McCain's funk

[Rob]

As of now , indeed

And what makes you think that the situation in Iraq will be any better in two years?

Nominating an antiwar candidate doesn't ensure defeat, and nominating a prowar candidate doesn't ensure victory (see: John Kerry). The Democrats would have to be insane to take one of their best issues- the war- off the table, for the sake of appearing "tough on national security" (whatever that means).

The really gung-ho hawks that constantly bring up McGovern will never vote for any Democrat, anyway.

[Rob]

I don't but one's allowed to be optimistic aren't they?

Sure, but you're telling the Democrats to downplay their position on the war simply because of this optimism. There are other issues, of course, but Iraq is huge... and it's going to weigh down the GOP nominee.

[Rob]

After all, in 2006, anti-Iraq war as Connecticut is, it still relected Lieberman. And using that logic, does such a strong anti-Iraq war feeling nationally necessarily bode ill for McCain?

That's one way to spin it. But the only reason he was ever in any kind of danger was his support for the war. Anger at the war was so powerful that Lieberman- a national figure who had run for Vice President on the Democratic ticket- lost his own party's primary to a political novice. He then had to fight for his political life in the general.

Clearly, Iraq is no normal issue, and it will drag down the Republican nominee. Does it guarantee victory for the Democrats? Of course not. But it does greatly help them. It's rather astonishing that you won't admit this.