Observers Say McCain Sealed His Fate in the GOP with 'Compromise' Role

AgapePress ^ | June 2, 2005 | By Bill Fancher and Jody Brown

[Jim Robinson]

A leader of the modern conservative movement says the bipartisan deal to end the filibusters of President Bush's judicial nominees was all about the presidential election of 2008.

Arizona Senator John McCain was one of the seven Republicans involved in brokering the recent controversial "compromise" that suspended a Democratic-led filibuster and allowed judicial nominee Priscilla Owen to finally get an up-or-down vote before the full Senate. The deal called for allowing two other nominees to go before the Senate for a confirmation vote, but permitted Democrats to continue their filibustering tactics on future nominees.

Paul Weyrich, the founder and director of the Free Congress Foundation, has been on the Washington scene for decades. Weyrich is convinced "pure politics" were behind McCain's efforts to broker the judicial compromise that ended the filibusters before Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist could lead a change of Senate rules ending the unprecedented blocking tactics.

"I think John McCain could not stand to see Bill Frist [become] a hero to the conservative movement, which he would have been had he been able to deliver," says Weyrich. He feels the Arizona senator's hopes of someday moving into the Oval Office took over.

"To try to derail Frist's possible campaign for the presidency, McCain was willing to undercut his president, undercut his majority leader, undercut Republicans in the Senate, and undercut the country," Weyrich says matter-of-factly. "It is the kind of raw, nasty politics that most of us abhor [and] the kind of issue that is not going to be forgotten. In my opinion, this absolutely seals his fate in Republican primaries and conventions."

Weyrich is not alone in that assessment. Grover G. Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, told FreeRepublic.com that by his actions, McCain has essentially written himself off as a potential nominee.

[steenkeenbadges]

What McCain did was too raw to be easily forgotten. I don't give him a spitting chance in any election outside AZ.

[Arkie2]

In my opinion, this absolutely seals his fate in Republican primaries and conventions."


Good. And good riddance.

[Brad’s Gramma]

In my opinion, this absolutely seals his fate in Republican primaries and conventions."

I sure as heck hope so.

[Howlin]

"When people are in close races, I am the first Republican who is asked to come and appear for that person. I am the most sought-after of all Republicans. In this last campaign, I was the one asked by the president to travel and campaign with him....When you look at the rank and file of ordinary Republicans, I'm extremely popular-it's some of the party apparatchiks who still harbor bad feelings toward me. But it is a little hard for them to do that now, because of my strong support for Bush....Particularly since the 2004 campaign, there has been a great softening of dislike for me."

Can you even believe the sanctimoniousness of this guy?

As you well know, I am considered a "moderate, mushy" conservative.

I will never, EVER cast a vote for McCain. Never.

[Tall_Texan]

Judas McCain had already sealed his fate before this. All this does is slap upside the head any imbeciles who still believed he was good for the party.

[Paul Atreides]

The question is: when will he make his Dim status official?

I have to wonder if he is burning bridges.

[bagocookies]

I don't know what McCain was thinking. Doesn't he know that compromise is just not acceptable?

[Lancey Howard]

Grover G. Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, told FreeRepublic.com that by his actions, McCain has essentially written himself off as a potential nominee.

Did Grover post this? Or was he on the radio?

[Petronski]

If he doesn't burn his bridges soon, the massive (vast) right wing conspiracy should burn them for him.

[steenkeenbadges]

Jumpin' Johnnie, do ya think?

[twntaipan]

I think you are correct. McCain realizes he has no chance of ever being the Republican nominee, but a very good chance of being the demonRAT nominee (if he can survive Hillary's attacks).

[Dad yer funny]

bookmark ping for a.m. coffee , thanks Jim

[thegreatbeast]

Observers Say McCain Sealed His Fate in the GOP with 'Compromise' Role

Tell me, what exactly are they (the movers & shakers or leaders of the R party) ready to do about it?

......(pause)

....

Right, I didn't think so.

[SteveMcKing]

I give him a chance- if he runs for VP with Hillary.

[konaice]

I don't know what McCain was thinking. Doesn't he know that compromise is just not acceptable?

Well one might compromise on wether to build 1 new Aircraft carrier every 5 years as opposed to 1 every 8 years. Its just a matter of degrees.

But this issue wasn't a compromise, it was a sell out.

The only positive thing about it was that it revealed how baseless the Democrat opposition to these Judicial nominations were. But that will be useless against the Democrats in the future. They never worry about what they said or did last week.

[Kay]

Good question.

[ConservativeMind]

Actually, it is McCain who has helped reform Frist's image.

Sen. Frist proved himself to have no balls for years until a bit over a month ago. It took some ultimatums from President Bush to finally get Frist to even say something credible about "breaking the non-filibuster."

I still have no plans to vote for the man because he, in the end, doesn't stand for anything.

Being strong-armed into doing something does not change a heart nor permanently reeducate someone. So I don't think Frist has a brain even now.

[kcvl]

Can you even believe the sanctimoniousness of this guy?

Yes.

[Fenris6]

I will actively campaign against him.