Posted on 05/11/2008 4:13:06 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) - While John McCain is practically assured the Republican presidential nomination, many party members are having a hard time accepting him -- and showing it with symbolic votes against him in primary contests.
The Republican nomination battle has been all but decided for over two months. Still, some Republicans used the April 22 Pennsylvania primary and last week's votes in Indiana and North Carolina to register their unhappiness with the de facto victor.
Some vote for libertarian Texan Ron Paul, who has refused to quit the race and has racked up more than one million votes, according to his campaign.
Other Republicans keep voting for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, and former governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas -- both markedly more conservative than McCain -- although both have long since dropped out of the race and endorsed him.
As many as 25 percent of Republican voters want a different candidate to represent their party in the November 4 presidential election. In Pennsylvania, 27 percent opted for Huckabee or Paul; in North Carolina and Indiana on May 6, McCain opponents earned 23 percent of the vote.
The Washington Times, a conservative newspaper, calculated that McCain had garnered no more than 45 percent of the Republican vote since January.
McCain's reputation as a party maverick and a compromising moderate has left the party's most conservative and ideological members disgruntled.
He focused this week on winning their backing, delivering a major speech on legal issues and promising to nominate conservative justices to any possible new Supreme Court vacancies, as President George W. Bush has done.
"I have my own standards of judicial ability, experience, philosophy, and temperament," McCain said.
"And Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito meet those standards in every respect. They would serve as the model for my own nominees if that responsibility falls to me," he said, pointing to Bush appointees.
Even so, McCain carefully avoided mentioning thorny subjects like abortion and homosexual unions, on which he has staked out much more moderate positions than members of the party's religious right.
On Thursday, McCain vigorously denied voting in the 2000 presidential elections against Bush, his main rival during the Republican primaries that year.
Popular liberal pundit and Internet blogger Ariana Huffington had published a report that shortly after the election, McCain revealed during a dinner that he did not vote for his party's nominee.
"I voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004," the Republican candidate insisted on Fox News. "And not only that, far more important than a vote, I campaigned everywhere in America for him."
While such defenses might help the Arizona senator woo the most conservative Republicans, it carries great risks.
A Wall Street Journal opinion poll last week showed only 27 percent of Americans approved of Bush's performance. And 43 percent said they worried that McCain "will be too closely aligned with the Bush agenda" -- a worry Democrats are already moving to exploit.
That spells trouble for McCain with the potential swing centrist voters McCain needs to defeat his Democratic opponent, Senator Barack Obama or Senator Hillary Clinton.
Republican Senator John McCain listens to questions during a news conference in Miami, Florida in this April 28, 2008 file photo. Now that Democrat Hillary Clinton is fading, McCain's U.S. presidential campaign is girding for a tough election battle against Barack Obama and McCain aides believe he has weaknesses to exploit. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Sun rises in the east. Film at 11.
But he doesn’t care now, does he?
He’s figured that he can win without conservatives by appealing to moderate independents and the (relatively) saner segment of the Democrat Party.
Duh!
He needs all the moderates he can get since no Conservative is voting for him.
Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,
right, speaks at a news conference next to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.,
Friday, May 9, 2008, in Columbia, S.C.
(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
What in the heck is “news” about this?
Dang media has their heads so far up their butts, I don’t know how they can breathe.
Go get that panty-waste of a South Carolina senator to stand alongside of you.
Every time the RNC calls me I tell the nice lady that he doesn’t need my money because I’m a conservative and he doesn’t need me to win.
They hate that.
I plan to vote for him, but only because the idea of Osama or Klinton in the White House is akin to something out of a Steven King novel. Face it, this country is screwed regardless. But McCain is the lesser of three evils.
So, McTraitor says he will nominate non-activist judges, constructionists as it were.
The question that presents itself to me is, what has he done in the past that gives me any reason to believe he is telling the truth? Common sense says, based on his past performance, he’s BSing me to get my vote and will then stab me in the back to please the “moderates”. Whatever the hell a moderate is.
I will not trust any man that clearly puts illegal alien’s desires ahead of the RIGHTS of American citizens.
One thing that makes me fighting mad is to have someone insult my intelligence with the desperate pandering.
We know what he is, and have known for a long long time. No matter what McCain says from now on, he's lying through his teeth.
I think his aides are right... oh Obama's weaknesses.
Never mind. Good luck John. If we've have exasperated you with our objection to you, just wait until Obama is done with your sorry ass.
Some of us have been too polite to go after some of your history. It will be interesting to see if Barack is as thoughtful.
In the end, many conservatives may wind up voting for McCain, but they won’t be shelling out hard cash to his campaign.
So far, McCain has been true to form. Throwing bones to the rightwing will not garner him the contributions nor the rhetoric he needs to win.
Drilling in ANWR is part of winning the WOT and JohnnyMac stands with the environwackos.
No thanks.
Juan has thumbed his nose at us all along. Anyone know how we got here? Conservatives better organize and get their act together while we still have the freedom to do so.
We hang together, or we hang separately. *SHRUG*
Who in their right mind would vote for a ‘Rat, even over a RINO? Not me.
Doubts? I don’t have any doubts.
And before y’all start piling on, I’ve shared my views for overthrowing the Government time and time again.
It’s just not the right time...yet. :)
He did indeed promise that and also...
To Speak to the Nationa La Raza meeting
To NOT stop sanctuary cities
To NEVER drill in ANWAR
Oh yeah he's focused on conservatives. Good Lord.
I think that is about right. I will drag myself to the polls in November.
doubt.
hmmmmmm.
that’s what they call it, huh?
Same here, Obamao is simply unpalatable, McCain at the very least is a budget hawk, wants to ya know, “win” in Iraq, and is our only shot not to have Ginsburg or Stevens replaced with even more liberal SCOTUS nominees and wants the Bush tax cuts to remain in place.
Compared to Obamao, he is William Buckley.
I have no doubts about McCain and he has no vote from me.
“McCain faces doubts among Republican conservatives”
Understatement of the Decade award nominee.
Our only hope now is the VP choice.
“He needs all the moderates he can get since no Conservative is voting for him.”
“I plan to vote for him”
Mm-hmm. Several extremely new “conservatives” to FReeperland that are backing McBackstabber.
“and is our only shot not to have Ginsburg or Stevens replaced with even more liberal SCOTUS nominees”
No matter how liberal those nominees might be, they are but one vote.
Well, Mr “experienced” Freeper, who do you plan to vote for? A Democrat? It’s either McCain or a Democrat. What side of the fence are you on?
Maybe, don’t know don’t care.
If getting a liberal is that important to you vote Obama.
bump
We are actually at a historic turning point on the court and to let it laspe will be an opportunity missed we won't have again in our lifetime.
This theory has already been shot down.
Aww, then I guess he’s gotta dance with the ones that brung him.
The time is now to dump McCain. He is unable to get cash contributions and he is unable to get grass roots support.
His whole campaign is based on a notion that Democrats will support him.
Got big news for you Juan. Democrat voters are against the war. On that alone they will vote for whoever the piddly assed Democrats nominate. You have dissed the GOP base. We do not trust you, that is based on good reason by your past behavior.
Gee Juan, how much dough have you brought in lately? Uh, moderates and undecided Dems ain’t sending a whole lot are they? Bwhahahahaha!
The title is an understatement.
Agreed.
Juan McCain is a demonstrable serial liar.
Yes.
Too bad so many folks apparently find absolutely delicious the taste of gnawing off their own toes.
Not only will I not vote for McCain, I will never, ever vote for a Republican again for any office. Dubya has shown me what the GOP is all about and I want none of it.
Of course, I’ll never, ever vote for a Rat either.
I agree, but it’s a moot point at this point. All we can do is keep a democrat out of the White House. Personally I would not have pissed on McCain if he were on fire during the earlier stages of the campaign, pinning my hopes on Fred. But all of that is in the past. All we can do now is keep the libs out of the White House and minimize the damage.
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