Bush Republicans for McCain

American Spectator ^ | 02/28/06 | The Prowler

[peyton randolph]

SHOW ME THE MONEY
Two indicators of just where Republicans money folk are placing their bets right now: Sen. John McCain spent time last week in Florida, Miami specifically, meeting with mostly Hispanic business groups. This round of meetings follows in the wake of a lunch McCain had eight weeks ago with Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

That the President's brother publicly disclosed the lunch meeting with McCain and close Bush adviser, now-McCain consultant Mark McKinnon, underscores just how far McCain has come in gaining the support of the tight-knit Bush clan. Another sign: McCain is being given access to some of the deepest pockets the Bush family draws on for their campaigns.

For example, Jeb Bush, who has close ties to the construction and land development crowd in Florida, helped arrange two meetings that McCain advisers consider critical to their man's ability to outraise other Republicans in the state. The first was a morning meeting with developer Sergio Pino and the second a luncheon with the Latin Builders Association.

This most recent Florida trip comes on the heels of several trips McCain has made to Texas, where McKinnon has been squiring McCain around to Bush's high-end donors and fundraising organizers. While a number of Republican donors are throwing money at Sen. George Allen, Gov. Mitt Romney, and lower profile potential candidates, a number of the bigger fish are already aligning themselves with McCain.

And not just in Texas and Florida. McCain, who was given access to the Bush campaign's full donor list, has been making inroads with Republicans in both Iowa and South Carolina, two states McCain very much wants to win in 2008. In 2000 McCain didn't run in Iowa's caucuses -- and everyone remembers what happened to him in South Carolina that year.

[peyton randolph]

If true that the Bush family is support this candidacy, then prepare the GOP for Bob Dole redux.

[CWOJackson]

LOL. Now there is a loaded title.

[TexGuy]

Right. Dole is the one GOP vote I regret. Never Again.

[bayourant]

Right now McCain is who I will support in the primary unless someone grabs me. Romney I am open too but his pro life stance or lack of is troubling. Frist-sorry cant win, Allen- maybe but he doesnt seem to got that special thing that helps one win the Prez. I mean who is left

[coconutt2000]

How do we sabotage McCain this time around?

He's always wanted the Presidency, for all the wrong reasons. At best he'd be a mediocre stand in until a better, more principled conservative comes along. At worst, he'd be another Clinton, with everything slipping through his fingers through incompetence all the while blaming his mediocrity on someone else.

McCain does not have what it takes to be President. He'd be happier just staying a Senator. The hours are better and the workload is far less.

I wonder if the liberals have latched onto him, hoping to convince him to run as a third party candidate when he fails to win the nomination. If they haven't, they will.

[Nephi]

A McCain (or a Rudy) nomination will guarantee a Hillary win in '08.

[Echo Talon]

Republicans nominate McCain at their own peril, I can not vote for him

[kingu]

*yawn* Oh, look, the commentators are trying to pick the party candidates again. Sorry, we've looked at McCain, we're rejected him, going around again will just waste people's money.

Which is probably the goal here - cut off money from others by making McCain appear to be the crowned prince.

[peyton randolph]

The McCain Campaign Slogan: Vote for Me or You'll Get Clinton.

...and we saw how much luck Bob Dole had with that strategy.

Can't beat something with nothing...and right now we've got no one on the conservative side to run with a decent chance of winning both the primaries and the general election.
 

[Theresawithanh]

OhpleaseGodno! Wonder if he'll still be the media's darling?

IF he makes it to the nomination I will vote for him rather than not vote, but please, no!

[peyton randolph]

the commentators are trying to pick the party candidates again.

---

The guys at the American Spectator are not fans of John McCain. If anything, this is a warning that the GOP establishment (including the Bush family) is lining up the big donors behind McCain. 

[LibFreeOrDie]

"I wonder if the liberals have latched onto him..."

Well, the liberal guys I work with sure do love McCain. If it's Hillary vs. McCain, a lot of liberal males will be voting McCain.

[sageb1]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. McCain will never be Pres.

[peyton randolph]

If it's Hillary vs. McCain, a lot of liberal males will be voting McCain.

---

Classic Dick Morris triangulation strategery. Want to see what a McCain presidency will look like, just check out California under its current governor.

 

[peyton randolph]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. McCain will never be Pres.

---

As far as the GOP establishment and the MSM are concerned, he doesn't have to be President. He just needs to win the GOP primaries and lose the general election like Dole did in 1996.

 

[sageb1]

I want a hero, dammit. McCain ain't it.

[Smokin' Joe]

Mc Cain seems pretty Left to me. I want someone Right.

[Cold Heat]

No way he get's through the primary unless there is no real competition.

It looks like there will be plenty.

[Bullish]

If McCain gets the nomination, then Hillary won't need a Ross Perot type third party running in order to win.

[Cold Heat]

McCain is nuts. His politics are secondary.:-)

[chesty_puller]

IF he makes it to the nomination I will vote for him rather than not vote, but please, no!

I'll be one of the 'anyone but Clinton ' voters.

[sageb1]

"It looks like there will be plenty."

Who?

[Tailback]

Right now McCain is who I will support in the primary unless someone grabs me.

Why? Why would you vote FOR McCain as opposed to voting AGAINST the Democratic candidate?

Do you consider yourself a Republican, or a Conservative?

[peyton randolph]

No way he get's through the primary unless there is no real competition. It looks like there will be plenty.

---

Who? The GOP field has dark horses, RINOs, Senate losers, and mythical candidates who aren't running. George Allen will bore people to death. Mitt Romney is d.o.a. thanks to Massachusetts locale and the quirks of being a Mormon (magic undergarments, gold tablets, baptizing Holocaust victims, etc.). Frist is a RINO, dull, and politically tone deaf. Jeb Bush isn't running and would likely lose after 12 years of dad and brother. Condi and Rudy have big name recognition, negatives that would be hard to overcome, and both aren't running as of now. All indications are that Cheney is retiring. Tancredo has Buchanan 1% appeal.

Who is left to challenge McCain? I'd be interested in knowing.

[peyton randolph]

If McCain gets the nomination, then Hillary won't need a Ross Perot type third party running in order to win.

---

Agreed. She'll have the Demonrat base plus the 'independent' soccer mom idiot vote for a woman...despite the fact that Hillary has a bigger pair than McCain.

[FOG724]

I won't vote for McCain.

[bayourant]

I consider myself a conservative Republican. Mcain does not seem like a left winger to me. The reason I opposed him so strongly the last time was the campaign finance laws that unfort became in part a reality. He is pro life he is pro war on terror. At this point having the right commander and chief is my main qualification

[Richard Kimball]

Here's their meeting hall. It's in Hell. That's what it will look like before I go there.

[bayourant]

He doesnt seem left to me. My biggest issue was campaign finance reform the last time. He is pretty pro life and we got 2 seat coming up on the court next time. I am not about to lose the Courtwhen we have it in our grasp for the next 20 to 30 years

[peyton randolph]

Ban cheap guns; require safety locks; for gun show checks

McCain favors outlawing cheaply made handguns called Saturday night specials, and favors mandating safety locks on certain guns. He said he is intrigued by new technology that electronically identifies a person handling a gun, allowing only the owner to fire it. McCain rallied Senate Republicans behind a Democratic measure requiring background checks at gun shows. Source: Scott Lindlaw, Associated Press Aug 17, 1999

Supports ban on certain assault weapons

McCain said he was open to voting for an assault weapon ban, depending on the details. Source: Los Angeles Times, “McCain Calls for Hearings” Aug 17, 1999

[wizardoz]

Oh boy. Wait till Laz sees this...

[bayourant]

Well you have the guts to ask the question. The answer is your right no one. I think people def of Rhino are a litttle extreme here but you pegged allen and Frist is boring too.

[sageb1]

McCain is a wimp. We need someone who isn't.

[peyton randolph]

Accepts gays in military under current policy

KEYES [to McCain]: I have signed the following pledge: In the interest of national security and the morale of our armed forces, if elected president of the US I pledge to reinstitute the ban on homosexuals serving in our nation’s military. Would you join me, sir, in signing that pledge?

McCAIN: No, I will not. [I agree when] military leaders that you and I respect say that this policy is a good one. I will support the present policy.

Source: Republican Debate in West Columbia, SC Jan 7, 2000

Keep “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy - it works

Q. Would your Joint Chiefs of Staff support allowing gays to serve openly in the military? A: I would make sure that a policy that’s working and is working and should work was continued. Yes, [the policy] has troubles; yes, it needs some reviews or changes, fine tuning; and I’ll be glad to support such a thing. But, I cannot change a policy that’s working. And our military leaders are the ones whose advise we should rely on. Source: Republican Debate in Durham, NH Jan 6, 2000

Women have proven themselves in combat-no restrictions

Q: Do you think it’s a good idea to prohibit women from combat? A: No, I don’t and it’s already been proven in the Persian Gulf War that women performed extraordinarily with heroism and skill and courage including in a POW experience. Source: Des Moines Iowa GOP Debate Dec 13, 1999

[MarkL]

I wonder how McCain thinks that the press will treat his membership in "The Keating Five," and his ties to the failed S&L.

I don't trust McCain, and I don't like his politics.

Mark

[bayourant]

Well thats a drawback for me. But who else but him. McCains age is problematic. TO be honest we need a Gov or Fresh face I think. Thats what the Dems will have because I am willing to bet that Richardson might beat Hillary in the primaries then we are really stuck. NO I am not considering Pence as a possibilty

[goodnesswins]

HERE'S my PREDICTION.....NO Senator will be the Next President....it's going to be a Governor.....my 2 cents.

[peyton randolph]

Make possible for immigrants to do a job Americans won't do

Things are terrible, and we've got to fix it. But we're not going to fix it until we have comprehensive immigration reform. When there's a demand, there's going to be a supply. There are jobs that Americans will not do, so we have to make it possible for someone to come to this country to do a job that an American won't do and then go back to the country from where they came. Source: AZ Senate Debate, in Tucson Citizen Oct 16, 2004

Give everyone in the world an opportunity to come to America

Those who live closest are the ones who can get here. Everyone in the world should have the opportunity through an orderly process to come to this country. Source: AZ Senate Debate, in Tucson Citizen Oct 16, 2004

No more ballot initiatives against immigration

Yes, we need to control our borders. No one argues with that. Just ask the recent immigrant who came here legally and is the first to be knocked off the ladder of opportunity by illegal immigrants. But we don’t need ballot initiatives that make people think we want them to abandon their hopes because some of us don’t believe the American Dream is big enough to share anymore. Source: Landon Lecture at Kansas State University Mar 15, 1999

More help for legal immigrants when immigrating & once here

McCain supports the following principles regarding immigration:
• Increase the eligibility of legal immigrants for certain social programs
• Provide extra federal aid to states with higher numbers of immigrants for necessary medical and social services
• Prohibit states from passing laws that deny human services to illegal immigrants or their children
• Increase the immigration quota for computer scientists and other information technology workers.

Source: Project Vote Smart, 1998, www.vote-smart.org Jul 2, 1998

Voted YES on allowing more foreign workers into the U.S. for farm work.

Vote to create a national registry containing names of U.S. workers who want to perform temporary or seasonal agricultural work, and to require the Attorney General to allow more foreign workers into the U.S. for farm work under H-2A visas. Bill S.2260 ; vote number 1998-233 on Jul 23, 1998

[peyton randolph]

NO Senator will be the Next President....it's going to be a Governor.....my 2 cents.

---

I think a Barbour/Rice ticket would be unbeatable.

[Tailback]

McCain Campaigned in Oregon years back for the "Gun show loophole" ballot measure after getting mucho bucks from a billionaire Colorado anti-bun Liberal. He's anti gun, anti 2nd amendment.

The reason why I ask if you are Conservative or Republican is because if you pay attention to what McCain has done the past 20 years, his resemblance to a conservative is purely cooincidental.

McCain is unstable, which IMHO makes him unfit for CIC.

[bayourant]

Gays in the military? uhm support the current policy honestly. It will be something to analyzize the current attitude of the troops towards gays in the military that are serving in combatright now. I think alot of folks will be suprised thats its not as big as a issue for the servicemen now.

[Waco]

Hillary will help bankroll a 3rd party clown, if she runs. Split the vote up, her best/only chance. Will McManiac be the sap for her? He'll probably jump at the chance.

[liberty2004]

Mcain does not seem like a left winger to me.

McCain is a leftist. His cosponsoring of campaign finance shows he has utter contempt for the Constitution. He WILL raise taxes and do whatever his warped ego tells him. He has NO principles other than his absolute obsession to be Prez. I will NEVER cast a vote for him. Damn the Rep party if they nominate that blathering idiot. McCain is Hillary's best hope to be Prez. She will do everything in her power to see he gets the Rep nod or have him run as a 3rd party candidate.

[peyton randolph]

TO be honest we need a Gov or Fresh face I think.

---

Although his hat isn't in the ring (yet), I think Barbour would be formidable. 

[MarkL]

McCain is a wimp. We need someone who isn't.

Given his past, I wouldn't call him "a wimp."

However, given his past, I'd call McCain a crook (Keating Five), and a trasher of the Constitution (McCain/Feingold CFR!)

Mark

[liberty2004]

a lot of liberal males will be voting McCain.

they many say that now, but they will almost certainly vote for Hillary. there is a 100% certainty McCain will lose if nominated.

[peyton randolph]

I think alot of folks will be suprised thats its not as big as a issue for the servicemen now.

---

It is becoming an issue when 7 active duty were just busted for starring in gay porno.

[bayourant]

I am conservative but not far far right. I am pretty solid 2nd amendment though. Buit again whats the alternative. If we can keep the House and the Senate the gun issue will not revive itself. It hasnt been hot since Al Gore took it on.

[sageb1]

DU wants algore.

[Bullish]

McCain doesn't appeal to well educated conservatives who can see right through him. The one's who closely follow the politics on the hill know he's no conservative. He's just as power hungry as Hillary, lusting for a legacy as POTUS.

He does appeal to mushy, centrist Republicans and to a certain extent, right of center democrats.

Conservative Republicans need to somehow find a strong Ronald Reagan type of candidate or we're in deep doo-doo. Playing right into the hands of her heinous Hillary.