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Viguerie: McCain Has a Few Weeks "Conservatives will not be so trusting this time"
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Posted on 02/08/2008 1:58:52 AM PST by VU4G10

A good conservative speech, no matter how stirring, will not solve the problems that grass-roots conservatives have with Sen. John McCain, Richard A. Viguerie, America's leading conservative direct-mail guru, said Thursday.

Viguerie made his comments in response to John McCain’s address Thursday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. Prior to McCain’s speech, various news reports suggested that the speech gave the Arizona senator a chance to make amends with conservatives and bring them on board his bandwagon.

“Rhetoric isn’t enough,” Viguerie said. “To get the enthusiastic support of conservatives – support he must have, to win – Senator McCain must make his case with deeds, not just words.”

That’s not just because of McCain’s recent record on important issues, Viguerie said. It’s also because of the record of the Republican Party itself.

“From Eisenhower to Nixon to both Bushes, conservatives have heard conservative rhetoric from Republican presidential candidates. Each time, they were disappointed – even betrayed – by the people and the party they had trusted.

“After the last eight or 10 years, in which Republican leaders were elected with conservative votes, but then betrayed conservative principles, grassroots conservatives are not so willing to take John McCain at his word. He is an honorable man, but, given the record of the Republican Party and given his own record, conservative rhetoric is not enough to convince people.

“Conservatives will not be so trusting this time.

“Senator McCain must surround himself with conservatives in policy positions, so that conservatives know what sort of people will make key decisions in a McCain Administration. He must have a number of Sister Souljah moments with the Washington establishment liberals who consider him their favorite Republican. He must make conservatives cheer for him every night when they watch the news on TV – not just when they hear him give a good speech.”

Viguerie said that McCain has “only a few weeks” to “bring conservatives up to a comfort level with him. If he is to do it, in the words of Macbeth, ‘’twere well it were done quickly.’

“In 1992, George H.W. Bush waited until the Republican Convention to reach out to conservatives, giving Pat Buchanan a major place on the program and so on. It didn’t work. The media savaged Bush for pandering to conservatives, and conservatives saw it as too little, too late.”

If McCain does not act soon, “conservatives will start writing off the presidential race,” Viguerie said. “Yes, most – not all – will vote for him, if he is the Republican nominee. But they will not make telephone calls, send out e-mails and postcards, go door to door, contribute money, and do all the hard work that makes victory possible in November.”


TOPICS: Extended News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; cpac; election2008; elections; mccain; ncpac; rino; viguerie
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1 posted on 02/08/2008 1:58:59 AM PST by VU4G10
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To: VU4G10

Make telephone calls, send out e-mails and postcards, go door to door, contribute money, and do all the hard work for what.. McInsane?

Never.


2 posted on 02/08/2008 2:04:22 AM PST by VU4G10 (Have You Forgotten?)
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To: VU4G10

He can’t do it, my friend, he can’t do it.


3 posted on 02/08/2008 2:07:01 AM PST by Navy Patriot (The hyphen American with the loudest whine gets the grease.)
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To: All
I will NOT vote for McCain.


4 posted on 02/08/2008 2:07:11 AM PST by Cindy
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To: VU4G10
Laura Ingraham and Bill O'Reilly had a conversation about VP nominees and reaching out to conservatives last night. O'Reilly felt that McCain would be smart and might pick Romney. Laura Ingraham did not feel that was likely and he would more likely go in "another direction" and might pick Huckabee, but also, that yesterday's speech to CPAC could be the last we would hear from McCain on conservatism for quite a while.
5 posted on 02/08/2008 2:07:31 AM PST by Truth29
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To: VU4G10
“Rhetoric isn’t enough,” Viguerie said.

Unless he becomes President rhetoric is just about all you are going to get. McCain has been missing many votes in the senate lately. Basically McCain’s job right now is rhetoric.

6 posted on 02/08/2008 2:11:20 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper (Huckabee: Some people need to switch to decaf...)
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To: VU4G10
Make telephone calls, send out e-mails and postcards, go door to door, contribute money, and do all the hard work for what.. McInsane?

Never.


I'll call it now. He'll give an empty, platitude filled speech at CPAC and then be (a) all out liberal until the election trying to steal as many independents as possible if Hilary is nominated.

(b) campaign as a "realist" with "experience"(but not conservative mind you) to get as many votes as he can from Obama. He will definitely have Huckabee as his VP to keep the evangelicals for falling for Obama.

It won't be a good year for FReepers. You can count on it.
7 posted on 02/08/2008 2:11:20 AM PST by ketsu
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To: VU4G10

How can McCain gain the support of conservatives without alienating his base? I don’t think he can.


8 posted on 02/08/2008 2:12:26 AM PST by FreedomForce (Hillary 2008. A conservative 2012.)
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To: VU4G10

Excellent assessment


9 posted on 02/08/2008 2:12:45 AM PST by tiger-one (The night has a thousand eyes)
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To: All

At least w McCain...we can now sort out the real conservatives from the liberals

The real conservatives will not vote for McCain for any reason. A donkey in elephant clothing is still a donkey.

The liberals will push the false-mantra “If we dont vote for him we get Hillary/Obama”....the same kind of crap that has the GOP in the position they are today....trying to sell liberals as conservatives


10 posted on 02/08/2008 2:14:33 AM PST by UCFRoadWarrior (A Vote For McCain Is A Vote For Hillary/Obama)
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To: VU4G10; Navy Patriot
He can’t do it, my friend, he can’t do it.

"Hey, just calm down..." - John McCain to conservatives

Unhg...the man is repellent. Uniting conservatives under McCain will go about as well as herding cats.

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11 posted on 02/08/2008 2:15:11 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: VU4G10

Here’s McCain morphing on LOST...

http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerdc/article_272618218.shtml


12 posted on 02/08/2008 2:19:45 AM PST by 668 - Neighbor of the Beast ( There is still time........brother.)
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To: VU4G10

Being a powerful senator, McCain has about ten months to push through legislation that secures our borders. He can prove how well he “got the message” by making some serious “enforcement first” progress on illegal immigration well before the November vote.


13 posted on 02/08/2008 2:20:53 AM PST by Will88 ( The Worst Case Scenario: McCain with a Dhimm majority in the House and Senate)
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To: UCFRoadWarrior
the same kind of crap that has the GOP in the position they are today

Finally someone gets down to the nitty gritty.

Republicans must learn that bait and switch will never work again, and the lesson must be HARD.

14 posted on 02/08/2008 2:22:29 AM PST by Navy Patriot (The hyphen American with the loudest whine gets the grease.)
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To: 668 - Neighbor of the Beast

John McCain Gets Soros Cash - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1360852/posts



15 posted on 02/08/2008 2:26:53 AM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: Caipirabob

Ed Wood, is that you? LOL!


16 posted on 02/08/2008 2:27:30 AM PST by Navy Patriot (The hyphen American with the loudest whine gets the grease.)
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To: Truth29
...that yesterday's speech to CPAC could be the last we would hear from McCain on conservatism for quite a while.

He's making a big mistake if he goes that route. He isn't someone that listens to advice or can humble himself, so I think she may be right. I kept thinking that during the speech--he better not think this is enough to do the trick. There's some mighty cheesed off folks out here and one speech will not cut it. It's going to take some actions and even then it might not be enough.

17 posted on 02/08/2008 2:29:28 AM PST by beaversmom
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To: VU4G10
How arrogant McCain and the people pushing him as a candidate are, to think that anyone would vote for him just because there appears to be no other choice.
18 posted on 02/08/2008 2:30:31 AM PST by Racer1
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To: VU4G10

No ‘RINO’s,,,,,,,,,,, We will regret the next four years. I hope and pray, we can survive(as a nation)...


19 posted on 02/08/2008 2:35:04 AM PST by ThomasPaine2000 (Peace without freedom is tyranny.)
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To: VU4G10

No ‘RINO’s,,,,,,,,,,, We will regret the next four years. I hope and pray, we can survive(as a nation)...


20 posted on 02/08/2008 2:35:05 AM PST by ThomasPaine2000 (Peace without freedom is tyranny.)
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