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.
There is no way on God’s green Earth that I will vote for McVain.
Let’s say it’s McVain against Hitlery (AKA Evita.)
If that’s the matchup, as conservative writers such as Ann Coulter have noted, then it might be better in some ways to vote third party and if that lets Hillary win (remember, the Dimmycraps have third party threats of their own, from McKinney, Nader, and Bloomberg), then so be it.
One candidate favors open borders, amnesty, the worst
restriction of free speech since the Alien and Sedition Acts, the most massive entitlement in 40 years, international accords on the fictitious “global warming” that would destroy our standard of livign, closing Gitmo
and bringing the terrorists here to stand trial in our legal system, will not appoint strict constructionist judges (and says so), and opposes the Bush tax cuts,
which are due to expire on the next President’s watch, and the other favors...well, exactly the same policies.
Tweedledum and Tweedledumber.
As Ann Coulter said, Hillary “lies less than John McCain and she’s smarter than John McCain.” And with Hitlery in power, it is the Dimmycraps who will be blamed for the inevitable disaster, while a McCain Administration will
make it the Republicans, responsibility. That could be the final nail in the coffin of the GOP — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing either.
If McVain is President, then all the liberal policies and the disaster they brign about will belong to the Republicans. If Hitlery is President, then they’ll belong to her and her party. In that case, you would be likely to
see the GOP take back Congress in 2010 and take back the White House in 2012 — with someone who has a lot more principles than McVain adn one who is VASTLY more conservative.
They have to keep telling themselves that.
That's because he's one of them.
But, IMO, a fundamentally dishonest man.
Shockingly accurate!!
Hatred is not helpful. Despising and loathing would be appropriate, but despite the fact that McCain hates conservatives I really do not recommend reciprocating.
McCain needs to be prevented from doing harm to this country. But once he decides to retire somewhere and leave this country alone, I will harbor no enmity toward him. Just good bye and good riddance.
The Esyablishment asks where can conservatives go. Well, conservatives can go fishing.
Wrong. A vote for Ron Paul is a pseudo vote for Mike Huckabee which they say is really a vote for McCain and against Romney. But in reality a vote for McCain IS a proxy vote for Hillary. No one in his right mind wants McCain as president, so if he’s the candidate, Hillary waltzes in. This is why the current media push for the George Soros funded Ron Paul and the populist darling Huckabee. Every vote for Paul or Huckabee is a vote for McCain and all votes for McCain (pseudo, proxy or otherwise) are actually votes for Hillary. Gotta get your RINO excuse math straightened out.
But it’s not his fault. The liberals made him do it.
Would you Paul and Huckabee supporters give it up — PLEASE? Ron Paul and the Huckster are NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
The central issue was for many, the WOT, that was why Ron Paul was rejected.
So, you got your hawk, but you don't like some of the baggage that comes with him.
Well, this is politics and getting a candidate that supports your number one issue, should be enough.
McCain did not waver when he proposed controversial conservative stances on campaign finance, on comprehensive immigration or on greenhouse gases and I don't believe he'll deviate from the issues he's laid out.
Romney, OTOH, has flip-flopped on just about everything he's been for in molding himself into a conservative from a former liberal...he's not trustworthy!
So, if I'm going to get screwed, I'd at least like to know that it's coming to prepare for it instead of having to hear something akin to "read my lips no new taxes" in the 1992 election then find a tax increase I had to borrow to pay come April of 1995.
I don’t like giving up. Wasn’t there a fairly recent mulligan with Bob Dole?
The Huckster’s probably going back to a church near you if the love offering’s right.
Ron Paul is going to some other party to peel votes off whatever loser ends up on the GOP ticket.
Very well said...agree
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