US Features
Conservatives remain uncertain as McCain reaches out
Feb 8, 2008, 16:30 GMT
US Senator and Republican presidential candidate John McCain (L) talks with Air Force Lieutenant Jeffery Woolford (R) after speaking to the Baltimore County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner in Halethorpe, Maryland, USA, 07 February 2008. McCain\'s chief rival Mitt Romney pulled out of the presidential race earlier today, making him the presumed Republican nominee. EPA/MARK GOLDMAN
Washington - John McCain is the clear frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, but he is far from universally beloved by a party establishment long skeptical of his moderate positions on hot-button issues like illegal immigration.
Despite Thursday's departure from the race of his chief rival, Mitt Romney - citing the need for a clear nominee to battle Democrats in the November general elections - many conservative activists gathered this week in Washington remain ambivalent about McCain.
Long seen as a maverick with strong appeal to independent voters and moderates, McCain came hat-in-hand to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), knowing he had to win over the party's base, whose money, campaign manpower and ability to turn out right- leaning voters are vital to any Republican nominee.
The Arizona senator appealed to conservatives on common ground: their shared desire to keep the centre-left Democrats from winning the White House.
'I am acutely aware that I cannot succeed in that endeavor ... without the support of dedicated conservatives whose convictions, creativity and energy have been indispensable to the success of our party ... over the last quarter-century,' McCain said.
What began as a crowded Republican field has been narrowed to just McCain and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, a Baptist preacher who could still steal conservative votes but lacks the money and organization to stop the frontrunner.
There had been no one candidate behind whom social, fiscal and national defence conservatives could rally - making McCain's rise possible but also alienating those who view him as a heretical moderate.
His appeal Thursday - in which he laid out his voting record on a host of banner issues, while acknowledging differences with his audience - received a largely positive reception in a ballroom packed with young people waving McCain signs and wearing T-shirts with his name emblazoned across the chest.
Enthusiastic McCain supporters cited his military experience, personal honesty, integrity and willingness to take unpopular stands as key in securing their votes.
Yet, he was booed when he mentioned immigration. Legislation he sponsored last year on the issue was viewed by many conservatives as providing amnesty to those already in the US illegally.
A handful of protestors gathered outside the speech, waving placards saying 'Stop McCain's amnesty' and 'Join Republicans against McCain.'
Some said the speech cemented their support for the former Vietnam War POW. Others, like Dennis Bentley, a Michigan State University student and Romney supporter, were not won over.
'He seemed very uncomfortable, and it worries when the Republican frontrunner seems uncomfortable at CPAC,' said Bentley, 21, one of thousands of young people and Republican activists in Washington for the three-day event, chock full of speeches on smaller government, free trade and national defence.
Those who saw Romney as the conservative choice were disappointed and shocked by the former Massachusetts governor's decision to leave the race, gasping when he made his announcement at the event.
'He was definitely the right man,' said Yeda Baker, 46, of Arlington, Virginia. Gesturing toward a McCain sign, she added, 'There's no way I would vote for this man.'
In fact, some conservative talk-radio hosts and pundits have been urging voters simply not to vote or even to throw their support behind a Democratic candidate. They argue that it would be easier to fight a member of the opposite party in the White House than to struggle with a supposed ally who does not share their views.
'A vote for John McCain is a vote for the Democratic Party. He is the antithesis of the Reagan revolution, and the party would be set back 40 or 60 years,' said Daniel Lipian, 24, a student at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
Romney, however, in ending his presidential bid, stressed that succeeding in the war in Iraq is the most important issue. He said that McCain is positioned to lead the war effort and to beat Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, who favour withdrawing US troops.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
'It would appease most of them more if good little Johnny gave them a 'reach-around'.'
LOL, you are not going to see 'Johnny' at a brokered convention.
What are the Obama voters going to think when the convention gives it to Hillary? Are they going to come on out and vote after getting screwed?
The funny thing is even when Democrats are dealt 4 aces they still find a way to blow it.
I would not count Mike Huckabee out of this race just yet. If he and Ron Paul manage to accumulate 471 delegates between them, Senator McCain will be out of the race and Governor Romney will be the one sitting the catbird's seat.
We live in interesting times, yes?
'I would not count Mike Huckabee out of this race just yet.'
I would.
'If he and Ron Paul manage to accumulate 471 delegates between them...'
Stop right there. A gorilla is more likely to parachute out of a satellite and give you a briefcase full of gummi bears.
The more of what I see going on here in Texas, the more I am inclined to support Mike Huckabee, even though I dislike his religious proclivities. I don't like what happened in Washington state, either. That, is a load of horseshit. I think the time where we should allow party bigwigs to decide for us has come and gone. In fact, it should never happened in the first goddamned place.
There are times when the Goopers really piss me off and this is one of them.
A vote for Huckabee is a vote for Obama.
The dems have 796 'super' delegates. If the floor vote at the convention locks up, these folks will be the people picking the candidate.
You should see who these folks are. Mostly congressmen and women, and a load of the usual DNC wags.
Bill Crinton and Al Gore are super delegates. Now ask yourself this: why would the party give ANYONE working on someone's campaign a slot as a 'superdelegate'???
This is the gold standard for the premise that libnazis wish to usurp the will of the people, even in their own party! Can you find a better example of elitism?
Here's a thought provoking bit of reading:
www.lincolntribune.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8163
Snippet:'Many of the conservatives I know harbor hope that, unlike Clinton’s views, Obama’s aren’t set it stone. They notice that a couple of his economic advisors are market-friendly, that he has effectively argued against federal health-insurance mandates, and that his rhetoric on trade policy isn’t as strident as hers. There’s an irony, here: while conservatives recoiled from Bill Clinton’s personal behavior, they did see him defend free trade and change his mind on welfare reform and investment taxes. They doubt whether Hillary is persuadable on much of anything.'
And here's something informative about Conservative inclinations this time around:
www.ajc.com/opinion/content/shared-blogs/ajc/thinkingright/entries/2008 /02/14/john_mccain_beats_hillary_clin.html
Snippet:'John McCain beats Hillary Clinton; Barack Obama beats him. That’s the findings of a new nationwide Zogby Interactive poll conducted Feb. 8-11.
The surprising number, though, remains Hillary’s problem with men and McCain’s with his own party. Against either Obama or McCain, she wins less than 80 percent of Democrats — though that’s better than McCain does among Republicans. Against Hillary, he pulls 72 percent of Republicans. Ouch. Though they’d be foolish to do it, some conservatives are beginning to talk of aligning themselves with the Constitution Party, which is on 16 ballots and expects to be on 40. It nominates a presidential candidate in April.
Looking to the general election, it is hard to imagine McCain winning if, indeed, any number of conservatives split off or sit it out. McCain draws independents, and would draw more than Hillary, but he loses them to Obama, 46-33, according to Zogby.'
Mister Zogby's skills as a pollster are beyond question, usually.
Insofar as politics go, this guy's message is right on target:
www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272618913.shtml
Williams does NOT understand the linkage between energy independence and security, but the rest of it he has down dead-nuts.
page: 1
PperfectFeb 9th, 2008 - 21:18:00
It would appease most of them more if good little Johnny gave them a 'reach-around'. A reach out is not going to get it with these thumpers.
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