The Welch Effect

Reasonoid Ryan Sager notices something in the latest round of presidential polling.

They've started adding a category to the GOP primary results labeled, "WITHOUT McCAIN." (See question 2.) Now, to those of you who don't spend all your days reading polls like this, the "without" breakdowns are usually reserved for candidates who probably won't be in the race, such as "without Gingrich," "without Rice," etc. This, as far as I know, is the first instance of a major polling organization starting to look publicly at a race without John McCain.

Matt Welch's article that started the cart speeding downhill is here.

Comments

[crimethink]

So, the fact that there's no "without Paul" poll means he's a major candidate, right?

[Dan T.]

Given that Hillary Clinton has already been chosen as the establishment's candidate, you might as well take these polls with "excluding everybody but Hillary Clinton"...

[Bryan]

Weigel,
Were you on some sort of special interst/lobbyist's payroll that cut by McCain/Feingold? Unless McCain killed your dog, its the only reasonable explanation for your myoptic focus on bringing down the man. This is a non-story.

Which payroll was it?

[David Ross]

Bryan, not that I have any general objection with teasing Mr Weigel, but it IS possible to be against McCain-Feingold and, for that matter, McCain himself without being corrupt. (Despite what the voices within McCain's own skull will tell you.)

I'd prefer teasing Weigel about his inflated view of how much influence he had over McCain's popularity, even among libertarians ... although I suspect that he knows that and is teasing himself.

[crimethink]

Mr Weigel was teasing Mr Welch, not himself.

[joe]

Do you feel that the country is headed in the right direction, or is on the wrong track?

OK.

Now, exclusing John McCain, do you feel that the country...

[David Ross]

Okay, so Weigel credited the article to Matt Welch. So he'd be boasting about or else teasing Welch and the whole of Reason, not necessarily himself.

Since I got that wrong, go ahead and tease me now.

[Warren]

If Matt Welch truly is responcible for keeping John McCain out of the Oval Office, then he's done more in the service of this country than anyone since Mary Jo Kopechne.

[Matt Welch]

Can I use that as a blurb for the book, Warren?

[D.A. Ridgely]

It's unprecedented, but it appears that Matt Welch has won the thread.

[Warren]

Matt,
Book?

[J sub D]

If Matt Welch truly is responcible for keeping John McCain out of the Oval Office, then he's done more in the service of this country than anyone since Mary Jo Kopechne.

That's cold, Warren, really, really cold. I kinda like it but, as I've been told, I'm sick.

[Matt Welch]

Warren -- Yes. Though if he drops out in the next couple of months, it probably won't be published.

[David Ross]

It would be worth publishing the book, just to see Warren's blurb on its front cover in the front section of the Boston Barnes & Noble.

[Warren]

Matt,
Blurb away, but credit me as "Wry witted Hit&Run commenter, Warren"