Primary Voters: Vote against McCain! Vote for deadlock! Vote anyone but McCain!

Feb 9, 2008 | Jim Robinson

[LouD]

Jim - I don't know if we can do anything at the convention to replace McCain with a more conservative candidate. I would much prefer a conservative - but the election of 2008 is a battle, not the whole war.

If it comes down to McCain, then so be it. But we as conservatives cannot afford to walk away in that case.

I am no McCain supporter. I'm still disappointed that Fred dropped out of the race. After that, I briefly considered voting for Romney, only to see him drop out this week.

However, there is absolutely no comparison between McCain and Clinton, or McCain and Obama.

McCain screwed us on some big things - McCain/Feingold, McCain/Kennedy, Gang of 14, etc and I am still mightily POd about it. However, on everything else, he's been fairly conservative, especially the War on Terror.

We have a quarter of a million service members in harm's way, and we have almost 4000 more who will have died in vain, if Clinton or Obama win the White House. They NEED McCain's support. Now, a guy who agrees with us 82% of the time, according to the American Conservative Union, NEEDS our support in order to be president.

If he needs us, then we have some bargaining power - and his past sins should cost him. What price? Simply put - THE FUTURE.

We support McCain, he gives us a solidly conservative VP. A rising star, who will step into the Oval Office in 2012, or 2016, or whenever the Lord calls McCain home.

He'll need Congressional Republicans to get things done, and he'll need all of them, including the conservatives. They'll be pressure on him - have you forgotten Harriet Myers?

Will he be perfect? No, of course not. But, the perfect is the enemy of the good. We can't have Ronald Reagan, so let's get over it. Let's strike the best deal we can, for our troops now, and our position as conservatives in the future.

[fulminatio]

So does Tom Coburn. Anyone want to call him a RINO?

If they haven't already, I'm sure the moron brigade will do so shortly.

[supercat]

McCain screwed us on some big things - McCain/Feingold, McCain/Kennedy, Gang of 14, etc and I am still mightily POd about it. However, on everything else, he's been fairly conservative, especially the War on Terror.

"Well, aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"

Since 2001, what close votes has McCain sided with us on? What conservative legislation has he written?

[Aliska]

Sounds like a good plan to me, although I already voted in a primary.

I think sitting out the election is a mistake and hope people will reconsider. Do whatever you will with the top two on the ticket, but imho, we should turn out and vote for as conservative congressional candidates as possible.

If we go to a brokered convention, they could still pick McCain perhaps. I don't know what the mood would be by then.

Is it possible that some primary voters may think they are voting for president now especially due to all the heightened passions about this coming election? I won't name parties in the interest of fairness.

[Brandie]

Jim I already voted for Fred so I don't get to vote again till November. He pulled out of the race the day after I voted for him.

But I am going to send (email) what you said to do to all my friends and relatives that still have a chance to vote. Thank you.

[joe whit]

Very well done today.

[Reader of news]

It certainly hasn't proven this way recently.

Last year the Democratic-controlled Congress wanted to start the withdrawal from Iraq. Not only did President Bush veto it, but he sent more troops and Iraq is now in a better situation. Just this proves your statement wrong.

McCain can be wrong on several issues, but he's right on Iraq. If he wins the election in November, America won't withdraw until victory (a free Iraq that can defend itself). A premature pullout before Iraq can defend itself will mean a victory for the terrorists. If it's carried out before the conditions allow it, the terrorists will be able to find a new base.

[CzarNicky]

you have it correct. People should be careful what they wish for because they may end up getting it. Some of them have had it happen three times and are trying for four.

[Reader of news]

The Republicans are going to lose this election.

Last summer, it seemed that McCain couldn't win the nomination. However, he's almost the nominee now. Many things can happen from now to November. And if the current polls are right (see the Real Clear Politics average), in a McCain-Hillary election, McCain will likely win.

As for me, I am writing in my protest vote for Duncan Hunter and start thinking about 2012.

Think of Iraq. America (and the world) cannot afford a terrorist base. Think of taxes and the SCOTUS, too. This year's election matters a lot and is far from over.

[Nuc1]

And, BTW, I’m not drinking the Kool-aid for Huckaphony; just trying to make it a race once again.

We know FReeper friend.

[hiredhand]

Go through a couple of the meltdown threads on FR. You'll quickly conclude what I'm going to tell you...which is that we will NOT support McCain. He's inconsequential. Unless something truly amazing happens, this is now a one sided race. It's between Obama and Hillary.

Our philosophy is -

NO RINOs.
NO democrats
NO sitting out the vote

We're not messing around this time. There are simply too many people who have hit their limit with liberalism which has crept into the GOP, and who have nothing to lose. I've been asking people here lately if they've ever picked a fight with a man who has nothing to lose, because that attitude has a lot to do with the current environment and happenings within conservative ranks. People like this are considered dangerous by everybody else because we're FEARLESS. We simply don't fear the same things everybody else does.

It's looking a lot like McCain will get the nomination, and if he does, it's OVER.

As for Iraq and our democratic controlled congress...what you told me isn't entirely correct. They couldn't muster enough support within their own ranks when it truly came time to pull the plug on Iraq funding.

But for a solid four years our Republican controlled House and Senate pandered with, appeased, and profited from collaborating with the enemy, while we shouted SECURE THE BORDERS!...at the top of our lungs. But the GOP wasn't listening. They still aren't listening.

Even the President went to Harry Reid for help after we pressured the Senate into dropping Shamnesty some months ago....and that is politically UNFORGIVEABLE. Don't you wonder why he didn't go to a good solid conservative? He might has well have prayed at the alter of satan. It wouldn't have mattered. He betrayed us.

Come to terms with the fact that the GOP has abandoned you. The sooner you do this, the sooner we can all regroup, take appropriate action, and move ahead.

[Reader of news]

As for Iraq and our democratic controlled congress...what you told me isn't entirely correct. They couldn't muster enough support within their own ranks when it truly came time to pull the plug on Iraq funding.

What I said was that the Congress sent an act whereby the troops had to start pulling out. President Bush vetoed it after having ordered the surge.

Not voting for McCain would help the Dem nominee. If it's McCain v. Hillary or Obama, the choice is between winning in Iraq or leaving Iraq before victory. What side are you on?

[LouD]

Since 2001, what close votes has McCain sided with us on?

Good question. See here for an answer:

http://www.acuratings.org/2006senate.htm#descriptions

American Conservative Union Ratings:

Senator	2005 Rating	2006 Rating	Lifetime Rating
McCain	80	65	82.3
Clinton	12	8	9.0
Obama	8	8	8.0

Is McCain a perfect conservative? No. Is he far more conservative than either of the two rats who will be sitting in the White House if we persist in this self destructive tantrum? Hell, yes.

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1955546/posts?page=103#103
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1965682/posts?page=12#12
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1966839/posts?page=286#286
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1966839/posts?page=658#658
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1967755/posts?page=3#3

[SunkenCiv]

Well put.

[hiredhand]

What side am I on? It's not just me. It's enough of a percentage to completely prevent the GOP from a victory. You are aware of our side, aren't you? Perhaps not!

The side we are on is one which is only represented by us as a group. We refuse to cower along with the "Anybody But Hillary" crowd. We refuse to vote RINO. We refuse to vote democrat.

We're going to most likely write-in Thompson/Hunter. ...and yes, we know what this will cause. But so do you, and yet I'm prepared for a response in which you'll accuse us of bringing down the Republic, or something similar. But we say the same about your side.

One thing is for certain though...we do not FEAR. We don't fear what will happen by us not all lining up behind some terrible, pandering politician such as John McCain. We do not fear what will come along with a democrat ascending to the Presidency. Don't get me wrong...we're not enthused about it, but we do not fear, and we won't be motivated by fear.

So you do what you think you must, and we'll do likewise. But know that our efforts will take the GOP in opposite directions, with both sides here believing they did what was right.

As I've said recently to others, you should be doubly certain that there aren't enough of us to seriously offset the vote. I think there are enough of us, especially now that it's essentially down to McCain. Otherwise, you voting for McCain will ammount to exactly the same as my vote for Thompson/Hunter...which is a PROTEST VOTE. The difference being that one vote was morally correct, and the other woefully lacking. The result will be the same either way...a conservative voter base too fractured and split to affect anything.

Sorry this probably wasn't the answer you were looking for, but I'm getting used to giving this sort of information lately. As soon as the panic and shock wears off from the trouncing that we're going to recieve, people will become effective and motivated again.

[supercat]

Good question. See here for an answer:

I saw nothing on that chart to indicate which votes were close.

[supercat]

We're going to most likely write-in Thompson/Hunter.

Be sure to check your state's rules for write-in votes before that. In some states, a vote for a write-in that has not been pre-registered will invalidate an entire ballot, thus voiding your votes for Republicans down-ticket.

If you can get Thompson/Hunter registered as an official write-in selection, feel free to do so. Depending upon the state, it may not even cost anything. But whatever you be sure your ballot counts for the down-ticket races.

[Reader of news]

When I asked what side you are on, I was referring to victory in Iraq or defeat in Iraq. You digressed. So again, do you want America to win in Iraq or to be defeated in Iraq? The stakes are high this November. This election will have consequences. If you don’t vote for the Republican nominee (McCain or another), you will help a candidate which has promised to retreat from Iraq. That’s a fact.

[onewhowatches]

When I asked what side you are on, I was referring to victory in Iraq or defeat in Iraq. You digressed. So again, do you want America to win in Iraq or to be defeated in Iraq? The stakes are high this November. This election will have consequences. If you don’t vote for the Republican nominee (McCain or another), you will help a candidate which has promised to retreat from Iraq. That’s a fact.

And do you really think McCain will do anything different?