John McCain's Catch-22

pj media ^ | 2/2/2008 | John Hawkins

[shove_it]

It’s not easy being John McCain these days. The self-styled “maverick” faces a classic Catch-22, which he will have to somehow resolve if he wants to be elected president.

As we conservatives see it, McCain has gotten this far in his political career by kicking us in the teeth for the amusement of the mainstream media, which has repaid him for the entertainment by treating him with kid gloves and hyping him as a principled maverick.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with this perception, it is clear that now that McCain has captured the Republican nomination, he faces a dilemma.

The problem in a nutshell: he desperately needs the backing of the very conservatives he has infuriated time and time again over the last few years. We’re not talking about tepid support either. John McCain needs conservatives to pour money into his campaign, and to rabidly defend him when he’s under attack — and of course, vote for him. Achieving this won’t be easy. In order to patch things up with conservatives, McCain will need to cater to us by making meaningful gestures that show his heart is in the right place and by shifting his positions a bit on key issues, in order to placate our very valid concerns about him.

BUT — if and when he actually attempts to start trying to reach out to conservatives, he risks losign what made him attractive in the first place; McCain’s appeal to independents and moderate Democrats is directly based on liberals in the mainstream media saying nice things about him based on the fact that he DOESN’T try make conservatives happy.

What to do? McCain has a hellish balancing act to pull off...

[shove_it]

John McCain ~ conservative liberal.

[anton]

His whole strategy is: “who they gonna vote for anyway? Hillary? They’ll hold their noses and vote for me.”

I’m staying home.

[joebuck]

McCain is a time bomb. I detect a softening of the base and a grudging realization that bad as he is, he’s better than Obama by a long shot - BUT he could open his mouth at any time and say something stupid which ticks off the conservatives and makes them remember all over again why we hated him as a candidate in the first place.

[SoConPubbie]

The one issue McCain needs to deal with is Amnesty.

If he removes that from the table he wins by a landslide.

However, he will have to do it convincingly.

I sincerely doubt he will do it since he is still not being honest about his bill, McCain-Kennedy, being an Amnesty.


As a result, this is the scenario that will play out when John McCain grants amnesty.

John McCain will grant amnesty to 20-40 million+ Illegal Aliens who will vote 70%+ Democrat (As they always have).

The resultant imbalance of majority Democrat votes will force the GOP into minority status for decades to come.

On top of that, millions of conservatives will leave the GOP because of John McCains treachery further deepening the imbalance of GOP votes to Democrat votes.

The final 'nail in the coffin' will be his total inaction against chain-migration that will bring millions more Democrat votes into the equation.

[Yogafist]

I may hold my nose and vote (not conviced of this yet), but there isn’t a chance in hell he will get a dime of my money, nor will I spend any of my time working for his campaign.

[DaltonNC]

“McCain has a hellish balancing act to pull off...”

He will do it without my vote.
I have voted in every election for the past 52 years. Now for the first time I can’t vote. I feel cheated.
How did this happen? With several good candidates and we end up with John McCain. I just keep hoping something will happen and he will step aside and let a Conservative run.
My children feel just as I do. I am sure we are not alone.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

The problem in a nutshell: he desperately needs the backing of the very conservatives he has infuriated time and time again over the last few years. We’re not talking about tepid support either. John McCain needs conservatives to pour money into his campaign, and to rabidly defend him when he’s under attack — and of course, vote for him. Achieving this won’t be easy. In order to patch things up with conservatives, McCain will need to cater to us by making meaningful gestures that show his heart is in the right place and by shifting his positions a bit on key issues, in order to placate our very valid concerns about him.

BUMPED for The Truth.

[Republic of Texas]

Most Republicans veer right during the primary, and back to the center for the general election. McCain cannot do this. He has refused to move right at all, thus infuriating 30% of his base, and he has no room to move left during the general. He is already as far left as a Republican can go (I hope). If people want a candidate left of McCain, they can vote for a real Democrat. He has maneuvered himself into a no-win situation. Typical of his deft political maneuvers of the past.

[shove_it]

Super tag line!!

[EternalVigilance]

John McCain ~ conservative liberal.

I have to put that at the top of the most striking McCain campaign slogans I've seen so far.

Right up there with, "Vote for me, you stupid idiots!"

And, "Just shut up and vote for McCain."

[Grunthor]

“McCain has gotten this far in his political career by kicking us in the teeth for the amusement of the mainstream media”

Cannot be repeated enough.

[shove_it]

Settle down.

[Names Ash Housewares]

A kick in the teeth will be a pleasant memory if we let Obama get us nuked.

[End Times Crusader]

Apparently, you are in the minority. Most conservatives and the vast majority of Republicans support John McCain.

[EternalVigilance]

Settle down.

Yeah, that one's pretty hilarious too. Thanks, I'd forgotten that one...

[Grunthor]

“Most conservatives and the vast majority of Republicans support John McCain.”

Let THEM vote for POS, I won’t do it.

[EternalVigilance]

Apparently, you are in the minority. Most conservatives and the vast majority of Republicans support John McCain.

Any presumptive Republican nominee who isn't running into the high 90's for support on a site like FR is in very deep doo-doo.

[Republic of Texas]

It won’t take a majority for McCain to lose, just a substantial minority of Conservatives to vote for someone else. Bush barely won twice WITH Conservative support. This election will be the GOP’s “come to Jesus” meeting.

[DaltonNC]

” Most conservatives and the vast majority of Republicans support John McCain.”

Where are they hiding? Why don’t we hear from them? I don’t know one single Conservative that supports John McCain.

[levotb]

He already HAS, joebuck...just yesterday...Remember? “I’m a conservative liberal, no, I mean, heh-heh...”