Posted on 02/23/2008 10:56:29 AM PST by Bob J
Ever since Super Tuesday a super debate has been raging on FR concerning John McCain. I was never a McCain supporter, in fact I penned the post Super Tuesday post "Official FR Drinking Thread" so we could together drown our common disappointments into oblivion.
FReepers seem to be moving into three distinct groups. The first are those that have always supported McCain, a lot or partially. There are those that don't like McCain but are willing to support him because they believe they will get some of what they want or to defeat what the see as the more critical danger, Obama or Clinton. The there's the third group, those that viscerally dislike McCain and vow never to vote for him for any reason.
The actions and motivation for support from the first two groups seem obvious...they would rather see McCain in the White House than a dem. But for the life of me I cannot understand some of the actions of the third.
Allow me to explain.
I understand you dislike McCain and the reasons why. He is far too liberal on many issues, he has stabbed conservatives in the back several times and he is too cozy with the dems. These are all defensible reasons to not vote for him or to vote third party and you have every right to vote as you see fit and for whatever reasons you hold. What I don't understand is why some here are making such concerted efforts to dissuade others from voting for or supporting him.
As flawed as McCain is there is no way a logical case can be made that we would be better off under Obama or Hillary (O&H). Even on most issues where McCain is closer to the left than to us, O&H are much farther to the left than he is and would do much more damage than McCain. On the issues where he is not, the WOT, taxes, abortion, etc., the differences are stark and this does not even take into count extended issues like judicial appointments.
So why are you working so hard, so viscerlly, so nasty, to turn votes against McCain? If you truly feel as you do than go sit out November or cast your vote for your 3rd party candidate. That makes sense. What doesn't make sense is why you push for a McCain and GOP loss.
It may be as simple as "misery loves company". It may be that you validate your own position by getting others to believe as you do. It may be that there are some dem propaganda plants on FR. I don't know but I sure would like to and I know others do as well.
SOS different day!, Oh, your were right on in your other post. Go get'em!
No McCain, no way. Stop the bleeding. Make the RINO extinct before it appears in every election.
“Why would any conservative try to persuade others to help O or H get elected? This is my main question, you only restated it.”
~I don’t see where any conservatives are trying to “persuade others to help O or H get elected”.
~I do see where thoughtful conservatives have come to, or are coming to, the conclusion that 4 years of O or H is preferable to 4 years of McCain followed by 8, 12 or 16 years of Dem rule.
~In the long run, I’m not sure why a McCain Presidency would be preferable to an O or H Presidency.
Unfortunately, this is true...Repuds. held their nose and voted for McCain thinking he was ‘electable’. He is not, and now we are cooked.
You're right.
The sad thing is that when McCain loses, many of the movers and shakers in the Republican party will assume it was because McCain was too conservative.
I'll get a jump on things. With this thinking, I predict these same people will put forth their dream candidate in 2012 - Lincoln Chaffee!
You care more about your mind, fine, go live in the mind you so care about. I care about the world because I live there, not in your mind.
I’ll second that...
Why does the 3rd group have to “viscerally dislike” McCain?
Can we not leave the feeeeeeeeelings at the door and have a feeling-free logical reason? I have not one single feeeeeeeling towards McCain.
How about those that will not ever vote for McCain because, being the sponsor of McCain-Feingold that foisted upon the people free speech blackout periods designed to protect incombents, McCain violated his oath of office and the United States Constitution?
....and I will never vote for him to take yet another oath to protect the same Constitution he already overtly violated.
How about that I too took an oath to protect the Constitution and if I give my vote to a known infringer, I will be in violation of my own oath?
Nawwww.....gotta be some sort of feeeeeeeelings in there somewhere to blame.
I don't know that they're miserable, but I believe those that scream the loudest condemnation at anyone not supporting McCain are doing so to assuage their own guilt. They're compromising their principles, and watching others refuse to do so only highlights their own choice.
Security, for one, is a more important issue
You better hope McCain gets into double digits and doesn’t lose 49 states...he is that bad a candidate.
That is your decision...I have a problem...I care...not spelled cair, btw.
Do you think anybody is going to read who you write in?
Of course you do. That's why you're spending so much time on this thread blasting those with whom you disagree. ROFL!
You had to stretch so far for that one your arms must hurt. Not to mention I didn't even mention GHWB--who had the support of a certain Ronald Reagan. But what did that Reagan fella know about conservatism?
But you're right--Hillary and Obama will choose MUCH more conservative candidates for SCOTUS.
And oddly enough, you don't mention another SCOTUS pick by George H.W. Bush...
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