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McCain Vs. The Base
CBS News ^ | January 28, 2008 | Kevin Drum

Posted on 01/28/2008 2:43:21 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

The conservosphere is up in arms over John Fund's report in the Wall Street Journal that John McCain would be squishy on conservative appointments to the Supreme Court:

More recently, Mr. McCain has told conservatives he would be happy to appoint the likes of Chief Justice John Roberts to the Supreme Court. But he indicated he might draw the line on a Samuel Alito, because "he wore his conservatism on his sleeve."

Over at The Corner, Kathryn Jean Lopez has Fund's back: For what it's worth, I've been told the same thing John F. reported — that at a private meeting McCain said he would appoint justices like Roberts, but not like Alito — who wears his conservatism on his sleeve. The report of the comment — first in D.C. conservative circles and now in the WSJ — has set off alarm bells with conservatives who've worked on the judicial issues, for obvious reasons. We already got Alito despite a president who wanted to go in another direction. This time, folks feel like they're being warned beforehand.

McCain's team, so far, seems to have issued only a nondenial denial. But it doesn't really answer the question. Sure, McCain supported Alito's nomination once Bush sent it to the Senate, but has he privately told conservative audiences that he wouldn't have nominated a guy like Alito in the first place? Inquiring right-wing minds want to know.

POSTSCRIPT: This, by the way, is one of the reasons I'm not nearly as nervous about a Hillary-McCain contest as some people. Sure, McCain might be able to peel off some independents. But more than any of the other Republican candidates, he's also going to have to reassure the conservative base. This is obviously a balancing act that every presidential candidate has to go through, but McCain has it much worse than most. Once the right-wing pandering gets into full swing — and it will — is he really going to be able to hang on to independents too?


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Arizona; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: conservatives; election; electionpresident; elections; gangof14; gop; johnmccain; johnroberts; mccain; republicans; rino; rinos; roeversuswade; samuelalito; scotus; supremecourt
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Another nail in his coffin, primary-wise, one would hope. Notice how much the MSM wants a McCain nomination?
1 posted on 01/28/2008 2:43:22 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

McCain’s running mate is going to be Joe Lieberman.
And if McCain is elected president, he will switch parties and become a Democrat.
He would do it to avoid the serious challenge he would face within the GOP for renomination in 4 years.
McCain would move quickly to pump up his Democrat credentials as soon as he takes office.

McCain will make the biggest flip-flop of all: From Republican to Democrat.


2 posted on 01/28/2008 2:44:26 PM PST by counterpunch (Mike Huckabee — The Religious Wrong)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

mccain is constantly changing his mind...in the wrong direction


3 posted on 01/28/2008 2:45:38 PM PST by ari-freedom (McCain and Huckabee sitting on a tree K I S S I N G. First comes love then comes the end of the GOP)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Ahhhhh, CBS News another friend of McQueegs. The tell tale signs keep comming up no matter how McQueegs supporters try to spin it.

Go Mitt Romney.


4 posted on 01/28/2008 2:45:43 PM PST by Parley Baer
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Notice how much the MSM wants a McCain nomination?
Please, good people of Florida, notice that. Notice that.
5 posted on 01/28/2008 2:48:24 PM PST by samtheman
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
The NYT sure want McCain as the Republican nominee/

We’re voting for Mitt!

Liberals are afraid of him.

I’d like to see debate Hitlery/

6 posted on 01/28/2008 2:48:50 PM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet


McCain, the Media & Limbaugh

McCain's Clintonesque Lie About Romney and Iraq Is Disappointing

The Movement Is What Matters : President McCain would marginalize conservatives.
7 posted on 01/28/2008 2:49:24 PM PST by Miss Didi ("Good heavens, woman, this is a war not a garden party!" Dr. Meade, Gone with the Wind)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The conservative base will find their own anti-amnesty candidate and run him as an independent in the general election if McCain gets the nomination.

Immigration is the most important issue for conservatives still.
We haven’t forgotten. And McCain in unacceptable because of it.
If McCain is nominated, an anti-amnesty candidate like Lou Dobbs will emerge, and he will split the vote, handing the election to Hillary. This is inevitable.

McCain is actually the least electable Republican in the race.


8 posted on 01/28/2008 2:49:32 PM PST by counterpunch (Mike Huckabee — The Religious Wrong)
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To: counterpunch
I don’t understand WHY he didn’t run with Kerry as his future VP. They’re the same on all the important issues. Kerry sure wouldn’t tap a CONSERVATIVE for anything.
9 posted on 01/28/2008 2:50:33 PM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: counterpunch
And if McCain is elected president, he will switch parties and become a Democrat.

He may do that if he fails to get the nomination this time, too. Look at the AZ/Maricopa County straw poll. They are not happy with their Senator.

(Arizona) Mitt Romney wins Maricopa County Republican Presidential Straw Poll
10 posted on 01/28/2008 2:50:41 PM PST by TomGuy
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To: counterpunch

“McCain is actually the least electable Republican in the race.”

It’s a toss up between him, the Huckster, and Ron Paul.
All disasters.

Mitt has our vote.


11 posted on 01/28/2008 2:51:40 PM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

John McCain(D) is the MSM/Democrat/Mexico puppet.


12 posted on 01/28/2008 2:52:12 PM PST by Romneyfor President2008 (I'm a Mitt Man who loves the Mittens!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If it can be verified that McCain really said Alito was too conservative, or that he wouldn’t appoint someone who “wore his conservatism on his sleeve” ... and if the Romney campaign uses that damning statement in the right way ... McCain is toast. Burnt toast.


13 posted on 01/28/2008 2:52:46 PM PST by Oliver Optic (Fred + Win in South Carolina = New GOP Frontrunner)
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To: TomGuy

Yes.
He’ll do it either way, but for different reasons.

The only way he might not is if he wins the nomination but loses the election.
If he becomes president, he’ll do it to save his political skin for a second term.
If he loses the nomination, he’ll do it out of spite.


14 posted on 01/28/2008 2:53:36 PM PST by counterpunch (Mike Huckabee — The Religious Wrong)
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To: counterpunch

Of all the candidates so far, McCrazy is the one I’d have the hardest time supporting or voting for.


15 posted on 01/28/2008 2:55:17 PM PST by angkor (A conservative without hyphens, qualifiers, or a political party.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
he's also going to have to reassure the conservative base.

Rotsa frickin ruck Juan!

he's a liberal and we all know the kind of lies liberals will tell in pursuit of political power.

16 posted on 01/28/2008 2:56:30 PM PST by HeartlandOfAmerica (The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The judges? This is a killer, as if anybody needs another reason not to vote for McCain...
On the judges he sounds like he would be no better than the squishy Romney.
God help us.

(Pinging Dick Cheney.)


17 posted on 01/28/2008 2:56:31 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
This is not a surprise as McShame was a member of the "Gang of Fourteen".

18 posted on 01/28/2008 2:57:48 PM PST by Uri’el-2012 (you shall know that I, YHvH, your Savior, and your Redeemer, am the Elohim of Ya'aqob. Isaiah 60:16)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Rick Santorum also backs this up here.

I found this insight of Sen. Santorum particularly damning of 'maverick' John:

And then on the issue of, on social conservative issues, you point to me one time John McCain ever took the floor of the United States Senate to talk about a social conservative issue. It never happened. I mean, this is a guy who says he believes in these things, but I can tell you, inside the room, when we were in these meetings, there was nobody who fought harder not to have these votes before the United States Senate on some of the most important social conservative issues, whether it’s marriage or abortion or the like. He always fought against us to even bring them up, because he was uncomfortable voting for them. So I mean, this is just not a guy I think in the end that washes with the mainstream of the Republican Party.

19 posted on 01/28/2008 3:00:41 PM PST by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: Oliver Optic

McShame for all his “straight” talk is the biggest B.S,er around. The latest is “enforcement first” on illegal immigration. His conviction on this is so transparent as to insult one’s intelligence.
Believe me, Capt. Amnesty, is NO friend of conservatives. He has many times shown outright disregard and hostility for conservative positions and leaders.

Fla voters: Just say No to McCain!


20 posted on 01/28/2008 3:07:00 PM PST by boilinghot
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