John McCain & The Washington Post

  John McCain & The Washington Post
I hardly knew whether to laugh or cry when I picked up the Sunday, April 20, 2008 edition of The Washington Post. There on the front page, presented as the feature story of the day, was the beginning of a "hit" piece on John McCain. The issue was John’s famous, always self-serving temper. 

Could this be the same Washington Post that endorsed John McCain in the heat of the Republican primary race? When the Post and the NY Times endorsed McCain, I said to myself, "So what?" They certainly won’t endorse him in the general election." I’d like to say "I told you so," but it wouldn’t be a solo, it would be a chorus.

I wanted to write a blog about John McCain, the "Me Too!" Republican or John McCain, the "Johnny one note conservative," but if it wasn’t so sad that the ‘stupid party’ allowed Independents and Democrats to select their nominee, I’d laugh out loud.

How serious is McCain’s anger? Probably not as important as Obama’s questionable patriotism or Clinton’s lack of veracity, or their unified commitment to socialism that will surely lead to a depression. As one who has been at the receiving end of Senator McCain’s anger, I must chuckle.

No, I’m not too upset with McCain’s anger. That would be hypocritical of me since I have angry outbursts of my own (for which I am embarrassed and apologetic). But I am concerned by the Senator’s "one note conservative" track record.
Let’s see how the self-proclaimed "Reagan conservative" stands on the most important issues of the day:

    * Tax cuts: Although he voted against the Bush tax cuts twice, he
       now pledges allegiance to lower taxes.


    * Immigration: He is an "open borders" advocate through
       and through. 

    * Global Warming: Although the scientific community is divided on
       the cause of any global warming (some even contend the planet
       may be cooling), McCain has a "me too" position on this issue.
       Forget about a thorough scientific investigation, "Dam the
       torpedoes, full speed ahead!"

    * Conservative judges: The McCain folks tell us not to worry, John
       has always voted for conservative judges. Well, I hate to be a
       skeptic, but there is a big difference between voting for
       conservative judges and nominating conservative judges. John
       Fund of The Wall Street Journal says he was at a meeting where
       McCain said he would not nominate a judge like Justice Sam Alito
       because "he wears his conservatism on his sleeve." If you don’t
       feel a little less confident about President McCain nominating
       conservative judges, I’d be surprised." Just ask yourself this
       question: "Who is more conservative, President George H.W. Bush
       or Senator John McCain?" Bush ’41 gave us Clarence Thomas, a
       Justice committed to the US Constitution, but he also gave us
       Justice David Souter, one of the worst members of Court. Now,
       how’s your confidence that John McCain will appoint
       conservative judges?

All of the above now brings us to "Johnny one note conservative," John McCain.

    * The War on Terrorism. This is it. Obama and Clinton will pull out,
       demeaning the sacrifices of our valiant fighting men and women.
       McCain will stand and fight.

Is this "one note" enough? Maybe.

It must be weighed against his "Democrat-like" positions on domestic issues. It must be considered against the devastation that Obama and Clinton will wreck on our land.

It may be enough.

It may be enough to ignore the fact that we will be turning the Republican Party over to the "Rockefeller wing" of the party and that the domestic agenda will be "socialism lite."

If John McCain wants to win he needs to send a very clear signal to the conservatives who make up the rank and file of the Republican Party by selecting a clear conservative as his running mate. Otherwise the GOP and the McCain presidency will lack the necessary grassroots energy and enthusiasm needed to propel it into the White House. 

It will be interesting for sure.