McCain Tries To Assuage Skeptics On Right

Washington Post: Conservatives Offering Both Acceptance and Distrust of GOP Frontrunner

(WASHINGTONPOST.COM)  This story was written by Michael Leahy and Juliet Eilperin.

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Ronald Reagan has found a regular place in Sen. John McCain's stump speech, part of the Republican presidential candidate's effort to assert his conservative credentials and assure listeners that he has been a longtime "foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution."

Tre Everson, a local funeral director, listened carefully last weekend as McCain (Ariz.) appeared to be channeling Reagan in a campaign appearance here aimed at assuaging the worries of conservatives. McCain said he wants only judges who will "stand up for the strict construction of the Constitution," and repeated that he is "a proud social conservative . . . the true conservative."

Everson comes from that part of the Republican electorate congenitally suspicious of McCain -- passionate conservatives who view him as a closet moderate on fiscal and social matters, and want nothing to do with the Republican front-runner. But McCain has succeeded in easing Everson's worries about his controversial stance on immigration, which offered the prospect of citizenship to illegal immigrants, by stressing that he would "secure the borders first."

"I guess that's enough for me . . . but it isn't enough for some of my friends," said Everson, who regards himself as a McCain supporter. "People keep criticizing him, you know, on the radio and in the media. I just think it's that they know he's probably going to be the man, the nominee. Some conservatives are obviously bothered."

That was underscored by the results of Tuesday's primaries. They moved McCain closer to attaining his goal of winning the Republican nomination but also demonstrated his difficulty in closing the deal with conservatives in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and West Virginia and Arkansas -- all states he lost to former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

The discontent among conservatives presents a threat to McCain's attempt to unify his party for the general election. He will try to quell that revolt Thursday with a high-profile speech in the District before the influential Conservative Political Action Conference.

"I want to make the point that a lot of conservatives are coming home to McCain," says former senator Phil Gramm (Tex.), a McCain supporter. "But some aren't. Some just don't seem to understand that if they don't do this, it's going to hurt the party for a long time. They say they have principles, but some of it is their ego and power, too. They're well-known, and they're used to having power."

The conservative firestorm has been fueled by radio talk-show hosts and pundits upset that McCain's campaign, left for dead after money problems and a staff upheaval, unexpectedly resurrected itself in New Hampshire, and he became the leader after wins in South Carolina and Florida. Largely ignored by critics until his comeback, McCain became the target of a vocal band of influential conservative commentators distraught over the possibility of his nomination.

Rush Limbaugh declared that a McCain triumph would "destroy the party." James Dobson, leader of Focus on the Family, said that he will not vote for McCain under any circumstances. Ann Coulter allowed as to how she would rather vote for Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton than for McCain.

Former and current Republican congressional colleagues joined in the attacks. Former House speaker J. Dennis Hastert cited what he termed McCain's lack of party loyalty by labeling him an "undependable vote," and Sen. Thad Cochran (Miss.) raised questions about his temperament for the Oval Office.

The incoming conservative fire against McCain has become a distraction, Gramm acknowledges. "Some people, in their own minds, think they have exerted a strong influence over the party, and now they are seeing that influence passing," he said. "There's some bitterness on their part. They're people who put their dogma in front of the interests of the country. . . . They don't like it that McCain is McCain."

No issue has been more critical for McCain to address, and finesse, than his stance on immigration reform. The bill that he co-authored with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), which included a proposal to grant illegal immigrants citizenship after they paid a fine and met several other conditions, sparked an outrage among Republicans that he had never seen coming, aides said. His poll numbers plummeted. Critics dubbed him Amnesty John.

Politically, McCain-Kennedy was a near-death experience for McCain, who observed to an aide that he had never seen an issue of such intensity.

[prinzowhales]

denn034--If the ''liberal'' American Psychiatric Association is going to ''normalize'' pedophilia, it should win the support of your toe tappers and pederasts who make up the leadership of the Demopublican Party....

....Why should free people be fool enough to vote for the Republican wing of that party simply because some one is going to provide a state-issued scrap of paper to a gay couple who will not be doing one thing different than they are right now?

Voting for the Republican hypocrites and scum is no different than voting for their Democratic associates...

If you want open borders...war without end...continued corruption and a police state...then stick with the Republicans and watch your G-- D--- Constitution go right down the drain...That''s what your Repubican president calls it--"just a G-- D--- piece of paper."

[prinzowhales]

It is time to stand up for America and against its enemies--the Demopublican Party and the creatures who own it lock, stock and barrel...It is time to stand up for the Constitution of the United States and the Republic...It is time to vote for a Third Party and sweep these dogs from the corridors of power.

If you oppose open borders...if you oppose unjust wars for the profit of oligarchs...if you oppose massive government, corporatist monopolies and the destruction of our freedoms...if you oppose the lies, the greed and the corruption that governs Washington through the Demopublican Party...they vote THIRD PARTY!! You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything that is important in public life to gain!
Down with the Demopublican Regime!!

[jack3213]

Do the math: Huckabee does not have a chance, period.
Against Clinton or Obama, MCCAIN will win handsdown. Why? He is the stronger, more experianced, credible, leader we have to choose from. Differances aside, MCCAIN is the only one that will show the right change and make the appropriate *less tax* progress

[tibu987]

McCain''''s two views with which I do not agree.

Democrat Issue:
Amnesty for illegals. How do you think the people who have tried to immigrate legally, waiting many years to do so, would feel?
Is that fair?

Republican Issue:
And, McCains plan to continue the Bush policy and stay the course in Iraq. Do we want what is clearly a civil war, to be the dying fields for more
young Americans?
I don''t.
Think about it before you vote.
******
I too am an independent voter, voting for some members of both parties. I do not, however, agree with your pro McCain choice. McCain is just more of the same from Washington, one of the "good ole boys" club.
I believe many changes are neccessary in Washington, getting rid of the corrupt regimes that have led us in the past and I include th Clinton''''s in that group.
I want change in Washington and McCain is certainly not a person for change.
Add to that, McCain''''s mistaken ideas to continue the war in Iraq and to give amnesty to illegal immigrants.
Gimme a break.

[denn034]

Now, we Republicans have to unite or lose. It''s unite or get saddled with same-$ex marriages or civil unions and that can only lead to polygamy, etc. The liberal American Psychiatric Association has already discussed the possibility of normalizing pedophilia in May of 2003 in San Francisco so, I wouldn''t be surprised if that''s immediately around the corner as well. Down with liberals. Republicans Unite!

[realpatriot1]

old300d,

What''s really important to Christians such as myself is that we have a President who will stand with America.

McCain couldn''t even show up to fight for the economic stimulus package.

[old300d]

When Pat endorsed Rudy it was because he knew he would stand with Israel. This is very important to Christians. Rudy endorsed John for the same reason. Christians believe John will stand with Israel. Mike too. Rush doesn''t mention this too much. He does not get it !

[walt1944-2009]

"Mormon Mittens" Romney has quit, and all that''s left is "the Reverand Huckleberry" Huckabee and "Bagdad" John McCain, who expects to win the neocon Fascist Republican nomination for Great Emperor of the US(SA). Ron Paul is a non-issue, even though he makes the most sense and has the biggest youth following among the Fascists.

In anticipation of his winning the nomination, "Bagdad" John has done the following:

1. He has ordered the military NOT to tell him anything about secret prisons or torture so that he can invoke the doctrine of "plausible denial".
2. Plans on asking the Great Emperor Bush II on the mechanics of "signing statements" since the Great Emperor is such an "EXPERT" at it!
3. Has instructed the military to prepare for further shopping trips to Bagdad!
4. Is preparing to grant amnesty to all illegal immigrants in this country as well as any illegal extraterristrials and former occupants of the "Middle Earth".

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[kissamaarse]

McCain was in Washington D.C., but chose to skip the vote regarding the economic stimulus. How deeply he cares about Americans'' problems!

[fuzzybear9]

Hello wanna be Patriots

what Mitt did not understand is his preception of what the republican party was and what its reality is are two different things, this is not the Republican party of his Dad or Grandpa,
this is the Mobocrat republican party.

Mitt needs to save all his families money and invest in gold bars, as he will need to hedge up against the Depression of 2010.

And with John Mccain at the Helm we can look forward with hope and anticipation to World War III.
it will be exciting since I have never really lived thru a World War.

I would like to turn or discussion from Mitt and discuss Your Federal 1040 Tax Form
and to see if any of you qualify for the First Time Home Buyer in Washington D.C. this is a very precarious credit.
notice I didn`t say a First time Home Buyer in White Plains, New Tork, or St. Paul Minnesota,
the credit can only be taken by Washington D.C. home owners.
thats why I called you wanna be Patriots.
because if this trick had been pulled in the days of Paul Revere they would have gathered a Militia and thrown out the Furniture, Desks and Busted Out the Windows of The IRS Building. and then Linched the Head IRS
fellow along with the Politicians that proposed such an unfair advantage.

Sincerely Building a Bunker Bear
Fuzzy

[coppertales]

No amount of lip service will ever overcome the bad voting record of a RINO.

[steeepe]

If you want to spend trillions more in Iraq, McCain''s your guy.

[smirk5]

Romney''s gone. The Huckster can''t win. John "Amnesty" McCain is the GOP choice this year.
Old, angry McCain will really appeal to the American voter out there that is happy with our nation''s current course.

[prinzowhales]

Now the leaders of both parties'' primary races support open borders, war without end, huge government, the police state and are not cousins but best of chums. As if the Ameri-Sheeple could not come up with a more bone-headed, non-election than 2004 where the Skull & Bones cousins played the dung-brained electorate for fools.

[briannorwood]

Oh Dear! Romney drops out of the race. Proves that a flip-flopping panderer may have fooled the uber-conservative talk show morons, but couldn''t fool the people that count...the voters.

What now for Ingram, Limbaugh and Hannity? Eat crow or crawl back under your rock?

[prinzowhales]

The London bombings, like the 9-11 bombings, took place during an ''anti-terrorism'' drill...

The London story is so full of holes as to be even more incredible than the half-arsed Official Fable of 9-11 peddled by the Washington Regime.

[prinzowhales]

vivaviva80--It means it was a false flag operation to frame Islamists to justify the intensification of police state activities.

The odds of the attacks happening at the precise times and at the precise places that the actual attacks took place were placed at over trillions-to-one...yet this is what happened...as Peter Power, who was running the drill, revealed on BBC.

[prinzowhales]

As to Romney being the "most qualified"...we haven''t had a candidate as qualified as Romney since........
..........Herbert Hoover....

....Herbert Hoover--and he didn''t get to the reasons for the Great Depression and Stock Market Collapse that Winston Churchill had been invited to view at the NYSE....He didn''t tackle the international banking interests who control the FED and dragged the nation into Collapse and Depression.

Andrew Jackson was the last president who did anything about the banking establishment and lived to tell about it...surviving assassination attempts and destroying the Second Bank of the United States, a monster not half as vile, half as powerful as the FED.

I just heard that Romney is quitting the race...

[perception5]

"Romney is virtually "buying" the Presidency by using his own personal fortunes advertise. What would that say about our political processes should he win. Does that mean that Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey are qualified to be President too?- curtisrk771 "

curtisrk771, there is a concept that you need to start warming up to and that is Mitt has more donations than any other GOP candidate from private Americans.

I like the fact that Mitt is using his own money. Obama, Clinton, and the rest have been writing IOU''s to all the special interests groups.

Is that what we want? A President that "owes" special interests ..........? OR A President that doesn''t owe anybody anything?

I''m having a hard time following your logic. Please explain?

And GO MITT !, the most qualified candidate running from either party in 2008, no question about it.

[news4all]

I and every other Republican I have spoken with are voting for the Democrats if McCain wins.

McCain is hot-tempered, arrogant, and fixated on Bin Laden (as if he were the only threat to our country). He also has made jokes about bombing Iran and he''s very superstitious. McCain has been known to fly off the handle with anyone who dares have a differing view than his own and he resorts to twisting opponents words to gain followers. McCain will stop at nothing to win.

Romney is the only Republican candidate with the right education, experience and vision and if Huckabee supporters could get past their preacher''s feelings about the LDS church,Romney would get the nomination.

Romney lives by all the values Huckabee supporters claim to espouse and has only changed for the better when he has changed on anything. Huckabee is very charismatic and affable, but is lacking the decorum necessary to be president.