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Will conservatives back McCain?
Atlanta Journal Constitution ^ | 3/2/08 | AARON GOULD SHEININ

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.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2008; amnesty; elections; mccain; quislings; rino; vampirebill; vampirecandidate
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To: AlternateEgo; Nuc1
“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.


What part of Close Gitmo don't you understand?
261 posted on 03/01/2008 10:28:08 PM PST by SoConPubbie (GOP: If you reward bad behavior all you get is more bad behavior.)
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To: ezed72
I honestly believe that if McCain/Huckabee ran as a ticket, they would be unbeatable. Think about it:

Two liberals conservatives wont vote for is better... how?

262 posted on 03/01/2008 10:31:04 PM PST by MrEdd (Heck? Geewhiz Cripes, thats the place where people who don't believe in Gosh think they aint going.)
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To: ezed72; Las Vegas Ron
...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.

And once again, make it impossible for an Illegal Alien to get a job in the US and you don't need to forcibly deport or seperate families.

Furthermore, concerning the economy, all that will happen is that a gigantic vacuum, economically speaking, will be creating and capitalism, as nature, abhors a vacuum. Wages may go higher and costs may go up slightly, however, US Citizens will be paying for less in taxes to support the billions spent on Illegal Aliens in the form of welfare services and Educating their children. All in all, it should pretty much balance out.

Hey, but thanks for more of the famous McAmnesty fear-mongering.

In case you hadn't noticed, that really did not work too well the last time McAmnesty and his buddie tried that with McCain-Kennedy.

In fact, some 80% of the American Electorate was agaisnt the bill and would not be budged with this crap line of fear-mongering.
263 posted on 03/01/2008 10:34:43 PM PST by SoConPubbie (GOP: If you reward bad behavior all you get is more bad behavior.)
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To: SoConPubbie
Nice straw man.

It's getting pretty old, though.

It's amazing some folks can actually navigate FR when they can't see the most obvious solutions to the illegal immigration problem.

264 posted on 03/01/2008 11:26:58 PM PST by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: imahawk

I campaigned for Saxby Chambliss. He is a big disappointment.


265 posted on 03/01/2008 11:35:54 PM PST by nyconse
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To: SoConPubbie

Prosecute employers who hire illegals. This would end the problem once and for all. Also, if an illegal goes to the hospital for treatment, his/her employer should be responsible for any costs-not the taxpayer.Perhaps we could also make Mexico pay for any health care for illegals. It should be their problem not ours. Our health care has been destroyed by this problem. As for the people already here, something could be worked out but only after the border is secure and the flood of illegals stops.


266 posted on 03/01/2008 11:39:47 PM PST by nyconse
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To: MrEdd

I would not support McCain no matter who the VP is.


267 posted on 03/01/2008 11:40:44 PM PST by nyconse
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To: nyconse
As for the people already here, something could be worked out but only after the border is secure and the flood of illegals stops.

By and large, if we make it impossible for them to work here and cut-off the social services and hold steady on this approach for a year, most of them will have self-deported.

At that time, we would have a much more manageable number to deal with.
268 posted on 03/01/2008 11:43:05 PM PST by SoConPubbie (GOP: If you reward bad behavior all you get is more bad behavior.)
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To: org.whodat

You are so right about primaries.


269 posted on 03/01/2008 11:44:35 PM PST by nyconse
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To: AlternateEgo

My state didn’t even vote until McCain was nominated as another poster noted...we primaries in liberal states.


270 posted on 03/01/2008 11:46:03 PM PST by nyconse
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To: billva

I wonder how many freepers won’t vote for McCain because of your insults.


271 posted on 03/01/2008 11:47:00 PM PST by nyconse
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To: curiosity

I detest McCain, but truth is truth. McCain actually acted like a conservative in the 80’s and voted to confirm Bork. He supported Bork publicly as well. This was before he learned to ‘reach across the aisle’.


272 posted on 03/01/2008 11:49:28 PM PST by nyconse
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To: TheMidnightTrain

So are you a volunteer for McCain or do you actually get paid? No conservative would be proud to vote for McCain...most hold their noses. He is a lesser of the two evil kind of candidate.


273 posted on 03/01/2008 11:51:34 PM PST by nyconse
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To: AlternateEgo

Most times when there were no rising stars, the vote was split and we ended up with liberal unelectable candidates like McCain. Reform the primary system.


274 posted on 03/01/2008 11:54:22 PM PST by nyconse
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To: TheMidnightTrain
1. Who is pro-life?

"Mr. McCain, looking at Mrs. Reagan in the audience, split from most of his rivals in stating unequivocally that he would support the use of federal funding to expand stem cell research".

275 posted on 03/01/2008 11:56:42 PM PST by ARE SOLE (Agents Ramos and Campean are in prison at this very moment.. (A "Concerned Citizen".)
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To: Paulus Invictus

Neither Hillary or Obama lead the fight to win amnesty. The bill was called McCain-Kennedy if you remember. Kennedy is completely safe in Massachusetts. The Democrats will never push for this without a token Republican to take the blame. They know that 80 % of the country is against amnesty. We have more of a chance of such a bill passing with McCain as president. He would be a one term president and could do anything he wants-quite chilling really.


276 posted on 03/01/2008 11:57:36 PM PST by nyconse
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To: AlternateEgo

Really, then what happened after the Gingrich victories. I didn’t see a whole lot of shifting toward the base.


277 posted on 03/01/2008 11:58:37 PM PST by nyconse
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To: TomasUSMC

The answer is no, McCain never backs conservatives.


278 posted on 03/02/2008 12:00:21 AM PST by nyconse
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To: Names Ash Housewares

The vote was split during the Fred Thompson polls...McCain is the presumptive nominee. If he is only getting a 62% support, he is toast.


279 posted on 03/02/2008 12:04:08 AM PST by nyconse
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To: AlternateEgo

Yeah, Obama is young...he might still come around. Funny, I have seen Obama reaching out to Republican/conservative voters more than McCain.


280 posted on 03/02/2008 12:06:17 AM PST by nyconse
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