Why many conservatives can't vote for McCain

The Everett Herald ^ | February 10, 2008 | Mona Charen

[2ndDivisionVet]

I posted a squib on the National Review Web site about a robo call I received from John McCain. (Virginia's primary is Tuesday.) The call stressed that he would, if elected, be a down-the-line limited government conservative who would never raise taxes, would defend life, would enforce immigration laws and would win the war on terror. The candidate is trying, I said, to meet conservatives "more than halfway." The response of readers was, shall we say, emphatic.

One lady wrote that she would never vote for him as "He is the most disloyal, ill-tempered man and he brings out the worse in all of us. ..." Several readers made the point that after decades of suffering abuse at McCain's hands, conservatives are not going to fall into line for him now, no matter what blandishments he offers.

I know how they feel. The problem with McCain is not just that he strays. George Bush has strayed from conservatism, too. So has Fred Thompson. Certainly Mitt Romney has as well. But Sen. McCain has a knack for saying things in just the tones and accents that liberals prefer. In 2000, he condemned the late Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson as "agents of intolerance." In 2004, when Sen. John Kerry was getting his comeuppance from the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, vets who had known him during the war and couldn't remain silent as the Democratic nominee distorted his war record, McCain weighed in by calling the Swift Boaters "dishonorable and dishonest." When the Bush Administration was being vilified as a nest of Torquemadas for using waterboarding on three occasions, McCain came forward to condemn waterboarding as torture.

[Grunthor]

“Why many conservatives can’t vote for McCain”

I’ve never voted for the enemy.

I never will.

[patriciaruth]

God answered our prayers in 2000 and gave us Bush.

He’s a bit miffed that we have shown such ingratitude and treated our brother in Christ with such hatred. (not just disagreement, but outright hatred)

He isn’t inclined to reward us for this. Go ahead and pray, but I’m betting His answer this time is ‘you don’t deserve it.’

[Grunthor]

Battered Base Syndrome.

[Coldwater Creek]

Ya know, If I got what I deserved, God would never answer any of my prayers.

Your right about the hatred of President Bush, even on FR.

I think that history will bear out that he has been one of the best CIC’s that this country has ever had.

[Grunthor]

“BUT NEXT TIME THE REPUBLICANS will figure it out.”

Many thought that after the ‘06 debacle. It would seem that their being called “the stupid party” is quite apt. It’s either stupid or monumental arrogance.

[Coldwater Creek]

correction you’r

[ScubieNuc]

Think of what your children and grandchildren will have to live with in the future. They will have angry conservatives to thank for the mess they will inherit.

You are wrong to assume that none of us have thought about that. Personally, I don't see electing McCain as less evil then either Hitlery or Hussien Obama. What I believe future generations will be angry at is not conservatives but the Republican party run by liberals that helped create this mess.

I'm not ecstatic over the choice I face, but I am now recognizing the alternatives and I refuse to damn my child to such a mess because I wanted to act like an angry child.

This isn't about acting like a child, this is about acting like an adult who stands for the truth regardless of the consequences. Knowingly electing a liberal dressed as a Republican is more "damning" to future generations then sticking to conservative principles.

Wake up people. We may not like it, but we have to work together if we are going to make the conservative movement live on. and grow.

Two questions...how does talking down to those who don't support McCain (telling us we are acting like children and that we are not paying attention) help 'bring us together?'

How does supporting a liberal make conservative ideals live on?

[Grunthor]

“God answered our prayers in 2000 and gave us Bush.”

Open borders for Jesus?

[Grunthor]

“Go ahead and pray, but I’m betting His answer this time is ‘you don’t deserve it.”

Mankind deserves nothing God gives, most especially salvation.

But He gives it anyway.

[Grunthor]

“Think of what your children and grandchildren will have to live with in the future. They will have angry conservatives to thank for the mess they will inherit.”

No, they can blame the idiotic moderates and crossover Democrats that nominated the guy even while KNOWING that conservatives WILL NOT vote for him.

[PA-RIVER]

McCains biggest problem will be McCain in the General election .

He has voted with Clinton and Obama on so many issues.

He now goes into that debate swearing not to defend half of his votes in order to snooker the base. Votes he made while touting his pompous “Straight talk express” crap.

There is no way he can win. He will be ripped to shreds for his “Double cross express” . I predict one of the biggest defeats in presidential politics for McCain, and McCain the Maverick owns it.

[Diamond]

Just like a battered spouse, he knows you'll keep coming back.

Cordially,

[Bald Eagle777]

Truest quote I have seen in a very long while, from anybody:

“I will have to answer to God one day for my actions.”

True.

We are ALL answerable to God, whether we like it, or not.

[ScubieNuc]

My husband’s body lies in a National cemetery. Everyone time I go there, I think of the sacrifice that these people have made to keep us safe.

Amen.I am sorry for your loss. May God bless those who gave all, and may He give comfort to those who feel the loss directly.

I will never forget the day that the Cole was bombed. No live amo in their weapons. Unh Uh.

I could tell you of other politically motivated errors I witnessed in the Navy during the Reagan years, but I am prohibited. The point is that McCain is no guarentee that his liberal agendas wont endanger our loved ones in the military.

If you can live with your choice, then I guess that'll be between you and God. For me, I can't live with the idea of voting for McCain.

[gitmo]

Was it really “the Stupid Republican Liberal Top Party Power Brokers” who got us into this mess? Somebody did a lot of voting to get McCain where he is.

Maybe Conservatives aren’t as strong a force in the party as we thought.

[TennTuxedo]

Think of what your children and grandchildren will have to live with in the future. They will have angry conservatives to thank for the mess they will inherit.

You are wrong to assume that none of us have thought about that. Personally, I don't see electing McCain as less evil then either Hitlery or Hussien Obama. What I believe future generations will be angry at is not conservatives but the Republican party run by liberals that helped create this mess.

I'm not ecstatic over the choice I face, but I am now recognizing the alternatives and I refuse to damn my child to such a mess because I wanted to act like an angry child.

This isn't about acting like a child, this is about acting like an adult who stands for the truth regardless of the consequences. Knowingly electing a liberal dressed as a Republican is more "damning" to future generations then sticking to conservative principles.

Wake up people. We may not like it, but we have to work together if we are going to make the conservative movement live on. and grow.

Two questions...how does talking down to those who don't support McCain (telling us we are acting like children and that we are not paying attention) help 'bring us together?'

How does supporting a liberal make conservative ideals live on?

Go ahead and take your ball home and pat yourself on the back for being "brave" and "standing behind your principles".

That and $1.30 will buy you a cup of coffee at McDonalds. You enjoy your cup of coffee while the rest of us try to maintain what little of our nation we can protect from the Clinton and Obama.

[gitmo]

OK, honest question here? Who is further to the left, McCain or Hillary?

If I recall correctly, McCain has something like a 75% (middle of the road for Congress) rating with a major conservative watchdog. However, that’s a “per vote” rating, not an issue based one. On the issues (gun control, GW’s barely adequate tax cuts, immigration, ad nauseum), he’s stabbed us conservatives in the back so many times that it’s hard to count. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice (or three or four or more realistically 10), shame on me.

It's not just a question of who is further left. How can we trust a man who has pulled dirty tricks on his "partners" so many times? The following quote was about national enemies, but would apply just as well to this situation:

“A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murder is less to fear.” - Marcus Tullius Cicero

[tpanther]

Ummm us “real conservatives” don’t need anyone to convince us to be scared of Shrillary!

[GregoTX]

"... solely for the sake of our military, which would fare better under a McCain administration than with Hillabama."

Absolutely right. As it is right now, either Obama, Hillary or McCain will be next Commander in Chief during a war where troops are fighting in the field. Of those three, who would be the better of the three for them? We do not get a conservative for President, its a bitter pill. People need to grow up, and start thinking of those that are protecting us from Jihad in our own streets.

[ScubieNuc]

Go ahead and take your ball home and pat yourself on the back for being "brave" and "standing behind your principles".

That and $1.30 will buy you a cup of coffee at McDonalds. You enjoy your cup of coffee while the rest of us try to maintain what little of our nation we can protect from the Clinton and Obama.

Well, your condescending attempt at humor or sarcasm is noted, but what is more clearly noted is your lack of any real answers to my serious questions.

I'll ask you again in all seriousness....

How does voting for a liberal make conservative ideals live on?