Republican leaders see McCain as favorite in Illinois (Fred now backing McCain????)

Examiner ^ | Feb 1, 2008 | DENNIS CONRAD

[CharlesWayneCT]

I haven’t seen anybody claim Fred endorsed Mitt.

I also haven’t seen any evidence Fred has said ANYTHING nice about McCain.

But a lot of McCain people are in forums today claiming Fred is endorsing McCain. McCain seems to pull these tricks before each primary.

[xzins]

Whoever gets the nomination, McCain or Romney, I’ll probably vote for them.

McCain’s defense record is unsurpassed. I agree with you on that.

I also appreciate that he has been on the side of life for years with a few slip-ups. (But, if Romney’s magic conversion on life is supportable, then how much more McCain’s very few mistakes?)

I’ll be voting against Hillary/Obama, too.

In terms of the WOT, McCain is THE man to have in charge.

But, I’m not fooling myself about his being a conservative. He is not. He’s so Rino, he’s got it tatooed on his beak.

[unspun]

The conservative hope vs. McCain is Mike Huckabee, in:

Arkansas
Georgia
Missouri
Tenessee
Alabama
Oklahoma
Minnesota
West Virginia
Alaska

[Bokababe]

"A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. the two have grown apart politically."

That may be true, but some of Fred's supporters are acting like the idea of "Fred supporting McCain" is absolutely inconceivable, when it is not at all unbelievable. Fred & McCain may disagree on some issues, but they have been tight friends for a long time.

We will just have to wait and see how this ultimately plays out. But frankly if McCain wins, I would not be surprised if Fred becomes his running mate.

[TheThirdRuffian]

I have seen both Mittens and McQueers lying (or merely just saying based on heresay, to give the benefit of the doubt) about a Fred endorsement.

[ejonesie22]

And given McCain’s instability that may, in the end, get us the conservative we need.

Of course seeing the beauty of that would require forward thinking.

[gruna]

“He should have stayed out since McCain was in...”

Apparently you don’t even know what a stalking horse is, fool.

[gruna]

Faulty thinking. Huckabee has no chance of winning, but he can hurt Romney enough to give the nomination to McCain.

[unspun]

No. No. No.

We’re shooting for a first ballot stalement. “Read the memo.” ;-)

[The Pack Knight]

I would be surprised. The only reason Fred Thompson would be his running mate would be as an olive branch to conservatives. McCain has demonstrated time and again through word and deed his disdain for the conservative base, and has made only the most tepid overtures of reconciliation.

Furthermore, he probably will not think it necessary to make concessions to conservatives. If McCain wins convincingly on Tuesday, which is the strong probability, then he will probably reason that, since he won the GOP nomination without conservative support, he probably doesn't need them in November, either. He will also reason that enough conservatives will be voting a straight Republican ticket anyway that the number of conservatives that will refuse to vote for him will be negligible compared the number of independents and moderate Democrats he can pick up by ignoring conservatives.

This will be especially true if Hillary Clinton emerges tomorrow evening as the presumptive Democrat nominee. He will assume that she will energize conservatives to a far greater degree than his choice of running mate ever could. He will probably be right.

His running mate will probably be chosen based on the traditional criteria. He'll be there to balance the ticket regionally or to deliver a key swing state. Given McCain's age and health, he'll also be chosen as someone voters will be comfortable with as a potential President. That means someone younger, in better health, and with more executive experience than someone like Fred Thompson.

It will probably be a governor, and either of a key swing state or of a southern or northeastern state. I've said this before, but my bet is Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, who is the 47 year old governor of a swing state and McCain's campaign co-chair. Mike Huckabee or Mark Sanford are also possibilities, though I don't think he'll consider balancing the ticket with a southerner is all that important, since the Democrats are not likely to pick off any southern states save Florida.

[McGruff]

a lot of McCain people are in forums today claiming Fred is endorsing McCain. McCain seems to pull these tricks before each primary.

"I will never dishonour the nation I love or myself by letting ambition overcome principle. Never, never, never" John McCain - Feb 2000

[gruna]

I would take that, but it’s very, very unlikely.

[Shelayne]

LOL. Perfect.

What is this “stalking horse” thing anyway? It is positively ridiculous. Like Fred Thompson is going to give up a very nice paycheck from Law & Order and ABC Radio, drag his family all over the place, keep the conservatives for voting for any of the “real” candidates (as this theory suggests he was not a real candidate) just so his friend, John McCain ends up the nominee. Is this how it goes? That is why he decided to run? You mean the tens of thousands of signatures in the Draft Fred movement and his colleagues on Capitol Hill begging him to run had nothing to do with it?

Were we in on it?— Because I don’t remember that memo when I signed the original petition for him to run.

Who thinks up this tripe anyway?

[gruna]

Most of the time candidates become stalking horses for another candidate after they realize they can’t win for themselves. They usually start out trying to win. That’s what happened with Thompson, I believe.

[ejonesie22]

When you have a group of people who choose a candidate because they are, by their own admission many times, “smitten” with them, don’t expect great political insight. Indeed expect a disaster.

[xmission]

I think Fred would finally get a large amount of MSM coverage if he came out for McCain...

[Shelayne]

Exactly.

[murron]

I think this is the MSM believing their own press coverage. They were saying for so long that Fred was going to drop out and endorse McCain, that they actually believe it.

[seekthetruth]

I do not believe this! The MSM must be getting desperate tonight because they fear McCain will not win the nomination. I believe if Fred endorsed anyone he would endorse Mitt Romney since Romney’s stands on the issues are closest to his.

I will say this. If Fred did endorse McCain I would have to say that I was totally wrong to supporting him! Plus an endorsement by Fred would NOT make be vote for Amnesty McCain!

[CharlesWayneCT]

Didn’t McCain say that right before running push-poll calling claiming Bush was anti-Catholic?