Surging McCain Faces Conservative Skeptics

CBSNews.com Reports: Despite Early Wins, Conservative Establishment Has Yet To Embrace Republican Presidential Hopeful

(CBS)  This story was written by CBSNews.com political reporter Brian Montopoli.

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According to American Conservative Union chairman David Keene, John McCain is not what you'd call a conservative's conservative.

"There's this personal animosity he has towards people over issues," said Keene, who has endorsed Mitt Romney. "Most conservatives see that he would like to remake the party without them."

Despite a voting record that suggests he should be in conservatives' good graces - he has an 82.3 percent lifetime rating from Keene's ACU - McCain has strident critics within the conservative establishment. Among them are Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Former Sen. Rick Santorum (who has vowed to support any Republican but McCain), and a host of conservative talk radio hosts led by Rush Limbaugh, who has suggested a McCain nomination would "destroy the Republican Party."

Much of their disenchantment is tied to the positions McCain has staked out on hot-button issues. McCain's relative moderation on immigration led his onetime rival in the GOP race, Tom Tancredo, to suggest that McCain "is one of the most dangerous threats we have." His sponsorship of campaign finance reform legislation has prompted outrage from conservative advocacy groups who see it as a limit on free speech. And his longtime opposition to the Bush tax cuts, characterization of conservative religious leaders as "agents of intolerance," decision to partner with Joe Lieberman on global warming legislation, and bipartisan Senate compromise on judicial nominees have all generated anger from the right.

But the animosity towards McCain stems from something deeper than just his positions. The Arizona senator's ACU rating is only six percentage points behind Santorum's, and his voting record is conservative enough that he's been able to line up support from well-respected conservative Republicans like Tom Coburn, Phil Gramm and Sam Brownback.

For many, McCain's style is the problem: He not only breaks with conservative orthodoxy on issues that many conservatives consider basic tenets of the movement, but he does it with a "finger in your eye" style that alienates them even further.

"He's tough to deal with, there's no doubt about it," said Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican party, citing McCain's general unwillingness to compromise. "He believes what he believes in, and he wants other people to support him in those beliefs."

"Some of his battles are so intense and loud that it sort of increases the animosity," said GOP strategist Greg Mueller. "You've got these intense issues where a lot of rhetoric gets tossed around and it breeds resentment."

Keene said "those who've worked with [McCain] get the sense that he doesn't like conservatives."

"In his world, it's very difficult to have a simply policy disagreement," Keene said. "Everything becomes personal. His position is right, and everyone else's is basically evil."

McCain's defenders say that the conservative establishment's skepticism towards McCain grows out of his unwillingness to defer to them.

"McCain has never kowtowed to them or anybody else," said McCain strategist Charlie Black.

"I think with Rush Limbaugh and some of them, they're always looking for a perfect conservative," added Black. "They see that as their job. And nobody's perfect."

Some of the anger towards McCain could be personal. McCain launched the Jack Abramoff investigation that sank DeLay, and his focus on eliminating pork barrel spending may have alienated some of his Senate colleagues.

"John McCain couldn't win a popularity contest in the Senate if he tried," Senator John Warner, a McCain supporter, said on Tuesday. "Why? Because he cuts too much government spending."

According to McCain press secretary B.J. Boling, any disenchantment with McCain among the conservative establishment has not been reflected among the rank-and-file.

"Just take Greenville County [South Carolina] for example," said Boling. "Bob Jones University, North Greenville University, and a few theological seminaries are located in Greenville - it’s practically the buckle of the Bible Belt. It’s home to some of the largest evangelical congregations in the state, and John McCain came within three points of defeating a former Southern Baptist minister [in Mike Huckabee] there.”

But McCain, who courted South Carolina's conservative establishment, has largely been dependent upon moderate and independent voters in the early contests. Mueller argues that his campaign needs to do more to consolidate support among the conservative base.

"Just because they found one county in South Carolina where the vote was closer to them, I hope they're not taking that to the bank," Mueller said. "They're going to need to do a lot more than that with conservatives. You want the base energized, want them mobilized. You're going to need every vote."

McCain and his surrogates have made some overtures to skeptical conservatives by stressing that McCain will pick strict constructionist judges as president.

"It's a huge issue for Republicans, a party crossing issue," said Mueller. "The next president could appoint two, three, even four Supreme Court judges. If McCain goes out and talks about that, it's going to be a reminder to the conservative base of the party - 'who do you want picking your judges?'"

Conservative Republican media strategist Craig Shirley, who is supporting McCain, says the opposition will dissipate if McCain wins the Republican nomination.

"Winning is a great antidote to bruised feelings and strained relations," said Shirley. "What he's got to do is keep articulating his conservative positions. And keep the lines of communication open with everybody. And everybody in the end is hopefully going to play nice."

Black puts it more bluntly.

"All these conservative leaders will be for him in two weeks when we lock up the nomination," he said.

[cfin5]

Skeptical? LOL!!!....That use of the word here implies that we''re "CONFUSED" about Senator McCain. He thinks our founding fathers gift of wisdom for us should be treated like it''s a "McConstitution" in that he can flip-flop it around like a damnhamburger. "We The People" aren''t confused about anybody like McCain, Shucksonme, or Giuliani.

[mattcbsmatt]

John McCain is ruled by Mexico
That is why he is running for President to promote and advertise the illegal activity of illegal immigration from Mexico?
Another pro-illegal immigration from Mexico Butt licker like bush.
You all are not fooling me.
McCain another pro-illegal activity, pro-illegal immigration, pro-amnesty from Mexico Butt licker like President Bush.
They are not fooling me
I guess they are paid, accept money, or be afraid and terrorized for themselves and their family in the futher : (

[infidel_us]

He must be back on his meds.
Posted by im4honesty at 07:13 AM : Jan 25, 2008

You are lying to yourself....you''re a bedwetting little lib who is for anything BUT honesty. As for McCain, thy NYT has endorsed him. Do conservatives need any other reason for NOT supporting him?

[im4honesty]

This can''''t be happening!!

Rush Limbaugh is trashing the REPUBLICAN front runner!!

He must be back on his meds.

[ontheleft]

I hope the independents carry McCain onto victory. He will be the easiest stooge for Clinton or Obama to defeat in November. Go McCain!

[papabc]

A vote for Hillery is a vote to put Bill back in the oval office with his pants down.

Where is Hillery? Bill does not care as long as she is not there.

[papabc]

Sylvester Stallone: "I like McCain a lot. A lot. And you know, things may change along the way, but there''s something about matching the character with the script. And right now, the script that''s being written and reality is pretty brutal and pretty hard-edged like a rough action film, and you need somebody who''s been in that to deal with it."

=======================

Like I would vote for anyone just because a Hollywood dude would back them. B.F.D.

Give me a break.

[pilgrimsway-2009]

Dear Mr Bloomberg,
If you decide to run let me know! If not please support me. I would be glad to supply you with my name so you could see who I am related to. Just for reference sake. someone you could hardly imagine! My endorement would speak for itself! I know its within your power to find out these things.

[rwassel]

"Republicans don''t want an open-borders, no-economic- expertise, Washington-insider, two-faced nincompoop as a nominee."

Then I assume the Repugs are nominating...no one?

[rwassel]

You guys (perception, Xlib, etc.) who are blaming the ''astardly liberals'' and the ''wolfpack press'' are freakin'' morons. That''s all you ever do is blame the liberals and the press - it''s a tired, worn-out argument, and ran thin several years ago.

What would you say about the media''s obsession with the Clintons vs. Obama, trying to an egg them into fighting with each other and bringin race into the issue? What is your opinion on that? Just the dastardly liberal media trying to bash the Democrats?

Get over yourselves. The media does it to each and every politician.

[michaellitz2]

As soon as republican voters MEMORIES are jogged and they remember how John McCain pushed for the Illegal Immigration AMNESTY bill he will return to the kind of support that he deserves as a Presidential candidate - very little. Even after seeing and hearing the OUTRAGE of the American people regarding amnesty for Illegals he STILL SUPPORTS IT!!!!!!!!!!!

[bill1fj]

Why would anyone vote for mccain?
We all know that if he is elected president he will give amnesty to the over 20 million ILLEGAL aliens in this country.
NO AMNESTY
NO mccain.

From: A former mccain supporter.

[todd_i-2009]

I like McCain better after this article. I do admire someone who will stand up to his opposition.

With that said, I%u2019m still voting for Romney. He is also a man of conviction, however, he usually convinces others to agree with him. If he%u2019s wrong he changes his mind. That is one of his best traits. He generally surrounds himself with well educated people and he looks at a problem from various angles and through multiple advisors%u2019 eyes before he decides on a course of action. Washington needs this type of think (and more importantly%u2014doing).

[davidlar2]

I find the Republican position on immigration strange. The Republicans are supposed to be the small government party that favors a free market. At the same time, they want the government to tell employers they can''t hire the person they want to hire because of his nationality.

On another note, I have no problem with Romney being Mormon. The reason I won''t vote for him is that he seems to have the personality of a used car salesman- no offense to used car salesmen.

[one_american]

It''s pretty obvious that McCain is surging, but ONLY in the minds of the liberal press.

McCain will definately NOT do well in Florida, as Independents and Democrats (his only possible supporters) will not be allowed to vote in the Republican primary.

Republicans don''t want an open-borders, no-economic- expertise, Washington-insider, two-faced nincompoop as a nominee.

[joelbuckley2]

In 2000, when he lost to George Bush, John McCain got 237,000 votes in South Carolina.
In 2008, he received only 143,000 votes, only 60% of his 2000 total.
South Carolina voters like McCain even less now than in 2000.
He just managed to eke out a victory with only 33% support because there were so many other candidates.

He''s not another Ronald Reagan.
He''s another Bob Dole. An OLD war hero who''s been in the Senate too long, lacking in ideas, and likely to lose to Clinton in the general election.

[cbk14]

Surging? Since the latest polls show Romney surging in Florida, taking the lead over McCain, looks like the press is hyping their more liberal candidate McCain.

[kansas1946]

I would think that Tom DeLay and Rich Santorum being against you would be a good thing. And who the h e l l cares what Rush Limbaugh thinks?? He needs to just go back to his drugs and stay our of the big boy games.

[marcodele]

The conservatives had their way, and their poster boy, for eight years. It''s time for anybody BUT a conservative neocon hypocrite.

[rmonroe401]

I think I know what it is other Repugs don''t like about McCain. He has a conscience. He puts people ahead of politics, and I bet he doesn''t like conservatives very much. Can''t really blame him there!