on the head, saying, “I’ll take care of that, never you mind.” Obama, on the other hand, *wants* transparent government, and has a proven history of getting it. He *wants* the people to be involved. Hillary wants neither, though she’ll pay lip service to the ideas since she sees them working for Obama.

Obama could easily beat him if he can somehow get around the illegals question, which is tricky.

Maybe not too tricky. He sees a problem with illegal immigration and will be offering solutions to it. The question is whether he can convince a large enough number of immigration voters that his solution is viable, or worth a shot. He isn’t going to get ditto-heads on board, but he may well get some of Limbaugh’s more casual audience.

Obama has a way of taking problem-solving out of the context of partisan division - which should help him substantially on the immigration front. If it stops being identity politics, the issue is a net plus for him.

It is surreal.

There is some really intense hatred of McCain on the far right. I just don’t know if some of them will be willing to hold their noses that hard.

If she gets the nod I assume that Democrats will hold their nose and vote for her just like Republicans will hold their nose and vote for McCain.

If she is the nominee, trust me when I say that Republicans will pay extra for babysitters just so they can make sure to set aside the time to vote AGAINST Hillary Clinton.

Personally, I think the illegal immigrant issue is the secret weapon that the GOP could use (although McCain, as you know, is hardly the standard bearer for conservatives on this issue) because it’s akin to Bernard Shaw asking Dukakis if he would support the death penalty should his wife be raped & murdered….for all intents & purposes, that election was over the moment he said “no”.

If someone asks Hillary or Obama if they support driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants and they don’t unequivocably say “I do not support such a measure”, then the election is over at that moment, IMO. They are both on record, btw, as supporting them. Hillary’s tried to skirt, but it will hurt her….doesn’t matter, IMO, she’ll never beat McCain. Obama could easily beat him if he can somehow get around the illegals question, which is tricky.

Buck, you can rest easy: no way the Dems lose either house. They’ll probably pick up in the senate, actually.

In the general, the swings would go for Obama if he gets the nom but will rush to McCain if Hillary is the candidate. I actually don’t think it’ll be close if Hillary gets it, actually. I think a lot of Dems realize this, as well.

My gut still tells me that it will be Hillary. If she gets the nod I assume that Democrats will hold their nose and vote for her just like Republicans will hold their nose and vote for McCain.

The big question is who will the swing voters go with?

In the interest of full disclosure I have to admit that I am rooting for the Democrats. The sole reason being that if there has ever been a political party that needs to spend about 8 years in the wilderness figuring out who they are and what they believe it is the Republicans.

They were given a once in a lifetime opportunity to run the country and proceeded to run it into the ground with unprecedented spending and a total disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law.

Maybe the Democrats will be worse but the least we can do is give them the opportunity to prove it.