In a recent posting , I went on the record to say that John McCain should win the presidential election Tuesday, and I listed five reasons which lead me to this conclusion. They are media bias, pollster oversampling of Democrats, Obama campaign hubris, the Democrat candidate’s many suspect associations and the fact that the American electorate has a center-right majority.
There is a sixth reason to believe that the GOP candidate will pull this one out of the fire, and, like the other five, it is a topic you won’t read much about in the newspapers or see on the alphabet television networks, all of which are in the tank for Obama. It’s the PUMA factor.
PUMA is an acronym which stands for Party Unity My *ss. Backers of Sen. Hillary Clinton formed this “un-party” when they felt their candidate got a raw deal in the race for the Democrat Party’s presidential nomination. In their view, party chairman Howard Dean and the Obama campaign conspired to prevent Sen. Clinton from winning the contest. They did not jump ship at the time, however, and most of them could have been persuaded to back Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. All Obama needed to do to secure their support was to name Sen. Clinton as his running mate, a course of action many of his advisors had recommended.
Obama, however, would have none of that. Showing his thin skin over some of the remarks Sen. Clinton had made about him in the rough and tumble of the primary contest, Obama, who saw eye to eye with his wife Michelle on the matter, rejected Clinton and invited Sen. Joe Biden instead to join him on the ticket. The decision left many scratching their heads. Biden had a long-held reputation for his runaway mouth, and his highly-toouted foreign policy expertise has been tarnished by such bad thinking as sending, no strings attached, a $200 Million check to Iran as a sign of America’s good will, partitioning Iraq along sectarian and ethnic lines and some other really bad ideas. A Clinton selection would have made the Democrat ticket a formidable one, and, in the opinion of many political junkies, one which would have been hard for John McCain to beat. As a result, Obama finds himself just days before the election, in a year when a Democrat sweep was supposed to be a sure thing, unable to close the deal and locked in a very close race with McCain.
In years past, political candidates have made peace with their primary opponents, no matter how bitter the primary struggle or how far apart they may have been on both style and substance, to form unity tickets which rolled on to victory. John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson did it, as did Ronald W. Reagan and George H.W. Bush. But Obama, who has repeatedly shown that he cannot take the sort of criticism that his campaign regularly dishes out, failed to rise to the occasion. This failure to bury the hatchet and get on with the business of winning an election was a fatal mistake. Obama made some enemies who will not forgive nor forget. Although Sen. Clinton has made a public show of support for the Obama campaign, this is not true of many of her supporters. As payback for what they see as misogyny and pettiness toward Clinton, they have committed themselves to the effort to elect his opponent.
There are many PUMA sites on the web, too many to try to link to here. But a good start would be to go here and here. PUMAs have also joined with other disaffected Democrats, independents and Republicans in forming associations opposed to Obama. These are the “NOBAMA” coalitions, some of which can be found on the internet here and here. The hottest of all the many PUMA web addresses is this one: Hillbuzz.com.
The big question is how many PUMAs are there among the electorate? Not all of the 18 million who voted for Sen. Clinton in the primaries will vote for John McCain. But it is difficult to pin down the exact number of those who will mark their ballots for the Republican. This is because many of them are intentionally concealing this fact by telling pollsters when called that they will vote for Obama, although their intention is clearly to vote against him, i.e., for McCain. Others from their ranks are telling the pollsters that they are independent and undecided. Still others will say outright that they are going to vote for McCain. If this seems somewhat confusing, that is the general idea – don’t give the Obama campaign’s oppo people any useful intel.
The Associated Press estimates that four in ten of what they call “persuadables” are voters who are counted as undecided but had voted for Sen. Clinton in the primaries. In recent national polls, Obama had the support of 88% of Democrats. How many of those are stealth PUMAs on the prowl is anyone’s guess. But what should be even more troubling for the Obama campaign can be found in the internals of the latest Rassmussen poll of Pennsylvania. Obama is only drawing 75% of that state’s Democrats. The junior senator from Illinois cannot win the Keystone State with that much softness in his base support.
Each state is unique, of course, and you can’t transplant trends from one state into another or carry them over to the national picture as assumptions. But if McCain can pick up four or five of every seven undecideds, and if just two or three percent of those who say they will vote for Obama actually mark their ballots the other way (which would account for the stealth PUMAs and those who are afraid to say they are for McCain for fear of being branded as “racist”), he will win this election.
In just a few days, the roar of the wildcats known as PUMAs may be a very loud one indeed. Add to it the responsive chord struck by Joe the Plumber, who has made many blue collar workers, with their upwardly mobile dreams of owning their own small businesses some day, step out of the shadows. Add also the resounding sound of a previously unexcited conservative base which Sarah Palin has single-handedly mobilized, and John McCain could be hearing some sweet music Tuesday night.
- JP
Steve Maley
KnightsofMalta
Give yourself 5 bucks for Every Puma you catch...
speciallist (Diary) Saturday, November 1st at 4:13PM EST (link)Well said, Josh. I am looking forward to
janis (Diary) Saturday, November 1st at 4:18PM EST (link)the stories that will come out after the election as to just how many Clinton supporters actually voted for McCain/Palin.
Hey JakePrime--get a load of this diary! All about how UNITED your party is. n/t
janis (Diary) Saturday, November 1st at 4:20PM EST (link).
PUMA POWER!
WHAT (Diary) Saturday, November 1st at 5:10PM EST (link)The PUMAS can’t even give an accurate count of their numbers, but they say it could be as high as 18 million which includes the soft Dems. The Hillbuzz active PUMAS seem to be focused on Ohio and PA which is smart. But there are PUMAS working for McCain all over the country.
Check Out: Chicagoans Against Obama and Palestinians in Gaza Working For Obama
Strelnikov (Diary) Saturday, November 1st at 5:45PM EST (link)Reading “Hillbuzz.com” is a fascinating experience in outrage, fear, and righteous anger among Dems, all of which helps our cause!
At times I noticed a strong Chicago presence in Hillbuzz:
An excerpt from today:
My emphasis above.
See also this and viralize it:
“Gaza’s Obama Campaign”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21YF7ggCG6g&eurl=http://chicagoagainstobama.wordpress.com/
Thanks to:
http://chicagoagainstobama.wordpress.com/
As of November 4, 2008, the Code Words will be: “Klaatu – Borada – Nikto!”
How reliable are these PUMA voters???
Lysander the Spartan (Diary) Saturday, November 1st at 6:03PM EST (link)Don’t hear to much about them on the MSM. Not really suprising but does anybody know how many there are??? Where they vote in??? and how much of an impact could they possibly make????
Lysander
You always have questions...but never any answers...hmmmm
speciallist (Diary) Saturday, November 1st at 6:06PM EST (link)n/p
Well since your a specialist maybe you can share them with me??
Lysander the Spartan (Diary) Saturday, November 1st at 6:08PM EST (link)unless… hmmmm
Lysander
I am Looking Fo P.U.M.A.'s
30yrdemnotanymore Saturday, November 1st at 6:16PM EST (link)I have some polls up for PUMA’s.
People Want To Know About P.U.M.A. And Obama Associates-Polls
We are not a myth. We are real but there is no way to know how many there are. I am looking for online PUMA. 1258 have voted in my poll so far. It will be good until Nov.5th.
The number of PUMA's we need
Mchronicles Saturday, November 1st at 8:19PM EST (link)For an actual count of the number of PUMA’s required on a state by state basis, see:
http://www.marstonchronicles.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=93&Itemid=117
The Confluence linked
30yrdemnotanymore Saturday, November 1st at 8:20PM EST (link)The place where the P.U.M.A.’s started has linked here. She linked to my blog saying it is a republican site.
It is sad when one of your own PUMA party members does not recognize that you were a dem for 30 years and left because of what the dems did to Hillary. We have all been called republican plants. Well I am a republican now, changed in the end of May got my card June 6th of this year. And I will be voting down ticket REP. I won’t vote for dems until they clean up the party, then I might go back…I doubt it.
30yrdemnotanymore.
PS she also has me blocked from her comments.
bad link
PaRep (Diary)
Saturday, November 1st at 8:21PM EST
(link)
.
Bad Link
Mchronicles Sunday, November 2nd at 12:44AM EST (link)The actual typed link is correct but that is not where it goes. Not to worry, the article is on real clear politics under reader’s articles as of this post.
A Dollar?
Maria (Diary) Sunday, November 2nd at 1:02AM EST (link)Does that INCLUDE TAX ?-lol
Proverbs 3:5-6 (New International Version)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Take a Magic Marker...
speciallist (Diary) Sunday, November 2nd at 2:36AM EST (link)and write ‘Reply to this’ on the back of both hands…(h/t mbecker)
I can smell you…you are a Bad Actor
Let’s see you bring something besides your LAME moby questions and your stale attitude.
I'am sorry specialist...
Lysander the Spartan (Diary) Sunday, November 2nd at 8:07AM EST (link)Didn’t mean to offend you. I didn’t know you were special. I apologize I am meant no harm.
Lysander
McCain Landslide - The Puma Factor
peanutcain Sunday, November 2nd at 7:35PM EST (link)http://www.marstonchronicles.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=94&Itemid=118
McCain Landslide
peanutcain Sunday, November 2nd at 7:42PM EST (link)Hope this work:
http://www.marstonchronicles.info/
Use the "link" button!!
Bill S (Diary) Sunday, November 2nd at 7:45PM EST (link)It’s above the text entry box.
“It’s such a fine line between stupid, and clever.” – David St. Hubbins
McCain Landslide
peanutcain Sunday, November 2nd at 7:49PM EST (link)McCain Landslide
River in Egypt
SteveLA (Diary) Sunday, November 2nd at 7:53PM EST (link)peanutcain
Are you aware that denial is not a river in Egypt?
McCain might, just maybe, with a rasor thin margin, pull it out, but landslide…
Shirley you jest?
______________________________________
Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
Nice Post
oracle2world Sunday, November 2nd at 9:10PM EST (link)My observation of sports and the sexes shows that men get over the game quickly, and women hold grudges a LONG time.
Anyone who doesn’t think PUMAs would vote for McCain simply to screw Obama, should sit in on divorce court. One colleague told me she wanted her ex to be eating out of garbage cans.
Way back there was a poll showing 25% of Hillary supporters would not vote for Obama. What exactly happened to this line of polling? We have a zillion polls on everything under the sun … but something that could affect the election to this degree? Nada.
I don’t think there are any undecideds left. Everyone for Obama is not shy about announcing it, and Democrats voting for McCain hang up or just say undecided.
Something probably not captured in voter models is the “fear factor”. Anyone who remembers the 60′s riots, Black Panthers, and H. Rap Brown’s famous line “Violence is as American as cherry pie” has a worst case scenario in mind if Obama is elected.
Obama has raised a lot of expectations unreasonably high and what happens when they come crashing down?
If Obama loses, the MSM are finished. Like the Literary Digest that went out of business when they predicted Alf Landon in 1936. One heck of a bet to make with all the unknowns in this election.
Nice Post
oracle2world Sunday, November 2nd at 9:13PM EST (link)My observation of sports and the sexes shows that men get over the game quickly, and women hold grudges a LONG time.
Anyone who doesn’t think PUMAs would vote for McCain simply to screw Obama, should sit in on divorce court. One colleague told me she wanted her ex to be eating out of garbage cans.
Way back there was a poll showing 25% of Hillary supporters would not vote for Obama. What exactly happened to this line of polling? We have a zillion polls on everything under the sun … but something that could affect the election to this degree? Nada.
I don’t think there are any undecideds left. Everyone for Obama is not shy about announcing it, and Democrats voting for McCain hang up or just say undecided.
Something probably not captured in voter models is the “fear factor”. Anyone who remembers the 60′s riots, Black Panthers, and H. Rap Brown’s famous line “Violence is as American as cherry pie” has a worst case scenario in mind if Obama is elected.
Obama has raised a lot of expectations unreasonably high and what happens when they come crashing down?
If Obama loses, the MSM are finished. Like the Literary Digest that went out of business when they predicted Alf Landon in 1936. One heck of a bet to make with all the unknowns in this election.
Great job Josh!
Susannah (Diary) Sunday, November 2nd at 10:27PM EST (link)Nice Diary. I have always said that if there were a bunch of Romney or Huckabee supporters that were refusing to vote for McCain (and were going to vote for Obama instead), that the media would be all over it–especially if they had a whole movement, a logo, websites, etc. I just can’t believe that the media has totally gotten away with ignoring the PUMA’s.
Here's
pwest (Diary) Monday, November 3rd at 12:02AM EST (link)a link to a website showing what our support and PUMA supprt will mean.
So buck up and Turn out, Turn out, Turn out the vote!
www.marstonchronicles.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=94&Itemid=118
Pam
PUMA
Magnificat (Diary) Monday, November 3rd at 5:40AM EST (link)I’ve heard much about the PUMA groups. According to early voting trends in some states, dems have outnumbered reps by 10-20% margin. I suppose if a good number of those democrats are PUMA and voted mccain, he still has a shot.
I hope
TBird Monday, November 3rd at 10:38AM EST (link)……and pray this is not an urban myth.
instructions to add links?
conservativepolitico (Diary) Monday, November 3rd at 8:26PM EST (link)how do you hyperlink? I am having problems. When I try, it changes the word I want linked, to the link itself and deletes the word.
Thanks.
Links..
Putter (Diary) Monday, November 3rd at 9:38PM EST (link)O.K, HTML is not my strong suit, but I’ll try. When you select “link”, you type the word in the sentence you are composing that will trigger the link. At the second prompt, paste the URL.
If you don’t care to “embed” the link, just click “link” on the menu above and paste the URL in both the first and second prompts. On the second prompt, make sure you don’t have “http://” listed twice. Somewhere there is a posting FAQ that covers this issue.
Friends help you move. Real friends help you move bodies…
Well, in Nazareth PA
richterm Tuesday, November 4th at 10:32AM EST (link)The McCain signs have been steady…but suddenly there has been a rash of “Democrat for McCain” signs.
The Junior Senator from Illinois is about to get a cat-shaped bite out of his ass.
Not so sure...
VA_mom (Diary) Tuesday, November 4th at 2:04PM EST (link)I don’t know-I went to these sites and they seem to be run by old white men with comments made by racists, and they don’t seem to have had a lot of action on them since September. Things have changed dramatically since then. I’m not saying there is no PUMA factor, but I would not be so sure that it will be enough. I am praying that the social conservatives, the fiscal conservatives, and those who actually understand a little bit about the New Deal (and what it did to this country) continue to remind this country that Obama’s policies are bad all around. If McCain manages to pull this off tonight, I pray it will not be because women are holding a grudge against Obama and MSM over Hilary but that voters are just smart people who understand that an Obama/Biden ticket will be bad for this country. May God help us all.
PUMA's were a no-show.
Husker (Diary) Tuesday, November 4th at 10:50PM EST (link)n/t
Thank goodness
drmonroe Wednesday, November 5th at 4:51PM EST (link)Thank goodness the PUMAs showed up and saved the day for us!
For a while there I was worried that we were going to elect the worst possible choice for President since Jimmy Carter! But I should’ve counted on the intelligence of the American people to see through someone who hangs around the likes of Ayers, listens to a hate-spewing pastor for 20 years, talks about how the Constitution is an impediment, how the Warren Court wasn’t radical, how he wants to bankrupt the coal industry, spread the wealth around, tax only those making 250,000, no, 200,000, no, 150,000, no 120,000, no um, everyone except the dirtballs who don’t work and ridicules small-town America for clinging to God and guns.
No, Americans aren’t stupid, there’s no way they would’ve voted for a man like that anyway. Still, thank you, PUMAs, for the reinforcements, from the bottom of my heart.