"I suspect that most conservatives are willing to accept reasonable background checks for potential gun owners, e.g., making sure they have no criminal or problematic mental health record. "
I have no problem with instant commercial checks on purchases as long as any records of said purchases are immediately destroyed. The government has no business knowing what my legal purchases are. I do not beleive the sale of firearms between individuals should require a background check. The net result of that would lead to the end of such sales and require all sales to be made through a commercial vendor.
"Nor do I believe that it's wrong for McCain to have discussed with Democrats the problem of judicial appointments being blocked; we actually ended up pretty good on this issue without having to go nuclear. "
I don't think it was appropriate for him top do so without having discussed it beforehand with the President - wo is repsonsible for naming nominees to the Supreme Court - not John McCain. While such a discussion might have been fruitful, the manner in which he approached gave credibility to his reputation as a "loose cannon".
"I'm familiar with the fears about how CFR may threaten groups like FR. I'm not at all persuaded that these fears are justified. If and when the gov. starts shutting down web sites like this, you let me know. But, I'd add, it would be foolish for any web site to censor itself because of CFR."
I KNOW what the hrust of the "Fairness Doctrine" would be. It would destroy the ability of conservative venues like this one to counter effectively the monopoly the leftwing mainstream media has on most television, newspaper and movie media in prsenting their warped perspective on politics to the American Public. The McCain-Feingold bill is patently un-constitutional. Bush made a serious error in signing it, perhaps believing the SCOTUS would overturn it. But once again, the political activitsts on SCOTUS demonstrated their unfitness for offie there by upholding it.
"Geneva--I'm pretty sure that all McCain was after here was a ban on torture. However, I have no doubt that if it came down to a serious national defense issue, McCain would allow the use all means necessary to protect the nation."
The issue here was the use of any kind of intimidation or force or psychological pressure, the same kind of tactics used every day in America against criminals. These people are not recognized combatants or even genuine rebels - they are an international cartel of violent, vicious fanattics. McCain's inability to distinguish between these people and genuine soldiers taken in battle or even to undeerstand the basic premise of the Geneva Accord as applyinig only to signatory nations, demonstrates his lack of judgement.
"The personal stuff? I couldn't care less."
Character counts.
Just two points. First, the "Fairness Doctrine" is not, I don't believe, a part of CFR. I also oppose this and I see no sign that McCain supports it. Nor do I believe that McCain supports censoring Web sites like FR. FR was not censored during the last presidential campaign and I don't expect it to be censored in the next one.
On character. Character does count, but I do see McCain as a man of high character. We are all sinners in one way or another and it is not for me to judge the content of Senator McCain's heart. As I've said before, McCain impresses me as being one of most honest politicians I've seen, in that he tends to do exactly what he says he will.