Posted on 02/05/2008 6:57:58 AM PST by Delacon
Why do so many conservatives detest — and yes, "detest" is the most accurate word — John McCain?
Why are radio talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and Hugh Hewitt abandoning their customary stance on Republican unity by endorsing or supporting Mitt Romney?
Why would the right-wing queen of provocation, Ann Coulter, claim that she would rather campaign for Hillary Clinton than the longtime Republican senator from Arizona?
Why, many talking heads marvel, are conservatives ambushing their only real shot at a general election victory in November?
Well, just maybe, to conservatives, the principle is worth more than the victory.
After all, hadn't conservatives won the presidency with George W. Bush? Hadn't they won both houses of Congress in 2002? How many conservatives are celebrating this week's news of the first-ever $3 trillion budget unveiled by the president?
Anger towards McCain, despite the spin of his supporters, isn't exactly irrational. McCain has shown an elastic sense of principle. To conservatives, it seems like temperamental predilections are just as likely to determine his positions as poll numbers. He's a man they have trouble trusting.
Conservatives may remember that after losing the South Carolina primary in 2000, McCain derided conservative evangelical leaders as wielding "evil influence" on the Republican Party. ("Evil influence" apparently means convincing people not to vote for John McCain.)
Now, he's one of the believers.
Conservatives may wonder why McCain joined Russ Feingold in writing legislation that allows the federal government to dictate free speech in ways never before imagined. Or that he joined Ted Kennedy on an immigration bill that was opposed by most conservatives. Now, McCain sounds like he's ready to join the Minutemen.
Free-market types may wonder why John McCain supports cap-and-trade schemes. Others may wonder why he not only buys into end-of-world global warming scenarios, but opposes drilling in ANWR — comparing that stretch of tundra in Alaska to the Grand Canyon and Florida Everglades.
Fiscal hawks may wonder why McCain was one of two Republican senators to vote against Bush's across-the-board tax cuts. He justifies the position by claiming he believes it should have been tied to spending cuts.
A perfectly reasonable stand — if McCain has actually taken it. But the maverick must have kept those concerns to himself, instead brandishing the liberal rhetoric of "tax cuts for the rich" during the debate.
None of these issues, on their own, would be deal breakers. No candidate can meet all ideological expectations. But conservatives have been asking themselves: Other than Iraq, what does McCain offer us?
We'll soon find out. This week McCain will be stopping in at the Conservative Political Action Conference to cultivate the hard hearts of the rank and file.
He will, self-effacingly, forward the fable that he was a mere "foot soldier" in the Reagan Revolution. Serving in the house beginning in 1983, McCain was, at best, a soldier in mop-up operations.
Who knows? The mood of the country might be swinging towards John McCain pragmatism. Conservatives might be an ideological minority in the Republican Party, once again. But things change.
After all, one day Karl Rove is planning a permanent Republican majority, the next day he's a Fox News analyst, pondering whether Democrats will have a veto-proof majority in the Senate in 2009.
And perhaps conservatives are dead wrong. Maybe McCain will become a great Republican president. Still, there's nothing shameful about holding your ground on principle.
Reach columnist David Harsanyi at 303-954-1255 or dharsanyi@denverpost.com.
Then you’re too dumb to live in America..you’d sacrifice our country just to make a point.....what an idiot.
From which ring of Hell did you arise?
The problem is that MOST of his stances taken together are deal breakers. Combine that with his vile temper and compulsion to lash out at ANYONE, friend or foe who disagrees with him (with the possible exceptions of his handlers, Fat Teddy and Hanoi John) and what you wind up with is a detestable human being.
My thoughts exactly! The big problem isn’t just losing the Presidency, it is the Senate, the House and the Supreme Court that we fought over 40 years to regain. And because of one maniac, we stand to lose all of it.
If McCain is the nominee...the country has already been sacrificed.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1965264/posts
Your choice to charge in and hurl reactionary insults is no doubt indicative of your extreme intelligence.
I would be happy to get on board and drive McCain’s train over a cliff.
Yeah, what's not to detest?
Agreed.
You’re very welcome.
I can’t go with Ron Paul. I know he won’t win, but I just can’t go there. I wonder why he’s not going with the Libertarians.
I guess I’ll just check out the choices when the time comes.
Conservatives are sick and tired of the Republican elite (media and politicians) trying to get them to sell out their principles (one more time) to get Democrat-Lite. Conservatives put Republicans in control of both houses of congress and the presidency and got very little in return except scorn and being told to shut up and get to the back of the bus. 2006 was a landslide victory for the Dems because conservative voters stayed home. The Republican elites decided that meant they should shift even further to the left in order to win an election.
McCain is a sacrificial media lamb (think Bob Dole) who will insure the Democratic candidate gets elected. Conservatives have had enough and are willing to watch the train wreck. How the people leading the Republican party can’t figure this out is pretty amazing.
Yup! This whole election is like a chess game. Just playing with the next move without looking ahead will never win the game. This is serious. Thanks anyway, Tommy, at least we understand.
THIS is how you people planned appealing directly to conservatives?? Calling is the Third Reich?? Some of is are JEWISH, you pulsating boil!
“Is”=”us”...I can’t believe I did that TWICE.
1. He won’t win the election for President, and
2. It will signal the Republican establishment that they can’t force-feed us with such a distasteful candidate as McCain.
I have heard this argument before, but I frankly do not understand it. How is it the fault of "the Republican establishment" that John McCain seems destined to become the GOP nominee in 2008?
It was an atomized conservative field that made it difficult to consolidate effectively behind any one conservative candidate. And the RNC, for all its faults, is not picking the nominee. Primary and caucus voters are doing so.
Because the talking heads don't realise that a win for McCain would not be a victory for conservatives.
</obvious>
Try logic instead of emotion...all I hear is vitriolic flamming (i.e., reactionary insults) against McCain.... and very little thought. He’s anti-abortion and pro tax-cuts....pro-military and pro-spending cuts.........don’t lie about his principles......he’s clearly NOT a person who will “sacrifice the country”.
Basically, you are advocating playing political russian roulette with a semi-automatic handgun, FRiend. You go first.
As for me, my principles are not for sale.
If McCain is on the ticket I’m thinking of voting for Obama.
With him being so left it should lock the government up for 4 years.
Getting nothing done is better than getting a bunch of crap jammed down our throats
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