John McCain vs. the Right: No easy peace (What's a conservative to do?)

Michelle Malkin ^ | 1/30/08 | Michelle Malkin

[teddyballgame]

Despite his longtime alienation of the Right on countless issues, John McCain secured a solid win in a closed Florida Republican primary and is assuming the air of inevitability. Many pundits have been urging John McCain to reach out to conservatives (how novel that would be). In response, he made a small point tonight in his victory speech of emphasizing judges–an olive branch, apparently, in the aftermath of the Alito/Fund kerfuffle.

Well. We hear what he says now. But we know what he has done for years:

Insult the base, trash the base, and pay lip service to the base only when it suits his needs.

The declaration that he is the “conservative leader who can unite the party” is yet another smack in the face to those who have watched him reach out and slap conservatives time and again–and then run to the warm, gooey embrace of the liberal media. Is it too much to ask to nominate a Republican candidate who is not as openly and historically hostile to the Republican base as CNN and (McCain’s endorsers at) the New York Times are?

[Sudetenland]

Apparently you buy into the claims of the MSM that we Conservatives are but lemmings who are being led around by people like Rush Limbaugh. Most Conservatives are capable of making their own decisions.

McQueegs victory was not due to the average Conservative turning his back on the opinions of Rush, to a large extent it was due to the Miami-Dade results among Hispanic voters, and Mel Martinez's endorsement. McQueeg won the Hispanic vote better than 2:1 over Romney. Gee I wonder why? You don't suppose it was because of his pandering to the Hispanics with his shamnesty bill, do you?

[tennmountainman]

One has to love the sentence in this article about “Who is McCain’s Conservative’s Outreach Person?

She mentions Juan as the Hispanic Outreach Person.

The Rockefeller Wing of The GOP figures that the grassroots will support McCain vs Hillary regardless.

Some won’t leave the plantation because of this fear.

Others, like myself, will not join the new “Rainbow Coalition” of Jell-O’s, Moderates, Independents and Hispanics.

If McCain is the nominee, I will depart the plantation.

If McCain is elected, let this new “Rainbow Coalition drag him across the finish line. I will not be apart of it.

[JFC]

The conservative movement is bigger than this one election or one Presidential term. No need to fear.

I hate to disagree but looking at my own area, (very conservative West Texas, home to GW Bush), I have seen a big swing to the middle left... it is eye opening to see the local media and papers swinging to the left. I never thought I would see it happen, if it is here, it has to be across the country.

[engrpat]

It doesn’t matter if Hillary or John win in November as they both hold about same views. But what I worry about is the damage McCain will do to the down ticket races. If many of the broken glass republicans fail to vote as seems likely then Congress will go way big democrat. Hillary or Obama will have told control of congress and republicans will be back in dark ages with no say and really no votes.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Except in Florida, maybe.

Don't you think that McCain got a huge boost there from Hispanics? I'm sure he and the party were banking on that one. Win win for big business and the GOP/RNC

[Brett66]

Conservatives don’t have a party that represents them anymore.

[Greg F]

I’m not sure what you are talking about. A McCain or Hillary presidency guarantees amnesty. Where is the fight?
__________________________________________________________

It most certainly does not! Bush was ready to sign the amnesty bill as well and fought hard for it. It will be the current status quo on the issue . . . President that will sign the bill if it reaches their desk . . . Senate that has serious infighting on the issue and some scared Senators approaching re-election who don’t want to lose. It’s those Senators that we have to scare. Same as before.

[teddyballgame]

“Then the winners were talk TV, liberal press, etc, right? Those who 24/7 told the American people John McCain was their only real choice.”

Yup, and as soon as McCain wins the nomination these same people who have been praising him will turn on him. He’s going to be trashed 24 hours a day. By the time the MSM get through with McCain you’d think the guy had one foot in the grave and is half insane (not far from the truth).

[KansasGirl]

Oh well, I really doubt bill is going to live too long anyway. He isn’t looking too good these days, IMO.

[meandog]

Good post...It is my opinion that SC justices from McCain will be in the Reagan mold: Sandra Day O’Connor, Willian Reinquist, Anthony Kennedy AND Antonin Scalia

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

I think the election is rigged.

[wolfcreek]

The Dims will mop the floor with that ol’ man. Dole II

[angelcindy]

Mccain went behind the peoples back and met with laraza on that amnesty bill...he was going to give all illegals amnesty!!! including terrorists that are here...Mccain belongs to the RINO party...He’s the worst that has happened to the rep party..If the rep party wasn’t torn apart it sure is now...

[stockpirate]

“Then go over to DU and campaign, you don’t belong here!”

I am not a Socialist so there is no need to go anywhere except where Conservetives are, which is here.

There is not one bit of difference between Hillery and McCain. And I would suggest that if you support McCain that it is you that needs to go over to DU where you belong.

[MizSterious]

Maybe the country has to hit rock bottom before the people can begin to see what liberalism truly is. I don’t know if this is the case, but I keep wondering why we’re all in this handbasket, and where we’re going.

[Sybeck1]

So who will put McCain bumper stickers on their car or signs in their yard?

[MizSterious]

Oh, I’m sure that’s the case—but do you really think Florida is the only state with lots of Hispanics? (legal or not)

[Cuttnhorse]

Excellent comments by readers in the Malkin article.

Pretty much express my feelings, especially if we conservatives only have a choice between a liberal dishonest Republican and a Democrat (the liberal and dishonest part goes without saying), then we might as well vote for the democrat and let them take the blame when the wheels come off. Maybe, just maybe, the next time around the GOP will rediscover its true soul.

Very sad to even think this way.

[angelcindy]

Make a mccain sign but put RINO on it..and put them everywhere...

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

(What's a conservative to do?)

Actually, I think McCain would beat both Hillary and Obama in a general election, since most of the John-Q voting "public" buys into McCain's war hero status without really having looked at his legislative voting record. They don't care...they have seen his movie and that will be enough.

As for Hillary, I think she's dying from a thousand cuts...Bill's pissing off of the Kennedy's hurt her badly, as did Obama's rout in South Carolina.

Obama will have problem in the general election because he is a black man and that will go down poorly in the South and the West.

As evidence toward this coming trend, I offer my father's opinion. He' s a die-hard, white southern New Deal Democrat who still worships FDR and votes a straight Democratic ticket every year, never mind that the 'Rat party has been hijacked by Socialists and Communists.

He told me last week that under NO circumstances would he vote for Obama, and that he will vote for McCain if he's the GOP nominee.

THAT speaks volumes to me about where this election is going.