N.C. State Students For McCain Waiting For General Election

This story was written by Megan Peters, Technician

The group is "sitting back" and watching the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, executive director Christina Kennedy said.

According to Kennedy, a junior in political science, Sen. John McCain has been working behind the scenes in preparation for the general election on Nov. 4.

Ches McDowell, communication director for Students for McCain, said there is not much for McCain supporters to do besides prepare for the general election.

"We're just sitting back and watching [the Democratic candidates] throw mud at each other," McDowell, a freshman in political science, said. "We are campaigning, but not as aggressively as the Democrats."

Kennedy said the Democrats, both supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton or Sen. Barack Obama, have used a lot of resources on the heated Democratic primary circuit.

"They've been spending a lot of time and money on the primaries," she said. "The public might be sick of them ... and their negative campaigning by [the general election]."

McDowell said McCain receiving his party's support early has helped to "give McCain the advantage and prevent unnecessary mudslinging among the Republicans."

"The Democrats are doing enough of that [mudslinging] right now themselves -- and America is turned off to negative campaigning," he said.

With his sights on the general election, Kennedy said McCain will be better prepared to campaign.

"You can really see McCain gearing toward the general election," she said. "[The extra preparation time] will be helpful. [McCain will] have a lot more time and a lot more money to devote to it [than Clinton or Obama]."

But Kennedy and McDowell agreed that a Republican win in November was not necessarily guaranteed.

"The only concern I have right now is that the Republican party has had a poor last four years," Kennedy said.

But she said the presidential hopeful can overcome that by "steering away from the Bush administration" and appealing to the moderate vote -- something both Democratic candidates are also hoping to do.

McDowell said his major concern for the national election is one of the Democrats -- Sen. Obama.

"A lot of people are fooled by Sen. Obama's rhetoric," he said. "When people actually see reality, [that he is a partisan, far-left senator] ... that shows his true character."

But Kennedy and McDowell said they are hoping to see Sen. Clinton win in the final Democratic primaries for other reasons.

"If Clinton gets nominated, I think McCain has a better chance of turning out the Republican vote," Kennedy said. "I wouldn't enjoy either of them being president, but I think if Obama wins, he'll get a lot of moderate votes, especially young people."

According to McDowell, Clinton could help McCain win by driving away some moderate voters.

"Hillary Clinton is the ideal candidate for us because she can't trick people like Obama can," he said.
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