In a way, yes I am. I don't accuse you of lying, but I do think you're rationalizing an essentially emotional response into one of "conscience and principle," based on personal disagreement with McCain's stance on your hot-button issue.
I am not trying to convince you or anyone else on how to vote.
Oh, pooh. Of course you are. Why else would you have set up an "anybody by McCain" table at CPAC?
My "hot button" issue transcends partisan politics. I am convinced based on hard data that amnesty and our current legal immigration policies will destroy this country. This is not hyperbole.
My "personal disagreement" with McCain's stance on amnesty is shared by many as the polls and last summer's reaction to McCain-Kennedy will attest. It is a very substantive policy disagreement, not an emotional response. I cannot vote for someone with whom I disagree so much on such an important issue.
Oh, pooh. Of course you are. Why else would you have set up an "anybody by McCain" table at CPAC?
I never did set up such a table as "anybody but McCain" nor is that the objective of the new group that myself and others have founded and which will be launched soon. It goes beyond the amnesty issue, which is just one of a litany of items of disagreement that conservatives have with McCain. We are not trying to convince anyone not to vote for McCain, but rather, to act as a conduit for like-minded people to express their unhappiness with someone who will be the party's standard bearer. Basically, it will do the following:
Action statement:
We will vote in the November 4, 2008 election for all Republican candidates except for the Office of the President, which will be left blank or filled in with a write-in candidate as determined by each voter.
Mission statement
We are committed to preserving the conservative vision for America as the foundation of the Republican Party. We cannot support John McCain as the Republican candidate for the Presidency of the United State of America because of his policy positions and record on amnesty, political free speech, federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, global warming, and a host of other issues important to conservatives.
Purpose
Provide a venue for alienated conservative Republican voters to express their objection to the nomination of Senator McCain as the Republican candidate for President.