The Best and Worst of Campaign ‘08
By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in 2008 Election, Barack, McCain
Well, tomorrow the election comes to its end. As weary as most Americans probably are with the campaign, at least it’s provided a lot of drama and excitement. Without further adieu, I offer my list of the best and worst moments and people of Campaign ’08. Feel free to share your own.
Sorest Loser: Bill Clinton
Most Gracious Loser: Mitt Romney
Most Past His Prime: Ralph Nader
Most Annoying Figure: Rev. Jeremiah Wright
Most Over-Hyped Figure: Joe the Plumber
Most Neglected Figure: Bob Barr
Strangest Figure: Ron Paul
Most Absent Figure: The Crazy Liberal (Michael Moore, where are you??)
Best High-Wire Act: Barack Obama navigating the Rev. Wright scandal
Worst High-Wire Act: Sarah Palin trying to hide her ignorance of the Bush Doctrine
Best Scandal: John Edwards turning out to be a big ole weasel
Worst Fake Scandal: The New York Times accusing John McCain of an affair without following any journalistic standards or ethics
Best New Trend: Democracy through Web 2.0
Most Annoying New Trend: Amateur songs composed for candidates
Most Surprising Moment: the Palin pick
Biggest Mock Outrage: Obama supporters getting upset over a satirical New Yorker cover
Saddest Moment: Tim Russert’s death
Best Primary Campaign Decision: Obama organizing in the caucus states
Worst Primary Campaign Decision: Rudy Giuliani betting it all on Florida
Best General Campaign Decision: Obama forgoing public funding
Worst General Campaign Decision: McCain suspending his campaign to “work” on the bailout
This entry was posted on Monday, November 3rd, 2008 and is filed under 2008 Election, Barack, McCain. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:54 am
Wait, Best General Campaign Decision was for Obama to break his word on public funding? Really?
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:01 am
Have you forgotten “Lipstick on a pig” for fake outrage?
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:37 am
Wait worst decision … yeah i would change that to picking Palin lol. Please.
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:49 am
These are all dead on! Although I agree with Chris, Worst Campaign Decision: Picking Palin for Vice President.
I would also add:
Best Endorsement of Barack Obama: Colin Powell
Best Endorsement of John McCain: Dick Cheney
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Exiled: I based those on strategy not on what was right or wrong in a grander scheme. I’m sure you agree that Obama’s massive war chest has given him a significant advantage.
As for Palin, I know a lot of people who like Palin. I don’t know anyone who thinks suspending the campaign was a good move.
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
John McCain, apparently
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Exiled: Please provide a link for where Obama agreed to accept public funding.
November 3rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Alan–yes, it gave him a massive financial advantage at the cost of some honor, trust, and reliability. Politics as usual, in a shiny new package.
November 3rd, 2008 at 2:29 pm
[...] given you my best and worst of campaign ’08. I’ve given you my election predictions. Now, here are 7 things I personally hope to see happen [...]
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Exiled, just as McCain’s pledge to run a clean and honorable campaign was tossed overboard at the first sign of choppy water. As I’ve opined before, the decisions effectively nullified each other in terms of painting either candidate as Mr. Clean. Both items seem curious things to whine over. I’m with Romney: the whole campaign has been quite, um, presidential.
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:28 pm
This has irrked me. Obama didn’t “pledge” to accept public financing. The campaign implied they would, but never pledged.
From Ben Smith regarding communication between the two campaigns:
“A spokesman for Mr. Obama, Bill Burton, said, “We hope that each of the Republican candidates pledges to do the same. [accept public financing]. Mr. Burton added that if nominated Mr. Obama would “aggressively pursue an agreement” with whoever was his opponent.”
It’s close, but it’s no pledge. And it wasn’t from Obama himself. Also, McCain flip-flopped on public financing himself three times during the primary. Does anyone think he would have taken public money if he thought he could raise more on his own? I love it that the right is throwing private fundraising as an issue at Obama when they fought to preserve the right (and LOVED it when it was good for them). Puh-leez.
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Thanks to Mike McEachran for providing the FACTS that exiled couldn’t provide to support the lame claim he is parroting of McCain’s.
It’s always the case, where their unsupported claims get blown away by FACTS that disprove the Repub claims.
The American people are FED UP with the negative, ficitonal attack style of politics..and that is a large reason why people are supporting Obama. He is been a consistent voice of bringing people together, going back to his days in the Illinois senate.John McCain contributed as much to his poor showing by his “politics as usual” Crapola that he himself dispaaged back in 2000! What a double whammy.