CPAC, Part II: McCain Makes the Democrats Sweat
February 8th, 2008 at 02:05am Mark Noonan
Matthew Continetti notes a fundraising letter he received from Howard Dean:
I just finished reading Howard Dean’s latest fundraising appeal, and it looks like the Democrats will have trouble against John McCain in the fall. Why? Dean’s letter attempts to portray a McCain presidency as a third term for George W. Bush. But it doesn’t hold up. Dean actually writes that McCain “looked the other way as Jack Abramoff bought and paid for the Republican Party and the Culture of Corruption.” Um, I wrote an entire book in which McCain was one of the few Republican heroes in the Abramoff affair. Besides which, whether you agree with the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002, and I don’t, you can’t really argue that McCain is trying to make lobbyists’ lives easier. Quite the contrary.
Next comes immigration, an issue on which Dean says McCain has aligned himself “with the most extreme elements of the Republican Party.” Has Dean not been paying attention to American politics for the last two years?
Apparantly not - the letter goes on to moan about McCain on Iraq and abortion. Boiled down, Dean knows that McCain’s reasonable views on the issues is political poison for a Democratic nominee - be it Hillary or Obama - who has had to turn sharply left in order to fight out the Democratic nomination battle. In a year when all the political stars have aligned in favor of the Democrats, the one thing which can - and will - beat them is a GOP candidate who has crossover appeal against Democrats who have been forced to take up extremist, leftwing positions.
As I watched what worked out to be McCain’s acceptance speech at CPAC yesterday, it occured to me that whatever else one might think about McCain, the message he is carrying is one which will appeal to a very broad cross-section of the American electorate. Whatever McCain might lose on the right - and I think it will be relatively small, after all is said and done - he’s going to gain in the center, as well as amongst that minority of Democrats who haven’t gone off the deep end by means of anti-Bush insanity. I’m as close to a single-issue voter in 2008 as I’m ever likely to get, and on my single issue - the war - McCain is hands-down superior to Obama or Hillary…for the rest, I’m willing to politely battle it out with McCain for any steps he takes to the left should be become President. At least if I’m battling McCain I know I’m battling a man of conviction, not a finger-in-the-wind lefty. In my view, we’ve got the man who can win, as long as he can reasonably unite the GOP behind him; and he’s got 6 months to do it, during most of which time the Democrats will be attacking each other, and going ever further left.
All in all, a great day to be a consevative and a Republican in the United States of America.
Entry Filed under: Campaign 2008, Republicans
18 Comments
1. Doug | February 8th, 2008 at 2:16 am
During the next 6 months Obama and Hillary will get millions of dollars in free press, most likely using that time to try to make McCain look bad, having contests with each other to see who does the best job of it.
We need to keep Huckabee in it so he and McCain could have a cordial debate every other week or so, so that we can have some free positive press, they could be gaining up on Hillary/Obama.
2. NeoClown | February 8th, 2008 at 3:52 am
As a lifelong democrat I think John McCain would make a fine President.
John or Hillary works for me.
3. Mike Burleson | February 8th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Mark,
You’re correct, a truly great day! The Right was supposed to be in chaos by this time, according to the Leftist media Pundits, while Hillary was sailing on smoothly to her Party’s nomination. But the Dems are the one’s having to struggle, as we gleam from Dean’s own pen here.
We were also supposed to be on the ropes because of Iraq, but it looks like the Iraq issue, especially the Surge, is giving our leading candidate the momentum to victory in the Fall.
McCain was likely my 3rd choice initially for the nomination, behind Rudy and Romney. No dissapointment at all however in the outcome, as like you the war trumps all other issues. McCain is in it to win, not to “get out” as the Left monotones. Also, I wasn’t too sure if my first choices could beat Hillary ( still thinking its Hillary in November), but McCain is actually trumping her in the polls!
Good to be a Republican these days. Reagan ain’t done yet!
4. Ed | February 8th, 2008 at 8:35 am
He says “secure the border first” but will provide amnesty second.
He voted against the Bush Tax cuts but pledges to make them permanent.
And he blames wall street for being profitable.
McCain is a collectivist to some extent, but at least he supports an aggressive war against islamic fundamentalism. And he is against abortion.
But he is pretty old and some say a bit crazy, so count me as one of the torn. We will come around to support him eventually.
5. Sunny | February 8th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Mike Burleson | February 8th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Mark,
You’re correct, a truly great day! The Right was supposed to be in chaos by this time, according to the Leftist media Pundits
Acturally Mike, it is not the Lestist media pundits that are having a melt down about McCain winning the Republican nomination. It is the Right wing pundits - Laura Ingram, Rush Lumbaugh, Michele Malkin, Ann Countler etc. They are the ones that are having a hissy fit about McCain. And then Dobson comes along and states that he will never vote for McCain. I agree with Mark - McCain will garner votes from those of us who more center in our political views. As long as he does the right thing on immigration he will get my vote. I think Obama is inspirational but I would have a more difficult time voting for him. I could never vote for Hillary. She is as divisive as George Bush and I think our country has had enough of that.
6. Retired Spook | February 8th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Sunny, our Lefties here (and I don’t necessarily count you among that group) are constantly reminding us what a tiny minority the far right is. I think the demographics of this election are going to show just how true that is. McCain will still get votes from the pragmatists in that group, but there is a solid 60-65% in the middle Left, middle and middle Right where McCain will garner most of his votes. Liberal Democrats will discover (or, in some cases, rediscover) the lesson learned in 1972 when Nixon buried George McGovern in a landslide. The majority of the country wasn’t nearly as far left as the McGovernites believed, and the same will hold true with either Hillary or Obama come November.
Geraldo Rivera (no right-winger) put the remainder of the primary season in perspective this morning on Fox and Friends when he said “the Democrats are getting themselves in position for a circular firing squad.”
7. Adrian | February 8th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Mark, I don’t know that I’d say it’s a GREAT day to be a conservative, but it isn’t as bad as it could be that’s for sure. I wasn’t going to back McCain as long as my horse (Romney) was still running, but that’s behind us now. I hope everyone gets over their anti-McCain angst soon and gets on board with him because there’s still a long way to go.
“the Democrats are getting themselves in position for a circular firing squad.”
That’s a funny line…hope it ends up being correct.
8. Retired Spook | February 8th, 2008 at 10:09 am
I hope everyone gets over their anti-McCain angst soon and gets on board with him because there’s still a long way to go.
Adrian, I suspect there are a lot of self-described mainstream Conservatives (a group in which I would include myself) that will end up voting for McCain simply because the alternative is irrepairable damage to the country, but we aren’t likely to “get on board with him”. Who knows, though, he could surprise everyone.
One thing McCain needs to learn, and learn quickly, if he’s elected, and that is that compromise means each side giving up a little to achieve an outcome that is acceptable to the majority. It doesn’t mean co-sponsoring Leftwing legislation with people like Russ Feingold, Ted Kennedy and Joe Liberman that spits in the face of his own party. He needs to become a student of “tact” which is defined as “the ability to tell someone to go to hell, and make them anticipate the trip.” (as opposed to simply telling someone to go to hell, which I’ve heard he is quite good at, particularly people in his own party.)
9. Adrian | February 8th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Spook,
I put myself in that group as well. Maybe “get on board with” was poor phraseology. It implies that I want people to more or less roll over and accept McCain uncritically. That’s not what I meant; I have some pretty serious issues with McCain, with immigration policy being at the top of the list. He’s trying to make the right noises about that now of course, but he has to carry through.
What I really meant was simply that he’s the nominee and so needs a unified party behind him to have a chance. And even with all his warts, McCain is peferable to Clinton or Obama.
I agree wholeheartedly that John McCain has some things to learn about compromise. So far most of his compromises have taken away parts of what are important to me and I haven’t seen anything in return for it.
10. Retired Spook | February 8th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Adrian, a female caller to Limbaugh’s show yesterday made an analogy which I thought was quite apropos. She likened the 9 months until the election to the 9 months of a woman’s pregnancy. She explained how many women, when they first learn they’re pregnant, think their life has been turned upside down. They are often apprehensive about whether or not they made the right choice, whether or not they’re mentally and/or financially ready to handle the responsibilities of parenthood, etc. But, as the baby grows inside them, they learn to accept and usually relish the prospect of giving birth. I’m not a Rush 27/7 member, so I don’t have access to the exact transcript, and I’m really not doing justice to what she said.
Suffice it to say, the outcome is, to a great extent, in John McCain’s hands now.
11. Ricorun | February 8th, 2008 at 11:07 am
I hope it’s not a difficult labor. Lol!
Anyway, that’s the way I see it. It’s a long way to November, and people’s attitudes are going to change.
12. Retired Spook | February 8th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I hope it’s not a difficult labor. Lol!
I knew someone was going to make that comment. I hope not too, Rico.
One of the things that I think is going to mitigate it (the labor, that is) is when the Democrat nominee (whichever one it is) has to start spelling out specific policies, how much they’re going to cost, and who’s going to pay for them.
13. Ricorun | February 8th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Spook: One of the things that I think is going to mitigate it (the labor, that is) is when the Democrat nominee (whichever one it is) has to start spelling out specific policies, how much they’re going to cost, and who’s going to pay for them.
Yup.
14. NeoClown | February 8th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Fox News says John McCain is the Democrat nominee.
15. Buddy | February 8th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Seems like the GOP hasn’t learned from 2006.
The GOP lost the election becuase they moved too far away from the moderates…..
Just like the Democrats if they choose to go with Obama , will also be moving away from the moderates.
Whether you like it or not, the majority in the USA or not the liberal left of the conservative right… the majority of Americans are moderats..
Ignore them at your peril.
As for McCain opposingBush’s tax cuts, based on conservative economics.. it was the right thing to do.
16. plainjane | February 8th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
It would make sense if McCain picked Senator Larry Craig to be the GOPers VP candidate. McCain needs to widen his stance.
17. Retired Spook | February 8th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I don’t agree with you on much, Jane, but I’ve gotta admit that’s pretty good.
18. Bob Taft | February 8th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
McCain makes the Dems sweat?? What ARE you smoking? I dare say that they will be laughing all the way to the White House if we nominate this example of the worst aspects both parties.
The American people have spoken loud and clear that they are against the occupation of Iraq. They are demanding CHANGE, and John McCain epitomizes the status quo. He openly declares that there “will be more wars” even now, while he seeks our party’s nomination. GW used the rhetoric of “no nation building” and “no policing the world” to get elected, yet look at what happened. From McCain’s own statements how can anyone think that his foreign policy would be anything but “Bush on steroids”.
This man is definitely NOT a viable candidate, and if we are fool enough to nominate him we will LOSE.
Were ANY of you paying attention to the CPAC speeches yesterday? Congressman Paul made some excellent points those of you who think that you are conservative should take note of. We HAVE lost our way as a party, and backing dead horse liberal McCain is a sure sign.
The ONLY chance we have of winning the White House this fall is to back our candidate that has a message that we should ALL be endorsing wholeheartedly if we want to preserve our Republic. His message is conservative, but is appealing to moderates and liberals as well, as evinced by his supporters from across the spectrum. In fact, if you are NOT one of the power-brokering elite, not for the CFR agenda of globalizing government, and would like to see your Liberty and our Constitution restored, then his message is for YOU.
See you at the Convention in September.
Robert Taft