Even when McCain found his voice in the final weeks of the campaign after the last debate and Joe the Plumber episode, the best he could offer was that Obama was too risky, he was socialist and we shouldn't vote for him. That McCain didn't have an overarching theme to his campaign doomed him as "Don't vote for the other guy" is not a winning campaign strategy unless you're running against David Duke. McCain had some decent ideas, and a great biography, but he never had a vision of where he wanted to take this country. Obama, whether you believe him or not, had an overarching theme of change and hope, etc. He offered something positive that people were eager to buy and McCain just couldn't bring that to the table. He just never gave people a viable reason to vote FOR him. You can't beat something with nothing. That's why he lost.
It also didn't help that:
1. He isn't very popular in his own party;
2. People, even conservatives, are down on the GOP after 8 years of Bush;
3. The economic crisis hit when it did;
4. The media were eager to smear to McCain and especially Sarah Palin, and even more eager to promote the most favorable parts of Obama's biography and agenda while ignoring the obvious faults and flaws;
5. McCain is terrible spokesman, even for himself;
6. He's old and looks sickly.
It also didn't help that:
1. He isn't very popular in his own party;
2. People, even conservatives, are down on the GOP after 8 years of Bush;
3. The economic crisis hit when it did;
4. The media were eager to smear to McCain and especially Sarah Palin, and even more eager to promote the most favorable parts of Obama's biography and agenda while ignoring the obvious faults and flaws;
5. McCain is terrible spokesman, even for himself;
6. He's old and looks sickly.
