Right on McCain: John McCain’s conservative record is excellent

National Review Online ^ | March 1, 2007 | Senator Jon Kyl

[Norman Bates]

Well, yes, it's a bit dour. But it's a British paper afterall! Aren't they always kind of dour? :-)

[CyberAnt]

Well .. Kyl has to live in AZ and I suppose he has his reasons for supporting McCain. I still like Kyl too .. and I've heard him on Hannity and Hewitt and I liked what he had to say .. but I don't agree with his support of McCain.

[zbigreddogz]

My point is clear. What's yours?

[Norman Bates]

He's not "pretending" about anything. He is a combat veteran, a patriot who stands by our troops from day one, a fiscal reformer, and a Pro-Life conservative. Here is his platform.

[Republican Wildcat]

You aren't seriously giving any wait to a straw poll, are you?

[Republican Wildcat]

or weight, either?

[PAR35]

His plane was the one that got hit. He was extremely lucky that day, although he did suffer more injuries from that than did John Kerry in his entire military career.

But I'm going to judge McCain on his political career, not his military career (which as I have pointed out above, was a mixed bag - of course, the same can be said of his politics). And right now, he isn't anywhere near the top of my list.

He's got too many negatives - Gang of 14, McCain-Feingold, health, etc.

[Norman Bates]

Are the Hunter and Giuliani camps ready to admit as such? It is small but it means something.

[Spyder]

Is there anyone here who didn't think there was at least a possibility McCain would become Kerry's running mate in '04? McCain didn't try all that hard to discourage those rumors either. What other "conservative" could you possibly imagine in that position?

[msnimje]

Man, you are a master of rationalization.

John McCain killed John McCain's chance of ever being considered seriously for the Republican Nomination.

[Bahbah]

it could possibly put Hillary into the White House.

Okay. I would pretty much slit my throat before I would want to see that happen.

[Norman Bates]

And it would then show his character that he rejected the offer, knowing that he could've taken the quick and easy way and instead stayed loyal.

[Spyder]

.. so many around here seem to say "I'd NEVER vote for McCain, EVER" or even more laughably "I'd vote for Rudy but not McCain" trying to argue that Rudy is "More Conservative" then McCain, boggles the mind.

I don't see the Rudy supporters arguing at all that he's "more conservative." I think he's a heck of a lot more trustworthy, however, and a much better leader - i.e., someone who can get the support of the majority of the American people behind him. He has McCain's chutzpah but without the abrasiveness.

If McCain is the nominee I'll hold my nose really, really tightly and vote for him. I'll do my darndest to keep him from winning the primaries, however.

[Spyder]

knowing that he could've taken the quick and easy way and instead stayed loyal.

Loyal? Choose to look it however you want, but letting the press keep the rumor alive to keep his puss on TV more isn't my idea of loyalty. Something like that comes out, you squash it. Flat.

[Richard Kimball]

I had previously crossed McCain off my list, and I still have problems voting for anyone who pushed campaign finance reform, but I'll look at any articles, and have changed my mind before. I think you might have a hard sell with McCain on FR, but gofer it.

Fred Thompson has said he's considering getting in, so I'd probably fall into his camp if he decides to run.

[Ken in Eastman]

NB,

What exactly does McCain believe? No, I don't want a link to a list of statements about issues. What is his underlying philosophy?

Regarding McCain, his varied positions do not reveal a consistent set of core beliefs. That bothers me. It also bothers me that he seems to have this need to be admired by the media.

Take a man who does not have a true sense of inner values and combine that with a need to be liked by a monolithic, liberal media and you have a liberal in the making. I can see the headlines now, "President McCain GROWS in Office! Signs National Healthcare Bill"

If McCain is the GOP nominee then I will hold my breath and vote for him, but that is the only way.

[LachlanMinnesota]

My two cents...I don't like McCain, I don't like Guiliani, and I don't like any of the other conservative front runners...

I don't want a candidate with a series of issue positions...I want a candidate that will espouse a conservative philosophy that upholds our constitutional rights and has a concept of the best of American traditions and heritage, which comes from his or her mouth easily and without scripts that someone else wrote...

I want someone who understands the broad movement of history and the direction it is going...

I want someone who tells us not only where we are as a people, but someone who leads from the front to guide us to a better life in the long term march of history...

I want someone who speaks to me as a working family man, in terms even my children understand...

I want someone who is honest with his wife, with his family, with his friends, with his constituents, and with his God.

I have no candidate at this time...I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils, since our country cannot long survive the phenomenal pressures which are and will soon be placed on it without someone who gives life to this cancerous electorate that we now have in this country...

[Beagle8U]

Don't for get the GOA and other gun groups hate McCain

http://www.gunowners.org/mccaintb.htm

[Lancey Howard]

Of all GOP Senators and Congressmen who are declared or possible candidates for the Presidency, McCain is bottom of the barrel.

[Beagle8U]

"Bush signed the bill. Period. To sign it only to hope the Supreme Court would overturn it would be irresponsible and foolish. I doubt that was his plan."

You need to read some of President Bush's "signing statements" on some bills he signed. He thought M/F was bad law and said so.