General
McCain and Lieberman BFF
Filed under: John McCain, 2008 President
When McCain needed a quick reminder in Jordan last week on how to characterize Islamic radicals in Iraq receiving aid from Iran, Lieberman was there to whisper into his colleague's ear. A day later in Israel, the Connecticut senator proved equally helpful, stepping in to help McCain clarify the meaning of the Jewish holiday of Purim.
Whether wearing yarmulkes together amid the throngs at Jerusalem's Wailing Wall, meeting reporters outside 10 Downing Street in London or sporting matching suit-and-sweater combos at a snowy New Hampshire town hall meeting, the two have been nearly inseparable since Lieberman endorsed McCain last December.
In 2000, the Bush strategy was 50+1; get all of the Republican Support and enough independents to win. The traditional method. That strategy was nearly disastrous when Bush barely squeaked by the thinnest of thin margins. In 2004, Karl Rove did something new, and decided to get more Republican voters to the polls using focused technology and effort at the precinct level. The result, as we know, was a much more comfortable margin.
So it's interesting that McCain appears to be going back to winning the independents as a strategy. That it is his strategy should be apparent to everyone now. He's running around with Lieberman, and other moderate Republicans (like Lindsey Graham) and targeting latino voters.
This is not 50+1, this is more like 45+10. McCain is clearly trying to make up for any falloff of general Republican enthusiasm for his candidacy by scoring with moderates and independents. Against Hillary, this might work, but against Obamania? Let's just say I have very severe doubts.
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