Why many conservatives can't vote for McCain

The Everett Herald ^ | February 10, 2008 | Mona Charen

[2ndDivisionVet]

I posted a squib on the National Review Web site about a robo call I received from John McCain. (Virginia's primary is Tuesday.) The call stressed that he would, if elected, be a down-the-line limited government conservative who would never raise taxes, would defend life, would enforce immigration laws and would win the war on terror. The candidate is trying, I said, to meet conservatives "more than halfway." The response of readers was, shall we say, emphatic.

One lady wrote that she would never vote for him as "He is the most disloyal, ill-tempered man and he brings out the worse in all of us. ..." Several readers made the point that after decades of suffering abuse at McCain's hands, conservatives are not going to fall into line for him now, no matter what blandishments he offers.

I know how they feel. The problem with McCain is not just that he strays. George Bush has strayed from conservatism, too. So has Fred Thompson. Certainly Mitt Romney has as well. But Sen. McCain has a knack for saying things in just the tones and accents that liberals prefer. In 2000, he condemned the late Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson as "agents of intolerance." In 2004, when Sen. John Kerry was getting his comeuppance from the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, vets who had known him during the war and couldn't remain silent as the Democratic nominee distorted his war record, McCain weighed in by calling the Swift Boaters "dishonorable and dishonest." When the Bush Administration was being vilified as a nest of Torquemadas for using waterboarding on three occasions, McCain came forward to condemn waterboarding as torture.

[Bill S]

I posted this earlier:
I’m a lifelong staunch conservative Republican. I’m definitely not a John McCain fan. I think he has done serious damage to the conservative/Republican cause.
However, I think it’s irresponsible for a conservative/Republican to not vote for President this year or to vote for the Democratic or a third party candidate.
Either Clinton or Obama will certainly try to get national health care implemented and also very likely withdraw from Iraq precipitously. If these things are done there is no way a Republican subsequently elected can unwind them. Say what you will about McCain but he will do neither of these things,
It is imperative that McCain be elected, however distasteful that may be.

There have been some responses but none on point. What are you going to do when Obama or Hillary pulls the troops out of Iraq precipitously and the Middle East goes up in flames? What are you going to do when Hillary institutes national health care and you or your parents have to wait or be denied needed health care?
I have principles too but suicide isn’t one of them.

[TennTuxedo]

How is the conservative movement ever going to win as long as Hillary Clinton or Barak Obama win the Presidency?

How is the conservative movement going to win as long as the Democrats hold congress and gain a super majority.

How will the conservative movement win if we are paying higher taxes, passing HillaryCare, and nominating liberal Supreme Court Justices like Ginsberg?

As much as I want a conservative to represent my party, that candidate does not exist, and thus I have to take the common sense route and vote against the principles that will be forced down our throats by the Democrats. Its yucky medicine but it is what we have to do if we want to live to fight another day.

[JasonC]

If I take the specifics cited literally, the real hatred of McCain seems to come from him not only being critical of conservatives at times, but from the nasty fact that he's right.

Pat Robertson is an agent of intolerance. I've read his books, or those he let go out under his name, and smearing masons as a grand satanic conspiracy controlling the world is definitely agent of intolerance stuff. It is also nuttier than fruitcake.

Waterboarding is torture. We shouldn't use it (and presently we don't).

It was entirely legit to attack Kerry over his VAW reckless allegations, but much less legit to smear his actual service in Nam, which was honorable enough.

[Eva]

It’s too late, there in no conservative in the race.

[Paige]

Oh I see, Conservatives have to be told how to think now? The Conservatives haven't learned from 2006 yet? If some of you Conservatives think Huckabee can defeat Hillary OR Obama in November, I have ocean front property in New Mexico to sell you. My God, I can't believe the ignorance I am reading.

[joesbucks]

McCain nearly joined the Democrat party twice in the last seven years. On big issues he votes with the Dems. In fact, in his heart he is a Dem.

I know of only one and the second is a possibility. The one is when Kerry made overtures for him to be VP. He rejected that. And even that wasn't nearly, only the carrot was dangled.

The second was during the 2000 primary when his own party set out like they have recently to destroy him.

Well look at you folks. You believe that you're being destroyed so you looking to book.

You folks are more like McCain that you thought.

[ScubieNuc]

Either Clinton or Obama will certainly try to get national health care implemented and also very likely withdraw from Iraq precipitously.

Most likely true. At least that's what they are saying they will do.

If these things are done there is no way a Republican subsequently elected can unwind them.

I disagree. Iraq would probably fall into a certain level of disarray and chaos, but a future conservative could be elected with the overwhelming public knowledge that a longer intervention time is needed to secure Iraq.

It is imperative that McCain be elected, however distasteful that may be.

I completely disagree. Electing McCain increases the liberal hold on the Republican party. We need to rid the party of this disease or it will complete it's infection by transforming the Republican party into the Democrat party. Abandoning McCain will send a clear message that liberals can not succeed in the Republican party.

What are you going to do when Obama or Hillary pulls the troops out of Iraq precipitously and the Middle East goes up in flames?

Point out that conservatives were right that we needed to stay the course.

What are you going to do when Hillary institutes national health care and you or your parents have to wait or be denied needed health care?

Point out that conservatives were right that national health care is worse then privatised health care.

I have principles too but suicide isn’t one of them.

Equating this to suicide is inaccurate. In suicide an individual decides their own life isn't worth living and ends it. What is going on here is a certain faction of a group wants the group to have different ideals. If everyone doesn't follow these different ideals then the group will leave you and your ideals behind. Just because the group leaves me that doesn't mean that they are right or that I will not survive.

To me, conservativism is directly related to individualism. If the party leaves me and my values, that's too bad, but I will survive, because I don't need the group to survive or to know what is right.

[redhead]

"Has anyone even considered a prayer chain asking God to raise up a conservative candidate for this election cycle. The fat lady hasn't tuned up yet, so it's not too late. I believe that He really cares."

I've been praying privately for God to send us a real LEADER.

[ScubieNuc]

How is the conservative movement ever going to win as long as Hillary Clinton or Barak Obama win the Presidency?

By witnessing the disaster that is brought on by the liberal democrat party, people will have obvious reasons to object to liberalism and unite under conservatism.

How is the conservative movement going to win as long as the Democrats hold congress and gain a super majority.

When people witness again, first hand, the disasters of the liberals in power, they can vote out the libs.

How will the conservative movement win if we are paying higher taxes, passing HillaryCare, and nominating liberal Supreme Court Justices like Ginsberg?

First, McCain has shown that he too is against conservative judges, so by voting for him you will be getting more liberal judges. Second, McCain was against Bushes tax cuts so taxes will also rise under McCain. Third, I wouldn't be surprised if McCain proposes McCainycare, so by electing McCain, I see advancement of all liberal ideas.

As much as I want a conservative to represent my party, that candidate does not exist, and thus I have to take the common sense route and vote against the principles that will be forced down our throats by the Democrats.

I disagree that it is common sense to vote against the principles you hold dear, just to have liberal principles shoved down your throat by a person with an R behind his name.

Its yucky medicine but it is what we have to do if we want to live to fight another day.

I disagree that it is medicine. It is poison and it won't help you to live to fight another day.

In wars, there are times for strategic withdrawl and there are times to stand your ground. I have fallen back when the George's dad reniged on 'read my lips' and voted for him again. I fell back when the best the party had was Dole. I fell back when the party's best was GWB. I am not falling back again, especially not for the liberal McCain.

If this is my final stand as a Republican, then so be it, but I'll always be a conservative. I'm not abandoning the party, the party is abandoning me.

[heavy9]

best line of the day Joe ..needed that ...remember the one on the ballot scam... cannot figure out the ballot but can control 10 bingo cards at once ..priceless!

[GOP_Raider]

He is the most disloyal, ill-tempered man and he brings out the worse in all of us.

Couldn't have said it any better.

[farmer18th]

I will not retract this: anyone who votes for Obama, Hillory OR McCain, knowing anything about their record, is a traitor, is un-American, is a coward.

It is high time we start shaming people who do stupid things.

[redhead]

"Like an old Bob Dole, old McLame will lose big. I will write in Ronald Reagan"

I had been planning to write in Fred Thompson, until he pulled his stunt the other day by endorsing McCain. Now, I plan to vote in Ronald Reagon. Thanks for the idea!

[TennTuxedo]

Good luck in the land irrelevancy.

[LibertarianLiz]

Because -- unlike moderates and liberals -- we genuinely possess standards. And principles.

Thank you, thank you.

I'm in Federal Way --- what is your reaction to Romney getting so many votes in the caucuses yesterday?

[LibertarianLiz]

This is our time in the Wilderness. Churchill had his, we will now have ours. Our job will be to find our Churchill.

I have posted that before; that we are in our "Wilderness Years" as conservatives.

As for our "Churchill", I am hoping to see great things from Bobby Jindal in Louisiana and he is definitely someone I could get excited about. I keep hearing people pushing his name for Veep; but, I would rather he do some hard work in Louisiana that he can point to, and then run in 2012.

My other fear is that deep in my gut I've been feeling that we are about to revisit the 1970s; and, I don't think it matters whether its HRC, Obama or McCain. None of them are good on domestic economic issues. We actually need someone like Romney to handle the softening economy; but, instead the American people seem to be in the mood for another "holiday from history" (as Steyn puts it).

[ScubieNuc]

Good luck in the land irrelevancy.

Well, your condescending attempt at humor or sarcasm is noted, but what is more clearly noted is your lack of any real answers to my serious questions.

I'll ask you again in all seriousness....

How does voting for a liberal make conservative ideals live on?

As to irrelevance, we shall see how irrelevant conservatives are to the outcome of the elections.

On that note though, I realize that my vote and beliefs may be irrelevant to the overall running of this country, but I would rather be irrelevant to a political party that supports liberals then compromise the truth to satisfy the pressures of a political party.

[seekthetruth]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1968113/posts

McCain is all for the sea treaty per above.

And Huckabee said the sea treaty needs to be buried at sea.

Makes me ill, but I will vote Republican in November.

[adc]

If the RNC wants me to get over my Disdain for McCain, they’d better get Mitt up there for the VP slot.

[ScubieNuc]

If the RNC wants me to get over my Disdain for McCain, they’d better get Mitt up there for the VP slot.

I really don't understand why it would matter much who McCain would pick for VP. Besides being the tie breaker in a Senate deadlock and stepping in if McCain died in office, how much good does a VP really do?

To me, no matter who he picked for VP could change his liberalism and distain for conservative values. He could pick Rush and I would believe McCain would have someway of isolating Rush from any real influence.