# Is McCain forked yet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 25, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604 "2008-05-25T23:58:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 52
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1021 "2008-10-07T02:35:31Z")
Yeah, why do you hate America, **Frostillicus**? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1022 "2008-10-07T02:47:34Z")
> [@bannerrefugee](#): > > This forking is taking an uncomfortably long time. Makes the meat extra tender. ---
**Author:** ![bannerrefugee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c68b51/32.png) [@bannerrefugee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bannerrefugee)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1023 "2008-10-07T02:56:13Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Makes the meat extra tender. snicker ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1024 "2008-10-07T04:16:39Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Makes the meat extra tender. A good idea, given how old, tough and gamy it is. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1025 "2008-10-07T14:11:26Z")
_National Review_ editor Rich Lowry [criticizes](http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MzRjMDk4MmVhZWFmODI2ZTg4MDIyM2NhMGNmMWI1NGU=) McCain for trying to change the subject of the campaign away from the economy and toward Obama’s realtionship with Ayers. Lowry says McCain doesn’t have a “compelling economic message”, a fault Lowry deems “madness”. Lowry criticizes McCain for a “manifest lack of interest in economic issues” and runs down examples of McCain “repeatedly [misstating] his only real tax proposal for the middle class”. Lowry hits Obama in the article as well, but he recognizes that the fork is coming down on McCain. Lowry concludes, > [@Rich Lowry](#): > > So, by all means, McCain should highlight Obama’s troubling friendships, but he has to be careful. If it’s the candidate of “change” versus the candidate of “change the subject,” he’ll lose in an electoral landslide. I’m going to be jittery about this election until late in the night of November 4. But when the conservatives start preparing themselves for defeat, it does make me feel a little better. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1026 "2008-10-07T14:21:01Z")
I’m worried about the Bush admin making an even bigger mess for Obama to clean up. I think the GOP knows they’re going to lose, and they’re going to scorch the earth behind them. Also, I think that the gap has probably widened just about all it’s going to, and will begin to narrow within a week or so, not due to anything on the part of either campaign, though. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1027 "2008-10-07T14:30:12Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > A good idea, given how old, tough and gamy it is. Now, me? Instead of a fork, I’d like to see a strong marinade break down all the protein strands… ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1028 "2008-10-07T14:49:57Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I’m going to be jittery about this election until late in the night of November 4. But when the conservatives start preparing themselves for defeat, it does make me feel a little better. Don’t be too jittery. I’m sure it will tighten up as the end nears, but I am thinking this is not going to be a squeaker. NPR this morning had highlights of republican conservatives who are voting for McCain but the connection is tenuous at best. They are not happy. To me that says that the fence sitters will break Obama, and then \*possibly \*we might get an electoral landslide. How cool. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1029 "2008-10-07T15:03:41Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > Don’t be too jittery. I’m sure it will tighten up as the end nears, but I am thinking this is not going to be a squeaker. NPR this morning had highlights of republican conservatives who are voting for McCain but the connection is tenuous at best. They are not happy. To me that says that the fence sitters will break Obama, and then \*possibly \*we might get an electoral landslide. How cool. I really hope we can pull that off. [538’s maps](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/) look promising. As of yesterday they have Obama with 343.8 electoral votes and McCain with 194.2. They give McCain an 11.5% chance of victory. Of course, anything can happen in the next months, but if McCain continues on the track he’s on now, I’m feeling cautiously optimistic. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1030 "2008-10-07T15:16:35Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > _National Review_ editor Rich Lowry [criticizes](http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MzRjMDk4MmVhZWFmODI2ZTg4MDIyM2NhMGNmMWI1NGU=) McCain for trying to change the subject of the campaign away from the economy and toward Obama’s realtionship with Ayers. Lowry says McCain doesn’t have a “compelling economic message”, a fault Lowry deems “madness”. Lowry criticizes McCain for a “manifest lack of interest in economic issues” and runs down examples of McCain “repeatedly [misstating] his only real tax proposal for the middle class”. > > Lowry hits Obama in the article as well, but he recognizes that the fork is coming down on McCain. Lowry concludes, > > I’m going to be jittery about this election until late in the night of November 4. But when the conservatives start preparing themselves for defeat, it does make me feel a little better. In the online version of The American Spectator, Robert Stacy McCain (no relation) has a piece titled [How John McCain Lost](http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=14003). Another relatively early concession. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1031 "2008-10-07T15:52:47Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > I’m worried about the Bush admin making an even bigger mess for Obama to clean up. > > I think the GOP knows they’re going to lose, and they’re going to scorch the earth behind them. But Clinton’s people stole all the ‘W’ keys on their way out! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1032 "2008-10-07T15:57:42Z")
FYI, the last day[/U]of voter registration, we registered 10,526 new voters. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1033 "2008-10-07T16:03:28Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > FYI, the last day[/U]of voter registration, we registered 10,526 new voters. We being Michigan? Or (political party)? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1034 "2008-10-07T16:05:56Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > But Clinton’s people stole all the ‘W’ keys on their way out! > > -Joe Maybe that’s why the current administration does the ill of the people instead of the will of the people! ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1035 "2008-10-07T16:09:50Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Maybe that’s why the current administration does the ill of the people instead of the will of the people! (golf clap) Excellent, old chap! Let’s retire to the drawing room for some port and cigars and discuss the plight of the lower classes. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1036 "2008-10-07T16:10:27Z")
Yeah, Clinton’s people stole all the Ws from the keyboards. That’s why Bush’s intelligence agents couldn’t make head or tail of the note, “Attack immiment on Tin Toers of the Orld Trade Center in Ne York City.” ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1037 "2008-10-07T16:12:54Z")
In fact, the problem cut both ways. Sometimes they would assume the author intended to type a “W.” Turns out, Rumsfeld was just trying to warn the President of the existence of doctors to the north, south, east, and west of Baghdad. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1038 "2008-10-07T16:24:58Z")
electoral-vote now has Obama at 349 EVs, with Florida moving away from “barely” to “Slightly” Democratic. Election-projection gives Obama a 97.9% chance of winning if voting was today. 538 has it 344-194, though that’s splitting two states down the middle which of course cannot happen, so I don’t know why they do that. The McCain campaign is failing. There’s simply no other way to put it. The Obama campaign hasn’t even had to do anything except just keep travelling around and showing up for debates and such; the McCain campaign has been a catastrophe for three straight weeks now. I think the only way Obama loses is if he’s caught in a hotel room with a dead girl or a live boy. Theoretically a huge debate win would help McCain but if his perforamnce in Debate #1 is any indication, that is not in the cards. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1039 "2008-10-07T16:29:54Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > electoral-vote now has Obama at 349 EVs, with Florida moving away from “barely” to “Slightly” Democratic. Election-projection gives Obama a 97.9% chance of winning if voting was today. 538 has it 344-194, though that’s splitting two states down the middle which of course cannot happen, so I don’t know why they do that. I believe there are two states that split their EVs. Nebraska and … er, Maine I think? Edited to add: Yes, Maine. [http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/10/omaha-nebraskas-one-electoral-vote-is.html](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/10/omaha-nebraskas-one-electoral-vote-is.html) ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604/1040 "2008-10-07T16:32:58Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > 538 has it 344-194, though that’s splitting two states down the middle which of course cannot happen, so I don’t know why they do that. Nebraska and Maine split their electoral votes. They award one vote to the winner of each district. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604.md?page=51) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mccain-forked-yet/450604.md?page=53)