[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

A few quick comments, in order to head off the more predictable knee-jerk objections to any/all of this:

1.) This story comes from Hot Air, which is as unreservedly "in the tank" for John McCain as any RW site out there... period. So, plainly: NOT a "hit" piece," by any stretch of the imagination.

2.) Assuming that the core accusation at the heart of this story is true -- and, really: we already know that McCain openly flirted once (and possibly twice) with switching political parties altogether; it certainly isn't any great stretch of the imagination, therefore, to credibly imagine him withholding his vote during that same period -- then it does logically beg the question:

If we non-supporters of McCain are continually hectored and browbeaten by increasingly shrill declarations that "you owe the Republican party your vote, if only for the sake of our troops!"... then: why shouldn't be "Maverick" McCain be held to precisely that same standard?

... and, if he did vote for someone other than Bush, in 2000: then why would it be any less "honorable" or "conscientious" or "maverick" for any other conservative to follow suit, in turn?

Discuss. ;)

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Ping!

[SoConPubbie]

Well, if it is good enough for McCain, I guess it is good enough for me.

I won’t be voting for McCain since he has set the example.

I will write in the name of a Real Republican instead.

[psjones]

If you’d rather see hillary or obama be president, then by all means don’t vote for Mccain and go vote for the dem. That’s what it’s going to come down to, while I am no big fan of mccain, I find the dems to be even worse.

[AliVeritas]

Well gee, that means the left can step lumping McCain in with Bush now.

Works for me.

[Saundra Duffy]

I voted for George W. Bush TWICE and FReeped for him during the hanging chad fiasco and FReeped in support of the troops.

If it’s true that John McCain is such a small man that he refused to vote for the Republican nominee, that is REALLY disgraceful.

I won’t vote for McCain unless MItt Romney is the VP pick but I very seriously doubt McCain will pick Romney for VP because standing next to Romney, McCain would look old, ugly and stupid.

[HAL9000]

Has McCain answered this yet? If not, he will have to.

[Enchante]

"This story comes from Hot Air, which is as unreservedly "in the tank" for John McCain as any RW site out there... period. So, plainly: NOT a "hit" piece," by any stretch of the imagination."

NO, NO, NO, wrong! The "story" comes from the execrable Arianna Huffington, and it is simply repeated on Hot Air with a link to the unmentionable Huffington Post.

I don't have trouble believing it, knowing what we know of John McCain and considering the bad blood over the 2000 campaign, but Arianna is NEVER a reliable source so it has to be considered unreliable even if plausible.

[KoRn]

McCain needs to be replaced at the Republican national convention.

[discipler]

McCain's a maverick jerk. I can't believe I'm saying that about the Republican. I've voted Republican since Reagan. McCain irks me almost as much as the two Democrats. He's supposedly conservative in some areas I am, but I don't think he is trustworthy. I'm going 'green' to save the planet. The symbolism is powerful.

[HAL9000]

Washington Post - McCain Denies Huffington Vote Claim

[taxesareforever]

Then McCain shouldn’t complain when voters, such as I, write-in their vote.

[Bullish]

McPain makes me want to puke!

To think this is the best the Republicans could do is unbelievable.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Huffington has more gas leaking from her head than the Hindenburg.

[DoughtyOne]

Listen up Republicans.  The Republican National Committee and Senator John McCain are looking for folks who are willing to let bygons be bygons.

Over the last twenty years, Senator McCain has taken on a lot of baggage.  Today he needs many of you to help him carry it.

If you're willing to help John carry some of the same baggage that Senator Ted Kennedy, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton have accumlated, please contact the McCain campaign and or the RNC at once.  It's going to take a lot of folks to carry this around between now and Tuesday November 4th.

If you're a Democrat in good standing and find some of this baggage to be appealing, you may find yourself compelled to help out, and we would welcome you.  We're asking anyone who doesn't mind carrying this baggage to contact us right away.

We have found a larger number of Conservatives unwilling to overlook what this baggage represents, than we thought we would, so we're reaching out to anyone that is willing to help out.

Please use the following numbers to offer help.  900-555-NUTS or 900-555-LFTY.


P.S. Arianna is a dinbat.

[mountainbunny]

If we non-supporters of McCain are continually hectored and browbeaten by increasingly shrill declarations that "you owe the Republican party your vote, if only for the sake of our troops!"... then: why shouldn't be "Maverick" McCain be held to precisely that same standard?

Yes. Thank you for this. Your comments (above) are particularly insightful.

I just can't bring myself to voting for McCain. Lots of reasons why, many/most have been or will be enumerated here.

I guess it boils down to the fact that I don't "owe" the GOP or McCain anything, especially not a vote for someone with the massive issues McCain brings to the table.

If anything, they owe me a candidate I can feel good about voting for. Or, if not good, then at least not sick to my stomach.

And yeah. If I owe it to America, or to the troops, or to future citizens, why doesn't the GOP/McCain owe the same, and more?

[newzjunkey]

If you refuse to support McCain you'll have to bare a measure of responsibility for Obama or Clinton winning. I don't like McCain, I don't trust McCain, but come November I'm not voting for either Democrat. Likely neither of our votes will decide the election just as either McCain not voting for W in 2000 didn't decide Arizona's electoral votes. The wife says she voted for her husband as a write-in meaning she voted for a Republican. There's no allegation of John McCain voting for AlGore only that he didn't vote W.

I did (grudgingly) vote W in two generals but I'm definitely not sorry I voted for someone else in the primary season.

[Aln in Eastern WA]

A big part of the anti-McCain argument is that the worst that can happen is, with Barack Obama, the US would have a slightly more liberal president. The reality, though, is that with a President Obama, radical Islamic extremists would have a neutral or even sympathetic president instead of one, like Sen. McCain, who has promised to take the fight to the terrorists and “never surrender.”

I attended a GOP county convention this year and was stunned by the number of appeasers (supporting Rep. Paul) who showed up, sounding a lot like Rev. Jeremiah Wright in their views on US foreign policy and on the men and women of the US military. I felt ripped off...if I wanted appeasement, I could have attended the Democrat caucus. But I understand this discussion much better, having talked with strongly anti-military conservatives (or appeasers) at that recent meeting.

There are real reasons to be frustrated with Sen. McCain. I found his interference on the Wright ads in NC last month difficult to comprehend. Many posters have pointed out legitimate problems with his record in the Senate since 2001. But it is beyond delusional to argue that the outcome of the presidential race doesn’t matter in 2008.

[A CA Guy]

If Arianna said it then it was probably a lie.

About the only thing the woman is known for is turning her ex husband gay.

[frankjr]

Who cares?

[Soliton]

1.) This story comes from Hot Air, which is as unreservedly "in the tank" for John McCain as any RW site out there... period. So, plainly: NOT a "hit" piece," by any stretch of the imagination. The source is Huffington?

Yeah, she's reliable.