Posted on 04/21/2008 5:26:59 AM PDT by Mr. Brightside
Posted on Mon, Apr. 21, 2008
The Elephant in the Room: Why conservatives should support McCain
By Rick Santorum
Anyone who knows me knows that I don't shy away from offering my two-cents on the issues of the day, particularly in presidential races. And anyone who has heard me talk about the presidential race over the last few months knows that I've had, shall we say, some serious reservations about John McCain's candidacy.
I've disagreed with him on immigration, global warming and federal protection of marriage. I've taken strong exception to his view that the federal government should fund embryonic stem-cell research.
But disagreement on such issues is one of the reasons we have presidential primaries - so each party's voters can sort out the issues and personalities and choose the candidate who best reflects their collective view. Republicans have done that.
Now the question for conservatives is whether McCain fits the Reagan Axiom that someone you agree with on 80 percent of the issues is your friend, not your enemy.
Of all the issues confronting the United States today, none is more important than our nation's security. Although these issues don't dominate our news as they once did, we cannot forget that without a safe and secure country, all other issues don't matter.
McCain is clearly the candidate with the capacity, judgment, experience and will to confront America's enemies. He's served our country honorably - heroically - in war.
I served eight years with him on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and I can assure you he knows our military. Importantly, he also knows our enemies. He understands their capabilities and their aims. He will not sugarcoat the human or financial commitment and cost needed to defeat this enemy.
The most important social issue is life. Yes, I often wished McCain would have joined me on the Senate floor in debating Barbara Boxer on issues like the partial-birth-abortion ban. In the end, with the exception of embryonic stem-cell funding, he always voted for life and stood for the culture of life. In short, he's been a reliable vote on life issues, which are critical to conservatives.
Many conservatives have given McCain poor marks for his involvement in the Gang of 14. I was in leadership pushing hard for a showdown with the Democrats on using the "Constitutional Option" to end their filibuster of judicial nominations.
The Gang of 14 broke the impasse, and it probably was for the best. I was the one counting votes on that issue, and I was much less certain of success than others. In the end, the Gang deal resulted in numerous confirmations of qualified conservative jurists.
On judges, McCain has repeatedly made clear that he will, as his Web site states, "only nominate judges who understand that their role is to faithfully apply the law as written, not impose their opinions through judicial fiat." Sounds good to me.
Yes, I disagreed with McCain's opposition to President Bush's tax cuts in 2001 and 2003. But I give him credit that he now thinks we must make those tax cuts permanent to boost our now-struggling economy.
And, yes, McCain has been a thorn in the side of many of us who supported important appropriations earmarks for our states. But he's always objected with principled consistency.
This is but one example of McCain's character - the kind of character I want in the person who answers 3 a.m. phone calls at the White House.
Those conservatives who still question whether they can support McCain should remember this: The next president will make more than 2,700 political appointments, those who really set policy, across the bureaucracy of our government.
I, for one, will sleep better at 3 a.m. if Republicans are in the cabinet and in White House positions that make so many critical decisions. The idea of "Attorney General John Edwards" and "Energy Secretary Al Gore" should cause some sleepless nights for Republicans or conservatives - and those in a U.S. manufacturing sector now struggling to stay afloat.
Here's my final argument for John McCain. He's not Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.
Both Democrats have made their case in chief on why they should be president, and we have every reason to be concerned.
Both want to cut and run from Iraq, give the radical jihadists a victory from the jaws of defeat, and leave the Iraqi people vulnerable to chaos. Both would put in place dangerous economic policies that would make Uncle Sam look like an Orwellian Big Brother. Both would nominate liberal activist judges who would pass undemocratic laws from the bench. Both support one-size-fits-all health-care policies that have been a disaster for patients and medical industries in Canada. Good-bye, American capitalism; hello, European-style socialism.
Many of my fellow Republicans have faulted me privately and publicly for being so outspoken about McCain, suggesting that I should have kept my mouth shut.
First, I've never been very good at that. Second, I do not regret being up-front about such an important decision. Third, the primaries are a time when each party wrestles over what it's looking for in a presidential candidate. Now is the time to come together.
As for the Reagan Axiom, given his opponent, McCain is close enough to 80 percent for government work. That is why I am going to vote for my friend - John McCain.
Oh Boy! The McCain haters are going to have a field day with this article. Santorum is about to become “Freeperized”.
It’s McCain’s position on illegals and Freedom of Speech that concern me the most and neither is mentioned in this.
And I say again, my one vote for Ross Perot, because I thought I was going to “teach the GOP a lesson”, bought me eight years of the adulterous, lying, cheating, corrupt, vile, adolescent Bill Clinton and all that came with him. The hope that we will be able to “steer” McCain into a more Conservative direction is easily more poisitive than the certainty of where Hilliary or Barak The Muslim will take the nation. Those Supreme Court Justices are getting older every day, and we all know that when the Libs can’t get the voters to push forward their agenda, they sneak it in through the courts, and once it has been made case law, Lib rulings are almost impossible to get rid of.
Uh... Okay, Rick. I’ll vote for your pal John McCain. Holding my nose. It’s not a vote for McCain anyhoo — it’s a vote against Hillobama.
But since he wants to get that nasty money out of politics... we might as well start with MY money. As in, fuhgetaboutit, John.
Work the phones? Walk the neighborhood? Enthusiastically talk him up around the water cooler, as though John McCain is Reagan the Second?
Fuhgetaboutit.
Yeah, Rick, we know you’re not shy about offeing your two-cents. Sad to say, but, you’d still be the Jr. U.S. Senator from PA had you not offered your two-cents in ‘04 and endorsed Arlen Specter over a great Conservative, Pat Toomey. You’d possibly be the GOP nominee for President right now or be the top contender for the VEEP spot. I hope your “love affair” with Specter was worth it.
That’s they way you have to look at it. Everything else is just what you’ll have to live with till that ‘tailor made’ candidate comes along. Face it, Reagan spoiled us.
>> The McCain haters are going to have a field day with this article.
I don’t hate John McCain.
I just don’t particularly value him as POTUS material.
He’s better than the others, but not by much. Not by much at all.
In Mississippi, I don’t have to vote for the McCainiac. If my one vote is needed to give him one of the most conservative states in the union, he’s in more trouble than we thought. Cochran, Wicker and Greg Davis will get my vote.
Santorium is a voice of reason
santorum
The conservative’s fight with John McCain will begin January 21st of next year.
In my opinion, that's better than having to fight the other option.
I believe it's important to remember why McCain opposed the tax cuts to begin with too. There were no corresponding spending cuts.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."
This 'appeaser' mentality is why we're in this sinking boat in the first place.
Electing McCain isn't magically going to make things better...
..it will simply continue the slippery slope we're on.
This 'appeaser' mentality is why we're in this sinking boat in the first place.
Electing McCain isn't magically going to make things better...
..it will simply continue the slippery slope we're on.
Sorry Rick but no sale. You can put lipstick on this pig, but it is still a pig. Amnesty=Destruction of this country as we know it. I won’t be complicit in the destruction of this country by voting for someone who espouses a policy that will.
SC Justices of the last 40 years (1968-2008) and who appointed them:
Warren E. Burger Nixon(R) Harry Blackmun Nixon(R) Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. Nixon(R) William Rehnquist Nixon(R) John Paul Stevens Ford(R) Sandra Day O'Connor Reagan(R) William Rehnquist Reagan(R) Antonin Scalia Reagan(R) Anthony Kennedy Reagan(R) David Souter G. H. W. Bush(R) Clarence Thomas G. H. W. Bush(R) Ruth Bader Ginsburg Clinton(D) Stephen Breyer Clinton(D) John Roberts G. W. Bush(R) Samuel Alito G. W. Bush(R)
It is rather difficult to blame all the ills of the SC on the Dems, considering that, since Johnson (1-20-1968), only 2 justices have been Dem appointments. The other 13 have been Republican appointments.
Source: List of nominations to the Supreme Court of the United States
——there is only one reason to vote for McCain——ANY DEMOCRAT IS WORSE—
me too(Perot)
I don't trust him on judges (he wouldn't understand “original intent” if it bit his leg off) or freedom of speech, or border security. His comment about the 2nd Amendment and the “right to hunt” pissed me off beyond words. If he was on fire, I wouldn't spit on him. And given my recent experiences, that's saying a lot...
I just hate Hillary! and Obama even more.
But I'll vote for him. If I have to. I guess.
McCain went to Pennsylvania to campaign for Santorum in his unsuccessful re-election bid, but earlier this year Santorum sounded like he hated McCain so much that he would never support him...so I am a little surprised by this.
I watched Santorum debate Boxer. His finest hour, imo.
Santorum makes a convincing argument here. I will vote for McCain, even though I don't like him--he wasn't my first choice.
The alternatives truly are scary.
Reagan was two of four, Bush one one of two, and W two of two. Clinton ofer.
I have no choice but to support McCain. If Obama is elected, he is going to destroy our economy with unitive tax increases and enormous new government spending on entitlements.
I have no choice but to support McCain. If Obama is elected, he is going to destroy our economy with unitive tax increases and enormous new government spending on entitlements.
Ditto my one vote in Massachusetts, for the opposite reason. So I won't be voting for McCain under any circumstances.
We all have rights to our opinions and rights to cast our votes as we deem proper.
I for one will not be supporting Mr. McCain nor many in the Republican Party any longer.
The Party seems to have fallen to about the 20% rule according to my conservative clock. And I am finished voting "against".
But again, that is only my decision and you won't find me, at least, chastising folks who continue to vote for a failing political party.
The bottom line for me is this. As of January 2009, the Supreme Court Justices are these ages.
Stevens - Liberal - 88
Ginsburg - Liberal - 75
Scalia - Conservative - 72
Kennedy - Moderate - 72
Breyer - Liberal - 70
Souter - Liberal - 69
Thomas - Conservative - 60
Alito - Conservative - 58
Roberts - Conservative - 53
Now there is a very good chance that the next president will appoint up to 4 SCOTUS justices in his next term. With McCain, we MIGHT have a good pick. With Obama, we'll be wishing back for the days of Ginsburg when we get a bunch of young Saul Cornell types. I can not take that chance. McCain has my vote.
I wholeheartedly disagree with embryonic stem-cell research, McCain-Feingold (speech), McCain-Kennedy, McCain-Lieberman, his original position on the Bush tax cuts, his stance that “Alito wears his conservatism on his sleeve.”; the fact he believes Hillary is a “person of integrity” (a claim he continues to assert); global warming/climate change, and I could go on.
That being said, he has said he is willing to “stay the course” in Iraq, and despite his support of embryonic stem cell research, he does have a positive record on life issues.
I'm wavering on my non-support of McCain, but for those of you who can make lemonade out of his nomination, Good for you! I am striving to be as optimistic as you all are and while I may disagree with you about supporting Johnny Mac, I do respect and understand your point of view. I hope that others can do the same for me.
I’m not known to take advice from idiots, no sense in starting now. Blackbird.
I’m going to hold my nose very very tight and vote for McCain. This is a vote against the two socialists and not a vote for McCain. Meanwhile, while McCain is better on defense and security of this country, his views aren’t really much different than the other two. In the words of our Rush “We’re so screwed!”
These are reasons to vote against Clinton and Obama, not to vote FOR McCain.
But they ARE really good reasons.
We lost a good one in Rick Santorum. I came to the position he did shortly after Romney dropped out.
‘Depends on his VP choice. How well does he really think?
I would vote for a rotten fencepost -- rather than guarantee at least four years of Osamabama or Hitlery control over our lives!
“Admittedly, I’m softening on Johnny Boy, but if I’m to hold true to the Regan Axiom he quotes “if you can agree with someone 80% of the time, they are not your enemy” is applicable in this case, I don’t believe I agree with John 80% of the time.”
Allow me to assist with your reasoning, if you would permit.
Let’s be presumptive and conclude that you only “agree with McCain” roughly 40% of the time. Not 80%, not 60%, not even half the time, but only 40%.
Doesn’t count for much, eh? Is it worth voting for someone you agree with only that much?
In that case, please answer what percentage of the time do you agree with Hillary or B. Hussein?
- John
I think we’re going to get it, whether we need it or not.
We were not given "republican primaries" in which we could "reflect" our "collective" views. We had open primaries in a couple of states and the winner was declared. There are still several states that have not voted, one being yours Mr. Santorum.
Here's my final argument for John McCain. He's not Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.
IIRC, the republicans/conservatives laughed and railed at the election mantra of the rats in 2004..."He's not Bush!"
Today, we are being asked to embrace the "He's not Hill/Bama!" line. Really pathetic.
For many here, apparently not.
..it will simply continue the slippery slope we're on.
The good news is...we have nearly completed the slide down that slope and are extremely close to the bottom. Regardless who wins, we will reach the bottom within the next few years.
Ditto's
Just goes to show you no one is 100%.
At least I know John McCain is going to fight to save my Country and not negotiate with leaders that want to annihilate us!
More like one of three. He simply moved Rehnquist to the Chief Justice position. He did not appoint him.
I second that motion!!!
No question, I will vote for McCain. I will not contribute directly to his campaign. I will donate to the NRA-ILA, which will support him. That way he will know where the money came from. Hopefully he will realize that he better be 2nd Amendment friendly.
As someone from Pennsylvania, I remain absolutely perplexed to this day on why Rick Santorum got trounced in the '06 election.
Especially considering the Democrat who won, little Robbie Casey Jr., who is infinitely boring and non charasmatic, and can't talk his way out of a paper bag.
I don't accept the 'common knowledge' that Santorum lost simply because he endorsed Arlen Spector's candidacy in 2004.
Heck, a junior senator almost always supports a senior Senator from the same party, and doesn't get defeated just for that.
The only thing I can figure is that Santorum (God love him because I certainly do) was the point man for almost every important controversial issue that conservatives hold near and dear.
Many Republicans openly rejected Santorum because Rick 'had the nerve' to defend the life of Terri (Schindler) Schiavo, the young woman who was ultimately starved and dehydrated to death by her husband Michael Schiavo.
Many Republicans also went along with the liberal media's obsession at painting Rick Santorum as the Big Meanie.
All of which disproves, unfortunately, the admonition by Rush Limbaugh that "conservatism works every time and every place it's tried."
While I want to believe that, it is clear that conservatism is a hard sell, at best, to the general public.
It takes a likable personality and someone with good linguistic skills to win elections in 'blue" states.
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