Posted on 03/10/2008 9:16:44 AM PDT by jdm
Over the weekend, Paul did a post that talked about demands that some conservatives are making on John McCain as the soon-to-be Republican nominee. I added some comments of my own; it's fair to say that both Paul and I are skeptical of the reasonableness of such demands.
That prompted an email from talk radio host Mark Levin, the subject heading of which was "John, Did You Actually Mean to Write This?" This initiated an exchange between Mark and me, which, with Mark's permission, I'm reproducing below:
John, did you actually mean to write this?
If there are conservatives who sincerely believe that it makes little difference whether the Executive Branch is run by John McCain or Barack Obama, they are entitled to sit out the election. And if they're going to sit it out, I'd appreciate it if they would sit it out entirely; in other words, stop attacking McCain for his "impurities."I assume you did. I will address is on my show tomorrow. I don't believe conservatives should sit out this election, but I would suggest the argument that conservative criticism of McCain is a demand for purity is a pretty thin argument.
Also, Paul, if you have evidence of John McCain's record speaking out for increased defense spending during most of his career, may we see it? And if you can find anything akin to a McCain policy statement laying out how he would take on global terrorism (apart from Iraq, say, Iran and Pakistan, for starters), would you pass that along as well? As this is McCain's strength, I think it's not too much to ask for.
My reply to Mark:
Of course. I only write things I mean, although I may express myself imperfectly at times.
Conservatives are of course free to criticize anyone they choose, a privilege I indulge in freely. But some conservatives have made a fetish--an obsession--out of criticizing John McCain, who was, after all, the only viable Republican candidate who could plausibly describe himself as a life-long conservative.
It is rather silly to expect that every four years the Republican Party will nominate, or the American people will elect, a flawless, unalloyed conservative. This is because we conservatives are a minority. We are a minority because we have not persuasively made our case to American voters that our policies are preferable to our opponents'. Frankly, in the current political climate, we are lucky to have a nominee as conservative as John McCain, and we are even luckier that, because of his outstanding character and service to the nation, our mostly-conservative nominee has a good chance to win.
I'll let Mark have the last word, with his reply to me:
McCain's character in the political context is defined how? Staking out what he considers to be principled positions and stubbornly holding firm even if his position is unpopular? If so, you seem to condemn conservatives for the same thing, but with such uncharitable words as fetish, obsession, and purity. And yet, many of McCain's positions have been unprincipled on big matters, or acts of betrayal as Sowell put it, betraying both principle and party. And his rhetoric has often manifested itself in pandering to the kneejerk positions of the left/media-I am thinking of his efforts against tax cuts and for McCain-Feingold.
In any event, this is why, in part, I found your post unusual, I.e., more cheerleading than analyzing. That's fine, but then why demand that others keep their mouths shut. Do you think that's a persuasive point? I think you made Bozell's case.
I think this is a pretty good example of the kind of intramural argument that many conservatives are having these days. Such debates will no doubt continue for a while, perhaps until November; for my part, I intend to engage in quite a lot of analysis along with an occasional spot of cheerleading.
Levin article ping....is McCain a pure conservative? Does it matter?
So the moderate elites are against purity? How pure is it that a Republican nominee is the Republican nominee via liberal and supposed independents crossing over to elect him.
“How Conservatives See John McCain”
Back-stabbing POS Democrat with an “R” next to his name.
IMO, a fair description of McCain is power-hungry, arrogant, an ego maniac, a RINO, a loose cannon, and a politician oozing with an in your face attitude while thumbing his nose at conservatives. Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
“is McCain a pure conservative?”
The opposition to him has never been about purity.
If nothing else Republicans across the fruited plains are smiling, laughing and waving our guy’s signs such is our joy at the nomination of McCain.
Soon the streets will be littered with the dollar bills that we throw at our beloved nominee in our joy and enthusiasm for his candidacy.
And not only has every Republican of every stripe, color and creed joyously graced our nominee, McCain, a fine even-tempered fellow we all adore, the man has managed to entice a few moderates and disenchanted Dems to his side.
What a guy!
I think it’s safe to say that the attacks will continure against McCain on this forum. I’m sad to hear this, as I can’t see an Obama or Hillary presidency as anything otherwise a catastrophe for the the country.
Hopefully, Hillary will get the nomination and unite us beyond McCain who will pick a conservative VP running mate.
Why must McCain choose a conservative running mate if he’s already so solid, as the argument goes?
As Reagan has been my idol in politics, I wonder what he would think of this man as our hope for the saving of our country by the islamofacist and pelosi democrats all at once? God save America!
“I’m sad to hear this, as I can’t see an Obama or Hillary presidency as anything otherwise a catastrophe for the the country.”
I see them all equally as horrible.
“Hopefully, Hillary will get the nomination and unite us beyond McCain who will pick a conservative VP running mate.”
Should McStain pick a red-meat conservative, then remind us of his own age and “iffy” health once in a while....I’d likely vote for that ticket.
Who will McCain work for? Who will he work against?
WE ALL KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
Eggxactly, holdonnow!
While thinking about the VP choice awaiting McNasty, I realized it really doesn’t matter to movement conservatives. The movement I’m most involved with is the anti-Invasion movement. McAmnesty is our mortal enemy. I’d be betraying my own beliefs if I were to vote for him. There are so many reasons not to vote for him. “What if he picks Tancredo or Hunter?”, you might ask. Well, he ain’t gonna pick Tancredo! He might pick Hunter, but I doubt it. Whomever he picks, they’ll the the pro-war ticket.
You're kidding, right? McCain would have to move two sigma to the right to even be an impure conservative.
Republicans in Congress are beguiled by Barak, Hillary they know and hate.
What’s with this “purity” thing? I just don’t like McCain.
I don’t trust him. I don’t like his collaboration with democrats, his views on global warming, freedom of speech, immigration. Nor do like the people he employs, like Juan Hernandez.
McCain hasd been running around pushing electric cars. When he drives one wherever he has to go, I will drive one.
I also will be content writing a candidate in this year. I believe I have made it quite clear why.
“My real name is Tim Couch(R) and I live in Kentucky. My mission is to whack bullies”
Time Couch (QB) ?
Because there’s a good number of FRs that don’t like the man.
Time = Tim
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.