Why does this election seem like the 1996 Presidential election revisited?

Question

In 1996, a young, handsome, Rhodes scholar, named Bill Clinton, ran as a Democrat against an old, washed-up war hero, named Bob Dole as a Republican. Amazingly of all the young, intelligent Republicans who could have been excellent candidates, the Republicans chose a man who they knew had no chance of winning. (Note: Dole lost in a landside.)
Now it's 2008, the Democrats have a young, handsome, Harvard graduate named Barrack Obama and of all the available young, intelligent Republican possibilities to represent their party, they again choose an old, washed up, ex-military man, who is totally out of touch and never was a serious contender in previous attempts, named John McCain. McCain is disliked by his own party and never liked the sitting President Bush,which is almost unheard of in modern politics, yet here he is. (Note: If Obama was a White man, this election would be a complete landslide, but racism keeps it close.)
It seems like the Republicans are trying everything possible to lose this election, because I know for a fact, that a young, intelligent, handsome (for the women votes), White male on the Republican side would leave Obama in the dust. Why are the Republicans trying so hard to lose? It's like 1996 all over again with a twist.

Answer 1

Total commendation for an articulate piece which invites freethinkers of all hue to consider the comparisons that you make..



It is not antagonistic, but lays the facts as they are and were. I particularly enjoy the piece where a parallel is drawn between the races of the candidates.... Progress, I accept..painful and slow progress which is bringing the neanderthals into the 21st century... Excellent Question. Star for you sir.

Answer 2

Well, there are 2 important differences.



1. Clinton was the incumbent and the economy was doing pretty decently.



2. There is no Ross Perot siphoning off conservative voters this time around.



Oh, and if Obama were a white man, HRC would be the Dem nominee right now because the MSM would have backed the woman candidate vs. the white male candidate.



UPDATE: Dude, you were the one that injected race into your question. Is it any surprise we answered it that way.



There is no great indicator that youth vs. age makes a difference. Reagan beat Carter. Bush 41 beat Dukakis.



If you want to know why the GOP put up McCain, it's got more to do with him being a moderate, a Maverick and experienced.

Answer 3

More like nineteen SEVENTY six. People elected Carter because of the unpopular Nixon, and Carter ended up much worse. Well, Obama is the new Carter candidate, only worse.



Edit:

I simply LOVE how you keep playing the race card at every turn (like a typical Obama supporter) and think that people are voting against Obama only because he is black.



Also, 1996 was one of the first years of the "Republican Revolution". Clinton won only because Ross Perot took enough conservatives from Dole.

Answer 4

Personally, I think that less of America would be voting for Obama if he was 100% white. I have heard many people say that the only reason they plan on voting for Obama is because he is black, but the one thing that puzzles me the most is why everyone is convinced that Obama is black. He is not. His biological mother was a Caucasian woman, and his father was African-American. He is just as much white as he is black, so I don't see why race is mentioned by anyone.

Answer 5

John McCain lost this election when he voted yes for the bailout.



Had he stood up and said "there must be a better way"



obama would be attempting to crawl out of this in fear.







I do agree with your above premise, however. But voting against the bailout meerly aligns the old republican with the democrats, which is political suicide.

Answer 6

I like how you pulled the race card there by saying racism is keeping close. Maybe about half of America just doesn't like his policies.



Get off the racism crutch. I hope McCain wins just so half of America can say Barry lost because he is black. You always have some excuse to fall back on.

Answer 7

Who in their right mind would want to follow Bush and the total mess he's left the country to deal with? They will wait a few months and blame the Democrats for the condition of our nation!

Answer 8

I don't think the Republicans are trying so hard to lose.

It does sound like 1996 all over again.

Unfortunately, racism does keep the race close.

But that doesn't mean Obama can not win.

Answer 9

How dare you compare McCain to the great Bob Dole!



Bob was great remember his erectile dysfunction commercials!

Answer 10

You just said it, racism. That one word is what is making this election unlike any other.

Answer 11

Yeah....I wasn't exactly paying attention....but someone said it's History in the making......or something like that......

Answer 12

History was never a favorite subject among right-wingers...

Answer 13

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Answer 14

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