"Vote for me! I'm the GOP's only hope for 2008! Aarrgghh!"...../s
Posted on 11/20/2006 9:30:29 AM PST by presidio9
. John McCain, casting himself as the embodiment of the Republican Party's future in the vein of Ronald Reagan, said Thursday the GOP has lost its way and must return to "common-sense conservatism."
"Though we suffered a tough defeat last week, we will recover if we learn our lesson well and once again offer Americans enlightened, effective and principled leadership," the Arizona Republican said in a speech that laid out his vision for the party's path forward — and could set the tone for a potential presidential campaign.
The same day he launched a committee to explore whether to run in 2008, McCain invoked the legacy of Reagan, who won the presidency four years after leading the rebirth of a dispirited GOP following the Republican defeat in the 1976 presidential election.
"We can do it again if we lead and inspire as he did," the four-term senator told party loyalists. His remarks came a week after a sobering election in which Republicans lost control of Congress and suffered losses at all levels of government.
A maverick who has sought to mend a rocky relationship with the GOP base, McCain delivered his take on the current and future state of the party in a hotel conference room before more than 100 members of GOPAC, a conservative organization that helps elect Republicans. Earlier, McCain touched on some of the same themes before another conservative cornerstone — the Federalist Society. He received standing ovations and hearty applause.
Fifteen months before the first 2008 presidential nominating contests, McCain is positioning himself as the GOP standard-bearer while President Bush takes on lame-duck status and dispirited Republicans search for a road to recovery.
Although the president was not mentioned, McCain's speech amounted to a criticism of the party under the leadership of Bush, whose popularity is at a low point amid chaos in Iraq and increasing federal spending at home.
"We lost our principles and our majority. And there is no way to recover our majority without recovering our principles first," McCain told both audiences as he reflected on the 2006 election.
No doubt mindful that the next GOP presidential nominee could end up carrying the burden of a Bush legacy, McCain contrasted the current state of the party with what he called common-sense conservatism. In doing so, he laid out a choice for Republicans: more of the same or a return to Reagan's ideals.
"Americans had elected us to change government, and they rejected us because they believed government had changed us," he said in a speech in which he cited Reagan, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. "We must spend the next two years reacquainting the public and ourselves with the reason we came to office in the first place: to serve a cause greater than our self-interest."
After a dozen years of GOP rule on Capitol Hill, McCain said voters felt Republicans cared more about protecting their incumbency than they did about staying true to core conservative principles such as limited government, fiscal discipline, a strong defense, low taxes, free trade and family values. He urged a return to those tenets.
"Do the right thing, and the politics will take care of itself," McCain said.
McCain filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission that will allow him to raise money and travel the country while weighing a bid. The committee's Web site — www.exploremccain.com — went online a day earlier.
Still, McCain says he will wait until after the Christmas holiday to decide whether to make a second bid for the White House. He lost to Bush in a contentious race in 2000, when the senator was the underdog. This time, McCain is widely considered the one to beat in a crowded field of potential candidates.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has filed paperwork to test the waters for the GOP nomination, and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California has launched a long-shot bid.
McCain's other would-be rivals include Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and New York Gov. George Pataki.
Hannity is a McCain stooge?
(I don't listen to him)
Sean is a fan of the anti-1st/2nd amendment, pro-amnesty/open borders McCain? Disappointing, if true.
"Vote for me! I'm the GOP's only hope for 2008! Aarrgghh!"...../s
LOL
John McCain could never be so much as a pimple on Ronald Reagan's rump.
"In this present crisis, John McCain is not the solution to our problem; John McCain is the problem."
"common-sense conservatism."
Something McPain has never known or had the principles or values for.
If he is our nominee I will stay home or vote third party. In no way will I ever give a vote to that RINO. Even if it means Hitlery is President.
What a pompous bloviating ass!
Right now I don't see anyone. Giuliani is okay, but only from the economic side (which makes him the perfect RINO candidate: VOTE FOR ME, IT REALLY IS ALL ABOUT YOU AFTER ALL).
Amen. He is the only Republican I would NOT vote for.
McCain is not the one to show Conservatives the way. He alone has done more to frustrate and hinder Bush's policies. McCain will go down in flames.
If McCain is Reagan, I'm Indiana eff'en Jones without a hat.
Whew! I don't think I'm gonna be able to stop laughing long enough to read any further.
Thanks presidio9 for bringing to us the disingenuousness of Senator John McCain. A narcissist who believes the presidency is his birthright and owed him.
Bulletin to McLame: The damage you inflicted on George W Bush and his administration is to numerous to post here. The informed Freepers are totally up to speed on the self-serving menace you have become. Now you embrace Reagan! You expect us to believe you have changed and now have a grasp on conservative reality?
Sorry!
Ain’t gonna fly!
Your race to the microphone to condemn the Swift Vets before hearing their story is not conservative, nor is McCain/Feingold, or the McCain/Kennedy immigration bill, Gang of 14, enemy rights, voting against tax cuts and for judicial authority over presidential powers. Your goal to get your own parking space next to Tim Russert at the ‘MEET the PRESS’ parking lot has won you the admiration of the MSM. They gush over you as an open-minded maverick. I don’t.
Still, despite his bizarre behavior, the "conservative" state of AZ things the world of McCain and always will, no matter what truth is unturned.
Now there is an idea that could ONLY be manufactured by the Democrat National Committee. Conservatives could not win in 2006 so they should make themselves COMPLETELY irrelevant by chasing the absurd notion of a "third way" like they did in 1992?
I guess too much time has passed. The Conservative movement has totally forgotten how the Democrats play the game. The "betrayed Conservatives" actually are stupid enough to think 100% of nothing would be better then 70% of something. Go away children, you almost cost us 2004, you did cost us 2006, you will cost us 2008.
The adults are too busy now to put up with any more of these absurd 100%er temper tantrums. What to help the Conservative Movement? GET OFF OUR SIDE.
Go spend all your time sticking knives in the Democrats back for the next two years the way you spent the last two years spending all your time sticking knives in our back for them.
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