Why McCain lost

I think you hit the nail on the head here... I was a big fan of John McCain in 2000, but now I wonder just who the hell this guy who calls himself John McCain really *is*

It will be because as Rick Davis said in July "McCain does not speak for the campaign"...the far right took over, and he just simply didn't know how to effectively play their game. I think they threw this election to get their next candidate in the National spotlight....Sarah Palin is their ring bearer, not McCain. They are willing to wait until 2012...ironically, they don't want a maverick....they want ultra-conservatism back in the whitehouse.

Lost? Isn't that a little preemptive? Last I checked this was the same thing that everyone said about Bush. Good call if your right, though I hope not.

I have to say,

While I agree with your reasons for McCain's loss completely, I think the (R) in front of his name was a mighty big hurdle to overcome. 

I think your article would be better titled "Why McCain wasn't even able to make it a close race"  or  "Why McCain lost everyone's respect."

Well agreed though, he sold out sometime around 2002, and has looked hollow ever since.

Yep!  I found myself looking to John McCain 8 years ago - and I am a life long Democrat who usually votes a party ticket.  He sure changed, though.  When he started pandering to the extreme right, I knew he was no longer a candidate that I could actually vote for.

I was "on the fence" between Obama and McCain (OK, leaning toward Obama) before McCain's VP choice.  Once he made Palin his running mate, well, that sealed it for me, Obama was my choice 100%.  How could someone with such little experience, whom most of America knew little about, be given the chance to be a heartbeat away form the presidency?? I think that this had a huge backlash against McCain.     

If polls are correct, John McCain will lose because he ran a schizophrenic race.  Need proof?

He opposes Bush, he supports Bush. He experienced, he is a change agent.  He's all about the high road, but takes the low road for expedience.  He's good old Johnny, now the "Mac is back." 

Each election is a political textbook in the making.  John McCain's 2008 chapter will be entitled, "What Not To Do."

The central problem with McCain's 2008 bid is he wanted nothing more than to win.  No one believes someone who is all things to all people. 

Critics may accuse his opponent of having wildly liberal ideas, but if polls are correct, voters perfer leaders with passion rather than an election-by-numbers approach.  McCain has come across as a say anything-do anything candidate who ran the race with a computer model rather than his heart.

How much different would today's race be if McCain had stuck with a)The Jeremiah Wright controversy as a question of judgment b)Selecting Joe Lieberman as a running mate rather than pandering to the "you want different, we'll give you different" impulse?

Though I typically vote democrat, in 2000 and 2004, I admired McCain, but I hardly recognize the chameleon-like Mac 2.0.  It's almost like watching your favorite artist find commercial success.  

Sen. McCain will lose tonight because he lost authenticity a long time ago.

A long time ago, I liked McCain.  I wanted him to run.  I thought he was a real 'maverick'.  I thought he represented a little democrat and a little republican and so was actually a candidate between.  However, what I saw this election, the tactics, the behavior, and what I learned about McCain horrified me.  Had McCain run on a platform of the 'truth' and ran with integrity, honesty with concentration on the issues, he may have pulled it off (well sans Palin).  America no longer likes the lying and dirty tricks.  We are hungry for the truth,  for honesty, for honor in our country and government.  We no longer accept on any level racism and our election this year will show our true spirit.

John McCain lost because the majority of people do NOTt want to hear nasty attacks, misleading information, out of context statements & a multitude of prejudices! Whoever John McCain used to be, he has not presented himself as that man in this campaign. John McCain has shown the American people that he is NOT a leader. A leader brings the nation together. McCain & Palin appeared to take great pleasure in trying to divide us, label us, & pit us against one another. That is not putting "country first". As for Palin, she will never win any high office. She is too far right to impress anyone who has brains,  is willing to check the facts & assess the truth.  She thinks a second "investigation", by people who work for her, & over whom she has power of job & pay, clears her of unethical behavior. Not in truth.

we have a commie running the country now . he is an admitted soclist.the name of the usa  will be chanjged to the communist states of america. he is a muslim at heart also and will have targets painted on all tall buildings.

McCain lost because he ran a very bad campaign - it really is that simple.  Notwithstanding the Bush factor, the election was his to win.  Obama had an uphill battle all the way, but he was smart enough to run a flawless campaign.

I beleive John McCain lost for a number of reasons. First we were here to hear about how he was going to keep our Nation as one not listening to his views on religion or Palins. I mean when the man says he don't believe Gay people have rights because it goes against God but then takes a woman whos 16 year old daughter is pregnant and not married, that is ok and does not go against God? Please you can't have things one sided to fit you! Then he wanted to tax the Americans on the money that our employer pays toward our insurance...money we never see or have the options to do as we see fit... Then he takes a woman as his VP who talks about how she is for killing the poor little bears and how she don't believe in abortions even for woman who are raped.. Damn why not just set the womens rights back to the 1950's. To me John turned into a Yes man and what ever they told him to do he did it....Where did the real John McCain go?