McCain Courts Wary Bloggers

Online Conservative Activists Remain Skeptical Of GOP Hopeful

(CBS)  By CBSNews.com's David Miller.

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Presidential campaigns, even in their infancy, are already working on building rapport with political blogs — the constantly updated, often highly-partisan Web sites where authors post news updates, opinion pieces and everything in between.

The relationship between candidates and the blogosphere is an important one, but sometimes uneasy. If bloggers and their readers feel slighted or ignored by a candidate, retribution can be harsh. But blogs will also help candidates they favor with organization and fundraising.

The candidates' outreach efforts vary. Candidates will sometimes serve as guest-bloggers on more popular sites. Other campaigns, like those of Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, have hired popular bloggers to work for them.

But those strategies can sometimes backfire, as evidenced this week, when Edwards faced questions over comments two of his bloggers had posted on an outside Web site that criticized the Catholic Church, drawing the ire of conservative groups. The story, of course, has been the hot topic on political blogs of all stripes for the past two days. Edwards decided to keep the bloggers on his staff and both issued apologies.

Republican John McCain's campaign faces a different problem: Despite leading in polls of GOP primary voters, many conservative bloggers don't like him and don't trust him.

In particular, they take issue with the campaign finance overhaul law he co-sponsored in 2002. A frequent complaint on blogs is that the measure curtails free speech and — hitting closer to home — contains provisions that threatened to severely restrict the activity of political blogs.

McCain also took heat from blog readers when he joined a bipartisan group to prevent a Senate rules change that would have ended filibusters on judicial nominees, and many are wary of him because, they say, he is too friendly with the "MSM" — mainstream media.

"I'm not going to say I'll never support the guy, but he would really have to convince me," Ed Morrissey, who writes for Captain's Quarters, told CBSNews.com. "I know, though, that some of my readers have already written they would stay home or vote for the Democrat if the Republicans went with McCain."

In an effort to improve relations with Morrissey and other bloggers, two of McCain's top aides, Terry Nelson and John Weaver, hosted a conference call Tuesday with some leading Republican-friendly bloggers.

McCain campaign spokesman Kevin McLaughlin said the blogging community is important to the campaign for their role in both digging up news and being a primary resource for many politically engaged people who shun mainstream media.

"With the Internet, blogs and YouTube, people can get news whenever they want and bloggers have gone to the forefront in transmitting news to people," he said.

The conference call bore little resemblance to one between a campaign and traditional journalists. Many of the bloggers showed minimal restraint in telling Nelson and Weaver where they parted ways with the early GOP front-runner.

McLaughlin said the campaign went into the conference call with no illusions of persuading bloggers to support their candidate. "I don't think it was as much to smooth things over as to open up a dialogue," he said. "I don't think we can necessarily say what our expectations are."

Paul Mirengoff, who represented the blog PowerLine in the conference call, told CBSNews.com that McCain could face less vitriol from bloggers and their readers if he keeps up his outreach efforts.

"One thing he can do is kind of dampen the level of criticism," Mirengoff said. "There's the hope that blogs themselves will be just a little more sympathetic to him."

But even if McCain gets kinder treatment from blogs, it is tough to say whether that will result in any more success in his bid for the Republican nomination. Even bloggers are skeptical of their impact on the big picture.

"I think as a general matter, the influence of blogs and their readers is somewhat overrated," Mirengoff said.

But while that group makes up a small amount of the electorate, their online soap box may give them a great deal of influence.

"The thing is, is that I think what they're afraid of is the fact that people who know and follow politics can influence people who don't," Morrissey said. "If you pick up a reputation among the people who are hyper-interested in politics of being a jerk, they're going to tell their friends and it's going to turn up in water cooler conversations."

[randalds]

"Bush couldn't hold a candle to the likes of McCain."

I agree iwth that sentiment. But then again, Bush couldn't "hold a candle" to Larry, Moe or Curly either.

Posted by huskerarmy at 09:23 AM : Feb 09, 2007

Yeah but he could hold a candle to Shemp though. Well, nearly anyway.

[huskerarmy]

"Bush couldn't hold a candle to the likes of McCain."

I agree iwth that sentiment. But then again, Bush couldn't "hold a candle" to Larry, Moe or Curly either.

[gdmoore2]

There was a time when McCain was considered a viable candidate for conservative Democrat cross-over voters. No more. The folks in my neighbor believe McCain has hurt himself by endorsing the surge. Overall, I think all of Washington is still underestimating the anti-Iraq-war sentiment out there with the voters.

[susanhelit]

Bush slandered McCain in some of the worst ways possible, when they were running against each other. For him to then roll over for Bush just shows he has no more honor, no ethics, no reality left. He's a puppet.

[pakaal]

From contender to contemptible. If the Right won't have him (and the Left certainly doesn't want him), who's left to vote for this guy?

When he went up against the Bush administration on their torture practices, I actually felt he was acting on his principles and his own experiences in Vietnam. And when he caved in to the pressure and voted for torturing, I lost all respect. If a guy who's experienced torture firsthand can then vote to torture others, there's gotta be a wiring problem in the head somewhere.

[bluestardad]

Stick A Fork in McCain he is done as possible candidate!

[randalds]

The President's other title is "Commander in Chief" and it only applies to active duty military personnel.

Unless you are on active duty in the US military, he is not your commander in chief.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 02:37 PM : Feb 08, 2007

And this is one of the basic differences about how our government is meant to be run between most Americans and the neocons. Cheney, Bush and others believe, honestly believe, that the title of "Commander on Chief" as far as the power of the presidency is concerned means that the president is, during time of war, the commander in chief of all Americans, not just the military. Most Americans reject this idea because it will inevitably lead to a monarchy or a dictatorship, but this is one of the bedrock basic belief's of the neoconservative movement. People who do or do not support Bush must understand that this is one question they must be comfortable with. Is the president in charge of civilians to the same degree as he is of military personal. Bush and Cheney say yes. Most Americans say no. What do you say?

[frankly6]

McCain's candidacy is DOA.

[billpl-2009]

tuckerndfw
"Unless you are on active duty in the US military, he is not your commander in chief"

duh, I know that. What didn't know was it's Commander "in" not "and" Chief. Big duh on me.

All I was saying was that McCain got his priorities straight even though it gave the wrong impression and harmed his image. Personally, it doesn't matter to me, I'm pulling for Rudy.

[Syndicate]

I thaught Snakes On A Plane showed how unimportant the blogoshere was?

[frankinaz]

Senator,
While there is a war in Iraq that is similar to the one you were helping to fight in Southeast Asia, there is also the issue of illegal immigration that is overwhelming the border states with Mexico, and is spreading throughout the country. The President, you, and others need to look after your home state's citizens, and put some of your national political ambitions aside.
Too many lawmakers, such as Sen. Barbara Boxer from California, forget about their constituents until its election time, the magically re-appear
in their home states.

[dallison7]

It doesn't really matter what's going on with all the lessor candidates. Can you say, "President and Mr. Clinton"?

[dallison7]

I used to like McCain too. Now he is just a 70 year old washed-up, has-been sold out to the dark side. He will go the way of Bob Dole.

[tuckerndfw]

"McCain doesn't support Bush
McCain supports OUR "Commander and Chief"
big difference."

Posted by billpl at 02:25 PM : Feb 08, 2007

The President's other title is "Commander in Chief" and it only applies to active duty military personnel.

Unless you are on active duty in the US military, he is not your commander in chief.

George Bush is unworthy of support and John McCain should be supporting his impeachment. But, McCain is more beholden to Israel and ExxonMobil (et al) than he is to Americans or the Constitution.

McCain is unfit to be President or Senator (or any other elective office outside Israel or ExxonMobil's boardroom).

[billpl-2009]

McCain doesn't support Bush
McCain supports OUR "Commander and Chief"
big difference.

Bush couldn't hold a candle to the likes of McCain

[imprisonbush]

The McCain web site address with the great video I gave out in my last message got cut up. The complete address is:

http://therealmccain.com/mccainvsmccain.php

[imprisonbush]

McCain has also lost my support. He is dishonest and willing to change his position to curry favor with conservatives. A great video demonstration of this fact can be viewed at:

http://therealmccain.com/mccainvsmccain.php

[randalds]

A few years ago I had the deepest of respect for John McCain, but no longer. The right wing of the republican party was able to do what the most evil torturer in North Vietnam wasn't, get him to sell out. He caved into their pressure because he thinks that courting the same dark side that still, pitifully, supports Bush and Cheney is the only way to become president. Well he must have finally gone senile because America is sick to death (literally in our soldiers case) of the pre-emptive, pro-Iraq war policies of the twisted and demented current administration. Sorry Johnny, but you hitched your tarnished as*s to the wrong star. You'll go down in history as a missed opportunity, both politically and as a man. You came so close to going down in history as a great American and a great human being, but then you fu*cked up at the end. Sad.

[pixelslinger]

Not for or against McCain personally - but I would pose this question:

Bloggers aren't journalists. Most have no training whatsoever in journalism. As stated above, most are polarizingly partisan and relay biased information.

Is it really that bad to suggest that the opinions of a blogger shouldn't be as readily accepted as an article in the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times? And if not, then why do people put so much stock into lesser educated people trying to do a job they would never be hired to do?

[rharrin1]

As I watched the confirmation hearings for Gen Casey
McCain was talking about presidents taking responsibility and firing generals and he got down to Truman firing MacArthur it did not set well with me.
When MacArthur asked permission to bomb a bridge on the Yalu river he was told he could bomb half of the bridge and through his response of how do you bomb half a bridge was later fired.
To me MacArthur had more knowledge under hi finger nail than that ww1 artillery officer had in his head.
Firing isn't always the right thing to do as you look back and see the generals that have lost their job because they didn't agree with bush.
Being a former pilot how would McCain have bombed that half a bridge.

It is clear that McCain should withdraw from the race as he is not qualified.