McCain Haters For McCain

American Thinker ^ | September 05, 2008 | Randall Hoven

[neverdem]

I think I'm fairly representative of those conservatives who just could not stand to vote for John McCain.  But I now plan to vote for him this November.  Let me tell you why.

My published criticisms of McCain can be read here, here, here and here.  I even contemplated that a President Obama might not be so bad.  I think my bona fides as a "McCain hater" are fairly well established.  (Although I don't care for the word "hate" here.  I didn't hate him, just voting for him.)

To some conservatives, voting is a simple matter: only one of two candidates is going to win, so pick the more conservative.  By that measure, McCain easily beats Barack Obama.  Just compare, say, lifetime ACU ratings.  The score would be 82 to 8, McCain over Obama.  No contest.  But by that measure, if the Republicans had nominated Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), we should vote for her over Obama, since her ACU score is 22.

The logic of the anti-McCain crowd was not that simple.  Our time horizon was not just the next four years, but the future in general.  I had stated that it is better to have a Democrat President who governs like a Democrat than a Republican who governs like a Democrat.  Why?  Because the Democrats would get a twofer with the latter: the enactment of a Democratic agenda and the ability to fix the blame for anything bad on the Republicans.

And what would conservatives get?  An agenda they despise, blame for everything bad and no political party representing them any more.

I gave the example of Richard Nixon.  He did virtually everything Democrats wanted.  He got us out of Vietnam -- by withdrawing in defeat.  He hugged Mao Zedong, the greatest mass murderer in history, in public.  He imposed wage and price controls.  He gave us OSHA and the EPA.  His EPA chief then outlawed DDT, letting millions around the world die defenseless against malaria.  He appointed Justice Blackmun to the Supreme Court, who went on to author Roe v Wade.  He increased government spending to support a growing welfare state.

And what did conservatives get for all that?  A Republican President resigning in disgrace, a sweep of Democrats in Congress, oil price shocks, a recession, President Jimmy Carter, our enemies emboldened abroad and a political albatross that hangs around the necks of Republicans to this day.

In short, some of us think preserving a party that truly represents conservative values is more important for the long term than just having someone in the White House with an ACU rating somewhere north of 8.

If McCain were trying to morph the Republican Party into Democrat-Lite, I would not vote for him.  He could have demonstrated that by picking a Vice President like Joe Lieberman.  Nothing wrong with Joe, but he's not a Republican.  He thinks life is improved through government programs.  Republicans think government usually is the problem, not the solution.

But McCain did not pick Joe Lieberman or anyone like that.  He picked Sarah Palin.

And that changed everything.

Sarah Palin is pro-freedom, pro-life, pro-gun, anti-tax, anti-spending.  And she walks the walk.  Her life story is pure American -- even old-time, frontier American.  We can compare experience levels in years of "public service": her 12 to Barack Obama's 11.  But more importantly, Obama's experience consists mostly of missing a lot of votes so he could write a second autobiography and make speeches, while Palin's includes negotiating a gas pipeline deal with Canada and confronting Big Oil face-to-face and making it blink.

Sarah Palin also represents real reform in government.  Not just reform in the sense of ethics rules, but reform in the sense of getting back to the days where elected officials were normal people recognized for their real-world leadership, not professional politicians, usually lawyers, adept at making good excuses, not good decisions.  Alexis de Tocqueville would recognize her as an American: a Bible in one pocket and a newspaper in the other.

And because she is so young, John McCain showed us the future of the Republican party.  It's even more choice that Palin's nemesis in Alaskan politics is Senator Ted Stevens, the oldest, whitest, pork-barrelest, and now indicted, Republican in the Senate.  McCain made it clear: out with the Stevens, in with the Palins.  I am down with that.

In a stroke, McCain showed us his vision of the Republican party, and it is not Democrat-Lite.  And the base knew it right away.  On the day he announced Palin as his VP choice, $4 million flew into his campaign from internet contributions.  The previous daily high was under $1 million.  What does that tell you about what the Republican base thinks of Sarah Palin?

Yet we've heard this spun by our wise media as a scheme to get Hillary Clinton's voters.  We hear those same wise men advise McCain to reach to the middle and the left.  Such advice is wishful thinking or self-delusion at best, or lies at worst.  Five of the last seven presidential elections were won by Republicans.  When Bill Clinton did win, he did it with less than a majority of the popular vote.  The last Democrat to garner a majority of the popular vote for President was Jimmy Carter, who received 50.1% of the popular vote two years after Nixon resigned.

Republicans do not win by moving left.  They win by being Republican: pro-freedom, pro-defense, pro-American, by being the party of small government and big ideas.

The Palin choice was not about getting Hillary's voters, although that might help nudge the margin of victory up by maybe 1% or 2%.  It was about reinvigorating the base, the base that put Reagan in the White House with a 49-state victory.

This whole episode also shows me that McCain is probably smarter than I had thought.  He apparently has favored Palin since February; this was not a seat-of-the-pants decision.  His campaign staff was not only able to keep it a secret, it let the media drink its own bathwater in its silly who's-he-gonna-pick game.  And he timed it beautifully to deny Obama a big post-convention bounce.  You could almost think McCain knows what he's doing.

The surge is working.  The US and Iraq are discussing troop withdrawal dates.  General Petraeus is drafting a troop drawdown schedule.  The latest GDP figures show healthy economic growth.  Jobless claims are down three weeks straight.  And John McCain picked Sarah Palin for VP.

I'm voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin this November, and I won't even have to hold my nose.

Randall Hoven can be contacted at randall.hoven@gmail.com or  via his web site, kulak.worldbreak.com.

[GLDNGUN]

Keeping McCain from being McCain is not the reason to support Palin; her being the leader of the Republican Party once McCain leaves public life is.

Thankfully a vote for the ticket in November gets you both.

[Lexinom]

Let’s flip a couple of Great Lakes states this time, get up over 300. Who knows? With McCain + military, Palin as both female and northwesterner who knows commercial fishing, and our gateway status with Alaska - we may even stand an outside shot at Washington State this time around.

[jerry557]

McCain is not the best conservative out there. But would you rather have a guy who is conservative 2 out of 3 times or a guy who is conservative 0 out of 3 times?

It sure would be nice to knock out Obama this year and then have Palin knock out Hillary in 2012. Because if we can control the white house through 2016 or 2020. Conservatives would own the Supreme Court. Most people dont realize that court is where the real power is in this country. If the far-left activists gain control of it, they could destroy our constitution. A recent poll of Obama supporters showed that 49% believe Supreme Court judges should rule on their “own personal sense of fairness” rather than what it says in the constitution. Scary!

[papertyger]

I still marvel at the studied ignorance practiced over the Carter administration! Talk about someone who should have been prosecuted after leaving office!

[Jim Noble]

McCain and Schmidt obviously have copped on to the fact that little Barry can't tolerate ridicule.

And, of course, they realize that, since Barry is ridiculous, than only ridicule can take him down.

A smart and gutsy strategy, from a smart and gutsy man.

[Sterm26]

Well, if we get the “new, improved” McCain in there, we also need to give him a more conservative Congress. A McCain administration with a 58 seat Dem Senate (and the 8 or so RINOS) won’t be able to get anyone to the right of Souter onto SCOTUS.....and God only knows who Obama, with that same majority, would foist upon us.

One thing at a time, one thing at a time.....

[endthematrix]

Both parties are moving Left, but the once fabian democrats are becoming outright radicals.

[infowarrior]

A smart and gutsy strategy, from a smart and gutsy man.

I had never considered John McCain to actually be that intelligent, but the way he's set up this campaign, which has been just totally jaw-dropping in its scope, has caused me to re-evaluate many of my previous opinions of the man, all to his favor. Quite an accomplishment on his part, as I'll opine that I have the tendency to be as stubborn as he can be...

the infowarrior

[Clintonfatigued]

Interesting editorial. I’m not enthusiastic about McCain, but I’m committed to voting for him. And Sarah Palin, while not my first choice for VP, has turned out to be one of the reasons why.

[Windflier]

...and that whole Obama thing?! People! Come on...he’ll be a historical laughingstock who will make people forget McGovern himself.

Hmm... hadn't thought that far down the track yet, but you're right.

Obama will now top McGovern for the absolute worst candidate the RATs have ever run. And that's saying something, considering they ran Lurch four years ago!

[Windflier]

That's why Palin is such a smart and well thought-out choice--she reflects well on McCain because he chose someone HE should fear if he's not who he claims to be.

I trust McCain's promises because he's brought on his own ombudsman in Palin. I can't think of any democrat independent enough to bring an independent person onto the ticket in this way. It's truly startling.

Now, that is a crystal clear observation, my friend. One of the best on a thread full of excellent observations.

[singfreedom]

I, too, believe conservatives are sending McCain a message by the way they have received Sarah Palin. It is one reason I would love to travel to see her. It is sending Mr. McCain a message about how powerful is conservatism in the Republican Party.

Earlier in his campaign, I was afraid Mr. McCain was going to try to win this election without the conservative base. Either that wasn't his intention (shame on me) or he, to his credit, changed his mind. Perhaps when he saw how close the election numbers were, he decided to change strategies. However, if Palin has been his choice since February, he MUST have had a powerful recognition of the conservative base fairly early on! In that case, good on him!

[jerry557]

And we lose a seat in the Senate for two years if McCain is elected. There is no way Janet Napolitano appoints a Republican to fill McCain’s seat.

[Yosemitest]

I'm against McCain. Why?

McCain has earned my contempt. How

Through most of his career, his actions has proven his hatred for conservatives. I present four points.

These links:
"McCAIN and SOROS: The Dream Ticket"

"John McCain and War"

" Rush to Saunders and Brooks: McCain's Liberalism Is the Problem"

"McCain, Judicial Nominations, Sleeves, and Warts "

are ... McCain's works.

These links are McCain's actions,

and somewhere I read,
"the Lord reward him according to his works".

Now, ... my four points show above.... Is McCain capable of changing? Possible, but not probable.

Did I expect McCain to choose Governor Palin? No, I expected him to choose a Democrat running mate.

Does McCain's choice change my mind about him? I don't think so, but I'm still thinking. I just don't know how I'll vote, yet.

I can't stand McCain,

but I love Governor Palin.

I may have to just leave the Presidential Choice blank, on my ballot.

But I really do ... want ... to vote for Bob Barr.

Randel Hoven states

"And what would conservatives get?
An agenda they despise,
blame for everything bad
and no political party representing them any more."

I say that conservatives will be blamed regardless of the outcome.
And when the final analysis is done, it will be the Democrat crossover vote that puts McCain in the White House. After all, all those years McCain spent on the Democrat side of the isle will work wonders for him.

BUT ....
With McCain, we'll still get an agenda we despise on judges, immigration, campaign finance reform, and on education.
I just don't see Governor Palin stopping McCain.

BUT ... I could be wrong, because I do have a shadow of a doubt.

"But we STILL have people here
trying to convince us
it would be better than voting for Obama"

Eternal vigilance REALLY IS so annoying.

[singfreedom]

I, too, hated McCain for his more liberal stance in the Senate, but I decided early on that I had to support him against the disaster that is Obama. However, NOW I can really support McCain (I've contributed more to his campaign than any campaign ever and have called to get my old volunteer job back!). By his choice of Sarah Palin, he has given our party a future!

[ovrtaxt]

I look at it like this: I’m voting for Palin because McCain is 72. He has to go at some point, and maybe he won’t be able to do too much damage in the interim.

Sorry to be that way, but I can’t afford to be polite about it. Country first.

[Thomas W.]

“I choose now to strike out, to vote third party.”

Insane.

[MARTIAL MONK]

Napolitano is required to appoint someone of the same political party as the one who vacated the seat. She will confer with McCain and party leaders before making the appointment. My guess is Shadegg. That is great news.

[jerry557]

Oh ok, that’s good...I was afraid we were going to lose another seat.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

Well, FREEPER “Eternal Vigilance” might get upset, if EV knows that you two find EV annoying! LOL! I’m also converted to voting for the McCain/Palin ticket, mainly because of the addition of Sarah Palin. I just wish that McCain/Palin would truly also successfully create some decent “political coattails” for all of the other conservative candidates also running for a variety of other political offices, and I wish that McCain/Palin would also seriously and willingly debate the Constitution Party, the Libertarian Party, and Alan Keyes before November 4.