Arklatex
06-17-2008, 11:43 AM
Awesome article out in the Economist! Very well known and respected magazine.
http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11565382
JOHN MCCAIN clinched the presidential nomination of the Republican Party long ago, but only last week, on Thursday June 12th, did his last remaining rival bow out. On that day Ron Paul, a libertarian Republican who had opposed the Iraq war, finally called off his own run for the presidency. But Mr Paul and the voters he excited with his small-government message are not yet out of Mr McCain’s hair.
Long after Mr McCain mathematically clinched the nomination significant numbers of Mr Paul’s supporters continued to show up at primaries: he won 14% of the vote in New Mexico, and 17% in South Dakota, on June 3rd. Mr Paul’s book, “The Revolution: A Manifesto”, has become a surprise bestseller, suggesting that he has hit a nerve among some Republicans. And, troubling for Mr McCain, Mr Paul has declined to endorse his rival, preferring to say nice things about Bob Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia, who has become the small Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate.
Click here to find out more!
It does not help Mr McCain that the Republican brand is, for now, unloved. The president remains unpopular—his approval rating is one of the lowest since modern polling began. Just 16% of those polled say that the country is on the right track. Those calling themselves Democrats outnumber Republicans by 37% to 28%.
The Libertarians are likely to have a marginal influence in November’s election. But Mr Barr could possibly be a factor in some Republican states. In North Carolina, for example, two polls with Mr Barr included have shown that Barack Obama, the Democrats’ candidate, is now just two or three points behind Mr McCain. The state went to Mr Bush by 12 points in 2004. Mr Barr could also cause headaches in the libertarian western states already sliding from red to purple.
:D
http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11565382
JOHN MCCAIN clinched the presidential nomination of the Republican Party long ago, but only last week, on Thursday June 12th, did his last remaining rival bow out. On that day Ron Paul, a libertarian Republican who had opposed the Iraq war, finally called off his own run for the presidency. But Mr Paul and the voters he excited with his small-government message are not yet out of Mr McCain’s hair.
Long after Mr McCain mathematically clinched the nomination significant numbers of Mr Paul’s supporters continued to show up at primaries: he won 14% of the vote in New Mexico, and 17% in South Dakota, on June 3rd. Mr Paul’s book, “The Revolution: A Manifesto”, has become a surprise bestseller, suggesting that he has hit a nerve among some Republicans. And, troubling for Mr McCain, Mr Paul has declined to endorse his rival, preferring to say nice things about Bob Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia, who has become the small Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate.
Click here to find out more!
It does not help Mr McCain that the Republican brand is, for now, unloved. The president remains unpopular—his approval rating is one of the lowest since modern polling began. Just 16% of those polled say that the country is on the right track. Those calling themselves Democrats outnumber Republicans by 37% to 28%.
The Libertarians are likely to have a marginal influence in November’s election. But Mr Barr could possibly be a factor in some Republican states. In North Carolina, for example, two polls with Mr Barr included have shown that Barack Obama, the Democrats’ candidate, is now just two or three points behind Mr McCain. The state went to Mr Bush by 12 points in 2004. Mr Barr could also cause headaches in the libertarian western states already sliding from red to purple.
:D