Posted on 02/01/2008 2:07:00 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
While John McCain has risen to the top of the heap among contenders for the Republican presidential nomination, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson remains adamant that he will not support McCain’s bid for the White House.
Dobson, one of the nation’s most influential evangelical Christians, declared more than a year ago that he wouldn't support McCain under any circumstances, saying McCain didn't support traditional marriage values.
A Dobson spokesman told the New York Times’ David Kirkpatrick Wednesday that he stood by that position, and as a matter of conscience could never vote for the Arizona Senator.
According to the paper, Dobson is joined by a slew of other prominent conservatives who oppose McCain on a number of issues:
Talk radio host Mark Levin urged visitors to the National Review’s Web site to “rally for Romney” to ward off a McCain win, saying: “Conservatives need to act now, before it is too late.”
Talker Rush Limbaugh told listeners on Thursday: “McCain is in a lot of these places not actually the Republican candidate. He is the candidate of enough Republicans, but [also] independents and moderates and probably even some liberals.”
Pat Toomey, president of the anti-tax organization Club for Growth, said in comments reported by the New York Times: “I have yet to see McCain make any attempts to reach out to free market conservatives.”
Conservatives fault McCain for voting against President Bush’s tax cuts and a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, and for supporting embryonic stem cell research, looser immigration rules and stricter environmental regulations.
Conservatives were particularly irked when McCain made a deal with Democrats to break a deadlock on judicial nominations, according to the Times.
Anger over that compromise was rekindled this week when Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund wrote that McCain had privately criticized Bush’s Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito because “he wore his conservatism on his sleeve.” The McCain campaign denied that report.
Following McCain successes in early primary states, however, other conservatives are beginning to warm up to his campaign:
Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, who previously opposed a McCain nomination, said: “He has moved in the right direction strongly and forcefully on taxes.”
Former McCain foe Tony Perkins, a prominent Christian conservative, told the Times: “I have no residual issue with John McCain,” adding the candidate needed to “better communicate” his stand on social issues.
Richard Land, an official with the South Baptist Convention, agreed, noting that McCain “is strongly pro-life.” He said: “When I hear Rush Limbaugh say that a McCain nomination would destroy the Republican Party, what I want to say to Rush is, ‘You need to get out of the studio more and talk to real people.’”
I know, “Party uber Alles” don’t talk about McCain only being about 10% Conservative on the issues. Because he has the “correct” party label, as far as the Party waterboys are concerned, that all that matters.
McCain would be an utter disaster as President.
You actually think John McCain is ever going to veto anything sent him by his good buddies Russ Feingold, Ted Kennedy or John Kerry? HE AUTHORED LEGISLATION WITH TWO OF THEM AND WAS GOING TO BE THE VP CANIDATE WITH THE OTHER!
You “Party Uber Alles” types really have got to try thinking instead of emoting for a change. A politician who is 10% on your side, 90% on the other is still your enemy no matter what party label you slap on him.
No Conservative should ever consider voting for McCain. We worry the others will betray us. We know McCain will betray us. Look at his record for the last 8 years? Been nothing but betrayal and obstruction.
With any of the other candidates we have a seat at the table. We know John McCain will never listen to us on anything.
With McCain Conservatives would get maybe 10%. That would not be worth the enormous long term damage McCain would do to both the GOP and the Conservative Movement. With a McCain Administration we would have a mis- labeled “Conservative” Administration pushing Democrat Party polices while the GOP took all the political fall out of the consequences of those disastrous decisions.
Just what could Conservatives expect to get from a McCain Administration? Based on McCain’s record for the last 8 years, we could expect to get tough talk on foreign policy and spending with no real action on any issue.
Do people forget the Democrats trying to get McCain to flip party’s in Jan 2006? Forget that Dems wanted McCain as their VP candidate in 2004?
How quickly the supposed Conservatives for McCain forget McCain’s political record. From Tax-cuts to the War to Judges McCain’s whole strategy has been to be as Liberal as possible and stay in the GOP.
Politically there is very little difference between Hillary and McCain. You get minor variations on this and that issue, like abortion, but over all McCain and Clinton share the same political philosophical outlook
McCain has done nothing for the Conservative movement in 8 years. While talking a good game on spending, he has done nothing. This is particularly galling considering all the issues CFR, Judges, Immigration Anti Torture Amendment-Gang of 14 etc etc etc issues which McCain was more then willing to throw his weight behind an issues to get legislation passed.
McCain has actively worked against the Conservatives on Social issues, on the WOT, on Iraq, on Gitmo, against Rummy, on Immigration and on Judges, on Global Warming etc etc etc etc etc. McCain has far more in common with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama then he does with any Conservative.
Funny how the Talking Heads miss this. Out of 49 Republican Senators McCain has been ranked 45th by the American Conservative Union for his voting record!
McCain would be the worse of both worlds. A mislabeled “Conservative” Administration actively advancing the Democrat Party’s agenda while knifing Conservatives in the back daily. You could even count on a McCain Administration appointing Leftist Judges in order to avoid fighting with the Democrats in the US Senate.
Tough on Foreign Policy? You think Mr “Close Gitmo and extend the same legal protections US Citizens have to the terrorists” McCain is going to have a “tough” foreign policy? The father of the Baker Commission and the plan to surrender Iraq to Iran and Syria is “strong on Foreign Policy”? Not based on his recored. The wrost thing that a McCain Administration would do is it would fracture the few remaining GOP Congress critters into pro and anti McCain factions. McCain would be the worst of all world politically for the Conservatives.
At least with a Democrat Leftist Administration, as opposed to a McCain Leftist with a GOP Label Administration, the Democrats would get all the political fall out of their disastrous political decisions and the GOP would unite in fighting them. The worst of all possible worlds for Conservatives in 2008 would be McCain getting elected President.
“I’m voting third party if McCain’s the nominee too. But please don’t sit it out — we need to vote for the Republicans in Congress!”
Oh, I should clarify....only the presidential part. But I honestly don’t think it’ll come to that.
This election is so bizarre.
And when did Senator McCain move in the right direction? Oh yes, I remember, when he started running for President and was pretty sure that most of the people at his stump speeches wouldn't know how he had actually voted.
Don't believe what he is saying now; look at what he has done in the, not so distant, past.
The RNC is not picking McCain, there have been primaries and there are about to be more. McCain has an 82% lifetime conservative rating. I am NOT a McCain supporter, hated him in 2000, but the reaction against him by some is over the top.
That is a fantasy because that ain’t going to happen.
I am not "rallying around" John McCain, just the opposite! Please show me where I've EVER said anything positive about Juan McAztlan! Just because he spent 5 years in a POW camp doesn't qualify him for anything but our thanks and sympathy. Lincoln, Reagan and many other presidents had little or no military background. This isn't Starship Troopers, where only veterans can vote...
I will vote for all conservatives on the ticket. Virginia Foxx, our representative, is a conservative. She'll get my vote. And contributions. McCain. NADA. NOTHING. NEVER.
I will not stab conservatism in the face and vote for one who would slit it's throat.
Thanks, Dr. Dobson....I particularly like the way you think things through, aka leaping before you look.
Leni
BTW, I like your tag line.
Why? Only undiscerning twits have the right to speak?
“Well, Dobson, you had a chance to vote for a principled conservative. You decided it’d be more fun to slam him for not kissing your ring.”
Yep, I guess all you Baptized Church of Christers out there didn’t know you weren’t “Christian” in the eyes of Dr. Dobson.
Oh, dude!
John McCain could be elected President. He has been elected to the Senate, several times.
Dobson couldn't get elected dogcatcher, and his negative impact on candidates he likes is striking.
Say what you will about McCain, he's no Dobson.
Do you really think these “big names in politics” are really so short sighted, or are they simply doing what they are getting paid (by somebody) to do??
I honestly don’t know any more.
bump your post
Absolutely. It makes you wonder if the evangelicals really understand that unlimited embryonic stem cell research would institutionalize abortion like nothing else would. John McCain supports embryonic stem cell research.
I cut and pasted from the articleYou are correct.
“BTW, I like your tag line.”
Thanks. Although I was never a big Falwell fan, I was really impressed and somewhat amazed when I heard him say this. It turned out to be his last interview.
Unfortunately there are millions of evangelicals who probably don’t realize their bias against Romney is unwarranted. Enter Huckabee.
“His opinion is no longer influential.
He torpedoed the candidate that could have been a win for everyone.”
Yup. He opposed Fred. And now he’s getting McCain. Thanks, Dobson.
Riiight...
Fred’s loss is all because Dr. Dobson didn’t think he was “Christian” enough.
Uh-huh.
Fred’s loss had nothing to do with the fact he ran the most boring non-campain in history.
Meanwhile Ann Coulter is endorsing Hillary and Jim Robinson is a Huckster....
But you can go right on hating Dr. Dobson.
If it makes you feel better.
That's simply *not* true.
He gave a nod early on, while Brownback was still in the race- Huckabee, Hunter, Tancredo, and Brownback were all satisfactory to him at the time.
On the other hand, he said he would not vote for Giuliani, McCain, or Thompson, and more mildly, Romney, because he felt many evangelicals would have trouble voting for a Mormon.
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