Conservatives Still Resentful Of McCain

CBSNews.com Reports: Likely GOP Nominee Faces A Base Angered And Apathetic Over His Rise

(CBS)  This story was written by CBSNews.com political reporter David Miller.

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John McCain, now the Republican Party's presumed presidential nominee, may have the votes of the movement conservatives who first fueled the "Reagan Revolution" in the late 1970 and early 1980s, but if the reactions of those attending a key gathering in Washington this week are any indication, McCain has a lot of work to do if he wants their time or their money.

Bitterness and distrust toward the Arizona senator were common sentiments expressed by those attending the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual gathering that attracts the people most loyal to conservative ideology, whether the topic is national security, economic policy or social policy.

People entering the Omni Shoreham hotel were greeted Thursday by a group holding crude cardboard signs that said "Join Republicans Against McCain" and "McCain = Amnesty." Laura Ingraham, one of many conservative talk radio hosts who have bashed McCain, asked "What have you done for us lately?" to overwhelming applause as she introduced Mitt Romney, who would exit the race minutes later.

And during a question and answer segment of one seminar, a man in the audience asked that attendees not boo the Arizona senator. They did anyway - especially when he brought up his differences with the vast majority of the audience over how to address the issue of illegal immigration.

"He only showed up here when he realized he had no chance without conservative support, while he has poked us in the eye so many times," said Tricia Galloway, a Romney backer who saw McCain speak. "His dirty tricks against Romney have alienated a lot of people. They'll vote for him, but they won't contribute to his campaign."

Galloway was referring to McCain's claim, made prior to the Jan. 29 Florida primary, that Romney had backed a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq - an idea favored by many Democrats but soundly rejected by conservatives.

McCain's tactics, however, are only one of many issues staunch conservatives have with him - issues he'll need to address to make sure bitter feelings don't linger and ensure the party's conservative base is mobilized for the general election.

McCain's stance on immigration is the basis for his most well-known beef with conservatives, but others attending CPAC decried his support for the campaign finance overhaul legislation known as McCain-Feingold, which opponents say restricts free speech and has crippled the Republican Party's fundraising efforts. They're also not fans of his initial opposition to tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, his strong opposition to controversial interrogation techniques like waterboarding, his support of caps on carbon emissions as a way to curb global warming, and his inclusion in a group of senators that prevented Republicans from enacting rule changes to make it easier for President Bush's judicial picks to win confirmation.

Some conservatives don't even like the way he talks.

"He's taken on some of the lingo of the left and that infuriates people," said Patrick Nee, who was set to be one of Romney's convention delegates representing Rhode Island. "He says that when he opposed the tax cuts, it was because they didn't include spending cuts, but back then he said it was because it hurt poor and middle class people - that's class warfare. On immigration, he said his opponents were xenophobes and racists. He attacks profit. He attacks the rule of law. He attacks all we stand for."

His friend, Christopher McAuliffe, was as halfhearted in his support of McCain as Nee was angry in his opposition.

"I'll go into the voting booth and vote for him, but I won't do much beyond that," he said. "I'll always support the nominee of the party within reason, but this scratches the edge of what I consider within reason."

The anger and apathy is to be expected from people whose favorite candidate just left the race, said former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, a McCain supporter.

"I really think that anyone who's gone through a divorce is going to have a tough couple of months," he said. "On all the issues, McCain's their man. It'll take a few weeks for them to understand it, but they will."

One issue that will bring conservatives under McCain's wing, Keating said, is judicial appointments - particularly to the Supreme Court. Conservatives have been overwhelmingly pleased by Mr. Bush's choices of John Roberts and Samuel A. Alito to the court and won't want to see a Democratic president prevent the court from taking on a clear rightward tilt.

"Are they going to sit back and let that happen? I don't think so," Keating said. "The next president could appoint a majority of the Supreme Court."

Elected Republicans were already working to heal any rifts. Michigan Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, who had previously backed former Sen. Fred Thompson's bid, urged attendees to remember that their political idol once faced rejection and they would be unwise to do the same to McCain.

"Let us not forget how Ronald Reagan was treated in 1976, up to his nomination in 1980, and even thereafter," he said, referring to Reagan's failed bid to wrest the nomination from incumbent Gerald R. Ford. "As we would have others do unto us, let us do the same unto them."

In an encouraging sign for McCain, some - though not many - did put aside their differences with him after hearing him speak. Margaret Baird of Louisiana came to CPAC supporting Romney and, though she was disappointed by his departure from the race, said she's ready to not only vote for McCain, but also rally her friends around his candidacy and send some money his way.

"I was going to hold my nose when I vote, but now I can do it enthusiastically," she said. "He was reaching out. He was conciliatory. I'm so happy I'm not depressed anymore."

[jonesforch]

nikosk1


first time I ever had money in my pocket was when Reagan. Thanks to him and my voteing I have a little more.

[tibu987]

McCain, who reminds me of an excited Bantam rooster, does not only not have the stature to be president, but has views that conflict with both parties,and most of the American electorate.i.e.,
Amnesty for illegal aliens.
"Spend 100 more years in Iraq".
C''mon, is this excitable, quick to anger guy someone you want to head our country?

I don''t.

[lkb1947]

For 60 years I followed G.O.P.. McCain has changed that. All of my family are outraged with McCain on immigration. The devil will have my vote before the G.O.P.

[jimfinster]

show me where cato has been outed
Posted by terrorislam7

Dude, they are not an objective source of information on anything. They are a libertarian think tank, and that is their point of view. They have outed themselves and do not claim to be objective.

That is fine, just don''t try using them as an objective source of information.

[jimfinster]

do you have any proof to back up your BS???

did not think so,,,

good one

Posted by terrorislam7


Proof of what?

[ajmarine1]

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean says the longer his party goes without a presidential nominee, the worse off it will be.

Dean told a New York TV station, "The idea that we can afford to have a big fight at the convention and then win the race in the next eight weeks, I think, is not a good scenario%u2026 I think we will have a nominee sometime in the middle of March or April. But if we don''t, then we''re going to have to get the candidates together and make some kind of an arrangement."

Dean did not specify what kind of arrangement he was referring to. Such arrangements are what the political conventions used to be all about.

[jimfinster]

terrorislam7:

cut and past. cut and paste, cut and paste

Do you have ANY original thoughts? Just curious.

[denn034]

Resentful but, pragmatic enough to know that McCain is the only one with the ability to beat slick Hilly. Go McCain!

[abdoul_pasha]

Columbus, I`ll fu ck your curiousity!

[jimfinster]

terrorislam7:

Go ahead and rely on the Cato Institute, Fox News, and Rush Limbaugh for all your information. For sure that will give you a clear and unbiased view of the world. Chuckle.

[deemsnyd]

Posted by jimfinster at 03:45 PM : Feb 08, 2008

contributing to the delinquency of a minor i see

Posted by terrorislam7 at 03:52 PM : Feb 08, 2008


Are you kidding? Most minors probably know this. Just not me. Now I''m "in the know". I feel so blessed.

[jimfinster]

In the years immediately following the Republican Revolution, the Cato Institute was often seen as a standard-bearer of the U.S. conservative political movement. Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan, credited with reshaping and rejuvenating the Republican Party, and key contributors to the late-20th century conservative movement, were heavily influenced by libertarian ideals.

[joyous88]

Libertarians are not biased? What have you been smoking?

[jimfinster]

badaxmofo:

If you want to hero-worship Reagan, go right ahead. But it is based on fantasy and wishful thinking, not reality.

[joyous88]

Anybody that prefers Bush to clinton is living in a fantasy evangelical dream world.

Clinton was one of the best Presidents this country ever had, and Bush is the biggest criminal, and a war criminal at that the world has seen since Hitler.

In fact I don''t see much difference between a Nazi and a conservative. Reagan and Bush = both Nazi''s

[jimfinster]

Somebody tell my what a BJ is!
Posted by deemsnyd

b l o w j o b

[deemsnyd]

Somebody tell my what a BJ is!

[jimfinster]

It is almost pathological for you guys to bring Clinton up when your neocon *** is exposed.

FYI, I am not a Clinton fan, and feel no need to defend him.

[j-whitman]

badaxmofo,,,, Get over the BJ will you ???

--- He didn''t invade the wrong damm country & escellate global terriris nor did he sell our country to the Saudies who gave us 9/11, & he didn''t allow China to become a larger threat than Al Queda -----

That was Bush & McCain''s rubber stamp

[jimfinster]

terrorislam7:

Yeah, post some more stuff from the Cato Institute. They are really unbiased. Not.