Texas evangelical Republicans reluctantly back McCain

Dallas News ^ | June 14, 2008 | Wayne Slater

[CreativePerspective]

For religious conservatives at the Texas Republican Convention, even the song list at Friday's prayer rally suggested dark days ahead for the GOP.

"We're going to support McCain," he said with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. "He may not have been all of our first choice, but he is our choice."

"I'm going to support McCain and try to help people see the reality of the total picture and how dangerous Barack Obama is," said state Sen. Dan Patrick, a conservative talk-radio host with a strong evangelical following. "There is no other choice."

[CreativePerspective]

Looks like reality is sinking in -- if you don't support McCain, you ARE supporting Obama.

[NormsRevenge]

if you don’t support McCain, you ARE supporting Obama.

—

Oh really? uhh,, if you say so.

Welcome to FR.

[deport]

Looks like reality is sinking in —

---

Depends....... Paul and his bots haven’t gotten the message yet or so it seems.

[KevinJohnson]

McCain is an arrogant guy, with plenty of liberal tendencies, and I don't really like the idiot or his policies much, but compared to the extreme left-wing Obama, even McCain manages to look like right winger. It's amazing the RATS nominated such an extremist to be their candidate.

[Taking Congress back in 2010]

Wow, what enthusiatic endorsements!!

After the way McCain dumped Hagee I can’t say I blame them for their tepid support.

[horse_doc]

Perhaps reality will set in with McCain as well.

Grudging support won't win this election - that just means we'll all vote against Obama, which just won't do the trick..

Enthusiastic support means bumper stickers, yard signs, contributions, phone banks, walking neighborhoods, and GOTV efforts. And victory. If McCain wants that, then he's got to show leadership, and give me something to get enthusiastic about.

One more hint - McCain's precious Independents won't give money, they won't put up a yard sign, they won't put a bumper sticker on their Prius, they won't work work phone banks, and they won't volunteer to GOTV. They won't do these things because they are too "independent" to associate with an organized political party.

And when these things don't happen, McCain will have exactly one person to blame.

[CindyDawg]

Not so fast there. This one hasn’t decided yet. I’m waiting to see who his VP is going to be.

[Clintonfatigued]

That’s the key- support for McCain among conservatives is reluctant and tentative. No one here wants Barack Obama to be President, but the alternative is nothing great.

The choice for VP will matter more than anything else.

[CreativePerspective]

“CP: “if you don’t support McCain, you ARE supporting Obama.”

-

“NR: Oh really? uhh,, if you say so.”

—

I am not the only one saying so, the point is that more and more conservatives are saying so and recognize reality.

I just posted that Texas Evangelicals and Republicans are saying so, including Sen. Dan Patrick (mentioned in the article)

“I’m going to support McCain and try to help people see the reality of the total picture and how dangerous Barack Obama is,” said state Sen. Dan Patrick, a conservative talk-radio host with a strong evangelical following. “There is no other choice.”

ALSO, conservative Sen. Brownback is saying so.

(Sen. Sam) Brownback on McCain train

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031467/

Barack’s a good guy - I like him - but he’s a very liberal Democrat,” Brownback said. “If you have a liberal Democrat plus a Democratic House and Senate, that’s a changed dynamic.”

That possibility is, he said, beginning to sink in among the social conservative movement.

[PAR35]

Pretty good summary there.

That reminds me - I need to go get some clothes pins before November.

[big'ol_freeper]

I’m not a Texian, but them folks got it figured out.

[NormsRevenge]

You’re like an echo from the past. Have we met on threads before.

You sure remind me of someone else who used the same spin here in the past, under a few different names, of course. Same old MO too, Shaming folks to supporting certain candidate no matter how questionable they are. aRnold comes to mind.

Just keep pumping it out, like many before, they jab at conservatives to win them over but never acknowledge how weak their own candidate is and by ntheir own doing and record of contempt for free speech and our nation’s soverignty.

[Kimberly GG]

“There is no other choice.”

There’s always a choice. But I’m sure the bipartisan OBL/CFRers & Bushbot types are quite pleased with the “no other choice” position they think they’ve put us in. That was the plan, was it not?

Just like with Mexico and Canada elections....they intend to be certain of cooperation in moving forward with the NAU agenda.

[Politicalmom]

What a crock.

[WarEagle]

The McCain camp is just not courting Evangelicals, they're doing everything they can to make sure we KNOW they don't want our support. There's a difference between being tepid about wanting Evangelical support and being openly hostile. As far as I'm concerned, these people have been openly hostile.

While at the same time having Carly Fiori court Hilary voters. GRRRRR

Who is McCain's campaign strategist? Wile E Coyote?

Whoever it is doesn't understand how to add and subtract.....

[horse_doc]

That possibility is, he said, beginning to sink in among the social conservative movement.

The other thing that McCain forgets is that, in the unlikely event that he wins, he will have to govern.

The media will tear him apart, in their fury at an Obama loss. Conservatives did their best to defend Bush (even though he didn't seem interested in defending himself), but it is asking a bit much for us to go to the mat for McCain. Without a firm base of support, his Presidency is DOA. His precious Independants won't be there for him, again, because they are too "independant" to get involved more than every 4 years or so.

[JulieRNR21]

NO Vote for McCain is a YES Vote for Obama!

[tflabo]

Looks like reality is sinking stinking in for McCain support.

[LostInBayport]

Enthusiastic support means bumper stickers, yard signs, contributions, phone banks, walking neighborhoods, and GOTV efforts. And victory. If McCain wants that, then he's got to show leadership, and give me something to get enthusiastic about.

Excellent post...bears repeating...

McCain is doing the opposite of what you advise. He's flipping the bird to what could be his base (conservatives) and pursuing voters who have little to no interest in adhering themselves to a political party, much less actively campaigning for one. That is, when he's not busy sucking up to the left.

This story is going to typify McCain's support...grudging, tepid, resigned and casual. If he keeps going out talking about the 'immigration problem' as opposed to the illegal immigration problem, keeps refusing to advocate drilling for oil here at home and keeps making overtures to the global warming alarmists...well, it will be all I can do to force myself to vote for the dope, never mind show any enthusiasm for him.

[Cicero]

After the way McCain dumped Hagee I can’t say I blame them for their tepid support.

I commented on this on an earlier thread. Hagee was taken in by all those "Hitler's Pope" type books, and called the Church antisemitic. Donohue called him out on it, helpful people intervened and explained that those charges against Pius X are lies propagated by our liberal masters, and Hagee apologized.

Hagee's apology was genuine. I'm a Catholic, and I'm totally sympathetic. Pastor Hagee and his wife met with Donohue in his New York office, as described in the most recent Catholic League newsletter, and they are now basically allies on the important issues: opposition to abortion and opposition to the destruction of traditional marriage and family.

THEN McCain issued his statement denying Hagee. I thought it was a pretty low and despicable thing to do, after the whole misunderstanding had been cleared up and settled.

[Ditter]

I prayed that Duncan Hunter would take hold, but he didn't. I then put my hopes on Thompson. He didn't really want to run. After that I had no one to get excited about. McCain was at the bottom of the list with Huckabee but through no fault of mine or yours, we have McCain. I am going to vote for him and maybe even send him some money. Why? because he isn't nObama.

[Kimberly GG]

“If you have a liberal Democrat plus a Democratic House and Senate, that’s a changed dynamic.”

Yeah, a changed dynamic whose responsibility lies with the same OBL/CIR RHINO’s bringing us McCain then, and now.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Kind of sucks...but true.

McCain really is a hold-the-nose presidential candidate...the first I’ve experienced since taking a deep interest in politics nearly 30 years ago.

[Fiji Hill]

Perhaps reality will set in with McCain as well. Grudging support won't win this election - that just means we'll all vote against Obama, which just won't do the trick..
Enthusiastic support means bumper stickers, yard signs, contributions, phone banks, walking neighborhoods, and GOTV efforts. And victory. If McCain wants that, then he's got to show leadership, and give me something to get enthusiastic about.

I have yet to see a single McCain bumper sticker. If McCain doesn't fire up the traditional base of the GOP, he'll go the way of Alf Landon, Wendell Willkie, and Tom Dewey.

[Recovering_Democrat]

LOL! Hilarious pic!

[CindyDawg]

Same here. I’m thinking about getting yard signs for all 3 of them and drawing red “not” signs on them.

[CindyDawg]

Not a penny from me. Any money I donate will go for conservatives that are running. I may leave the presidency blank but a lot of others may need my vote.

[Ditter]

McCain is bad but nObama is 1000X worse.

[Luke21]

Go away.

[CindyDawg]

Time will tell who was the worst I guess. Voting for “bad but not as bad” is just too third world for me.

[CreativePerspective]

“Go away.”

Shooting the messenger will NOT make REALITY go away.

[Ditter]

You have freep mail.

[newfreep]

McCain is bad but nObama is 1000X worse.

That's the reality.

Juan will cause less damage to America than barry hussein. My hope is a true conservative will run/win in 2012 to replace juan and begin clean-up.

I'm hoping a conservative will be Juan's Veep and control/mimimize his liberal/socialist policies. I know, pipe dream.

[esarlls3]

The article begins:

HOUSTON — For religious conservatives at the Texas Republican Convention, even the song list at Friday’s prayer rally suggested dark days ahead for the GOP.

On stage, a man sang, “While the storm clouds gathered …”

So God Bless America is now a gathering storm in the eyes of this journalist.

[CreativePerspective]

“On stage, a man sang, “While the storm clouds gathered ...”

So God Bless America is now a gathering storm in the eyes of this journalist.”

Excellent point!

God Bless America

“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. “

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/godblessamerica.html

—

The MSM wants divide the GOP, to help the Dems, that’s why this article is presenting the Texas GOP support of McCain in such negative terms.

[CreativePerspective]

” I am going to vote for him and maybe even send him some money. Why? because he isn’t nObama. “

Exactly. Obama would be an unimaginable disaster for all of us and the country. Responsible conservatives will do everything in their power to stop President Obama with a Dem Congress and leftist SCOTUS. We would never recover from that.

The ONLY way to stop Obama IS to support McCain with votes, money, and any other help one can give.

More and more conservatives are coming to this realization and are supporting McCain. The primary is over and either Obama or McCain will become president of the US.

[xzins]

if you don't support McCain, you ARE supporting Obama.

If there are 4 candidates and you vote for #1, then you have not voted for #2, #3, or #4.

At the level of ideology, if you refuse to vote for any candidate with any level of socialist/liberal positions, then, if Obama, McCain, and Nader all have socialist/liberal positions, then one cannot vote for any of them. One has totally rejected socialist/liberal positions of any variety.

If one rejects suicide in any form, then which of the following qualify?

A. A self-fired bullet into one's own head.

B. Hanging oneself from a beam in the barn.

C. Slicing one's veins open.

D. Smoking cigarettes.

E. Living a healthy, wholesome lifestyle.

[CreativePerspective]

ONLY Obama or McCain have a chance to become president.

Third party candidates only serve to take votes away from the main candidates.

Any liberal voting for Nader takes votes away from Obama, helping McCain.

Any conservative staying home or voting third party takes votes away from McCain, helping Obama.

It’s just simple math and logic.

The bottom line that will determine whether we will have President Obama or President McCain will be the number of votes each gets in each state.

Apparently, the Perot voters, who gave us 8 years of Bill Clinton, learned nothing, they are getting ready to give us 8 years of a Barack Hussein Obama presidency with the Dems controlling all three branches of the government: Congress and stuffing the courts with leftist activist judges.

[TommyDale]

Sorry, this evangelical conservative is backing Bob Barr, and if that helps Barack Obama I don’t really care. The GOP and the McCain people should have thought of that when they slapped us for the twentieth time.

[SoConPubbie]

You wish!

We still have a choice.

This is a conservative forum, not a GOP forum.

If your principles and your conscience will not allow you to vote for somebody with the horrible record that McCain has, write in the name of someone who would actually make a good President.

For those of you who have conveniently forgotten, this is just part of McCain's record:

1. Gang of Fourteen (Kept some of President Bush’s best judges from being presented for a vote) See here and here
2. McCain-Fiengold (Assault on Free Speech and Pro-Life
3. McCain-Kennedy (Amnesty for criminal Illegal Aliens)
4. McCain-Lieberman (50 cents a gallon tax)
5. Total support for global warming scam, including the Carbon Cap-and-Trade system. See Here
6. Support for embryonic stem cell research (Murder of unborn babies).
7. Wants to moderate or soften the Pro-Life plank of the GOP Platform. See Here and Here and Here.
8. Has flip-flopped on overturning Roe vs. Wade.
9. Wants to close Gitmo and give Terrorists access to our legal system.
10. F grade from Gun-Owners of America.
11. C grade from NRA.
12. 65% score from American Conservative Union in 2006
13. Wants to bail out sub-prime losers (many of which are either illegal aliens or lied on thier applications) with US tax money.
14. Voted against President Bush’s tax cuts (called them tax-cuts for the rich)
15. Flirted with the idea of crossing over to the Dems in 2004.
16. Wants to implement a socialist Health Care proposal that includes providing tax-coffer monies (your tax dollars) to the states to provide Health Care Insurance for those who either refuse to pay for it, or are unable to afford it (mostly illegal aliens).
17. Divorced his wife after he got back from Vietnam. The same woman who remained true to him and raised his kids while he was imprisoned.
18. Refuses to drill in ANWR. See here and here
19. Agrees with Democrats that our Foreign Policy has been arrogant and we need to be more humble.
20. Thinks and states that Pharmaceutical companies are evil
21. Has accepted funding from Soros and Teresa Heinz-Kerry for his institute
22. John McCain's Top 10 Class-Warfare Arguments Against Tax Cuts
23. "I think the Democrat Party is a fine and I have no problems with it, in their views and philosophy"
24. Strongly against Same Sex Marriage Ban Constitutional Amendment
25. Voted for Pro-Abortion Bill and Here.
26. Voted against bill that would impose sanctions against foreign governments and companies that invest more than $20 million in Iran's energy sector until the president certified to Congress that Iran had dismantled its weapons of mass destruction Here and Here
27. Voted against repealing the death tax.
28. McCain-Edwards-Kennedy    (Many Democrat inspired bad rules included in this monstrosity)
29. Wants to close Guantanamo and give Terrorists modified military trials with some of the same rights as our civil court system.
30. Socialist Approach to Business I.: Supports Windfall Profit Tax
31. Socialist Approach to Business II.: Will Regulate CEO Pay
32. Missed 60.8 of all votes. Most of any Senate Member
33. The list of shame: John McCain's votes against the GOP and conservatism in general. Read them and weep Freepers!

[CreativePerspective]

“This is a conservative forum, not a GOP forum. “

Silly me, to think that conservatives would be AGAINST leftist, Marxist, terrorist-loving B. Hussein Obama.

[Liberty 275]

Any vote not for McCain is a vote for socialism, unfettered abortion and flushing the second amendment down the toilet.

Welcome to FR.

[NormsRevenge]

lolol.. so, are you a tea leaf reader or ?? That is quite a set of predictions.

Welcome to FR :-)

[fuzzy dunlop]

Sorry - not the only thing Hagee said that was offensive - not by a long shot.

This is a transcript of his speech which basically says that God caused the Holocaust coz it would restore Israel - c’mon - that’s completely offensive to the memories of the 6m people slaughtered in the Holocaust.

From http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/22/mccain.hagee/

“”God says in Jeremiah 16: ‘Behold, I will bring them the Jewish people again unto their land that I gave to their fathers. ... Behold, I will send for many fishers, and after will I send for many hunters. And they the hunters shall hunt them.’ That would be the Jews. ... Then God sent a hunter. A hunter is someone who comes with a gun and he forces you. Hitler was a hunter,” Hagee said, according to a transcript of his sermon.”

[fuzzy dunlop]

Will for many on here - they’re ostriches. They’re not part of the “reality-based community” that W didn’t like either.

I’m surprised you’ve not been called a Mug Whore yet - I have, a number of times...........LOL

[NormsRevenge]

PS, the nation and its people will get it right in the end, no matter who wins... as long as the court follows the Constitution and seeks to follow the law.. and not rewrite it to benefit a left’s agenda(which in more than a couple instances matches McCain’s agenda).

Besides, We survived Clinton.. sort of. ;-)

[fuzzy dunlop]

Good luck with attacking McCain from the right. Will simply provide Obama with campaign material.

I think hardcore Freepers should simply run their own presidential candidate and see how many votes they get.

Sheesh............

[Night Hides Not]

Any vote not for McCain is a vote for socialism, unfettered abortion and flushing the second amendment down the toilet.

Any vote for McCain is a vote for:
1. Amnesty for illegal aliens.
2. A half-hearted response to energy self-sufficiency.
3. Cap-and-trade.

There are two major reasons why this nation will survive an Obama presidency, just as we survived the Carter administration:
1. The Constitution of the United States.
2. The most lethal, and now the most combat experienced, military on the face of the earth.

Back that with millions of Americans exercising their 2nd Amendment rights, and I call that a trifecta.

It's time to take out the trash, and that's not going to happen with McCain ekeing out a victory over Obama. It's going to take a complete electoral defeat for the Republicans at the national level to get a clue.

Calling me traitorous for not voting for McCain is not going to cut it. McCain has to demonstrate that he is the type of Reagan Conservative that he claims to be. As of now, the job's not getting done. Accordingly, he has yet to earn my vote.

[E. Cartman]

Grudging support won't win this election - that just means we'll all vote against Obama, which just won't do the trick.

And if he does win, with the outright opprobrium toward him coming even from his loyalest supporters, MacCain will be as impotent as Richard Simmons in a Sultan's harem.

[SoConPubbie]

Silly me, to think that conservatives would be AGAINST leftist, Marxist, terrorist-loving B. Hussein Obama.

Silly you, to think that McCain, with HIS Marxist approach to many issues including Health Care, the Economy, Environment, and Criminal Illegal Aliens is really that much better of a choice.

Conservatives are against Obama, including this conservative.

That being said, we are also against liberals (McCain) masquerading around as Republicans and lying about being Reagan Conservatives.