“The people who know him like him least”
There are more signs of trouble for John McCain in his home state. So far, Beltway insiders have laughed off grass-roots conservative opposition to The Maaaverick. Might as well call them typical small-town people who cling bitterly to the quaint idea of the rule of law. Or you could just do as Lindsey Graham does and dismiss them as “bigots.” Whatever McCain and his people call them, they are not going away:
Sen. John McCain’s status as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has done little to ease the criticism that he faces from a small but vocal group of conservatives in his home state.
A week ago, Republican activists living in the same state legislative district as the senator rejected nearly all the names that his campaign submitted as candidates to become delegates to the party’s state convention on May 10.
Six people on the McCain slate did eventually become delegates, but were able to do so only because they had their feet in more than one camp, said Rob Haney, the Republican chairman of the district and McCain’s most prominent critic in Arizona.
“The people who know him like him the least. He is a media darling, so the general population doesn’t know his record - and conservatives do,” Haney said, though noting that he doesn’t believe that the development could derail his campaign.
The small group of conservatives have dogged McCain since he first ran for Congress in 1982. Their objections include his views on illegal immigration, campaign finance reform and abortion. They rallied around him during the “Keating 5″ scandal but were turned off by his moderate positions in the 2000 presidential race.
While the group has been a nagging and sometimes embarrassing problem, McCain remains strong in Arizona. The latest polls show McCain has a sizable lead in Arizona in matchups against either of his two Democratic rivals.
State delegates will meet in Mesa on May 10 to pick Arizona’s 50 delegates to the Republican National Convention.
A McCain spokesman said he’s confident Arizona will be theirs in November.
How? By pandering to Hispanics, of course:
Arizona Senator John McCain cites his standing with his state’s Hispanics as proof that he is a different kind of Republican, distinct from the illegal- immigration foes who dominate the party. He vows to campaign in the barrios, gunning for the 70 percent Latino support he won in his last senatorial election.
That’s precisely what worries anti-immigration Republicans, who say the party’s base will stay at home if it detects the kind of mariachi politics that President George W. Bush practiced to win more than 40 percent of Latino voters in 2004.
If McCain “panders for the Hispanic vote, politically, he’ll kill himself and he’ll kill us,” said Arizona state Representative Russell Pearce, a Republican who is leading a effort to revoke business licenses of employers who knowingly employ illegal immigrants. “There are more votes in my approach than his.”
McCain, 71, plans to test that theory. He may be the one Republican in a position to do so. After a divisive immigration debate in 2006, Republican candidates in that year’s mid-term elections only received 30 percent of the Hispanic vote, down more than 10 points from 2004, according to exit polls.
***
Seeing Red AZ reported more than a week ago:
John McCain’s slate for important state convention delegates, was unable to muster the necessary votes to win in his own home district.
His list included three GOP precinct committeemen who had endorsed Democrat Janet Napolitano for governor and whose names appeared on the pro-abortion WISH List: Sharon Harper, Kahryn Nix and Brenda Sperduti.
The election loss dealt an embarrassing blow to the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
Along with the cookies, cupcakes and McCain lapel stickers, a “Recommended McCain Delegates to State Convention,” list printed on McCain’s letterhead was distributed to committeemen entering the meeting. Previously, letters were mailed and follow-up phone calls made, to ensure support for McCain’s hand-picked slate.
Hopefully McCain will have better luck at the national convention.
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Categories: John McCain
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I hesitate to use the metaphor but the 3 monkeys come to mind of see no evil, hear no evil & speak no evil. I have to pick one. Help!
I’ve got to steal a line someone wrote earlier. “Can we have a do over before we have a do?” Please? We had other choices before MSM chose McCain for us. Please?
See, I used to be of this mindset…and then I watched the democratic debate. Feel free to call him out on these things, but remember that we know what we’re getting with the crotchety old man. Mr. Change? Not so much. Besides, it will be a while before we get a true conservative candidate who panders to the base. Bush was lucky to ride that wave for two elections.
McCain needs to avoid picking a RINO like himself as a VP. If he can find a good conservative running mate, it will go much easier for him.
I received my Republican Agenda Survey a couple weeks ago. With it a warning from the House Minority Leader that if we do not come together behind this candidate we risk a generation of Democratic controlled congress.
I sent a nice letter back explaining that should the current candidate (McCain) fail to listen to the core conservatives of the party that “risk” will become a gaurantee.
Unfortunately as much as I dislike McCain’s politics and his lack of conservative values I find it more disconcerting when thinking of the alternatives.
McCain’s following here in AZ is strongest among RINO’s and democrats. Unfortunately the AZ Republican party seems to be producing more and more of the kind of politician who is willing to forego princible in favor of pandering. Our state senate president and the speaker of the state house of representatives are conspiring to bottle up a bill that would outlaw sanctuary cities. Senator Bee, the president of the senate, is considering a run for congress from my district. I don’t think I’ll be voting for him any time soon. I guess we’ll be stuck with Gabrielle Giffords(D) again.
I don’t understand why they want to ‘bottle up a bill that would outlaw sanctuary cities’, is there something wrong with wanting criminals out of this country?
As much as I diagree with Mr. McCain on illegal immigration, I disagree with Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton a heck of a lot more.
I would have looked forward to voting for Mr. Thompson, but he blew it with his campaign strategy. I will have nightmares and no sleep if the elitest or the unlikeable one become occupants at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Try “smell no evil.” It’s a lot easier with them noseplugs.
This Froggy has had the “lesser of two evils” heat turned up “by the experts” for MANY years now. It’s time to jump out of the pot.
My party has been steadily shifting left and socialist but, “hold your nose and vote for the L.T.E.” has been the consistant chant.
Did I just read that J.M’s choice list had names of precinct people who were solidly PRO-Death (pro-abortion)?
John-say it isn’t so!
I shudder to think who McCain will pick for his running mate.
McCain will pick a fellow Democrat or “Rino” as VP…he has shown no regard for the conservative base that literally carried the water for Neo-Con Republicans like him.
My guess is he will pick Mitt Romney or Joseph Lieberman.
If gun owners had compromised with the Clinton Administration in 1990s, I can guarantee you there would be no 2nd amendment right to talk about…by the same token supporting a candidate like McCain who will let in scores of illegal voters onto the rolls is like cutting one’s own throat.
On last thing for the night I ask the reader to consider: There are plenty more “McCains” in the Republican Party who are watching him to see if he is successful in November…If John McCain gets enough conservative voters and organizations to roll over for him -and compromise their values in the process…I can guarantee this will launch a flood of contempt for the Republican base and the COMPLETE destruction of its influence within the Republican Party.
To the left there is one that will increase the bloated DC bureaucratic machine and turn this once great, lean, state run, democratic republic into a socialistic, cringing “remember-when” nation. Bleeding its citizens of their daily wage to give to those who only know life on the rolls of the dole.
There is another on the left who is an empty suit having nothing to offer in the way of leadership and inspires no confidence for the future whatsoever. By his ignorance and unwillingness to follow good advise he will force our strong, decisive, knowledgeable warriors to evacuate their posts in frustration for civilian life.
To the right there is one who wants to be known as a political conservative yet is so fearful that rather than listen to and follow the voices of the citizens of his own country, he feels the need to pander to foreign nations and their lawbreaking foreign citizenry who see this nation as little more than a place to pluck the fruit they haven’t earned from the orchards they neither planted, watered or tended.
The future of this nation is a scary place right now.
MSNBC exit polls taken in Republican Presidential primaries:
Arizona - White, registered Republicans:
McCain: 44%
Romney: 42%
Florida - White, registered Republicans:
Romney: 42%
McCain: 40%
Without Hispanics, McCain lost in Florida, and almost lost in his home state of Arizona.
Prediction: “Amnesty will pass in 2009, Hispanics will register Democrat 75%-25% over Republican, and the GOP will be out of power for 20 years.
Like him or not McCain is the GOP nominee and rejecting him is electing the islamist lover Obama or the corrupt Clintons so why keep bashing him ? It does the GOP no good and only helps to elect the marxist tax and spenders.
This year, I’ve pretty much decided to leave the box blank on the ballot where you pick the President. I’ll vote on the other choices, but there is nobody running for President who cares about me and my “community”. Thus, no one that I can say yes to, and still have a clear conscience. Right now, I don’t care who wins, because they are all off track!!!
C’mon, Michelle, say it:
President Bob Barr!
You know that Mitt Romney guy had alot of character. McCain kind of scares me like the Uncle with an anger issue. You know he’s trying all he can from throwing you across the room, but you can see it in his eyes. I did some research on Mr.Romney and still do not know why he dropped out. Perhaps if he foresaw the democratic debacle he would have stayed in. His comments were that in staying in would
He’s everything I think a Conservative is. I’m saying that in a good way.
I’ll be writing in Tom Tancredo’s name on the 22nd (PA primary).
And I’ll echo my answer to Michelle’s survey a few months ago, I’d rather be waterboarded than vote for the Maaverick.
Insane. I can’t, in good conscience, cast a vote for president come November. I really think there should be an option for Americans to choose either ‘no confidence’ as their vote, or else request a ‘do-over’, with new presidential nominees.
I think Romney got out because of money issues and his religion (people supposedly found his religion hard to take. . .can you imagine that? How about Obama’s religion?). . .but I’m also not voting for president come November. They all literally stink! I want my country back with good, honest leadership!!
I believe the key to this election is to vote for CONSERVATIVE Republicans for the Senate and House, thus rendering whichever socialist is elected POTUS, moot, meaningless and castrated (yes, even “she who must not be named)
The closer to the election we get, the more uncomfortable I become. I really intend to vote - it’s one of the few times that I have a real voice. However, if McCain were to latch onto Liebermen as VP, as was suggested above by Love2rumba #12, then I will most certainly NOT vote for McCain. A write-in vote for ‘none of the above’ sounds good to me.
God, bless America and please see us through the next four years with any of these idiots at the wheel of government.
Oops…Lieberman as a VP was not ’suggested’ by Love2rumba, but ‘mentioned as a possibility’.
Sorry.
Un-American, that’s why we all most vote, even if we write in Mickey Mouse for the POTUS spot. As annoyed as we are we have to think about not only congress but the state and local elections as well.
I think I’ll write in Jimmy Carter, after all, he still thinks he has the job, and he is doing as much good now as he did when he was President.
Count me as one of the none of the above crowd!
Right now, the thought of voting for any of the “candidates” is frightful, as none see the issues as I do. Come election day, the only way I will be able to back McCain depends on the selection for VP he makes. I’ll never vote for either of the Dem candidates.
Just so you know…here in Texas our state representatives- the ones with backbones..are writing their OWN illegal immigration bills- the ones to DISCOURAGE the illegals (no more low tuition, no more freebies period, ETC) and bills to “beef” up enforcement and one that says no more anchor babies….and of course we have a bill that is being written now similar to the Arizona and Oklahoma bill- no hiring if you can not prove you are a citizen of the USA…People we must RELY ON OUR STATE LEGISLATURES TO pass these pro USA BILLS!!! Here in this state of Texas if the democrats get a majority in our state house- these bills will not even get out of committee. If we can get the “strong candidates” (mostly Republicans) to really push this stuff and we light fires under the other Fence straddlers- and NOT let fire go out–IT WILL HAPPEN
And hey, if any bill goes to supreme court- SO BE IT!!! SUPPORT CANDIDATES that are representing YOU the USA citizen and not somebody else–YOUR CONGRESS AND STATE HOUSE CAN HAVE A LOT MORE POWER that the White House- in initiating new bills-if we get the right people in there!! Thanks for listening to a CONCERNED TEXAN that loves the 2nd admendment and church
If Juan McCain wins, we will never be rid of these nasty rinos!
Cinco de Mayo is coming…..please come out of the shadows my friends and march on our streets across America.
A nun once said to our class that God loves us, but He doesn’t have to like us (when we are doing disappointing things to our fellow human beings.) I may not like certain things about John McCain, but I love my country and will vote for him as alot better than Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.
One of my co-workers grew up in AZ, he does verify that McCain loses his cool a lot, but also that he gets things done because he is not afraid to do so … when the Iranians lob a nuke into Haifa I am thinking that might be a good thing.
McCain needs to pick a strong conservative as VP. With the way the presidency ages a person, and his past health problems, I doubt he’ll finish his first term. Best case scenario at this point is his stepping down after a short period and letting his VP take over.
I am NO McCain fan. That being said, he should not be completely faulted. Our party, almost across the board, let us down. Our Reps sold out to election politics - who can get elected.
Did they listen to their base? No.
Did they care about who would represent us best? No.
Narrow vision is all they had. Who could beat Shrill - that is it.
And they can’t understand why we refuse to write checks - duh!
I haven’t changed my mind, boys and girls.
I won’t vote for him. I don’t like him and I don’t trust him. Don’t care if he’s the lesser of two evils.
Won’t vote for someone I neither like nor trust.
So, I’ll sit one out for the first time in many years. If this is the best we can do, we are in some very deep trouble - and we are in deep trouble.
That’s not true. I don’t know him and I really dislike him a lot. The folks in Arizona keep electing him into office. I will not be voting for him, however; I will be voting against Obama.
Break out the noseplugs, I guess. Like Ron, I “dislike him a lot.” But, I detest the other two options.
I have been toying for a while now with leaving the top spot blank and voting for everything under that on the ballot. I may still. But, I am trying to convince myself to cast a vote against the Demoocrat nominee.
The MSM along with crossover Dems (their own version of operation Chaos) chose our candidate for us for the most part. We can only vote for other conservative positions in congress etc. to try to maintain our voice. As long as things happen like the immigration (aka amnesty) fiasco where people like MM and Ms Ingraham were outstanding in leading the charge to stop it we can still influence our politicians. Don’t give up!!!
Are all you people who blame the MSM for choosing McCain saying that Republicans are too stupid to do their own research and believe everything they hear? Stop blaming and realize that most Americans are sick of the ultra-conservative, borrow and spend policies that resulted in the Canadian dollar being worth more than ours.
I just saw this one today: Poll shows McCain winning back unhappy Republicans:
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080417/D903I7A80.html
Since we are no longer Republicans in our household he can win back anyone that wants to side with the “Stupid Party.” Every time I try to talk myself into sucking it up donning the MOPP gear and going in to pull the leaver to vote against either Democrat he opens his mouth spouting some liberal agenda talking points .
Count me in as a “none of the above” write-in voter for POTUS. I will not stay home, but I will do my homework and I am already eyeing a replacement for my districts State Legislature Senate seat. I am tired of the RINO we have now.
On April 17th, 2008 at 8:55 am, caligulajones said:
Are all you people who blame the MSM for choosing McCain saying that Republicans are too stupid to do their own research and believe everything they hear?
Stop blaming and realize that most Americans are sick of the ultra-conservative, borrow and spend policies that resulted in the Canadian dollar being worth more than ours.
If it were “ultra-conservative” people in D.C., CJ, you wouldn’t see “borrow and spend policies”, like you suggest.
“Ultra-conservatives” believe in cutting the pork, earmarks, etc., decreaing the size of government and increasing personal responsibility. I know of very few in D.C. that meet those criteria. So, I feel it safe to say that they haven’t been passing the bloated things coming out of there.
Sen. McCain has done nothing to assuage my concerns about him as president, and I am through holding my nose while I vote for for the lesser of evils. If he chooses a VP I can support, I’ll vote for that person, not McCain. If neither warrants my support, that box will stay blank. I’ll focus my efforts on House and Senate seats where I hope conservatives can erect a firewall to McCain’s RINO agenda should he even manage to win.
I have had enough of RINOs. I voted for GHWB and GWB and I am sorry. Uncounted trillions of dollars later I realize the Reagan was the exception and not the rule. The GOP is all too willing to become Eurosocialists if it wins elections. They are not the party of conservaties and John McCain is just the latest installment of liberal idiocy from the GOP. John McCain cannot, ever, under any circumstances win my vote.
My vote for McCain will be a vote against the other side. They are so much alike, it doesn’t matter which one of them it is. They both are for killing babies and taking away my gun. No vote at all just gives the other side a better chance to destroy America in any way they wish.
Reason #236,789,402 to have “none of the above” added to every ballot.
I will vote to support the troops. So that means voting for McCain.
Also, as Sean Hannity has said on his radio show; he would rather have someone with whom he agrees 60% of the time than someone with whom he agrees 0% of the time.
Barry, you misunderstand me. I believe that for too many years good people have been duped by fake conservatism. They say they want to rein in spending but only that which benefits other people. You want to see bloated, look at the Farm Bill. Tax breaks for Oil companies. And I don’t think you hate the MSM for the right reasons. They are not liberal. If you don’t believe me, don’t watch the news but the commercials. They are mostly from drug companies, car, oil, insurance, and large franchises. Do you think that these companies would pay for news that went against their own self interest? Liberal vs. Conservative fighting only distracts us from finding common ground. Compromise built this great nation, and it is a sign of strength, not weakness.
These two posts simply do not jive.
I read it again, CJ. And, I would have to agree with 30…
If you are trying to compare George Bush to an “ultra-conservative”, you are off the mark. George Bush labeled himself as a “compassionate-conservative. “Ultra-conservatives” decrease spending and waste, while trying to increase the personal responsibility of the individual.
HAHA This is America ? I STILL have no body to vote for ! poor poor pitiful me
What’s a recovering dem to do? Recognizing that long held beliefs didn’t fit well into the my existing political affiliation, I eagerly sought out conservative thought, believing that this was where I would find a better fit. What I find, is distressing. The infighting amongst republicans/conservatives is depressing ,to put it mildly.
What are my choices this election cycle. Mcain, Obama, Clinton, Barr?, Nader, ?………What to do, what to do.
I seriously believe that Danigon is on the right track. A centralized federal form of government was one thing our forefathers were very concerned about. Lincoln gave us that very centralized federal form of government under the guise of “preserving the union” but usurped the true power of the states, and thus the power of we the people in the entire process. We need to figure out how to transfer that power back to the states if we ever hope to accomplish anything good. There certainly does not seem to be any sense of national sovereignty, sense of survival or even any conservative values left in DC.
The powers of the Federal Government are FEW AND WELL DEFINED … any powers not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution of these Independent but United States, are relegated to the states and to the people. (Paraphrased from memory so not an exact quote, although I do know that Independent but United States was not used in this particular case but it did appear often enough to make it noteworthy)
Sorry, I got side-tracked in a moment of outrage and concern for the future of our once great and proud nation. You can count me in on the None of the Above ticket until a new Federalist/Conservative party becomes a reality or the republicrats realize that they have a Conservative base and not a liberal friend to be found.
Compromise=defeat in this instance. Among rational people it may be a strength but you cannot reason with those whom are not reasonable. The dems and repubs idea of “compromise” is giving in to liberal ideas. I can not and will not be a part of destroying my nation in that manner.
I find myself somewhat in agreement with Dr. Thomas Sowell who said something like: McCain could never convince me to vote for him. Only Clinton and Obama could do that. I still find myself unable to even entertain the thought of compromising my own integrity to that degree.
I am one of those conservatives who reside in AZ. Since the 2000 election, this has been the most rabid anti BUSH person I have seen. Worse than Mr. GORE even. Boy, has he shown it. Yes, those who know him like him least. Old JUAN is a firm believer in the old saying, ” don’t get mad, get even”. He is not my candidate, he was picked by the NYT and others in the MSM. I will vote for B. HUSSEIN or AUNTIE HILL before JUAN MCCAIN. And so far nothing has changed my mind…
McCain has spent too much time in Washington to know the effects of illegal immigration on the average citizen.
Not so. I do not know McCain and I like him the least!
McCain cusses out people in his own party who (shock) have the nerve to think we are a sovereign country. Meanwhile, he wants to play kissy-kissy with Hillary and Obama. No thanks.
I decided back in the flare-up over SSM (Same Sex Marriage) a few years ago that I would never vote for McCain. McCain insisted that we shouldn’t try to amend the Constitution to protect marriage until a Constitutional crisis emerges.
The problem is, if you wait for a liberal Supreme Court to mandate SSM (like the Massachusetts Supreme Court did), it will be too late to do anything about it. Just look at the fiasco that is Roe v. Wade. Who knows if we will ever overturn that? Once you make something legal, a lot of people begin to think it is morally acceptable.
As the family goes, so goes the nation.
As much as I don’t want a president Hillary or Obama, I simply McCan’t vote for McCain. Any suggestions for a write-in?
He may have said that, but he then is a liar. He condemns all conservative 3rd party candidates, because they would take away votes from Mc Cain. (That would mean that he could agree with 95 percent of what they say, but still vote for McCain). Hannity lives in his partison box.
Excellent reasoning. I suspect that as November draws nearer, more people are going to evolve to this point of view as opposed to the, “No! Never! Death before McCain!” absolutism of some people. In fact, according to some news accounts I’ve seen today as well as a threat over on the Hot Air site, this progression is already beginning to happen.
Correction to post above: “
threat” should be “thread.”That’s precisely what worries anti-immigration Republicans
anti-immigration?
NO
anti-illegal immigration
Yes
WarTip #55
I agree.
If I may intervene, interject or dare to suppose please …
Having lived in two third world countries for an extended period of time and (hopefully?) being on my way to China soon, I must say that immigrant, immigration, et al implies the act of proceeding through the process of immigrating and not ignoring the laws and crossing borders with a total lack of respect or concern for local laws.
Just my two cents.
As I see fellow posters saying, it is a struggle to vote for McCain. I had my red truck button and bumper stickers for Fred Thompson from the get-go….and all of the sudden, he’s out of the race. I’m not sure how that really happened. So, I am writing in Fred’s name and will let the chips fall where they may. I refuse to feel guilty as I never actually voted for a demoncrat.
“Small but vocal group of conservatives” is the opertative line in these stories.
I’m speaking as a Christian, conservative Arizona small business owner, so I hope my comments present a view readers here can appreciate. I guess I qualify as “one who knows him”, since I’ve followed AZ politics closely for a dozen years, have attended speeches and both political and business luncheons and seminars attended by McCain and members of this “small but vocal group”, and the much “larger group” of those active in AZ politics from both sides of the aisle.
Heck, my family’s home is a block from where the McCain’s used to live in Tempe, and my neighbors have nothing but good to say about the man and his family.
This “small but vocal group” is one of Arizona’s “issue voter groups” that every state has. Despite what this article says about them having issues with things like immigration, abortion, and campaign finance, they are really all about immigration. They are an irritating, self-absorbed group who use gimmick and emotion over logic, reasoning and debate…typical of most “small but vocal groups” (think Code Pink on the far left). They are small because most people don’t agree with them, and they are vocal because, like a 2 year old, they are only capable of gaining attention by screaming emotionally and throwing political tantrums.
The conservative business community, which I am active in and who actually know McCain well, are behind McCain. The Christian community in the Valley, which I am active in, are behind him. This is why McCain has never had a problem getting re-elected in Arizona, whereas the blustering Fog-Horn, Leg-Horn J.D. Hayworth, got beat by a Democrat in his conservative district. Hayworth is a card-carrying member of “small but vocal”, one-issue (immigration) club.
MostlyRight,
So you are one of those “Fog-Horn, Leg-Horn” open border conservatives? You have lots of company at the WSJ. McCain has neither the character nor temperament to be the POTUS.
Yeah, people have been telling me for awhile now that I will give in and vote for McCain. Some people just can’t understand the meaning of the word “no”.
There are only 2 ways I will vote for McCain:
1. If he comes out and admits that he has been wrong - marriage amendment, campaign finance reform, illegal immigration, I think I will stop here, it is getting to depressing. If he admits he was painfully and egregiously wrong on these things, rends his garments, puts ashes on his head, and vows to make up for his ways, then I will vote for him.
2. I might, might be persuaded to vote for him if he picks a strong conservative for his VP. Even then, I would only be voting for his running mate, hoping that it would help set up a true conservative president in the near future.
Apart from that, sorry, not gonna happen. I am not at all convinced McCain will be noticeably better than even Obama or Hillary. As far as the war in Iraq goes, I believe the Democrats are only blowing smoke, telling the left what they want to hear. Their advisors have already indicated as much. I believe we will be in Iraq for years to come, regardless of who wins.
MOSTLY RIGHT @2:21PM; The operative word in your post SMALL BUSINESSMAN. Need I say anymore. And for JD Hayworth, he lost over the ABRAMHOFF issue. Which by the way he was cleared of any wrong on this issue a long time back. Anyone as up to date on AZ politics as you profess to be SHOULD have known that little tid-bit. Hell it was even in the local liberal ragg here in PHOENIX…
No Valient, I am for border enforcement and an enforcement of current immigration and employment laws. I was against the legislation originally proposed by the Senate, including strong Arizona conservatives John McCain and Jon Kyl. I did not consider that legislation a true amnesty, but I didn’t think the penalties were high enough and I thought enforcement of the borders and existing law should precede anything else. The democratic process worked, the people were heard, and McCain heard them and will now proceed only with enforcement first. I’m also a big supporter of the new laws in AZ, which I voted for, requiring businesses to E-verify employees, which is having a dramatic effect in a drop in our illegal immigrant population in just the last 3 months.
I was trying to make the point that while the Left is full of “small but vocal” groups which we all enjoy to make fun of on our Right-ideology blogs (Code Pink, La Raza, Acorn, any group with an ex-hippie in it), the Right has it’s embarressments too. For Michelle to inflate her anti-McCain arguement (based in her policy disagreements with McCain over immigration) by inflating the importance of one of the Right’s embarrasing “small but vocal” groups, is akin to suggesting that two adult, mature parents should let their “small but vocal” 2 year old’s tantrums dictate the way they run the house.
While I’ve read Malkin for years and love her on most issues, I am one of the new commenters who followed Ed over from CQ. I’ve never registered here, because I’m frankly turned off by the number of posters here who feast on the red meat issue of immigration in ways that are often thoughtless, uninformed, emotional and on occasion borderline racist. I hope that my opinions here will be appreciated or at least respected, as opposed to shouted down by a small but vocal group of 2 year olds with Kool-Aid stained lips.
Very well said, Mostly Right.
I despised John McCain.. I couldnt stand the very sight of Him.. Recently, I feel my ears being tickled.. a slow delusional feeling sets in … then I wake up and remember what a LowLife this guy is. He is saying many of the things we want to hear. We need an Alan Keyes to expose this Liar.. to draw him out as he did in 2000. Go back to those debates… Watch Bush as Bush.. he hasn’t changed all that much really..other than he’s gotten even more Liberal. Then watch Juan McCain, who just can’t decide whether he’d allow his potential unborn grandchild to go the Infanticide Route.. Most conservatives Won’t vote for Him because of the Bush Frustration Factor. I want to feel good again about myself..My life will NOT revolve around some Lying Rino (Liberal) who twice almost decided to become a Democrat. Two wrongs dont make a right.. and three Liberals dont make a Lesser of TWO evils. Make this Election count.. dont waste your vote, your time or your self worth on any of these Lying Elitists.
WHAT DO YOU WANT?! Michelle, I ask, WHAT DO YOU WANT?!
You want us all to say McCain sucks? OK fine, MCCAIN SUCKS. I have disliked every position he has ever taken on legislation. Is that what you want? You want everyone to agree with you, so they do?
Frankly, I have never voted before because they have ALL BEEN BAD! This country is NOT great because of the politicians in Washington DC. This country is great IN SPITE OF THEM.
I know you won’t read this because I am late to this thread, but WHAT DO YOU WANT?! You want to tell everyone not to vote?
The only thing I care about in government really is taxes. The only way they can keep from raising taxes more is by stopping spending. At least McCain will be fiscally responsible by CUTTING SPENDING rather than increasing taxes.
I’m sorry but I just don’t understand what you want from all this noise. I’m not telling you to calm down, I’m not telling you to shut up, I’m not telling you to ‘get over it’. What I’m asking is WHAT DO YOU WANT?!
Would you rather have uber liberal Clinton or Socialist Obama?
The FACT is that the R party put up sucky candidates. They ALL sucked, not one conservative among them. So OK, McCain sucks. . . that’s no revelation. But at least he says he’ll cut spending. . . to me, that means he will do what he can to keep from having to take so much money from me in taxes. THAT’S GOOD ENOUGH from the alternative.
Really, McCain SUCKS! OK? Is that what you want? You want a song made up of those two words? I can have an MP3 sent to you. McCain SUCKS! yeah yeah yeah, McCain SU-UCKS!
I just don’t know what you want, and I just don’t know why you continue to bash a guy who doesn’t need anyone else’s help reminding everyone that McCain SUCKS! WHY? What do you hope to accomplish? You want people just to not vote like I never have? No problem here. They are all losers to me.
McCain has a 100% pro-life voting record has never added a pork barrel earmark, rails against spending, wants to win the war, wants to cut the cap gains tax, make the Bush tax cuts permanent, hates subsidies, is free trade and free market and has said he heard us on the illegal immigration issue. Now you idiots that say you will sit this out might end up with an ultra left marxist like Obama with a Congress still in control of the Democrats. May I remind you ultra pure conservatives that Reagan signed the most liberal abortion bill at the time as Gov and signed the original Amnesty. Frankly I am sick of the McCain bashing when he is all we have left standing in the way of the Democrats and the Obamassiah. The GOP is not likely to win back either the House or the Senate so you idiots are just voting for them by not supporting McCain, get over it already. We can hold his feet to the fire once we get him elected.
Who cares if McCain will cut pork barrel spending? Sure, that’s nice and all, but that isn’t even a drop in the bucket. The real budget problem isn’t even about pork but entitlements.
McCain says he’s learned his lesson about illegal immigration?! You probably believe Obama had no idea that Wright or Trinity were controversial, too, right?
How are the Republicans most likely to take back the House and Senate? By having a rotten Democrat president for 2 years.
Is McCain marginally better than the Democrats in the short term? Almost certainly. But there is a good chance it will be better for America in the long term if McCain doesn’t win. Who knows, maybe Republicans will realize they’ll need to pick an actual conservative next time around?
Given the alternatives, I’m not particularly worried if McCain does or doesn’t win.
Now, if he’d just support the Fair Tax…!
Oh, and that DOESN’T mean choosing Huckabee for VP.
Fair Tax + someone else but not Huckabee.
Face it, this country is going to elect a democrat as POTUS in November. Regardless of the fact that John McCain is running under the republican banner, he has been opertaing as a defacto democrat ever since losing to GWB in 2000. He might not be quite as bad as Hillary or Obama, but if you expect him to operate as a republican if he is elected to the Big Chair, you will be bitterly disappointed.
If the fact that his “Hispanic Outreach” manager is Mr. Open Borders himself should be quite telling all by itself. This after he tries to sell the lie that he has changed his policy regarding illegal immigration because he has “heard the people”. I know there are a lot of people that want to believe him on this issue. Folks, he is LYING to you. Regardless of who is elected the new president will surely be an Amnesty Firster. Count on it.
And for those that hope that he will nominate a conservative as his running mate…give that a little more thought. He doesn’t really know any conservatives. He has divorced himself from the conservative wing of the republican party years ago. At this point I don’t believe that any real conservatives will soil their name or reputation by running on the same ticket.
If it sounds like I do not trust John McCain it’s because I don’t. He has been my senator ever since I came back to Arizona from serving in our Navy in 1989. Frankly, I despise this miserable little man and if it were not for Obama or Hillary I would vote for him. Now having said that, he WILL have my vote because as Kim DuToit so eloquently put it, ” I love my country more than I hate John McCain”. I wish things were different, but this election cycle presents us with the worst choices in candidates that I have ever witnessed. As I said at the beginning, we will be electing a democrat in November…no matter what.
I’ll just vote for the pro-lifer, the one who promises to appoint conservative judges, the one who wants to win the war. I guess I’m not “pure conservative” enough to sit it out and help elect Obama. Silly me.
Welcome to the land that common sense forgot.