Mccain, just saying what he thinks we want to hear?

[DSTCHAOS]

I hear what you're saying and don't really disagree.

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Ok, fair enough - I don't entirely see this as a partisan thing though, because there's a portion of the Democrats (mostly former Hillary supporters) who aren't fully embracing the Obama candidacy.

It's not just a partisan thing but it also operates on partisan lines. There are other lines that it operates on, such as race and gender.

Originally Posted by KSigkid

There were a few Bush loyalists, absolutely - but I think (outside of the time right around 9/11, and that small group of loyalists lasting to today), that he had far more detractors, and that his following paled in comparison to Obama's current following. If nothing else, Bush's spending while in office alienated a large portion of the Republican party early on.

I see what you're saying, and I agree with almost all of it - I just don't think (again, outside of the time around 9/11) that the support for Bush ever reached that "Messiah" level. Maybe that's because I never fully embraced his Presidency myself, who knows.

Yes, the difference is that people had a chance to experience the Bush Presidency and choose to be a loyalist or a detractor. Obama and McCain folk are still going based on promises and hopes for the future. Hell, there are still Ron Paul and Ralph Nader loyalists---who knows what the hell that's about?

Bush never represented hope and change and that was never his platform, aside from 9/11 as you said. However, when 9/11 came around he never had a chance to make that about him--maybe because he seems kind of like a socially inept dork who lacks charisma. It was always about GOD/National prayer, the people who lost their lives, and the terrorists. Poor Bush couldn't be the Messiah and effectively say "I am so cool and I will....."