I will support John McCain in the general and here's why (A challenge to the McCainiacs from a soldier in Mitt's army)
By BlackRepub Posted in Archived — Comments (37) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Let me being this diary by saying that this was inspired by neither my admiration for Mitt Romney nor John McCain. This diary was inspired by the politician that inspires me, as a 23 year old more than even Reagan, sacrilege as that might be. Last night, as I watched the State of the Union I remembered why I was proud to cast my first ever vote for President George W. Bush, my political hero forever.
President Bush in my eyes, will always be more than a President, he is as I said, my political hero. I know that he is not the most popular President around here. Many people talk of regretting having voted for him, many people blame him for our spanking in 2006, many people resent his use of government to expand conservative causes.
But last night, when I watched President Bush giving a rousing speech on the War in Iraq, reiterating our committment to our country, our military and the ideals of freedom, I literally was moved to tears by a man who just gives off this true love for his country, and for the ideals that America was founded on. It is this thought that gives me the subject of the diary, which is why I will be voting for John McCain.
Let me say, that I am supporting Mitt Romney as everyone who knows me and my giant signature knows, because I believe Mitt is the right man for the right times. That's why we have primaries. But I believe that some of the rhetoric of I will never vote for McCain ever or I will vote for Hillary Clinton before I vote for Romney (although I will vote for Hillary Clinton before Huckabee, but that's another matter) has gone too far. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, binding a Rudy miracle we are down to 2 candidates. Finally, and not a moment too soon, we are in a two man race.
I believe these two men are both great men, and great patriots who would do everything in their power to protect their country and the citizens of that country. This is why I will vote for John McCain if he is to win the nomination. John McCain is a patriot, an American hero, and someone who I know will not let the ideals of freedom and liberty be cast aside for political convenience. That is how I feel about both of our top two candidates, and so they both have earned my vote in the general.
I also believe that as far as abortion is concerned, they are both going to pick conservative justices. I believe that Romney and McCain are uniquely positioned to get conservative judges through the Senate. McCain's reputation as a maverick would allow him to push a conservative through the Senate with very little fanfare, unlike Bush and Huckabee, who's embrace of the Social Conservative wing of our party have forced us to delay nominations because of the idea that there is an abortion litmus test. Don't get me wrong, I am as pro-life as they come, and I don't think that McCain is going to screw us with judges. I also feel that McCain is more ambitious than people give him credit for, and he will seek reelection. I am hoping that he will pick Governor Romney as his running mate, because I believe that if McCain does get the nod, that would be a very successful ticket.
The bottom line of this is, we have two great patriots of this county running for office against two people who will cut and run and betray us the second they take their hand of the global warming Bible. Let's stop the name calling and have some honest conversations about differences. I understand we can't control the campaigns, but we can control how we respond on RedState. And as a 2 and 1/2 year member of this website, I feel I'm allowed to make a call once again, for more civility* in this primary race. We are brothers in patriotism and in love for our great country. Let's band together and discuss our differences honestly. And here I end with a challenege to McCainiacs-you have been 50/50 in spewing the rhetoric. I challenge one of you to write a diary about some good things about Mitt Romney and why he deserves your support. Thank you all, and to all a good day.
Civility does not extend to mass murdering apologists, open racists, and just plain psychopaths-yeah you know qwho I'm referring to.
but I think his chances of getting judges approved is much lower, mainly because the probability of him winning the general election is much lower. It's a necessary condition.
And although I appreciate the diary, I cannot agree that there has been a 50/50 ratio in rhetoric. The number of Hernandez diaries, "wear conservatism on his sleeve" diaries, and especially "I will never vote McCain" diaries far outnumber any negative diaries on Romney.
All that said, thanks for the civility. I've been trying to do my part by research McCain's record and presenting it in full. I'd love for Romney supporters to do the same. Perhaps it would better explain why he changed views on some issues and what his past views were.
______________________________________
Donate to the Rs in Close Senate Races through Slatecard
... but how in the name of all that is Good can you write this:
The number of Hernandez diaries, "wear conservatism on his sleeve" diaries, and especially "I will never vote McCain" diaries far outnumber any negative diaries on Romney.
... with a straight face?
Unless, that is, you're talking about the last week alone - in which case I agree. But if you're talking about over the length of this campaign it's not even close.
-------------
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
Pre-primaries a lot of people unaffiliated with campaigns hit Rudy, McCain and Romney for perceived failures.
During IA week, Huck and Romney people attacked each other, with Romney supporters taking the lead. During NH week, McCain and Romney did it with Romney himself taking the lead. MI week was less acrimonious. With FL coming up, the Romney and Romney supporter attacks have greatly increased.
I believe there are McCain support attacks on Romney, but I haven't seen many. Erick and Ben (unaffiliated or Fredites) have landed the biggest punches.
______________________________________
Donate to the Rs in Close Senate Races through Slatecard
I really don't follow you at all even after my 4th reading, but it's really not something I'm willing to waste any more bandwidth over.
Sorry I even brought it up.
-------------
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.
The Romney attacks *should* increase, because John McCain has been nothing but a sell-out to Republicans and Conservatives during his tenure in Washington and he'll continue to be one as President.
I'll be fully researching his record, and if you could help me with some of the HTML that would be great, but I'll work on doing a series on Mitt and his positions. Having said that, it may not be 50/50, but the anti-McCain stuff is 50/50 in terms of Romney vs McCain. McCain's been getting hit by the Guiliani people on this site too, to say nothing of the former Fredheads.
If you ever find that you only have an hour to live,spend it with a liberal and it will seem like a year."-Rush Limbaugh
Adam, evidently you haven't been reading your own blog for the past year when you weren't contributing to it. That last sentence is a blatant falsehood and you'd know it if you did a real tally of the anti-Romney blogs and official "position statements" here in the past year.
Starting with Erick who dropped him "on the flip" we have blogs from almost every editor of this site against Romney, including Mark Kilmer, Streiff, Dan McLaughlin (who did yeoman service and wrote a five part series), Jeff Emanuel, Ben Domenech, etc., etc. and the list goes on.
From almost Day One the people on this blog have been willing to borrow Democrat talking points and use them against Romney from within the Republican Party and it's *absolutely astonishing* to me that anyone -- including you -- can support John McCain on principle. John McCain has people in his own state who signed a petition against him. John McCain supported both McCain/Feingold and McCain/Kennedy and the only reason you like him is because he was a "gang of 14" sponsor -- not exactly endearing to Conservatives.
What everyone has shown me here on this blog in the past year is that they're bigoted and biased, and looking for an easy answer. I'm really ashamed of you for supporting McCain. Your numbers notwithstanding, John McCain has not and will never be a Republican or a Conservative -- he's a horse trader and a bipartisan deal broker, who will absolutely sell out any principles he might have if there's a deal to be made and it helps John McCain.
The real truth is that you're also an immigration squish who would have been perfectly happy if the McCain/Kennedy legislation was passed into law. I remember reading your posts and warnings about how being tough on enforcement wasn't something the Republicans should do first. You've never been a member of the Conservative majority in this country who supports enforcement first, and neither has McCain.
And I can't believe you can stand there and tell me that enforcement first wasn't the best policy we should have persued instead of McCain/Kennedy, because it gave the license to people at the Bank of America to hand out credit cards to illegal aliens with no social security numbers. And we all know where Bank of America is today as a result of that policy, and it's something John McCain would have supported if it wasn't for the outcry. Too late now.
You missed the whole point of my post. Please do not personally attack people on a thread where I have pleaded for civility.The back and forth is the whole reason I wrote the diary in the first place :-(
If you ever find that you only have an hour to live,spend it with a liberal and it will seem like a year."-Rush Limbaugh
I agree with BR. Except I'll be voting for Sir John if he becomes the nominee in spite of an intuition I cannot presently overcome, that Sir John has a screw loose and that if he becomes that man in power it might be very dangerous for the USA. It's a chance I will have to take though and will require an act of discipline over my all my injured feelings. But I think he and his campaign will fall apart in the general, especially against Obama. I can project no silver lining in a Barak or Billary win.
If a viable third party on the right were to develop because of all this it would probably suck me in.
Alright. I suggest you kindly leave the party then.
If you can't support the nominee of the party, then you need to not be a part of it.
John Bolton for President
"FEAR THE 'STACH!!!"
and I usually agree with what you write.
But I think there are rare occasions when it is proper not to vote for the GOP presidential candidate. It depends on how great the consequences of losing the presidency would be (the consequences are always great, but sometimes they are particularly great, such as in a time of war and when 2-3 Justices could retire). It also depends on what the candidate on the other side is like.
These occasions are quite rare, I would emphasize - occurring perhaps once in a lifetime - and I strongly disagree that 2008 represents one of those occasions.
Depending on who we are talking about, anyway. If we are talking about McCain or Mitt... I'd say no. I could vote for either of them in the general. If we are talking about RP or Huckabee, though, I'd say there's a good argument for a vote against them in the general. They have given us plenty of reason to think they would be even worse on foreign policy than Hillary would be. If it's Obama, it's a closer call. I think he's quite a bit worse on foreign policy than Hillary would be.
---
Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
I disagree re: Huckabee, but I certainly know where you're coming from (foreign affairs article, lack of knowledge generally, criticism of bush admin, etc.)
But without getting into that, let me say that I otherwise agree with what you wrote, and your assessment of the relative dangers of Clinton and Obama.
(And, fortunately, Paul will never come close to being nominated.)
Hubby and I had nearly decided that we have to do everything in our power to prevent the Hillbillys from becoming co-presidents and running roughshod over our country for 4 years. (I feel quite certain they could not get re-elected.) This included voting for a man we both basically despise, except for his war service.
We will now not vote for McCain against anyone, not even the Hillbillys. Rush's thinking on this perfectly encapsulates mine: McCain as president would be the ruination of the Republicans for many reasons but also because for 4 years (I doubt he'd live to be re-elected) the conservatives in our Congress would be hogtied and impotent. With a Dem as president, any Dem, our conservatives can do what apparently they do best, certainly in the minority: fight, obstruct, and stand on conservative principle.
I'm starting to truly believe that is all conservatives do anymore. We are NOT effective leaders and governors, especially when in the majority. I believe this is because conservatives fundamentally do not believe in government. The RiNOs among us believe in big, nannystate government, restrictions on freedom of speech, restrictions on the free market and trade, restrictions as demanded by the AGW crowd, restrictions as demanded by the PC crowd, etc.
Conservatives seem most effective at stopping the runaway insanities of the Dems and RiNOs. If we have a RiNO as president we will lose all effectiveness.
More Republicans will vote in the general for McCain if it is him vs. HillBill, but the Drive-Bys who seem so eager for him as the Rep. candidate now will eat him alive shortly. I can smell the Republican buyers' remorse already. McCain against Obama does not stand a chance because too many Republicans will sit it out altogether.
Are you going to try to chase all of us out of the party? I'm starting to think my vote counts more as an Independent or Dem voting Republican, anyway. And believe me, I was a Dem for close to 30 years; there is nothing even vestigial in me that is Dem (well, maybe 1 ounce of feminism). Where is it written that a party member must vote for the party's candidate? You're not making friends and influencing people with that line.
VOTING NO ON McCAIN
You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.
"When men fear work or fear righteous war, when women fear motherhood, they tremble on the brink of doom; and well it is that they should vanish from the earth." - Teddy Roosevelt
It is my duty as a citizen to vote for the person I think would be the best leader. If McCain were gone, that would leave Mitt. I watched an interview with Romney's son about the Governor's commitment to his family...powerful.
As to being civil, I will do my best. Yesterday I called Mitt "Mr. fix the broken economy". From here on in I will leave it at "Governor Romeny".
I'll vote for any of the Republican candidates over Hillary or Obama, except HWSNBN. As another Redstate person put it, "I don't do crazy when there are nuclear codes involved."
John Bolton for President
"FEAR THE 'STACH!!!"
Who would be better for the country. McCain, for all his faults, or Romney, for all his recent changes, would be better for the country than Hillary or Obama.
"Two legs bad, four legs good."
I saw and recommended. I'm hoping for a little more civility on my favorite website, if nothing else.
If you ever find that you only have an hour to live,spend it with a liberal and it will seem like a year."-Rush Limbaugh
the primary battle may go on for months and RedState will be intolerable if we continue to swing at each other with such abandon.
I've felt almost exactly like you up until this last week. I can not watch a man lie, multiple times just for political gain and continue to support him in any way. I will not vote for McCain if he is the nominee. He has lost all respect I had for him.
**"The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should." - John McCain"**
No offense, but I think these "will you support so and so in the general election posts" are a little silly. The general is ten months away. So much changes in ten months. I don't like McCain, but if a terrorist detonated a dirty bomb in Chicago in September and we had an election between McCain and Obama, would anybody really sit that one out??? Similarly, McCain is just as apt to fly off the handle, do something stupid and get creamed. If it looks like he is going to lose, I wouldn't bother voting for the man unless its above 65 degrees, sunny and my legs need some exercise.
...we shouldn't wait until the next terrorist attack to decide how to vote. Vote like it's already happened.
Be proactive, not reactive.
There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life. - Frank Zappa
Clearly he is a fine man, a successful businessman, and a talented manager. His accomplishments speak for themselves. I would have no problem at all supporting him in November. Likewise for Giuliani. I just think McCain is more qualified to be CinC.
"If all men were just, there would be no need of valor."
- Agesilaus
That a 23 year old is voting republican! It has taken my daughter to turn 30 before finally beginning to see the light. You must have taken some sort of anti-mind control medication in school I bet. Great post!
I voted for McCain today in Florida. But I will vote for the party nominee if it is Romney or Guiliani or Thompson or even Huckabee.
Romney has good experience running a business. He speaks well and is quick on his feet. His is good in debates. I agree with most of his positions. He has strong values.
I am pro-McCain, not anti-Romney. Heck, I'm the faculty adviser for UF Students For Romney.
Thanks for the civility.
Steve Willis
Professor of Law
University of Florida College of Law
I agree McCain will appoint the right judges and Justices on the courts, which would be very favorable to the pro-life movement. However, I disagree with the implicit argument that that's the only tool a President can do to push the pro-life agenda.
The President is responsible for pushing legislative reforms, such as appropriating money or not appropriating money to certain special interest groups (e.g. Planned Parenthood). He is also responsible for pushing for other items, such as executive orders or executive agreements that can have a profound impact on social issues such as AIDS, human trafficking, and slavery, etc. He has the power to use the Office to persuade the public of the moral outrage of these issues.
I trust McCain's social conservative credentials with a small bit of caution on his lack of outspoken nature on the issue.
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum!
W.C. Fields for President!
www.shortenurl.com/7cxfm