How Hillary or Obama will win

If the nominee is Romney, the task will be easy. The Democrat will show off his/her vastly superior grasp of policy and highlight Romney's history of flip-flopping on key issues. Then, he/she will go in for the kill by talking about how Mitt made his money. Given that Mitt lacks the perrsonal charm and wit of the guy he wants to be compared to (Reagan), Mitt won't be able to overcome his past as a corporate raider and his lack of preparation.

If McCain is the nominee, the task will be harder. McCain is a good American, a hero and a well-respected statesman. BUT, he has a problem: the war and his stupidly hawkish stance regarding the Middle East. The Democrat will only have to do one thing: make the election into a referendum on the Iraq war. Take the focus away from McCain and put it on his position on the war and he's beaten. 100 years in Iraq? NOBODY wants that.

A good portion of the conservative base positively loathes McCain, always has and always will. They do not forgive him for the Keating 5, campaign finance reform, or amnesty for illegals. Throw those into the pot along with some sundry fringe accusations (the "black baby out of wedlock", the Manchurian Candidate thing, etc...) and you have a pretty unelectable Republican.

Hell, even Rush is trouncing him lately.

Reagan in no time flat. And repukes hate Hill even more than JMac. Hillary turns off a sizable chunk of dems, unifies repukes and turns off indies. It's a toss up.

As to Romney, the big question would be which of the two, Hillary or Romney, is the biggest flip flopper. Both are gonzo flip floppers, and they would both of them look stupid even bringing up flipping!

Hillary can explain that vote. But McCain cannot explain away his enthusiasm for the war as it stands now. McCain also cannot explain away is "100 years in Iraq" comment.

McCain would say she only changed her position on Iraq when the political winds changed and flip flopped for personal gain. SOrry, but this would hurt her even more than keeping quiet on iraq. Especially when McCain would make the point that he supported the surge, etc even when it was not the popular thing to do. game. set. match unfortunatly to McCain.

Obama is the only candidate who can make Iraq an issue. He opposed it.

If McCain is the nominee, he would pounce on Hillary on the experience issue too. I find it hard to imagine Hillary beating McCain. Hillary better pray it is Romney, so two flip floppers can cancel each other out.

I don't think the general public shares your absolutist view of the Iraq war and your apparent inability to forgive Hillary's vote in 2003. Her initial vote would be ancient history to most of them.

In the fall, if she is nominated, we'd have one candidate willing to start winding down the war. And we'd have another candidate willing to be in Iraq for 100 years, if need be. The public is on the side of getting out.

Obama is atronger on this issue for sure. But either way, McCain would be toast.