Did Senator McCain have to change his political positions from his original "Straight Talk Express" candidacy?
Did Senator McCain have to change his political positions from his original "Straight Talk Express" candidacy in 2000 to win the Republican nomination in 2008? Did this hurt or help his efforts to win the election?
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No he did not have to, and he should not have strayed from the "Straight Talk Express" position that he used in the 2000 Presidential Election.
Yes, I believe it hurt his efforts to win the election by alienating the strongest conservatives, many of which only voted for him because of Sarah Palin. His moderateness in debates and inability to attack Obama on his far-left agenda caused him to lose the election in my eyes. McCain believed that moving towards the center would bring more independents towards him, and in turn it did the complete opposite. It angered Conservatives and also caused Independents to see less of a distinction between the Republican and Democratic candidate.
Overall, McCain’s move towards the center was harmful to his candidacy.
No he did not have to, and he should not have strayed from the "Straight Talk Express" position that he used in the 2000 Presidential Election.
Yes, I believe it hurt his efforts to win the election by alienating the strongest conservatives, many of which only voted for him because of Sarah Palin. His moderateness in debates and inability to attack Obama on his far-left agenda caused him to lose the election in my eyes. McCain believed that moving towards the center would bring more independents towards him, and in turn it did the complete opposite. It angered Conservatives and also caused Independents to see less of a distinction between the Republican and Democratic candidate.
Overall, McCain’s move towards the center was harmful to his candidacy.
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