Not about the issues? Really?

Question

“This election is not about issues,” [McCain campaign manager Rick Davis] said. “This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates.”

Is he serious? This election isn't about which candidate has a better ability to resolve our issues? I think we already have a pretty good idea of what these guys look like compositely, and, for most of us, that fundamentally includes an understanding of their stance(s) on the issues. How can anyone in their right mind, especially someone that close to the candidate, possibly suggest something as such? How is it that they, thus far, won't even deign to bring up the issues crippling our country?

I almost feel like he just called us cattle looking for the greenest, prettiest grass. Thoughts, anyone?

full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080903/pl_politico/20552

Answer 1

mccain and palin are delusional.

Answer 2

He's hoping that it's not about the issues then McCain's theory that women will vote for him because he has a female VP will work!  Sorry folks - the woman in this country are not stupid!

Answer 3

The Republican Party has banked on American ignorance for quite a while and now that they've completely screwed things up, they are hoping the ignorance continues so that they may continue to rape this great nation.  Don't be fooled by their arrogance...take our Country back from these weasels and vote for OBAMA!

Answer 4

well good for you i think you figured it out and you dont even realize it. read davis' statement again and you will hopefully see that he is simply stating that this election is not about what it should be and that is the issues instead the campaigns and left wingers are trying to take away from  mccains and palins accomplishments by focusing on nonissues.

get it now?

Answer 5

Oh it's about issues, but less than most are willing to admit. It's more about how much "magic" a candidate has, according to voters' perceptions. I seriously think that many people in this country expect the president to be able to wave a magic wand and make the problems all go away.  I don't buy that from either party.

You want to know the real problem with American's? We are spoiled.  Seriously, I live in one of the poorest areas of the country and it is nothing, I repeat, NOTHING, like the poverty that most of the world lives in.  Take a trip to Haiti or some similar country and you see what I mean.  It changes you.  America is in the "economic" crisis it is in because we have to have everything without regards to fiscal repsonsibilty.  I live and work (in a school no less) around poverty all the time.   No one can fix it until we fix our mentality as a country:

I have a good friend that is a teacher and cares for a wife and 5 kids on around $32,000 a year and never complains....he lives within his means.  He has a house he can afford.  He drives cars that he can pay for (and has paid for).  They have no debt except their house.  He is frugal and values the important things in life.  Most of teh rest of us are caught up in rampant materialism and "me-first" attitude.  

You want to fix America....stop trusting in "messianic" politicians to do it and make a difference for your family and community with whatever you have to offer...regardless fo how small it is.  I once heard about this pretty compassionate guy that fed a lot of people with just some fishes and loaves ;).

Answer 6

I read the article and, initially, I thought it was outrageous; then, reality set in and the fact of the matter is presidential elections are rarely about the issues.  Bush was elected in 2000, not because of Bill Clinton or because of the issue - we had a surplus, there was relative peace, the working and middle classes were doing well, etc. - but because he has more personality than Al Gore.  Gore has come a long way from the robotic person he was in 2000 and Bush seemed like someone you'd want to sit down and have a beer with.  Personality is what kept Ron Paul who embodies the ideals that republicans profess to stand for (with the exception of his stance on Iraq) from being the nominee.  Personality is part of the reason why Sarah Palin is on the ticket.  Sure, she's uber conservative and that satisfys McCains base who felt he wasn't conservative enough but she's also charismatic enough to challenge Obama in that arena.  

Sadly, most people are cows.  The fact that anyone thinks that either candidate can really be a savior is proof enough of that.  The fact of the matter is whoever is in the White House is going to spend at LEAST 4 years cleaning up the mess that Bush left behind as every candidate has to deal with the fall out that his predecessor left behind.  

Answer 7

It's a shame to admit it, but he's right.

If this election were about "issues", Obama would not have been nominated because he has no idea how to make decisions and deal with issues of importance, because he has no political or military experience. He talks a great game but he has nothing to support that he can come through on a single one of his campaign promises.

I read a poll last week that said (when asked) 20% of the blacks polled stated they were voting for Obama simply because he was black (personally, I believe that number to be extremely low, maybe more like 80%)... is that voting on "the issues"?

I know all politicians lie; that comes with the territory, but Obama's outlandish claims are so unrealistic that the guy is delusional.

Yet he has people swooning over his every word.

These people aren't voting on "issues", they're voting on his charisma, his personality, his demeanor, that he might become America's first "black" President (even though he's only half-black), etc.

People are ignoring reality and focusing on "image".

If you boil away all the B.S., the guy truly is the "empty suit" the press has labeled him.

Nice guy, probably a great human being, but far from Presidential material.