Thread: McCain’s Rapprochement With the Right?

McCain’s Rapprochement With the Right?
by Patrick J. Buchanan
February 9, 2008

On Thursday, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, Sen. John McCain stood before thousands of conservatives he has done his level best to anger and alienate for a decade – to ask for their support.

And he made a not unconvincing case.

What he said essentially was this. We have fought each other in the past, and we have fought side by side. And I admit to having made my share of mistakes. But if we do not work together, we lose the presidency. And if we lose the presidency, your causes will be lost, as well as my last chance to be president.

But if you will work with me, many of the causes for which you have fought – one more justice like Roberts and Alito, retention of the Bush tax cuts, further reductions in tax rates, a more secure border – will be taken up as the causes of my presidency.

Moreover, my door will be open and your voices heard. And none of this will happen if Hillary or Barack Obama wins, which will happen if we do not join forces and fight together.

Bottom line: If we don’t hang together, we all hang separately. If my end of the dinghy sinks, yours will not stay afloat. And if I lose, you get your pound of flesh, but we will both be out in the cold as a Democratic Congress and president undo what was right about the Bush presidency as well as what was wrong about the Bush presidency.

So it is your call.

McCain is no orator. But the speech had humility and humor – and put the ball back squarely in the court of the conservatives. For John McCain had just taken the first step toward a rapprochement with the right, by asking for an armistice and offering an alliance.

In 1964, as an even more acrimonious battle for the GOP ended at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, where the right hooted and booed Nelson Rockefeller, another Arizonan was far less compromising than John McCain. Barry Goldwater told that convention of conservatives that had just nominated him: “Anyone who joins us in all sincerity, we welcome. Those who do not care for our cause, we don’t expect to enter our ranks in any case.â€

I know Hillary/Obama would be terrible. But McCain with a Democratically controlled Congress also frightens me.

McCain still has a long way to go to assuage my concerns and one speech is not going to do it.

McCain has been as liberal as Hillary or Obama.
I don't know that I could ever believe that McCain "has seen the light" and would stand up for what the American people want.
I have never voted in a Primary or national election when I thought there was not a sliver of a difference between the candidates.
Franklyy, at this point I am stumped.

So do we vote for Hillary or Obama...and hope the Republicans in Congress can keep some control over them?
Or do we vote McCain and have the Republicans fall in lock step with him as they did with Bush?

I had thought of voting for Ron Paul but it seems he is backing away and says he will not run as an Independent.

One thought to consider. It would be easier for Republican congressional members to oppose amnesty from a Democratic president than from an empowered, vengeful President McCain.

Thanks Populist....

That was my thinking but it sure is a gut wrencher when you have been a died in the wool Republican all or one's life.
At this point I just want what is better for the country.
I don't see any of them being the best for our country.

No way on Gods green earth would I ever trust or vote for McCain. If an Independant does not come forward I will not vote at all and just concentrate on congress.....

I can't vote for Hillary/Obama, but I'm not near sold on McCain either.

We have to focus on electing and reelecting conservative, anti-amnesty Congressional members to act as a bulwark and limit the damage that Clinton/Obama/McCain can do.

I know this sucks, but this is the reality we face.

Hopefully in the meantime, more states will act on their own.

Originally Posted by Populist

I can't vote for Hillary/Obama, but I'm not near sold on McCain either.

We have to focus on electing and reelecting conservative, anti-amnesty Congressional members to act as a bulwark and limit the damage that Clinton/Obama/McCain can do.

I know this sucks, but this is the reality we face.

Hopefully in the meantime, more states will act on their own.

I may just do a write in for the primary this Tuesday then see if anything changes before the election. In all good concience I just can't vote for any of the three top runners. I have turned it over in my mind hundreds of times and I still come up with NO.
I agree with you and so many others here that the thing to do is focus on reelecting conservative, anti=amnesty Congressional members.

The 1964 convention is a great example why not to vote for McAmnesty in the general election:

1964: Goldwater lost the general election to Johnson, but it was a turning point for the GOP in that the conservative wing of the party took control, which allowed a guy like Ronald Reagan to lead the party in the not so distant future.

2008: McAmnesty will lose the general election and that loss will make the party's establishment go back to its conservative roots or risk going the way of the dinosaurs.

In both cases, conservatives give the middle finger to the party's establishment and end up winning in the long run. While it may seem scary to have Hillary or Obama as president, it's necessry in order to send a message to the GOP. We will not "fall in line" and we will not sacrifice our principles for party loyalty. Voting for a republican open borders zealot who believes in the global warming hoax will do nothing but marginalize our wing of the party for decades to come.