Posted on 01/31/2008 7:16:23 PM PST by bshomoic
Republican Discontent: Conservatives Dislike McCain, Mistrust Romney
GOP Contenders Fight for Nomination but Party Faithful Not Satisfied
By JAKE TAPPER
Jan. 31, 2008—
For the last year, conservative Republicans have been unhappy with the Republican field. But some pundits predicted that eventually the party would coalesce around someone.
Now the field has been winnowed down largely to two candidates -- Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.
Nevertheless, the discontent remains.
McCain's Conservative Credentials
Thursday, California's Republican Gov.Arnold Schwarzenegger praised McCain for working with Democrats.
"He is reaching across the aisle in order to get things done," the popular actor turned governor said when endorsing McCain in Los Angeles.
But that ability -- which in part earned Schwarzenegger's endorsement -- hurts McCain with conservatives.
"So [McCain] just got the endorsement of a big taxing, big spending, socialist health care eco-extreme governor who says the Republican party needs to follow him to the left," conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh said on his radio program.
Conservative on most issues, McCain is resented for opposing the Bush tax cuts, backing immigration reform, and support for taking action on global warming.
"Those views are outside the mainstream of Republican conservative thought," Romney blasted during the most recent -- and perhaps last -- Republican primary debate Wednesday.
"Let me just say I'm proud of my conservative record," McCain shot back.
Questioning Romney
And while Romney claims conservative credentials -- that assertion is undercut by his own record.
"I was an independent during the time of Reagan-Bush. I'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush," Romney said during his unsuccessful 1994 Senate bid against Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy.
Six years later, in 2002, Romney sounded as if he favored abortion rights.
"I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose," he said, while campaigning in a successful bid for governor of Massachusetts.
Two Man Race
Either Romney or McCain will almost certainly be the Republican nominee despite an early challenge by former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. But across the nation, conservatives are simply not satisfied.
The lunchtime crowd at Gabriel's Desserts in Cobb County, Ga., lacked an appetite for either candidate.
"I'm not happy with anyone in the field," said Toby Toler, who identified himself as a Republican voter.
There was a similar lack of hunger at the Avalon Diner in Houston.
"I haven't seen a leader in the entire Republican group," said Andy Abercrombie.
With dislike of McCain and distrust of Romney, some say only one candidate could unify and energize conservative voters: Hillary Clinton.
But conservative activists warn the nominee ignores their concerns at his own peril.
"Every time the Republican candidate has not had the enthusiastic support from the base of the Republican party they lose, no matter who the opponent is," said Richard Viguerie, a conservative activist and author.
McCain's 96-year-old mother, Roberta, said the Republican base will ultimately accept her son, the front-runner.
"I think holding their nose they're going to have to take him," she told C-SPAN recently.
I know of Yellow Dog Democrats who have voiced interest in Huckabee. I don’t think the powers that be realize how little the average American voter knows about policy and issues. Main Street Americana likes someone that seems like a regular sort of guy—one of them. When he was the mainstream media’s pick (hoping to pick a GOP loser) and they gave him coverage his position in the polls seem to zoom upward. I think he would truly pull his weight in the south as many of those Democrat folks would vote neither for a woman nor a minority. I have heard a number of GOP supporters say that if they don’t show respect for Huckabee then they are through giving money to the GOP for they feel their interests are not being represented. None of these people of which I speak are right wing Christians. I think Huckabee should at least be given more coverage and let the people decide. This is the first time since I became a FP participant that I find myself at odds with the views of the posters. I think he is being underestimated. I need to hear more to be convinced otherwise.
NO Conservatives Don’t like or trust McCain and distrust ABC.
FWIW, Newt was on Hannity&Colmes and touched on the fact that it is a possibility that no one may have 50% of the delegates by the convention if Huckabee stays in and does well in the south and McCain & Romney split the other states.
We need to stop letting mainstream media tell us what we believe. By speaking for us, they want to direct us. Think for yourself.
The reason I dislike McCain is that I do not trust him. I like Romney and whether I trust him or not is still an open question.
Yet by such events, America’s prospects for the future grow bleak. If anything, this manner of politicking continues to sink the entire governing process deeper and deeper into a murky abyss of corruption, venom, and deceit.
Only when Americans truly decide that such behavior is unacceptable, and show it by their votes, will Washington be forced to take note and change its ways. The dismal results from Florida, along with the fact that the Clintons are still standing after their antics in South Carolina, suggests that America has still further to descend before it hits bottom.
From an article by Adamo
“Republican Discontent: Conservatives Dislike McCain”
I keep seeing sugar-coated words like “dislike” or “mistrust” when it comes to how conservatives feel about Juan. The un-PC and therefore correct word is HATE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_TV0R2vQjg&feature=related
For the depressed the sad and left out. ENJOY
"McCain's tendency to make snap judgments based on prejudice rather than information, and his hostility to information that doesn't conform to his prejudices, is perhaps the most frightening aspect of his candidacy."
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/01/019684.php
But what about McCain's other positions? He opposes drilling in ANWR because, in his words, the area is "pristine" (which in this case means barren) and he "wouldn't drill in the Grand Canyon." Has any candidate ever presented a less serious analysis of an important policy question? He opposes waterboarding in part because "torture doesn't work." Maybe the things the North Vietnamese did to him at the Hanoi Hilton didn't work, but we know from eye-witness accounts that waterboarding worked. When I asked McCain about this, he essentially accused the CIA of lying. McCain's tendency to make snap judgments based on prejudice rather than information, and his hostility to information that doesn't conform to his prejudices, is perhaps the most frightening aspect of his candidacy. It is also the most stark difference between McCain and Romney, outstripping any substantive disagreements in my view. Neither the Romney's style -- "wallowing in the data" -- nor McCain's snap judgment style is ideal for a president. Great presidents rely at times on instinct and core beliefs, not just data. But a president who consistently relies on instinct and pooh-poohs data is likely to make major mistakes. Unless one thinks McCain is a genius (and I don't), we'd probably be better off with Romney's approach to making decisions ….""... John McCain rarely lets lack of information and expertise stand in his way. Iraq, of course, is a notable exception. McCain frequently visited Iraq and consulted with everyone he could. For this, and because he found the right answer, he deserves the great credit he claims.
Yep. For gun owners, that is all that is left—and the media are going out of their way to ignore him, too.
fools
Good remarks. With McCain, you know you have a backstabbing traitor. With Romney, you MIGHT have a backstabbing traitor. At this point, I’m willing to give Romney the benefit of the doubt. With McCain, there is no chance I will ever vote him.
A bunch of barbarians are not going to cower me into voting for abortion, to vote for tax increases, to vote for socialized medicine, to vote for deficits, to vote for more illegal immigration, to vote for restrictions on the 2nd amendment, to vote for restrictions on the 1st amendment, to vote for "leaders" willing to bow before UN dictate, to vote for "leaders" happy to destroy the economy by bowing before envirofascist demands (gorebull whoring, stalling/stopping domestic energy operations), nor vote for class envy, nor endorse candidates who hold other positions I detest. And if terrorists can't, then neither will Hillary!
I'd like a candidate solid on everything (including one willing to stomp the bastards stuck in 9 AD back to 2000 BC), but they (Tancredo, Hunter, Thompson) all dropped out. Something has got to give - FEAR will not guide my choice.
It is terrible when someone's mother knows her son stinks.
Conservative, except for the war with Jihadism, on which Ron Paul is pinker than code pink.
For the most part, Romney governed as a conservative. He’s clearly the most conservative of the major Republicans. McCain’s a liberal and Huckafeller is a lying fraud whose only purpose in staying in a race he knows he can’t win is to divide conservatives so he can guarantee McVain’s nomination and get the Vice Presidential nod from him.
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