Its no secret I voted for Obama... But I wanted to be clear I voted for a bunch of Republicans this time around and usually do including Huntsman.. The #1 reason, not particularly for him but against what Republicans largely came to become particularly in the last couple years and in this election again. Not sure if you have seen the news lately but it is all over the place with senior Republican advisors saying "it is a time for deep introspection." Not sure if you caught what Obama said but it was "I will be your President too." "I
need your opinion" which is basically the opposite of what we had seen the last 8 years.
Again considering the odds McCain actually had against him, he could have done so much worse it's not even funny. I think he did a hell of a job considering as mentioned three factors: old guy against a him young new guy on the cover of Rolling Stone, the Bush legacy of complete and utter failure (literally every single major initiative, even No Child Left Behind), and how right Bush has made the party and that McCain is far more central than that (he words in the election were not him, it was all political sham), and then finally his history, cheating on his wife, etc etc.
I'm not sure if you guy know the history of McCain... In 2000 after getting swiftboated by Bush McCain almost switched sides to Democrats. He has a black adopted child and Bush accused him of fathering his adopted child. That and the confederate issue. He has a real history of bipartisanship and that was the real way he earned his reputation as a "maverick."
And then finally Sarah Palin. If you have a chance (and before blackballing it as "geez the NY Times" because it turns out this reporting is actually accurate
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/us/politics/06mccain.html
Says that McCain and Palin hardly even talked before the close of the election. From the times:
As late as Tuesday night, a McCain adviser said, Ms. Palin was pushing to deliver her own speech just before Mr. McCain’s concession speech, even though vice-presidential nominees do not traditionally speak on election night. But Ms. Palin met up with Mr. McCain with text in hand. She was told no by Mark Salter, one of Mr. McCain’s closest advisers, and Steve Schmidt, Mr. McCain’s top strategist.
For her part, Ms. Palin told reporters in Arizona on Wednesday morning that “there is absolutely no diva in me.”
I'm not sure if anyone say Palin and McCain "embrace" (or lack there of) after the election and them exiting the stage during the concession speech. You could see real, genuine awkwardness in their interactions.
Just my $.02
I believe strongly in Republican values. Low taxes, smaller government as needed, the American dream. The problem is all that seems to be forgotten, and I do agree the Republican party needs real
