Poll Results and My Own “Straight Talk” About John McCain
By Jim Willis on Feb 2, 2008 in Elections, Government & Politics | Printable Version
It seems the readers of this blog are supporters of John McCain’s candidacy by a wide margin. Unfortunately, your faithful author is not. Below are the results of those visiting this site and who they support in the primary (34 votes total - the poll ran for about a month):
Clinton - 3% (1 vote)
Giuliani - 9% (3 votes)
Huckabee - 9% (3 votes)
McCain - 56% (19 votes)
Obama - 6% (2 votes)
Paul - 9% (3 votes)
Romney - 3% (1 vote)
Thomson - 6% (2 votes)
Don’t forget that Tuesday, Feb. 5th is primary day here in New York. If you believe the national polls (and I do), McCain has it locked up on the Republican side–something that distresses me greatly. I’ll be throwing the lever for Romney even though he doesn’t stand a chance.
I guess the depressing thought for me is that, having grown up in the Reagan revolution and having served Ronald Reagan in The White House, it’s sad to see the sun set on true conservatism in the Republican party. If the sun is not setting, it is at least going behind a cloud for an extended period of time (years).
I’ve come to the conclusion that I am, indeed, in a shrinking minority of those who love individual freedom, small government, low taxes, defend life and advocate a strong national defense (including defending against encroachment on our national sovereignty by other countries with schemes like “carbon credits”.) I see the rise of people like California Governor Arnold Swarchenegger, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, and Arizona Senator John McCain–who are all center/left-of-center (and definitely NOT conservative)–as a sad development for the Republican Party.
Let’s be clear about who John McCain is. He co-wrote, advocated and actively pushed for:
* McCain-Feingold - The so-called “campaign finance reform” law that limits free speech–the first time in our 200+ year history the First Amendment has been successfully attacked. This law, which passed and survived a Supreme Court challenge, makes it illegal for third party organizations to run political ads that target a specific candidate 60 days prior to an election. In order to combat the extreme leftist slant of the national media, the reality today is that organizations must buy air time in order to get their message (their free speech) heard. This law stopped it cold–ensuring incumbents don’t have to spend money responding. Great for incumbants, tough beans for challengers. Now that the First Amendment has been wounded, look for more attacks to come further limiting free speech.
* McCain-Kennedy - The immigration bill that would grant amnesty to those who entered our country illegally if they pay $5,000. If illegals know the pricetag for entering the country–what do you think will happen? That’s right–we will get even more illegals entering. Why do Democrats and Republicans support this kind of insanity? Votes. Plain and simple. They want the Hispanic vote, which is a rapidly growing population in the U.S. I have no problem with LEGAL immigration. I have a big problem with illegal immigration. John McCain does not have that problem. Thank the Lord this bill has not passed–yet.
* McCain-Lieberman - Right up there with McCain-Feingold in my book of incidious legislation. Fortunately it has not passed–yet. McCain wants to put caps on the amount of “greenhouse gas emissions” on business. It plays right into the hands of other countries who have wanted a back-door way to control our economy for years and haven’t figured out how to do it. This their answer. The proposed legislation, if passed and signed by a President McCain (or Hillary or Obama), would have the effect of doing great harm to our economy by imposing a new, very high tax on business, all in a vain attempt to control the fiction of global warming. If this legislation were tied to an international treaty, like the Kyoto Protocol, it would have the effect of allowing an outside organization (the United Nations) to gain sovereignty over the United States. To me, this is a betrayal of the Constitution.
To be fair to McCain, he is a strong supporter of the Iraq War–and he wants to win it. It is his one redeeming quality. The war is a very important issue–but not the only issue.
The truth is, John McCain’s “straight talk” is a euphemism for “I’m breaking ranks with my own party.” It’s “straight talk” when he’s talking down his own party–specifically the conservatives in his party–and always when he’s veering to the left on an issue. For years McCain has been known as the “question mark” in the Senate when it comes to, “Will he support this latest Republican initiative or not?”
McCain does not lead a movement or inspire with his ideas–he promotes himself. His campaign is not about advancing an agenda that will propel this country forward–it’s about John McCain. Like Bob Dole’s campaign in 1996, this is about McCain getting his “due” and getting his “shot” at the big job. He feels entitled–that he has earned the right to run as the Republican nominee. How sad.
Now, we (the conservative wing of the Republican Party) are asked to “unify” behind McCain…to overlook his record as a Senator on items like those above. We’re asked to suspend our knowledge of that record and pretend that he is now “really and truly a conservative.” Sorry–I just don’t buy it. All the slick political packaging in the world doesn’t change the product under the wrapper. I’m having a hard time mustering up the gumption to pull the lever for McCain in November should he be the Republican nominee. The problem for me is, who else would I vote for? Certainly not the socialist Democrat candidate. I hate that feeling–I have to settle for bad or worse. I and many others have grown tired of settling.
One thing’s for sure–even though I’m in the minority in the Republican party, that minority is still sizable. If I’m having trouble supporting McCain–there are many others who are too. McCain simply doesn’t stand a chance of being elected in November because a wide portion of the Republican base will not support him. There are not enough independents and moderates to make up the numbers to overcome those from his own party who will just sit this one out. (To be fair, that’s most likely the same situation for Romney too–not enough in the party who would support him if he were the nominee.) Which means hello President Hillary or Obama.
The reason I’m depressed? I’m on a 9-month political train wreck that’s happening in slow motion. I already know the outcome, and now I have to wait not only for election day, but the four horrible years that will follow. With the Democrats holding the Senate, the House, and the Presidency–and appointing liberal activist judges to the Supreme Court–it is a fait accompli. I truly fear for this country and the rapid loss of freedoms we are about to experience starting in 2009.
Technorati Tags: political poll, presidential poll, John McCain, straight talk, straight talk express, Mitt Romney, Republican conservatives, McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy, McCain-Lieberman, conservative blues
Roger Thornhill | Feb 2, 2008 | Reply
Let’s look at McCain’s so-called conservative adversary:
In the Florida debate, Governor Mitt Romney said:
“I can point to a very simple way to find out exactly where I stand, and that is look at my record as governor.”
Really?
As governor, Mitt Romney issued an executive order forcing justices of the peace to perform homosexual weddings, or resign. Then he ordered marriage licenses changed to read “party A” and “party B” – instead of “husband” and “wife.”
As governor, Romney appointed a board member of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association to the bench, and appointed more Democrat judges than Republicans.
As governor, Romney authored and signed a mandatory heath insurance plan backed by Ted Kennedy – including taxpayer-funded abortion on demand.
As governor, Romney overruled his own health department and forced Catholic hospitals to distribute the morning after abortion pill.
Homosexual marriage?
Tax-funded abortions?
Catholic hospital morning after pills?
Homosexual activist judges?
“Look at my record as governor.”
For the truth about who beats Hillary,
FOX News 01/30 - 01/31 900 RV 45 44 10 McCain (R) +1.0
Rasmussen 01/25 - 01/27 1200 LV 48 40 12 McCain (R) +8.0
NBC/WSJ 01/20 - 01/22 1008 A 46 44 6 McCain (R) +2.0
LA Times/Bloomberg 01/18 - 01/22 1312 RV 42 46 7 Clinton (D) +4.0
USA Today/Gallup 01/10 - 01/13 1106 LV 50 47 1 McCain (R) +3.0
Hotline/FD 01/10 - 01/12 803 RV 47 43 7 McCain (R) +4.0
CNN 01/09 - 01/10 840 RV 48 50 – Clinton (D) +2.0
See a better view of the above data at:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_clinton-224.html
McCain is leading in 8 out of 10 national polls by at least 2 and up to 8 points!!
You’re off base on this statistic, Jim.
As far as Conservatives voting for McCain, if they stay home, then Hillary wins and the stay at home bas IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT TRAVESTY.
You may not like the facts, but there is only one way you’ll beat Hillary — you simply must vote for McCain.
Roger “Back a Winner or shut up” Thornhill
Jim Willis | Feb 2, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for the comment Roger. I was hoping you would bring an opposing opinion. I have a great amount of respect for your blog and and your opinions! Thank you for taking the time to leave a such a thorough comment.
You’re right to point out that Romney has his own baggage–and a lot of it. I believe many of the items you cite he has since changed positions on…something that is uncomfortable for me, but as he’s changed them to lean right, instead of left, it’s something I’m willing to take a chance on.
As for polls, McCain may be doing better in some polls today than either Democrat rival, but it’s early days and you can be sure the national media is not going to side with McCain (or any Republican) when it comes to the general election.
In the end I will fall into line like a good soldier and vote for the Republican nominee–whomever that is. I’m just pointing out that McCain has a really big problem that is not just going to go away. He has a record that is not acceptable to many in the conservative wing, and not all of them will stay in formation.
At the end of the day, whichever party jazzes their base the most is the one that wins. Right now it looks like the other side is doing a better job of that. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for a miracle. I would like nothing better than for you to be right, and me wrong, on my prediction for the general election.
William | Feb 4, 2008 | Reply
It’s a moot point anyway.
Who could possibly believe the future of America would be based on a stogy cantankerous old fart like McCain, a purveyor of war - with his jokes about bombing Iran and staying in Iraq for 100 years? You can’t really believe, especially after the miserable failure of the Bush presidency, that any GOP candidate represents the future of America.
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the Democratic candidates for president. Can you feel it?
Consider the following points:
* The participation of young people in primaries was unprecedented. Overall, Democrats had a much larger turnout (SC, NH)
* Young people 17-29 in America resoundingly favor Democratic candidates for president by a margin of 52% to 32% - according to a NY Times Poll.
* The CNN Democratic Debate was highest rated debate in cable television history with 8.3 million viewers, more than double the amount of viewers of the CNN Republican debate (and snoozefest … ZZzzzz) . You can hear it in the crowd, feel it in the atmosphere. Dem debates were like rock concerts. Repub debates, boring, very little audience enthusiasm (except for Ron Paul’s anti-war comments).
* A record 70% of Americans think the country is going in the wrong direction. Change is the word.
GAME over for the GOP
And I’d like to thank GW.
Without the failed Bush presidency, the GOP would may well have become the dominant political force in America, a change that began in ‘94 has now come full circle. Thank you Bush, and all Bush supporters. Repugs, you have no idea what his incompetence has taken from your party. The 2000 SCOTUS 5-4 decision giving Bush the presidency certainly looms large.
Thanks to Bush, the GOP is finished.
Jim Willis | Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Hi William. Glad you returned to comment!
Leaving aside the childish Bush-bashing, you are correct about a few things. If you read my posts about the election, you’ll see I am concerned that the Democrats are way more jazzed about their candidates than the Republicans are. The Republicans not only need a candidate they accept, but someone they are excited about. I am really concerned such a candidate does not exist on our side. McCain is not acceptable to most conservatives. Romney is not acceptable to many moderates. It’s a real problem for us.
You’re correct that larger numbers are coming out in state after state to vote in the Democrat primaries/caucuses than on the Republican side. A troubling sign for our side.
Peggy Noonan (a speechwriter from the Reagan White House that I have tremendous respect for) wrote recently what you have stated–that GWB more than anyone is responsible for ruining the GOP. Not sure I agree with that, but there is a nugget of truth in there somewhere. Not because of the war, which almost everyone supported at the time (and still does, by the way). But because of his loose spending and expansion of government–which are Democrat traits, not Republican.
But you know, as pessimistic as I am sometimes, nine months is a long time in politics and a lot can happen during that period. I expect by the time November rolls around the race will be much closer than either of us would want!
WHB | Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Well Jim, It’s 10 pm and I am watching the numbers come in for the primary. Huckaphony has been a big surprise to me. The evangelicals in America are far more ignorant of classic conservatism/republicanism than I first thought. What a lot of repub. and evangelicals fail to realize is that the center has moved to the left and they slid with it. Right into socialism. The sun seems to be setting on Edmund Burke. Someday maybe our grandchildren will read his books and there will be a new revolution to resurrect the constitutional idealism of our founding fathers. WHB
Jim Willis | Feb 6, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for that comment WHB. I could not have said it better myself. I too am flabbergasted by the ignorance of the evangelicals, of which I am one!
I saw Chris Wallace interview Huckabee last night after Huckabee’s speech. Wallace asked him, “So if you’re saying this is now a 2-man race, between you and McCain, why should people vote for you over McCain?” Huckabee avoided a straight answer, so Wallace asked it a second time. The Huck then ticked off a few (minor) differences and quickly hastened to add that even on items they disagree about, both of them are very cordial to each other and don’t “stick each other in the eye” with their differences.
Bottom line? Huckaphony is completely dishonest about his motives. He wants the VP spot on McCain’s ticket and he’s able to fool enough ignorant evangelicals that he may well get it. I say fine, McCain and Huckabee can have each other as neither will win in November.