We'll NEVER vote for him!
Posted on 02/06/2008 10:46:00 AM PST by Froufrou
Republican John McCain, buoyed by Super Tuesday wins that pushed him closer to the nomination, told his conservative critics Wednesday to dial back the animosity and focus on issues where they agree.
"I do hope that at some point we would just calm down a little bit and see if there's areas we can agree on," McCain said at a news conference in a Phoenix airport hangar.
Reinforced by Tuesday's returns as the front-runner in the Republican race for president, the Arizona senator took a break from campaigning to return to Washington, where he planned to speak to a gathering of conservatives Thursday.
"I do hope that at some point we would just calm down a little bit and see if there's areas we can agree on," McCain said.
He was talking about well-known talk radio figures and commentators, such as Rush Limbaugh, some of whom are talking about boycotting McCain's candidacy if he captures the nomination.
"I think they've made their case against me pretty eloquently, and I think the majority of Republicans across the board have stated their view," McCain said.
He said he has no plans to reach out personally to Limbaugh, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson or others but would let his message speak for him
"Our message will be that we all share common principles, common conservative principles, and we should coalesce around those issues in which we are in agreement and I hope respectfully disagree on a few specific issues there's disagreement on," McCain said.
Dobson released a statement Tuesday saying: "I am convinced Senator McCain is not a conservative, and in fact has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are." Conservative author and commentator Ann Coulter has said she'd vote and campaign for Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton if McCain is the GOP nominee. Limbaugh has said a McCain nomination would destroy the Republican party.
Some conservatives object to McCain's positions on immigration and campaign finance reform, among other issues. They consider his immigration proposals equivalent to amnesty and his efforts to limit money in politics a violation of free speech. On those issues, McCain joined with liberal Democratic Sens. Edward Kennedy and Russell Feingold, respectively.
McCain defended his efforts to reach beyond the Republican party.
"One thing I'm convinced of, without a doubt, is that conservatives are glad when Joe Lieberman and I worked together in establishing the 9/11 Commission and then moved and got many of their recommendations into law," McCain said.
Sen. Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee who now is an independent from Connecticut, has been campaigning with McCain and appeared with him at the news conference.
McCain said he would return to campaigning Thursday, because "I think we've got to try to wrap this thing up as quickly as possible." There are GOP contests Saturday in Louisiana and Kansas and Tuesday in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
He took a break from campaigning to return Wednesday to Congress, where the Senate was voting on a $200 billion economic aid package aimed at avoiding a recession.
Democratic presidential rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, still locked in a tight struggle, also were returning to the Senate.
On the campaign trail, McCain has promised he will offer specific proposals to help the economy recover.
The issue is important for McCain, because rival Mitt Romney has attacked his economic qualifications. But on Tuesday, McCain had an advantage among voters who said the economy was their top concern.
"I think every day that goes by and Congress does not act on a stimulus package, I think is not helpful," McCain said. "If I had written that package, it would've been somewhat different, but we need to send a signal to the markets and the American economy that we're trying to do some things in their behalf."
McCain has won more than twice as many delegates as either Romney or former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. But after victories in the West for Romney and in the South for Huckabee, the two rivals insisted they would stay in the race.
Sorry, Senator, but we’re not rolling over for you and your RINO policies.
Rintense to McCain on the left: Piss off!
You're not getting my vote.
What a pompous POS
Yeah, I’ll calm down. I’ll be so calm in November as to not go near the poling place.
Senator McCain’s Liberal Record
1. Amnesty = McCain / Kennedy (D)
2. Censorship = McCain / Feingold (D)
3. Gas Tax Increase = McCain / Lieberman (D)
4. McCain’s Proposed Democrat Ticket = Kerry / McCain (D)
5. Turncoats Who Asked to Switch Parties: McCain / Jeffords (D)
6. McCain’s American Conservative Union Rank= 47th / 100 = RINO
7. New York Times (D) Endorsed: McCain
8. Opposed Bush Tax Cuts = McCain + All Ds
9. McCain wants to keep the Death Tax
10. McCain wants to raise Social Security Taxes
11. McCain / ACLU (D) is Pro-Terrorist Rights
12. McCain/Kennedy(D)/Edwards(D) Tobacco = Trial Lawyers Dream Act
Why vote Democrat when you can have
A REAL LIBERAL: JOHN McCAIN!
Top Ten Reasons to Vote For McCain
1. Amnistía Si! Vota Para McCain!
2. Shut Up and Vote McCain / Feingold!
3. $4.00 Gasoline, here we come!
4. Clinton / McCain: The NY Times’ Ticket!
5. RINOs 4 McCain!
6. More Payroll & Death Taxes!
7. Gitmo Detainees Agree: Vote McCain!
8. Kill Conservatism: Vote Liberal, Vote McCain!
9. He Can’t Possibly Stab You in the Back Next!
10. He’ll find out who really stole the strawberries! – Vote Captain Queeg McCain!
McCain: The knife goes into the back easier when you stand still.
Critics on the right to McCain - step down and we will calm down. Until then, forget it.
Typical of this man... he thinks condescension is the appropriate response.
Bite me, John!
We agree that the sky is blue. It’s not enough to get my vote.
Emphasis added.
At least he knows there's not much of a chance.
The area I can agree on is for McPain to announce that he’s picking Fred Thompson for VP, campaign together, and give Fred similar power to what Cheney enjoys. Then I can think about it.
I’m perfectly calm, John, and you’re still not getting my vote.
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