Steve Schmidt - If McCain wasn't nominee, Republicans would have lost Arizona

[Hawaii Hiker]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/17/steve-schmidt-mccain-camp_n_188354.html

"Had Sen. McCain not been the nominee in 2008," he said, "I am convinced we would have lost the state of Arizona"..

Some pretty candid comments by Schmidt, I think he realizes how much damage the religious right has done to his party...

[pinto]

1. McCain v Palin, in a sense.

This is fun, so soon after their resounding defeat.

[sayso7]

2. Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas = Hispanic voters

Obama pretty much has AZ, NV, NM, and CO in the bag for 2012 and if he keeps doing a good job in 2016 democrats will win in Texas. If the republicans lose the southwest they're going to have a very short lifespan.

[pnwmom]

3. Yeah, but they might have gotten some other swing state. Who knows? n/t

[SoCalDem]

4. If not Palin, Alaska could have gone for Obama too..

he made several stops there, and barring Palin being in,. the turnout might have favored Obama..

[Phx_Dem]

5. That doesn't say much for Arizonans. The state wingnuts

wouldn't vote for a more reasonable, saner and less volatile Republican, but they're all about the crazy old koot who calls them "my fellow prisoners" and picks an embicile for a running mate. Yep, that's my state.

I'm a second generation native and I love living here, mostly because "it's home," but I wish I could be proud. Sadly, there are just too many crazy wingnuts, many of whom are in my own family.

:cry:

[ClarkUSA]

6. Sounds like a green light for President Obama to go whole hog for AZ in 2012.

The coverage about ASU asinine antics can only have helped 44's standing in the state.

[mwei924]

7. Too late loser.

Where were all these "insights" when you actually had a chance to win?

[ObamaKerryDem]

8. As an Arizonan, I think this is most likely true.

I mean, we were too close to call for a couple of hours (it didn't come in until just before the election was called for the President..or was it a little after, even?) and it was still within single digits. Plus as I remember, a lot of the early voting even had Pres. Obama ahead! I think if we had a few more weeks, we might've pulled it off, but still we came much closer than we should've, for as long as McCain has been here and all. So yeah, I do think "home state advantage" played a role and if it had been someone else not from here, Obama might've just pulled it off. But hey...next time! :evilgrin:

I'm just surprised at how candid Schmidt has been recently, now that it's all over..