Looking Back at the Campaign

Just a couple of footnotes as the campaign comes to an end:

1. The first time Barack Obama was ever mentioned on this blog was June 22, 2005 in an article that referred to his Dem convention speech. Since then his name has been mentioned in 1,251 posts.


2. The first time John McCain was ever mentioned on this blog was October 29, 2004 in an article that talked about him campaigning for President Bush in Florida. Since then his name has been mentioned in 910 posts.


3. If there's one word I would use as a conservative blogger to describe this campaign it's "hate". People who disagreed with me on the presidential campaign or on things like Prop 8 in California didn't just have a philosophical or political disagreement with me, they hated me (and said so in no uncertain terms). I'm having a hard time imaging those same people voting for Obama because he's going to unify America. Fat chance.


4. I started out this campaign rooting for Rudy Giuliani. I thought in a dangerous world he'd be the kind of guy I'd like to have in charge. I'd still like to see him as the nominee. I didn't think Mitt Romney could win because of the Mormon thing, I never took Mike Huckabee seriously as a candidate, and I really didn't like John McCain. I didn't like McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy, the Gang of 14, opposition to tax cuts and his immigration policy. I still don't, but he's so clearly a better alternative than Obama, I have to vote for him. Fred Thompson came along last summer and I really like him. Still do, but he just didn't seem to have the fire inside to really go for it. Too bad.


5. If McCain wins or even comes close, he can thank Sarah Palin. She did what McCain could not - she energized the conservative base and made Republicans want to get out and support the ticket. She has a bright future in national party leadership.


6. I never thought Obama would beat Hillary Clinton. I'm still amazed by that. Given the political skills, experience and contacts of the Clintons, they should have won going away. Hillary's only chance now depends on an Obama loss.
7. I predicted back in the early part of the year that Barack Obama would beat anybody the GOP put up. I hope I'm wrong.