Anti-McCain.. how do you explain it?

Victor Davis Hanson notes the depth of distaste, here:

I think that is EXACTLY it. We saw what happens when the incumbent 'reaches across' rather than make the case with the American people.

We saw it with the "No Child Left Behind' bill, and right after with an ernest attempt to make Social Security actually viable.

But McCain comes with an even greater record of kow-towing to the Capitol Hill Social club. That he did so without having to gain support in Arizona is the troubling thing. There's no doubt, then that what he does is from his own convictions. That's excusable for a liberal democrat. You dont hear tirades on talk radio about Russ Feingold... you hear chuckles and visualize smirks. Ted Kennedy is portrayed as the clown he is.

But for a supposed conservative to continually make the same mistakes, while laughably tying himself to Reagan?

Reagan/Feingold, Reagan/Kennedy, Reagan/Lieberman... it goes on! Can you imagine that? Now listen to McCain calling himself 'conservative'.

And pointing to Reagan mistakes to justify McCain? Does anyone REALLY think he would have made the same mistake, again, after the Lebanese Marine pullout? He made other mistakes, as well. I dont have to justify them, I dont expect any president to be perfect. We certainly havent had any so far and I'd be worried if we did.

What has gone unsaid.... though Rush mentioned it once.. is that this isnt about the GWOT. McCain is 100% trustworthy on handling this right, in our view.
But The Dems tried and failed to make Republicans lose the Iraq war on their watch and, barring some unlikely disasters, the successes in Iraq will continue on through the election. And no matter what Hillary or even Obama promises the kook-fringe defeatists, they arent about to let Democrats be blamed for a bloodbath debacle. Or looking the other way while AQUS plans attacks.

What many of the talking heads seem to forget is that the Primaries are when you play to your party base. McCain is playing to the Republican base. Once nominated, though, the candidate has to appeal to the 'great unwashed center.'

In the case of McCain.. I fear that's when we'll see the true John McCain. And see why Ann Coulter would rather Hillary was elected.

Frankly, unless he convinces me otherwise AFTER the convention, I would too..

 

I'm starting to think that the GOP sees this election as unwinnable. They haven't forced Huckabee to drop out of the race, which is all but guaranteeing that McCain wins the election. I just can't see the Republican base voting for McCain, even if it is against Clinton and/or Obama...afterall, what's the difference? McCain is old, not a conservative, so the GOP can afford to "lose" him.

 

It's about the party. Limbaugh made the point clear this afternoon, the modern conservative wing of the Republican Party began with Barry Goldwater. Goldwater ran and got trounced, but the core ideas remained. In 68 we ran another Country Club Republican, Richard Nixon.. and though I believe he was the right President for the time.. he was essentially the last "Rockefeller Republican" to be elected.

GHWB wasnt really pure and neither was Dubya though, like I said, Reagan himself made some mistakes in some issues and bent on others.

So, I'm not sure if it's worth having a Republican in office if he wont be significantly different than having Hillary in office. Both are surly and short-tempered when others dont agree with them, perhaps McCain not quite so bad.

And McCain SAID he learned a lesson on border security, but when's he going to learn that everytime you deal with liberal dems on a bill the {to him} unintended consequences bite Republicans in the ass.

All he has to do is look back at the '92 campaign and think of GHWB's "Read my lips.. No new taxes!" to see how trustworthy dems are.
- But -
If I thought for a MINUTE, the Dems would put party over country and follow their promises to the antiwar bunch to yank us immediately out of Iraq, then I wouldnt hesitate to vote for McCain for even one second.

 

After Bush, who actually is a conservative, a "true conservative" isn't wanted for the job. Americans want a perceived bridge builder (Obama or McCain); not a true partisan. Plus a lot of Americans still hope for success in Iraq and McCain has always been in the Iraq can be a success camp. Republicans, in the end, if McCain were to actually become President would work with the guy. People make way too big a deal out of exactly how someone would govern. Bush created more government, and who would have thought that.

Love VDH by the way. Brilliant guy.

 

Re: Anti-McCain.. starts to heal?

On the plus side, McCain doesn't suffer position politics easily, either.
If it's McCain/Obama, you'll see this later; from CBS News website:

Here's whatEd Morrissey had to say on it:

In other words, then - just as now- Daddy George Soros must approve this 'bridge-building'.
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And finally... as yet another blogger gives up on Mitt:

His last line is the penultimate bumpersticker for the disaffected conservative:

 

Soros doesn't control Obama. Obama is just taking advantage of the help. He's not a typical liberal. He actually chastises the Soros crowd when he can cause he knows they are mostly no good for America.

He's going to be more "conservative" than most people think he'll be. Hollywood and Soros don't know what they're doing, cause if Obama gets into office he's going to spend a lot of time lecturing them.

 

We'll see... like you I hope he doesnt 'know his place'. That would be REAL refreshing.

Maybe he'll embolden Reid and Pelosi.

And maybe he'll stay aligned with the Daley Machine.. crooked and corrupt, to be sure. But Daley & co care about the country!