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Author Topic: Novak: Is McCain a Conservative?  (Read 2731 times)

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Offline Splashdown

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Novak: Is McCain a Conservative?
« on: January 31, 2008, 10:53:08 AM »
Quote
Is McCain a Conservative?

By Robert D. Novak
Thursday, January 31, 2008; A21



As John McCain neared his momentous primary election victory in Florida after a ferocious campaign questioning his conservative credentials, right-wingers buzzed over word that he had privately suggested that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was too conservative. In response, McCain said he recalled saying no such thing and added that Alito was a "magnificent" choice. In fact, multiple sources confirm that the senator made negative comments about Alito nine months ago.

McCain, as the "straight talk" candidate, says things off the cuff that he sometimes cannot remember exactly later. Elements of the Republican Party's right wing, uncomfortable with McCain as their prospective presidential nominee, brought the Alito comments to the surface long after the fact for two contrasting reasons. One was a desperate effort to keep McCain from winning in Florida. The other was to get the party's potential nominee on record about key issues before he is nominated.

Those key issues do not include McCain's firmly held nonconservative positions on campaign finance reform and global warming. Rather, conservatives among the second group want two assurances: first, that McCain would veto any tax increase passed by a Democratic Congress; second, that he would not emulate Gerald R. Ford and George H.W. Bush in naming liberal Supreme Court justices such as John Paul Stevens and David Souter.

-more-

The obvious answer is no. But he'll have to stand in front of CPAC next week and defend his run. I wonder if he'll be able to appease many on the right by picking a real "conservative" running mate?
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Novak: Is McCain a Conservative?
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2008, 11:21:13 AM »
Hell, are ANY of them as conservative as we'd like them to be?  No, but it's what we're left with.

A poster on FR put this up, and I'm repeating it here--very well made points, and he has others in the thread:

Thanks all. Part of the genius of Reagan was that he could put forth his ideas simply and positively. I never heard him attack with vitriol. He could puncture an opponent in such a way that even the opponent would laugh, while making the point germane to policy. One of my favorite lines was during his debate with Mondale about the military. Mondale claimed he was strong on defense, and mentioned a recent visit to an aircraft carrier. Reagan smiled and said, "Yes, I saw the film of you on that carrier. If you'd gotten your way, you would have been in deep water out there, because you voted against that carrier five times."
He delivered the line perfectly, while smiling. It was a valid policy point. It wasn't a personal attack. It was funny. It was one of the best smack downs I've ever seen. One of the things we forget about Reagan is that besides everything else, that guy was good.

Reagan understood policy and could create coalitions. He could compromise when necessary and avoid making enemies unless it was absolutely necessary. He's not coming back, and I fear we are in danger of becoming like Alabama fans who still think Bear Bryant is coming back. I still think studying his policies, style and techniques can lead us to great victories, and not just at the ballot box, but in the marketplace of ideas, which is where we're losing the battle now.


99 posted on 01/31/2008 8:28:13 AM PST by Richard Kimball
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1962511/posts
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Offline DixieBelle

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Re: Novak: Is McCain a Conservative?
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2008, 11:30:45 AM »
I miss Reagan. I also think that no one can copy him. They need to be themselves while advocating his policies. America can smell a phony....
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Novak: Is McCain a Conservative?
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2008, 01:51:00 PM »
Quote from: NHSparky on January 31, 2008, 11:21:13 AM
Hell, are ANY of them as conservative as we'd like them to be?  No, but it's what we're left with.

A poster on FR put this up, and I'm repeating it here--very well made points, and he has others in the thread:

Thanks all. Part of the genius of Reagan was that he could put forth his ideas simply and positively. I never heard him attack with vitriol. He could puncture an opponent in such a way that even the opponent would laugh, while making the point germane to policy. One of my favorite lines was during his debate with Mondale about the military. Mondale claimed he was strong on defense, and mentioned a recent visit to an aircraft carrier. Reagan smiled and said, "Yes, I saw the film of you on that carrier. If you'd gotten your way, you would have been in deep water out there, because you voted against that carrier five times."
He delivered the line perfectly, while smiling. It was a valid policy point. It wasn't a personal attack. It was funny. It was one of the best smack downs I've ever seen. One of the things we forget about Reagan is that besides everything else, that guy was good.

Reagan understood policy and could create coalitions. He could compromise when necessary and avoid making enemies unless it was absolutely necessary. He's not coming back, and I fear we are in danger of becoming like Alabama fans who still think Bear Bryant is coming back. I still think studying his policies, style and techniques can lead us to great victories, and not just at the ballot box, but in the marketplace of ideas, which is where we're losing the battle now.


99 posted on 01/31/2008 8:28:13 AM PST by Richard Kimball
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1962511/posts

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Offline Lacarnut

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Re: Novak: Is McCain a Conservative?
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2008, 02:48:25 PM »
I have come to the conclusion that many Republicians are voting in the primiaries for the one they think can beat the Queen Bee. They think that either McCain or Romney can do it. At first it was Rudy; now that he has faltered, the second pick is McCain. Fred & Hunter were too lethargic. In addition, many Repubs don't want another Prez. from AR for a long, long time.

McCain is not my kind of conservative but I will vote for the Repub. nominee because the Hildabeast would destroy this country if elected.
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Offline Bondai

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Re: Novak: Is McCain a Conservative?
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2008, 03:00:55 PM »
Quote from: Lacarnut on January 31, 2008, 02:48:25 PM
I have come to the conclusion that many Republicians are voting in the primiaries for the one they think can beat the Queen Bee. They think that either McCain or Romney can do it. At first it was Rudy; now that he has faltered, the second pick is McCain. Fred & Hunter were too lethargic. In addition, many Repubs don't want another Prez. from AR for a long, long time.

McCain is not my kind of conservative but I will vote for the Repub. nominee because the Hildabeast would destroy this country if elected.

Romney is the only conservative in the race. McCain is a suckass mule. I have a story about McCain that I'll tell some day....
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Offline Atlas

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Re: Novak: Is McCain a Conservative?
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2008, 09:26:59 PM »
I don't see any conservatives as being left in the race, but of the ones still there, I dislike Romney the least

A sorry state of affairs :thatsright:
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Offline Nick Schizen

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Re: Novak: Is McCain a Conservative?
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2008, 09:19:49 PM »
The answer to that question is , "NO"!

It's starting to look like no matter which one gets in now we will all be in trouble.

I've said this before at other sites and I'll say it at this one as well!

"There will come a time in the next 4 years that the majority of Americans will start to say how they wish Bush was still the President"!

Tomorrpw I will be throwing in with Romney .............. not because he's the best ......... just because he ain't the worst!

I wanted Fred Thompson because I believed that he was the best of them all, but even Fred don't want any parts of this dog and pony show!

God save us all!
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