McCain's Excellent Adventure
Or How McCain Had His Best Week in a Long Time
By Adam C Posted in 2008 — Comments (54) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Sen. McCain has slowly fallen in national polls throughout 2007 as other candidates entered the race. After firing a chunk of his staff and downsizing, many media outlets were ready to write off his campaign because of his support of the Iraq War, comprehensive immigration reform, and the "surge."
In the past week, McCain seems to have found his groove, mollified some of his detractors, won new friends, and began a possible surge of his own.
About a week ago, Sen. Brownback endorsed McCain, Charles Bird and Jerry Zandstra announced their support for McCain here on RedState, and I asked the question whether this surge was for real.
A week later, Sen. McCain has seen CNN attack him unfairly, a Curt Shilling endorsement, a David Brooks column running around the country extolling McCain as a unique example of character in politics, and a new poll showing him up 2 points on Hillary (which helps answer this lady's question).
That is the first polls with any Republican ahead of Hillary in a few weeks. The trends now show McCain, not Rudy, as the most electable Republican in a head-to-head match-up with Hillary.
Anecdotally, many Republicans I know who would have disavowed McCain as a RiNO only 6 months ago have regained respect for the Senator. They would be happy to vote for him in a general election (not so much for Rudy) and they see his steadfast support for the War in Iraq as an indication that he doesn't just get stubborn on issues that please the media. All in all, he seems to be many Republicans safe second (or third) choice in case their favorite nominee doesn't make the cut. This is somewhat born out by the unscientific data collected in this interesting RedState preference diary. Despite being barely ahead of Huckabee for 4th in first place votes, McCain is neck-in-neck with Romney for 2nd place overall.
Finally, and most importantly, the chance that a McCain surge is underway has gotten the blogosphere and the MSM to notice McCain again. And it seems to have given more people a chance to reconsider Sen. McCain for President.
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it is what politician's do that matter's not what they are saying as they run for President...not an honest one in the bunch.
Freedom of Religion not Freedom from Religion
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The Red Sox Republican: Burkeanism, Baseball, and Sundries.
And nachos are good.
Two out three ain't bad.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
But I almost linked to your RedHot.
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I'll support him if he's the nominee, but Kyoto, McCain-Feingold, amnesty, opposing the Bush tax cuts and estate tax repeal persuade me to vote for someone else during the nomination fight.
It veers badly to the left three out of every four or so years.
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You have it right. John McCain agrees with Ted Kennedy on amnesty for illegal immigration, the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, the confirmation of Clinton nominee Ruth Bader Ginsberg to the US Supreme Court, the filibustering of Bush's nominees to the federal courts, restricting freedom of speech for everyone except the New York Times, Tim Russert and Chris Matthews.
But still there are some gullible Republicans who think McCain's the man.
It's amazing.
McCain could announce his support for the Kyoto treaty and some Republicans would still support him.
Oh wait!
The Left thinks that the "axis of evil" is Wal-Mart, Haliburton and Enron.
"People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors." -Edmund Burke
When the chips are down, conservatives can count on John McCain to side with the Left.
McCain sided with the Democrats during the tax cut debates in 2001 and 2003, when the fate of the economy hung in the balance. McCain sided with Ted Kennedy and the Democrats during the debate over the Byrd/Constitutional/Nuclear option. McCain sided with Ted Kennedy and the Democrats during the debate over amnesty for illegal immigrants. McCain sided with Ted Kennedy and John Edwards and Tom Daschle during the debate of the Patients bill of rights, when the future of private health insurance hung in the balance.
The bottom line is that no matter how much conservatives might appreciate McCain's military service, conservatives can not trust McCain any more than they can trust Arlen Specter.
If McCain becomes president, he will pack the US Supreme Court with people who agree that the 1st Amendment does not exist to protect the freedom of speech rights for conservatives, only people like Chris Matthews and Tim Russert.
The Left thinks that the "axis of evil" is Wal-Mart, Haliburton and Enron.
Your cut and paste ability is amazing.
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And welcome home. I look forward to seeing a resurgent campaign, win or lose.
I'm wavering between McCain and Rudy. They are the only two that have convinced me they understand the nature of the fight we are in.
Anyhow, I'm with Rudy now because I think he'd be better at taking on the Democrats on the issues, he's use to fighting against overwhelming opposition, which the next President will have to do one way or another (It is all but certain we will lose Senate seats in 2008), and I think he's the best positioned to do that.
That said, I won't shed a single tier if McCain gets the nomination. I'll save that for if Romney gets the nomination.
John Bolton for President
"FEAR THE 'STACH!!!"
A willingness to go toe to toe with Hillary is an important ?skill?; but he is going to get demolished when its just him and Hillary and the MSM starts to hammer his very questionable past into the sheep.
The womanizer who cheated and embarrassed his wife on TV vs the first female presidential nominee. Not exactly our best foot forward despite his name recognition (which is all he really has, and hasn't that gone as far as it can go?).
I say make him a vice president. He can be the attack dog, but I don't see him being qualified as president despite some impressive changes he made for NYC.
Qualified? You'd have to be retarded to think he's not qualified.
He ran very successfully one of the biggest cities in the world, bigger then most states, was an extremely successful US Attorney, was 3rd man down at the Reagan Justice Department, and since leaving the Mayor's Mansion, has started his own very successful security consulting firm.
You can say he's the wrong guy, but saying he's unqualified is pure stupidity.
And Hillary can't say a single thing to him about his personal life. It would be suicidal. The LAST thing she wants to do is to start talking about personal lives and shady contacts.
John Bolton for President
"FEAR THE 'STACH!!!"
There's no need to be questioning how many chromosomes people have. Personally I think Rudy is qualified (as is the rest of the GOP top tier), but I think there's a reasonable argument to be made that in the times we are in foreign policy/military experience is required.
"The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions."
If that's the case, the entire field except for McCain is basically out. Well, maybe McCain and Duncan Hunter.
And actually, Rudy does have some relevant experience. He prosecuted a lot of terrorism related cases while in the justice department and as U.S. Attorney. He was also mayor of the city where the UN met and he had to deal with some things related to it (did you read about the situation where he had to decide to kick Arafat out of a private party related to the UN?), for example.
Anyhow, perhaps it was a low blow, but some arguments are so incredibly bad that they don't seem to be worth treating with respect. Saying Giuliani isn't qualified is one of them. If he's unqualified, three quarters of our presidents have been unqualified.
John Bolton for President
"FEAR THE 'STACH!!!"
Basically the only thing he could do to get me on board with him would be to repudiate McCain-Feingold, the Gang of 14, the Al Qaeda Bill of Rights, and apologize to the party for throwing them under the bus for so many years.
And then, after a few years to make sure he was serious and not just pandering, maybe I'd consider it. He's the only serious candidate that won't get my vote in the general election, because the long-term consequences to the party of a McCain presidency would be far greater than the short-term consequences of a Hillary one. You simply can't reward disloyalty like that. It's basic economics. Incentives work. If you incentivize his conduct, more people will emulate it. And the Senate is bad enough as it is.
that HRC is preferable over John McCain??
"He's the only serious candidate that won't get my vote in the general election, because the long-term consequences to the party of a McCain presidency would be far greater than the short-term consequences of a Hillary one."
You then go on to call the Senator "disloyal".
This is a man who was captured and tortured in Vietnam while serving this nation.
You may not agree with some of his political positions, but Senator John McCain has earned your respect. You should begin showing him some.
Your apparent position that HRC is preferable over Senator McCain is ludicrous. Sheer lunacy.
Are you a Republican?
Can you explain why you believe HRC would be better than ANY of the possible GOP candidates?
I agree a John McCain presidency would do more damage to the nation than a Hillary Clinton presidency.
Basically, McCain and Hillary Clinton have taken the same positions on......
(1) The Al-Qaeda bill of rights.
(2) Trashing the 1st Amendment via McCain Feingold (notice that McCain-Feingold didn't lay a finger on the New York Times, Tim Russert or Chris Matthews but tried to severely regulate groups like Wisconsin Right to Life).
(3) Allowing the Democrats to filibuster Bush's judicial nominees.
(4) Elevating Ruth Bader Ginsberg to the US Supreme Court
(5) The 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts
(6) Calling the Swift Boat Veterans for Trush "dishonest and dishonorable" when the Swift Vets attacked John Kerry's record.
(7) The Ted Kennedy-John Edwards-John McCain "Patients Bill of Rights" (which would have made trial lawyers much wealthier)
(8) The McCain-Kennedy illigal immigration bill
At least Hillary Clinton calls herself a Democrat, so Republicans won't be lulled to sleep when Hillary Clinton proposes Left Wing ideas.
But McCain, who pretends he is a Republican and is a former Prisoner of War, can seduce gullible Republicans into thinking that trashing the 1st Amendment is "Patriotic" and filbustering Bush's conservative judicial nominees represents the US Senate acting like a "deliberative body."
I'll take Hillary Clinton over McCain.
The Left thinks that the "axis of evil" is Wal-Mart, Haliburton and Enron.
The Gang is my biggest problem with him. I still believe that was the beginning of the end for us in 2006. However if he is on the ticket next November I will hold my nose and vote
For what it's worth, McCain blew off Kerry in '04 when the latter offered him the VP slot. And was a solid Bush supporter during that tough campaign--when the chips really were down.
McCain has been more of a foul-weather friend of the President, and I respect him for that.
"People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors." -Edmund Burke
is my second choice behind Fred!
But the way things are going with Fred, McCain might be have to become my first choice. Mitt flip flops and Rudy is too far left on Social issues for me! So, what's a gril to do!
Pam
Ted Kennedy would be coming over to the White House for a lot more than movies.
A write in for Calvin Coolidge is looking better and better.
"a man's admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him". Tocqueville
A real conservative, Harding also got somewhat of a bum rap.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
He just passed Fred to my #2 slot, right behind Rudy. I'd love a Giuliani-McCain ticket.
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According to Democrats, it’s greedy to want to keep your own money, but it’s “justice” to demand someone else’s.
--Jonah Goldberg
Considering how often McCain has voted with Ted Kennedy and co-sponsored legislation with ol' Ted, maybe if McCain wins the nomination, we will see a McCain-Kennedy ticket.
Their platform.......
Oppostion to the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts
In 2001, John McCain said of the Bush tax cut proposal: "I cannot in good conscience support a tax cut in which so many of the benefits go to the most fortunate among us at the expense of middle-class Americans who need tax relief."
And Ted Kennedy said of the 2001 Bush tax cuts, "Now, they are proposing more of the same, more tax breaks benefiting only the wealthiest among us."
Also, Senator McCain voted on the pro-tax side of 14 such amendments in 2001 and 2003. These include an amendment sponsored by Senator John D. Rockefeller to prohibit a reduction in the top tax rate until Congress enacted legislation to provide a prescription drug benefit and an amendment sponsored by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) against full repeal of the Death Tax and also an amendment sponsored by Tom Daschle (D-SD) and co-sponsored by Senator McCain to limit tax reduction in the top tax bracket to one percentage point.
And then there's the McCain-Kennedy amnesty.
And the Kennedy-John Edwards-John McCain Patients' bill of rights.
And there's McCain's agreement with Ted Kennedy that filibustering Bush's judicial nominees to the federal court of appeals should not be prevented by the Byrd/Constitutional/Nuclear option.
Ted Kennedy and John McCain both voted to confirm Ruth Bader Ginsberg to the US Supreme Court.
The Left thinks that the "axis of evil" is Wal-Mart, Haliburton and Enron.
I'm going to state an obvious fact that'll probably get me beaten up a lot:
A certain segment of the right McCain derangement syndrome that is eerily similar to the lefts Bush derangement syndrome. By that, I mean, their hatred couldn't possibly be born out of an honest weighing of the facts, even by their own standards, but by some weird obsession with the fact that everything the person does is evil, regardless of what it accomplishes, regardless of if you would agree with the action if anybody else did it, etc.
The number infected has been steadily going down, but it's still a very real disease.
John Bolton for President
"FEAR THE 'STACH!!!"
That's completely incorrect.
Opponents of Senator John McCain are more than willing to discuss McCain's actions, statements and votes.
Supporters of McCain like to constantly mention his record as a Prisoner of War so as to gin up an emotional bias towards the Senator.
If you are a right wing on the issues of illegal immigration, filibustering of conservative judicial nominees, tax cuts, freedom of speech, liability laws for health insurance companies, gun control, treatment of captured terrorists, government regulation directed at global warming, McCain has simply been on the wrong side of the issues.
That's not emotion. That's fact.
The Left thinks that the "axis of evil" is Wal-Mart, Haliburton and Enron.
So you opposed Bush too, right? Because he's on McCain's side on more then half these issues.
John Bolton for President
"FEAR THE 'STACH!!!"
Because he's on McCain's side on more then half these issues.
Let's see.
John McCain voted against the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts. Are you saying that Bush opposed the Bush tax cuts?
John McCain was the first Republican US Senator to announce that he would vote with the Democrat party leadership on the Byrd/Constitutional/Nuclear option regarding the filibusters of Bush's judicial nominees. Are you saying that Bush supported having his judicial nominees filibustered?
John McCain voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment. Bush campaigned for the Federal Marriage Amendment in his 2004 reelection campaign.
The Ted Kennedy-John Edwards-John McCain Patients' bill of Rights. Bush annouced in 2001 that he would not sign the Kennedy-Edwards-McCain bill (it never passed the US House).
The Left thinks that the "axis of evil" is Wal-Mart, Haliburton and Enron.
So you admit, he IS on Bush's side on half the issues you mentioned?
And Bush was in favor of the Gang of 14 deal. It's an open secret that Bush went and talked to Lindsay Graham and got him to manage the deal for them because they thought it would be better then the nuclear option, which they thought was risky and unnecessary and didn't want to use unless there was absolutely no other way.
And other issues you are faulting him for never went anywhere, and he ultimately supported the bills that Bush signed.
Like I said, McCain derangement syndrome goes deep.
John Bolton for President
"FEAR THE 'STACH!!!"
A certain segment of the right McCain derangement syndrome that is eerily similar to the lefts Bush derangement syndrome. By that, I mean, their hatred couldn't possibly be born out of an honest weighing of the facts, even by their own standards, but by some weird obsession with the fact that everything the person does is evil, regardless of what it accomplishes, regardless of if you would agree with the action if anybody else did it, etc.
Isn't really a great way to win friends and influence people. People don't really appreciate being told "if you don't think x, you must have some kind of mental problem." Just because people don't agree with your assessment of the man doesn't mean they are blinded by irrational hatred.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
Read all the comments on this thread. There are comments that criticize the Senator for his policies, his views, and his 2000 campaign. Then there are comments that portray the Senator as someone who secretly plots to attack conservatives and Republicans as a matter of purpose. They insinuate that he is an evil, bad person.
The original comment was about the second group. The first are doing what primary voters should do.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
1) There used to be more, but they seem to at least respect the Senator if not support him.
2) The fact that there is only one going all out McCain is Evil in this thread is definitely some proof that McCain has mitigated the McCain-will-split-the-party concern.
3) Ignore the trolls and they go away. That's why I stopped responding to the automated anti-McCain troll.
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Whether McCain secretly plots to attack conservatives and Republicans as a matter of purpose is open for debate.
But clearly, McCain has been battling the rest of the Republican party for over a decade. I remember Mitch McConnell arguing against the McCain-Feingold legislation way back in the mid-1990s. McCain was joining with Feingold to hold up Senate business, demanding that their legislation get time on the floor.
In the 2000 campaign, McCain denounced Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.
Then came all of the other issues on which McCain earned the opposition of conservatives and Republicans (2001 and 2003 tax cuts, Kennedy-Edwards patients' bill of rights, announcing his opposition to the Byrd option to end judicial filibusters of Bush's nominees, Kennedy-McCain immigration bill).
So, if one were to conclude that John McCain some time ago rejected conservatism in favor of Leftism, there is plenty of evidence in McCain's statements, Senate votes and actions that would provide evidence to support this point of view.
Personally, I don't know exactly why John McCain decided to join up with Russ Feingold on campaign finance legislation, decided to join with Tom Daschle against the Bush tax cuts, join with Chuck Schumer against the Byrd option on judicial filibusters, with Ted Kennedy and John Edwards on the Patients' Bill of Rights legislation and with Ted Kennedy on immigration legislation.
It doesn't make sense to me why a Republican with presidential ambitions would behave this way.
My best guess is that McCain has decided after all these years that he doesn't like the conservative ideology and enjoys the flattery of Left Wing Senators and the Mainstream press.
But that's just a guess.
The Left thinks that the "axis of evil" is Wal-Mart, Haliburton and Enron.
I want a McCain- Giuliani ticket.A greater number of the Christian conservatives for whom the prolife issue is non-negotiable will be able to support this slate.This is the strongest ticket we can present to the American people. There are other Republicans candidates who possess qualities that I admire; however, I want to defeat Hillary. If we want to ensure a future for our children and grandchildren, we must not allow her to become President.She will decimate the military to fund her social programs and leave us vulnerable to attack.Who needs health care if we don't have a country or if we lose our freedom?
Senator McCain isn't perfect, but I believe that he will have the respect of the military, will realize the tenacity of our enemies, and will avoid war unless there is no other choice. I have never voted for a Democrat in a national election and will support the Republican candidate regardless. I firmly believe that John McCain is our only hope.
Policy-wise I think amnesty is the wrong solution. Also, I think being pro-amnesty is not going to attract voters. Most people who are pro-amnesty are going to vote for the Democratic ticket no matter what. Having an illegal immigration enforcement ticket and policy is the right thing to do for the country and it also will attract some independent voters.
McCain is also not strong enough on punishing terrorists. We should commit to treating terrorist prisoners better than the ways the terrorists treat the people they capture/kidnap. As long as we're treating the terrorists better than the way they treat our guys or innocent civilians, we shouldn't worry if a terrorist gets a little cold or damp or uncomfortable while they're getting questioned.
That said, I don't see any ticket the Democrats are going to be create as being nearly as good as a McCain-Giuliani ticket. However, republicans can make a far better ticket than McCain-Giuliani.
and have watched McCain since he was my Representative in the early 1980's. Many in AZ do not care for him for all the political reasons listed above. We all know he is a hot-head, could be the AZ sun, and he is older than the hills. He would be about 3 years older than Reagan.
McCain is good for some entertainment value. He is solid on defense. It ends there. I also have some personal knowledge that makes me VERY wary of him. He would scare the hell out of me. I do not trust him. Neither should you.
His wife also has the baggage of a loaded 747. It's not fair but the press and the Dems will unload if he is the candidate. They will smear the potential first lady relentlessly.
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Vista really sucks!
of the gutter of innuendo and dark suggestions. We already heard enough from people like you in South Carolina in 2000. Find a time machine, power it up, set the dial for eight years ago, and blast off, because you belong in the past.
This is not "innuendo and dark suggestions".
Is being part of the Gang of 14 innuendo? How about voting against tax cuts or shredding the 2nd amendment? He would turn 73, his first year in office. Is that an "innuendo" or a "dark suggestion"?
This will be a very ugly election year and McCain has a boatload of vulnerabilities; he is entertaining but not likable. This election is incredibly important; we've never faced a terrorist threat like we face now in a very dangerous world. That, with the appointment of judges, maintaining a solid economy in an ever competitive world, and limiting the expansion of government are critical to the country's future. I want to WIN and McCain can't get it done.
Next time, go after the comments; not the commenter.
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Vista really sucks!
of the gutter of innuendo and dark suggestions. We already heard enough from people like you in South Carolina in 2000. Find a time machine, power it up, set the dial for eight years ago, and blast off, because you belong in the past.
Even if you disagree with him, he has a solid phalanx of facts and supportable reasoning to shore up his side of the argument. And for what it's worth, on the core social issues (i.e. the Second Amendment, abortion and same sex marriage), he should be acceptable to most SocCons. And his assaults on pork and his being something of a deficit-hawk is something FisCons can assuage themselves with.
I'd vote for him over Hillary without hesitation.
However, I simply can't overlook his maverick antics from 2001 to 2006, even though, to his credit, they seem to have declined in frequency and volume since he decided to give the Oval Office another shot. Apparently, he has realized, unlike in 2000, that he actually needs Republicans a lot more than Democrats and Independents to win the GOP nomination.
I have said this before, and I'll say it again; his five years of maverick antics have to be addressed and atoned for or else they are going to continue and as President he can do a huge amount of damage to the GOP. Simply put, on every other issue outside of defense and pork, McCain is too dangerously susceptible to Press Corps manipulation.
Can he say no to the Democrats on CAFE standards when the New York Times, the Washington Post, ABC, CNN, etc. are screaming for him to knuckle under in the interest of moderation and/or bipartisanship? I have my doubts. That's why I can't vote for him in the Primaries.
Except for BCRA. That is the primary obstacle I have with him, otherwise I could vote for him without a problem, although without great enthusiasm. I have the same problem with Fred, but at least he has admitted that it wasn't a great idea now.
Also, on the Second Amendment, McCain isn't great. Much better than Rudy, but he has some problems there. He has voted to require background checks at gun shows and a few other things like that.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
Moving back towards his base to try to regain support from his party is a page out of the Dem's playbook and won't wash with conservatives (elephants have long memories). Huckabee, without big corporate money backing him, has inspired many every day people who are sick of flip floppers and RiNO’s to take action. He is soaring up the charts and is a real contender! He's not beholding to the "Wall street" crowd but the "Main stret" crowd! HE has beaten the Clinton machine in the past. ONLY he can do it again. The FairTax will pull disillusioned moderate Democrats to vote for him as well. The leader of the FairTax movement in my area is a Democrat!!!! McCain is finished.
NeoCon by Nature
[1] Main Street versus Wall Street rhetoric is really not a Republican trait. Railing against corporations {cue evil music} is also a distinctively Lefty obsession. Most of us who actually value economic growth do not appreciate anti-business attitudes.
[2] Never, under any circumstances, ever, declare your candidate to be the "ONLY" one who can beat the other side. First of all, it is false. Second it is morale destroying. Third, it is strategically and tactically stupid.
Get this straight; every single one of our top tier candidates can defeat the Clinton machine.
everytime I look at him I see two other faces Teddy Kennedy and President Bush and all of them are telling me I am a racist.
Freedom of Religion not Freedom from Religion