Dust-Up: Election week ’08

Both candidates were once clawing for political life just to win their own party’s nomination. How did they get this far? Dan Schnur and Bruce E. Cain discuss.

Bruce E. Cain says demographic trends and a poor record of governance spell long-term trouble for the Republican Party. Dan Schnur says the challenge for Democrats is to avoid alienating moderate voters who supported Obama.

Dan Schnur says he’s never seen so much exhilaration over a president-elect. Bruce E. Cain says Americans rejected Rovism and put the GOP at a pivotal moment in its history.

Bruce E. Cain says the Democratic base was riled up well before Obama’s campaign began. Dan Schnur says not even prominent Republicans showed much enthusiasm for McCain.

Dan Schnur says that the race was essentially tied before the Wall Street meltdown badly hurt McCain’s chances. Bruce E. Cain says he originally overestimated McCain’s ability as a candidate.