"I'm a proud conservative liberal republic -- conservative Republican,"
--Señor Juan McAmnesty (RINO-AZ)
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.
The California voters who said that Arnold was the worst thing to happen to the Republican party has it right. A RINO can do way more damage than a Democrat. The Dems will work with him and the Repubs will be forced to cooperate and the socialist agenda will be sail through the legislature. No thanks-McCain will lose big time. I think it is for the best.
"I'm a proud conservative liberal republic -- conservative Republican,"
--Señor Juan McAmnesty (RINO-AZ)
Love your post-truth and humor.
A primary isn’t a ‘lot in life’, it’s part of the political process and was deliberately manipulated in order to field a RINO. Well the country club GOP got their way-now live with it. You don’t need us...we know this because the one candidate that most conservatives would have great difficulty supporting perhaps not be able to support at all is now the presumptive nominee. I would have voted for any of the others, but not McCain.
I agree with that. The ones who have ties to this country would remain, but we could deal with that if the border is secured.
“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.”
Nonsense.
If McCain loses 25 % of conservative vote, he is toast. In fact, it will probably be a landslide. Also, I didn’t bother to vote in that poll...I won’t vote for McCain. I wonder how many other conservatives who can not support McCain voted in the poll. Most people want to vote for something positive-not vote against something. McCain can not inspire,move voters,all he has is national security to offer. Maybe in a different year, this might have worked, but not this year. The polls indicate that the economy is the most important issue.
Never say never after all. I was going to sit the last election out until the Dims nominated Hanoi John Kerry. That was possible the only person other than Teddy Kennedy that could have got me to vote for the republican party (though my senator and representative here ore both good conservatives).
Oh yeah while I'm at it we need a conservative to run so we can get rid of Perry
Very funny-I might vote for John in those circumstances myself. I know how you feel. I am sick of holding my nose and voting for RINO’s.
You said in post #12”
“65 is about where I’d score if I was in Congress, but McCain isn’t as bad as Specter, Snowe or Collins, who regularly score in the 40s.”
65 is a very liberal score. Which conservative values do you not agree with? It’s a simple question.
Your forgetting that McCain gains with moderates though whatever he loses with stubborn conservatives.
The GOP has turned its back on Conservatism - I will not be voting for McCain. I may help Obama get elected... short term pain, long term gain for Conservatism in America.
Does he? A Moderate is simply a Democrat who won't admit it. They probably have a shred of decency left. Given the choice of a real Democrat or a Democrat-lite (McCain), which will they choose. The math is simple.
yeah, I keep hearing that. You know I don’t believe that any candidate can win without their base...Obama attracts moderates at a far greater rate than McCain. I believe conservatives were probably McCain’s only hope...but now you have convinced me that I am not needed...wow what a relief. I was feeling such guilt. I have never contributed to the election of a Dem. Thanks, please accept my good wishes in you effort to elect McCain. Have a nice evening.
I think this is the McCain strategy. He truly believes he can win without conservatives. This is why McCain has been reaching out to the moderates and not the conservatives. The boy is drinking his own kool-aide. Like you said, moderates are mostly Democrats.
I am not debating what a moderate is.
I am simply stating factually he has their support as demonstrated by his winning.
I dont like the guy any better then most here.
And most here will vote for him.
The time to bitch about it has passed, and to make grand assumptions that he can’t win in November is daft at this point. He certainly can. And several polls have shown this to be the case, early as it is. it is clear many are not falilng for Obama or Hillary. And Obama is still not known the way we know him here.
I refused to vote for Dole, and we got a conservative congress out of the deal. Too much leftism produces a backlash every time.
Oh, just one more thing. If that is true, why are there so many McCaniacs here telling Conservatives that if we DON'T vote for McCain, we are ensuring the election of B. Hussein? I thought the "moderate strategy" had the thing locked up?
You know historically this would be a very difficult election-Repubs have held the Presidency for eight years. The party in power has won only twice in this situation-Harry Truman and George Bush the first. If we had a really good candidate, it would be difficult. With McCain, it is impossible. I won’t be voting for McCain under any circumstances. I will vote for Repub down the ballot while leaving the presidential slot blank.
Conservatives will stay home or maybe even vote for Obama who knows? National polls show McCain trailing Obama, and the campaign has not even started. If your idea of defeating Obama is to call him a Muslim which he is not then the GOP will look stupid, lose and be considered racist as well. Give me a break.
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