The McCain Thread

[rdh007]

Is this why Mann Coulter is voting for Hilary?

 

[The Professor]

Hurts go goooood, come on baby make it hurt so gooood

 

[The Senator]

Hahahaha!

This is almost like when Reagan used "Born in the USA" as his campaign song... only to be told it was about the atrocities committed by the US during Vietnam.

 

[jaguarr]

http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-10-voa21.cfm

Bush Says McCain a True Conservative By Paula Wolfson
White House
10 February 2008

Wolfson report - Download (MP3)
Wolfson report - Listen (MP3)

President Bush is seeking to ease conservative fears about Arizona Senator John McCain - the frontrunner for the Republican Party's presidential nomination. But, as VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson reports, Mr. Bush still is not offering a formal endorsement.

John McCain speaks at an airport rally in Wichita, Kansas, 8 Feb 2008Senator McCain is way ahead in the race for delegates to the Republican Party's nominating convention. But former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, his only major challenger, is not giving up.
While he has been careful not to choose sides, President Bush is clearly aware that some of the party's staunchest conservatives do not want to see McCain get the nomination. They consider him a maverick and out of step with their views on issues such as immigration, tax policy, and campaign reform.
The president preached party unity at a conservative gathering on Friday. And in a follow-up interview on national television, he stressed this wing of the party has nothing to fear from John McCain.

President George W. Bush addresses national prayer breakfast in Washington, D.C., 07 Feb 2008"I know him well," said President Bush. "I know his convictions. I know the principles that drive him. There is no doubt in my mind that he is a true conservative."
Mr. Bush told the Fox News Sunday program both McCain and Huckabee have conservative records. But he acknowledged that McCain will have to work hard to bring the various factions of the Republican Party together.
"I think if John is the nominee, he has got some convincing to do to convince people that he is a solid conservative," said Mr. Bush. "And I will be glad to help him if he is the nominee."
McCain's strong showing in the 22-state Republican contests held last Tuesday earned him the frontrunner status. One of his challengers, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney suspended his campaign last Friday, leaving Huckabee as McCain's only major challenger.

Mike Huckabee campaigns in Chattanooga, Tennessee, 4 Feb. 2008Huckabee won victories Saturday in Louisiana and Kansas. He told NBC's Meet the Press that he intends to stay in the race, saying there is still a chance that McCain will lack the necessary delegates to wrap up the nomination before the convention.
"People say is not it a rather complicated and convoluted path to victory? You bet it is! But it is a real easy path to defeat," said Mike Huckabee. "All I have to do is walk off the field and the game is over."
Huckabee said his supporters remain energized going into the next round of contests Tuesday in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. He said not one has asked him to follow the lead of Mitt Romney and leave the race.






So, what do you think? Does Bush backing McCain help or hurt him? Bush is at his lowest approval ratings ever at around 30%. Is he just scaring conservative voters away by backing McCain or will it help him?

jag

 

[rdh007]

Tying himself to Bush when he's at 30% doesn't make much sense to me, but then electing Bush in 2000 (-ish) and 2004 (-ish) didn't either.

 

[The Senator]

It helps McCain win over fence-sitting Bush-conservatives, but it hurts him with everyone else.

 

[Handsome Rob]

Bush calling McCain a true conservative only solidifies in my mind that he is not.

Because Bush isn't one, himself.

 

[jaguarr]

Tying himself to Bush when he's at 30% doesn't make much sense to me, but then electing Bush in 2000 (-ish) and 2004 (-ish) didn't either.

Bush calling McCain a true conservative only solidifies in my mind that he is not.

Because Bush isn't one, himself.

Exactly why McCain ought to be worried about having Bush endorse him.

jag

 

[StorminNorman]

Anyone considering to vote for McCain isn't not going to support him just because Bush backs him - and anyone that thinks thats a possibility isn't being rational.

So since there is no harm from this - I suppose all it could do is help him with a small group.

But I don't even see that happening.

 

[Carcharodon]

It's really rather funny, considering McCain distanced himself from Bush and the Iraq war early on.

Then, all of a sudden, he's Bush's lapdog, and he has been for quite some time now. Think the switch was coincidental with his presidential bid?

 

[jaguarr]

Anyone considering to vote for McCain isn't not going to support him just because Bush backs him - and anyone that thinks thats a possibility isn't being rational.

So since there is no harm from this - I suppose all it could do is help him with a small group.

But I don't even see that happening.

Don't you think it might scare of some people that might have otherwise voted for McCain, though? Republicans or moderate conservatives that dislike Bush but were for McCain up until Bush started backing him?

jag

 

[StorminNorman]

Don't you think it might scare of some people that might have otherwise voted for McCain, though? Republicans or moderate conservatives that dislike Bush but were for McCain up until Bush started backing him?

jag

No. Not at all. Anyone that has such a radical hatred of Bush that they will dislike anything he likes would not consider voting for a Republican to begin with.

This has no negative impact, what so ever, to McCain.

Now if Bush CAMPAIGNS for him personally - that will cause a problem. A statement of support, however, does nothing at all. In the end this is a Republican President giving words of support to the Republican Presidential Candidate of the Future.

If this was for Romney - it would have no impact at all. Since it is McCain with a bad history with the GOP - it could have some (though incredibly limited) impact on a very small handful of Republicans.

 

[jaguarr]

No. Not at all. Anyone that has such a radical hatred of Bush that they will dislike anything he likes would not consider voting for a Republican to begin with.

I'm not so sure about that. I know a lot of Republicans/true conservatives that despise Bush and what he's done with the Presidency. They would have gladly voted for a Republican who wasn't a Bushie.

Now if Bush CAMPAIGNS for him personally - that will cause a problem. A statement of support, however, does nothing at all. In the end this is a Republican President giving words of support to the Republican Presidential Candidate of the Future.

Not entirely unpossible:

"I think if John is the nominee, he has got some convincing to do to convince people that he is a solid conservative," said Mr. Bush. "And I will be glad to help him if he is the nominee."

jag

 

[StorminNorman]

I'm not so sure about that. I know a lot of Republicans/true conservatives that despise Bush and what he's done with the Presidency. They would have gladly voted for a Republican who wasn't a Bushie.

Hating Bush because of what he has done is one thing. Hating Bush with so much intensity that you would STOP supporting a man you would normally support JUST because Bush gave a statement of support is something entirely different.

Not entirely unpossible:

No - because McCain's campaign won't allow it. His campaign is NOT run by idiots. They took Thompson's campaign this year. Bush can volunteer to do as much as the McCain campaign WANT him to do - and it will be very little when the campaign REALLY starts up.

 

[Matt]

Bush isn't a true conservative though

 

[jaguarr]

A five year old could have taken Thompson's campaign.

At any rate, I do know Republican conservatives that definitely not vote for McCain because of their hatred for Bush, so I do know it's a possibility.

jag

 

[StorminNorman]

Bush isn't a true conservative though

No. No he is not. But he still has a few that THINK he is and perception is reality.

 

[StorminNorman]

At any rate, I do know Republican conservatives that definitely not vote for McCain because of their hatred for Bush, so I do know it's a possibility.

jag

If you have friends that planned on voting for McCain but do not simply because Bush backed them - then your friends are idiots.

I mean did they expect the REPUBLICAN President to NOT support the Republican candidate?

IF that is the case - they need to get real.

 

[jaguarr]

If you have friends that planned on voting for McCain but do not simply because Bush backed them - then your friends are idiots.

I mean did they expect the REPUBLICAN President to NOT support the Republican candidate?

IF that is the case - they need to get real.

They fall into the co-worker category rather than the friends category. And, yes, that's the sort of folks they are. Whattyagonnado? *shrug* I just wonder how many more people are out there like that?

jag

 

[StorminNorman]

They fall into the co-worker category rather than the friends category. And, yes, that's the sort of folks they are. Whattyagonnado? *shrug* I just wonder how many more people are out there like that?

jag

Damn

 

[Matt]

A five year old could have taken Thompson's campaign.
jag

Thompson campaign easily had the initial support to be the front runner right now and win the nomination if he actually...y'know, campaigned.

 

[jaguarr]

Damn

It's really interesting to hear them bashing Bush this past year or two, because they were solidly on his dick before that. Now they've sort of got this little ongoing b1tch session going over him and anyone connected to him in any fashion. They were total Romney supporters before he bowed out. I suspect I'll get to hear all about how Huckabee is the only clear choice, now that Mitt's out of the running. They are definitely the type that would not vote out of protest if anyone they think is a Bushie were to win the nomination (I've even heard one of them say exactly that, so it's only a matter of time before they all share that ideal). I'm not defending them. I'm just saying they exist and it stands to reason that there are probably more out there just like them.

jag

 

[jaguarr]

Thompson campaign easily had the initial support to be the front runner right now and win the nomination if he actually...y'know, campaigned.

He was working four hours a day, Matt! What more did you want from the man!?

jag

 

[Matt]

He was working four hours a day, Matt! What more did you want from the man!?

jag

He did need his 6 naps a day

 

[StorminNorman]

It's really interesting to hear them bashing Bush this past year or two, because they were solidly on his dick before that. Now they've sort of got this little ongoing b1tch session going over him and anyone connected to him in any fashion. They were total Romney supporters before he bowed out. I suspect I'll get to hear all about how Huckabee is the only clear choice, now that Mitt's out of the running. They are definitely the type that would not vote out of protest if anyone they think is a Bushie were to win the nomination (I've even heard one of them say exactly that, so it's only a matter of time before they all share that ideal). I'm not defending them. I'm just saying they exist and it stands to reason that there are probably more out there just like them.

jag

I am honestly amazed.

I assumed anyone that was so irrationally anti-Bush would simply of never considered voting GOP this go around.