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.

[Coldwater Creek]

I understand their logic, but just don’t agree. The Dems must be stopped at all cost.

[steve86]

There are different degrees of “spare” and “punish”.

[gotribe]

Let the Republicans have McCain. I’ve left the party - time to set out in a new direction.

[Coldwater Creek]

It’s not a matter of being a party man. It’s a matter of the safety of this country.

I despise McCain, but we are a military family, and the on of the Dems as CIC is just not acceptable.

[Coldwater Creek]

No one ever said that you were a McCain robot. Just fools!

[Coldwater Creek]

correction “IF”.

[windsorknot]

Ol’ John could have saved us a lot of grief if he had just become Kerry’s running mate and joined the party where he is most at home.

[A'elian' nation]

"It’s always easy to point out where someone else needs to repent. Looking at myself is where it gets hard." Sure I agree. I need to repent every day. But I'm not running for president at the moment. And I believe very strongly that if McCain sincerely wants the vote of conservatives he can start by REPEALING his McCain-Feingold legislation. Even McCain has admitted to his law's unintended consequences, so McCain has everything to gain (and nothing to lose other than a bit of his pride) by ridding us of this attack on our civil liberties.

[steve8714]

The economy will suffer just as much under McCain as under the Dems, because; McC worships at the Global Warming altar; and he accepts static analysis on tax cuts.
Get ready for miasma.

[TN4Liberty]

Has anyone even considered a prayer chain asking God to raise up a conservative candidate for this election cycle.

I think He did and as I recall, you lobbied pretty hard against him.

[Bald Eagle777]

Understood.

Take the log or beam out of your eye before going after the spec in someone else’s eye. Hey, we must forgive, as best we can.

.... Not to say that the other guy [badguy] isn’t shooting at US GIs and needs to be taken out immediately!

[Coldwater Creek]

What are you talking about?

[zeebee]

Once the Republicnas stand back and allow the DEMOCRATS TO HANG THEMSELVES, we will be RETURNED TO POWER

Are you sure about that? We watched clinton hang the democrats and what did we get for it? W, a dem hold on congress and now McCain.

This "teach the party a lesson" rhetoric is not guaranteed to work because once the dems get the ball they will not give it up easily.

[don-o]

I am wondering if there is any way that he can mouth the words to woo conservatives or is there too much damage done?

I heard Rush and Levin both leaving a crack in the door for McCain. I am leaving that door cracked myself, solely for the sake of our military, which would fare better under a McCain administration than with Hillabama.

[shuckmaster]

Apparently, not too many conservatives are voting for anyone else so I don’t suppose it really matters what the McCain bashers think.

[APFel]

Apparently, not too many conservatives are voting for anyone else so I don’t suppose it really matters what the McCain bashers think.

Finally, a spark of truth. Now will you McCainiacs go sermonize and name call on some mushy middle-of-the-road site? We're full up here.

APf

[Tom_Busch]

LOL...Good point. You can probably vote for Reagan at least three times, before run into any problems.

[ScubieNuc]

It’s not a matter of being a party man. It’s a matter of the safety of this country.

I despise McCain, but we are a military family, and the on of the Dems as CIC is just not acceptable.

I understand what you are saying.

The military life has deep significance in my family as well. I spent 6 years in the Navy myself. My Father was in Korea. I had cousins in Viet Nam. Two of my Uncles were in World War II, and on and on since the mid 1600's when my first relatives came over with Lord Baltimore.

Currently my oldest son (a sophmore in High School) is anxious to graduate and enter military service, so I too have current conserns who becomes the Commander in Chief. When I weigh the options I don't see McCain as being better for the military or America's security in the long run.

First, how much information do you think islamic murders will turn over to us when McCain closes Gitmo and passifies interagations? McCain's own words and actions tells me that intelligence will be cut off at the knees and our soldiers in the fields will be further hamstrung by politicans in Washington.

Second, when McCain signs the Amnesty bill and keeps our borders wide open, how does that not make us here in America more vulnerable to terror attacks? Those in the Military who are serving overseas, all of their actions become somewhat moot, if their families back home in America are now in more danger.

Third, how would the Republican party work against the liberal actions of a man they put into office? They wouldn't. If Hitlery or Hussien Obama get elected, the Republicans can fight against their actions, and maybe, just maybe, the Republican party will return to it's conservative roots.

If McCain gets elected, it will be a long time before conservative values will be championed by the Republican party.

Sincerely

[TN4Liberty]

I remember you being very anti-Thompson. Am I wrong? I apologize if I am.

[narses]

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