McCain's losing strategy will cost him the Presidency

Senator John McCain is gambling in his Presidential bid. He is gambling that the voting public will see his "independent" streak, as both a warrior, supporting President Bush's surge in Iraq, and his push for getting the money out of politics with the McCain/Feingold Bill limiting campaign contributions. Add to this his desire for Immigration reform, and on the surface, it looks like he has a great chance over someone like Hillary Clinton, who raises her ever cautious finger to the wind to see what way the polls are blowing and when things look evident, she takes her tempered stand. But Hillary is going to have great difficulty too, with the Democratic Party .

But they both are missing the boat and behind where the vast majority of Americans are right now, including many Republicans and most Independent voters. Iraq is the central issue dominating evening conversations all across the country at the dinner table and questioning why the President is not listening to the people, the Iraq Study Group, his Generals and even the Iraqi people. McCain is going to lose his bid because of the stand he is currently taking as all politicians are behind where the general public is on Iraq. The sooner they catch up, the more forgiving they will become. The brave Republican Senator John Warner of VA, who has decided not to seek reelection, has finally come around and challenged this President and VP on their policy in Iraq and is sponsoring a non-binding resolution that will garner much support. It is Warner's way to say to his constituents, I have wanted to do something like this for a long time to sh ow you all where I really stand with the Administration. He has been a solid supporter of the Military for his entire career and to break from the Administration now speaks volumes.

McCain should look over his shoulder and watch fellow Republicans of equal stature, give him a run for his money, including the likes of Senator Chuck Hagel. I wouldn't rule out Rudy G. also changing position on Iraq before McCain does capturing more of McCain's supporters. It is going to become obvious in just 4-5 months that this strategy of adding more troops isn't going to work. McCain may try the shuffle step to say that we should have added a larger contingency of troops, when this fails. But his calls then will fall on deaf ears.