I believe that the people would vote for McCain for several reasons.

1) They have high incomes and they don’t want to suffer higher taxes.

2) They don’t have high incomes but they wish they did. Wishful voting is a well known feature of the American political landscape. Lots of people have the thought of making it to the big leagues and they believe that associating, albeit politically, with the rich will get them there.

3) They are racist but will never admit it, even to themselves. It’s human nature and it takes a long time to grow out of it. During feudal times, it was an honor to invite the overlord to your daughter’s wedding. It’s still that way but in different forms.

4) They are religious nuts. Nuts is the only word for such people because they are the ones who suffer from they vices the condemn (sex outside of marriage, pregnant teenage daughters, alcoholism, etc..)

Human psychology is a very important aspect of politics. It’s well understood by the strategists but rarely talked about.

Why would a wife stay with a husband who beats her? Why do parents defend their loser kids?