Posted on 03/01/2008 3:04:41 PM PST by Oshkalaboomboom
John McCain could officially wrap up the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday, and he'll celebrate in Atlanta on Thursday.
As the GOP establishment in Georgia begins to align behind the presumptive nominee, trouble still lingers among some conservative voters who doubt McCain's bona fides.
Those skeptical voters ultimately could determine McCain's fate. Do they stay home? Do they vote Democrat instead?
Tom Nesbitt is not sure what he's going to do. A retired postal worker from Turner County, the 66-year-old Republican voter said he's "disgusted" with his party in general and McCain in particular.
"I have not yet decided whether I will, at the last moment, vote for McCain, sit this one out or, out of complete disgust for the Republican Party's lack of consideration, vote for another candidate," Nesbitt said.
McCain, an Arizona senator, is expected to pass the delegate threshold to secure the nomination after Tuesday's primaries in Ohio and Texas. Although former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee remains in the race, McCain has a lock on the top slot on the ticket.
Huckabee won Georgia's Feb. 5 primary, in part because of his strength among evangelical voters, many of whom look at McCain with dismay.
Still, some say conservatives' ire toward McCain has been exaggerated and that he has been unfairly painted as a moderate or liberal by the media or by those who simply don't like him.
In Georgia, at least, it seems unlikely that apathy among conservatives toward McCain could trigger a Democratic victory. Georgia last went for a Democrat for president in 1992 and has been trending Republican ever since.
Besides history, McCain has other reasons for optimism in Georgia.
First is Thursday's $1,000-a-plate reception at the Westin Buckhead with host Gov. Sonny Perdue, who did not endorse a candidate in the primary. Joining Perdue on the host committee are nearly every top elected Republican in the state, including Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who also did not endorse in the primary, and House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram), who backed McCain after first choice Rudy Giuilani dropped out.
McCain also has the support of Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss. The state's two Republican U.S. senators endorsed their Senate colleague late in the primary campaign, while most U.S. House members went for Huckabee or Mitt Romney. Chambliss is on the ballot in November, too, and it will benefit him to have a strong presidential candidate above him, so Chambliss will be expected to work to bring conservatives back into the GOP fold.
Alec Poitevint, who led McCain's Georgia campaign, said there's no question the GOP will unite behind McCain.
"Absolutely," Poitevint said, "he's a proven leader in a difficult time. And he's the right man to be president now, and I think our people in Georgia understand that."
The primary season is over, he said, and Republicans typically put aside their differences for the good of the party in November.
Shawn Davis, who led Huckabee's Georgia campaign, agrees.
Huckabee will eventually give way, Davis said, and the Arkansan's supporters will back the nominee.
"We believe to win in November it's imperative to have a conservative on the ticket," Davis said. "Once Governor Huckabee releases his 51 delegates to McCain, presumably after his last stand in Texas (on Tuesday), you will see all Georgia Republicans unite strongly behind John McCain."
Some conservatives' anger toward McCain lingers.
A recent report from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life found that 78 percent of white, born-again Protestants voted for George W. Bush over Democrat John Kerry in 2004. But, wrote John Green, Pew's senior fellow in religion and American politics, McCain "may have some trouble achieving that level of support from white evangelicals given that a majority of them preferred other candidates in the primaries."
If the race is close, a drop in support from such a key component of the Republican base could be damaging.
Exit polls taken from the Georgia primary give McCain reason for concern. He lost badly to Huckabee, and in some cases to third-place finisher Romney, among those who identified themselves as either somewhat conservative or very conservative. Among Republican voters who said they chose a candidate who shares their values, McCain got 15 percent, compared with 51 percent for Huckabee and 31 percent for Romney.
Don Neunaber, a physical therapist in Lilburn, looks at his choices in November and is conflicted.
"I haven't yet decided whether I can vote for McCain," Neunaber said. Note the use of the word "can." It's not "whether I will vote" for McCain. It's "whether I can" vote for him. That difference indicates a deeper, more personal level of frustration.
Neunaber finds the choice excruciating.
"I am faced with a real dilemma as a Republican," he said. "I am stuck between adversaries."
Such strong feelings stem from a series of frustrations and perceived betrayals. Neunaber specifically mentioned McCain's support for the failed immigration bill that many conservatives considered amnesty for illegal immigrants.
In the face of loud and angry response from many voters, McCain backed off his support for the measure. But, Neunaber said, McCain later told a television interviewer that he would sign a similar bill if elected president.
"He's playing to conservatives, trying to move to the conservative side, but he's not that much of a conservative when it comes down to it," Neunaber said.
Others criticize McCain for his sponsorship of campaign finance reform they say stifles the political power of pro-family groups. Others, such as the powerful Club for Growth, don't like his economic policies.
Helen Slater of Marietta, a secretary at Lockheed Martin Corp., voted for Romney in the Feb. 5 Georgia primary. Romney dropped out shortly after finishing third here. Slater will vote for McCain in November.
"Although he certainly is not my choice for the Republican nominee, I still feel like he is the lesser of three evils," she said, noting that the other two "evils" would be Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Jim Beck, chairman of the Georgia Christian Coalition, said more and more Republicans displeased with McCain will come to the conclusion that McCain is the best option available to them.
"You're already seeing it," Beck said. "Based on our e-mail traffic, some Huckabee people are waiting (to publicly back McCain) out of respect for him. At the end of the day, you have to pick between imperfect people."
McCain was not Beck's first choice. That becomes less important in November, he said.
"Look at the alternative," he said.
Plus, Beck said, McCain could gain independents and moderates to offset any loss of conservatives.
"McCain offers appeal to swing voters that would not have been the case with Huckabee or Romney," Beck said.
In the end, however, "I don't think McCain will turn off the base," Beck said.
Nesbitt, the Turner County Republican, would disagree.
"I am totally disgusted with them all, and have decided to call myself an independent, and will think twice before ever voting Republican again," he said.
BTW the ABC source (link below) which I ended up at after following your link, has bookend commercials for “Dove” products which I found to be curiously teasing when it comes to John McCain.
McCain is some sort of crazy person. I cannot imagine thinking persons actually voting for him in November.
Hell no.
May my M1911-A-1 break in half no.
May the sun rise in the West no.
“Exactly, thank you, you made my point.”
________________________________________
In your mind perhaps.
Illegal ‘people’. Whatever you want to call them, my point is they are here.
“Enforcing existing law”...like I’ve been saying, how are you going to enforce this? ‘Round them up’?
Just because the guy might suck slightly less than whichever dilrod the 'rats anoint is not sufficient to get this particular conservative to back him. He has already said often enough that he doesn't need people like me, and who am I to argue with such an eminent elder politician?
Mr. niteowl77
MCCAIN STATEMENT ON THE NOMINATION OF HARRIET E. MIERS
October 3, 2005
Washington, D.C. - Senator McCain released the following statement today regarding the nomination for Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court of the United States.
I commend the President for his nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court of the United States. Over the course of thirty years, Ms. Miers has accumulated vast experience as a legal practitioner, led her peers as the head of state and local bar associations, and worked tirelessly as a dedicated public servant. Her record is one of deep commitment to the law and service to our nation. If the Senate confirms Ms. Miers, she will be only the third woman to have served on the highest court of our nation. Her accomplishments demonstrate that the distinction would be well deserved. I trust that Ms. Miers will have a smooth confirmation process and receive a swift up-or-down vote in the Senate.
My guess then is that you aren’t a conservative either.
What conservative beliefs or positions do you have trouble supporting?
It's going to be a long 4 years no matter who wins. Maybe, if McCain wins, we will be pleasantly surprised. He already knows how upset we are with him. On the other hand, with his temperament, he might be madder than H at us, and get revenge.
“I don’t believe McCain will do any of this. He will put the terrorists in our court system.”
________________________________________________________
You have the right to believe whatever crazy idea you come up with.
Look, I was born and raised in So. Cal, went to N. Hollywood High. I have witnessed first hand how a good number of these people turn good nieghborhoods into slum, drug infested violent places.
I have also been to homes, as an insurance rep, (mid 80's) and dealt with the very people you speak of and they were some of the finest people I've ever met. (This was in the Oxnard and Ventura areas)
Most Americans, I don't think, have anything against anyone who wants to come to this country for a better life, but we insist that they follow the rules and assimilate. And no, I shouldn't have to push 1 for ENGLISH.
After all,citizenship in this country is a privilage and must be honored as so, if not, we will cease to be a country BTW, my last name is Montoya, Castillian Spanish
How can you say that?
No one remembers him ever doing anything, and he hasn't said what he will do.
I am an optimist.
Since so many will not be sending money to the RNC or any other RINO entity, they will have plenty to send to good conservative candidates in the house and senate.
It's going to be a long 40+ years. The Republicans will never make it up or back in your or my lifetime.
I’m wondering if McCain will just ditch his current ploy of playing “conservative” and pick Lieberman. Then, hope for Hillary and Obama beat each other up so badly during an extended primary that he can get that “centrist” vote.
I’m so disgusted with the whole bunch, I’ll just work toward filling the foxholes in Congress with conservatives to oppose whichever liberal wins.
Excuse me?
Exactly. The unspoken theme for 2008 is the disarray in Congress and the courts.
Bravo!!!!!
...and my last name is Moreno, and I still revert back to the issue of what your resolution is to deal with those that are already here? Since you have lived in CA, you know how many there are and how un-realistic it would be to just “enforce the law”. You would be talking about billions of $$$ plus separating families (most illegals have had children here which make them legal), crippling businesses, and tanking the economy of the entire west coast.
I don’t really care how much it costs, or who is hurt by it. Illegals are just that — ILLEGALS! Go back and apply through the legal methods. The cost and drain on our economy is beyond our means already.
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