Just days before the first major tests of the presidential race, Republican contender John McCain has enlisted U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback to try to win Catholic voters.My Comments:
Brownback, a Republican from Kansas, along with former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, are serving as co-chairmen of Catholics for McCain.
“As Catholics, we are proud to announce our support for John McCain, a genuine American hero with a conservative record who has what it takes to lead this country,” Brownback said in a statement.
The move is seen as an attempt by McCain to lure Christian conservatives, who are expected to make up a sizable chunk of Republican caucusgoers on Thursday in Iowa.
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It says something about the lack of quality in the GOP field when I find myself leaning toward someone I thought I could never support - John McCain.
That two Catholic men for whom I have a lot of respect - Sen. Brownback and Gov. Keating - are leading the effort to get Catholics on board the McCain candidacy certainly has me paying attention.
But don't get me wrong. I'm definitely not on anyone's bandwagon at this point. And I still don't trust McCain. He hasn't done anything to earn my trust yet after all the stunts he's pulled over the last 8 years.
UPDATE
The Catholics for McCain press release can be read here.
UPDATE #2
Victor Davis Hanson writes at National Review regarding McCain's comeback:
... I don’t know whether plain-speaking John McCain will win the presidency. But so far he’s proved the most experienced of the candidates, and he’s run the most principled and honest of the campaigns. Other candidates may be younger, better financed, and more charismatic; none has more earned America’s trust.(Hat tip: Gerald at The Cafeteria is Closed)
Davis says McCain has "earned America's trust". But, again, this is one American whose trust McCain has yet to earn. Just because he looks better than the other underqualified neophytes jockeying for the GOP nomination, that does not translate into "trust".
UPDATE #3 (9 January)
Let me make clear that McCain will have to change his position regarding federally funding of embryonic stem-cell research before I could ever consider supporting him.
And I haven't heard Brownback making any arguments as to why we should trust McCain, beyond, "you should trust McCain, because I trust McCain."
ReplyDeleteRather reminds me of Santorum's support for Arlen Specter.
The effect is to undermine my trust in the speaker, and not to increase my trust in the subject of the speech.
I don't like McCain, but given that I'm not sure Huckabee and Ron Paul are sane enough to meet my tastes, and that I trust Romney and despise Guliani, I could find myself sort of a McCain supporter.
ReplyDeleteshould be "distrust Romney"
ReplyDeleteLook at the options:
ReplyDelete1) Huckabee's support of the 30% FairTax on the poor does not follow social-justice teaching. He has flipped on the Human Life Amendment
2) Romney is a phony. He attended a Planned Parenthood fundraiser. Need I say more?
3) Thompson's campaign is virtually dead and he used to lobby for a pro-abortion organization
4)Ron Paul's record on abortion is horrendous, specifically his opposition to the Child Custody Protection Act.
John McCain:
Has a solid pro-life record. He was bad on embryonic stem-cell research, but that is a non-issue now. Brownback led on that issue and would not have endorsed McCain without certain bioethical assurances.
McCain can win in the general election. He is the strongest national defense candidate and a budget hawk.
His record on human rights and human dignity is unmatched, except by maybe Brownback himself.
I'm for McCain, and Anonymous 12:10 outlines his positives (and one glaring negative) pretty well.
ReplyDeleteYeah, he's erratic, touchy and inclined to maverick about too much. But he's the only welterweight in a field of midget wrestlers. He's also the only likely Republican who can appeal to the center and win the swing vote.
And the comparison between McCain and Specter is strained past the breaking point. Specter is a proabort, through and through.
I have never been so undecided before a primary and when McCain starts to looks good you know it is getting bad. But your right about McCain not doing anything to earn trust. McCain-Feingold, Gang of 14, voting against the FMA, ESCR, and repeated pokes in the eyes towards religious conservatives doesn't make him thrilling. Great war hero, horrible Senator.
ReplyDeleteESCR is not a non-issue despite advancements in other areas. We are fooling ourselves if we think ESCR is going away any time soon since it was never really about science in the first place. Maybe Brownback can moderate hims on this , but McCains issue page still supports its. Besides can you moderate a maverick?
With the internet and talk radio we get so much information on each candidate that is is pretty hard to be thrilled about any.
Thompson is the only one of the GOP front-runners that would not alienate a chunk of the conservative base. He's the only one who is consistently conservative on all of the issues - not just a certain subset. I find the criticism of him - he's run a lacklustre campaign, he's lazy, etc. - to be completely absurd. Therefore, he's the easy pick.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I would definitely support Romney and McCain. A year ago, like Jay, I would never have imagined myself saying that, but when you compare him to Rudy and Huckabee, he is a much more palatable candidate. He's made too mnay bad decisions in the past 7 years to be my first choice, but I will vote for him in the general if he is the nominee, and I also happen to think he's the GOP candidate most likely to win in the general.
The Pro-Life Case Against John McCain: McCain Has Denigrated the Pro-Life Issue Elsewhere, But Now He Seeks Support From Pro-Life Voters in South Carolina
ReplyDeleteMcCain's pro-life credentials called into question
John McCain Finds Abortion "Necessary"
Is McCain Pro-Life?
McCain Urges GOP to Back Off on Pro-Life Platform
MCCAIN'S PRO-LIFE RECORD NOT AS "GENUINE" AND "CONSISTENT" AS SOME WOULD HAVE US BELIEVE
Why Not John McCain?
Dobson says 'no way' to McCain candidacy
McCain: Same-sex marriage ban is un-Republican
John McCain Flip Flops on Gay Marriage
I will have to watch and see who who back. I mention today I am thinking of doing a informal survey of Catholic Convert Bloggers and who they are backing with past Religious or non Religious affiliation noted.
ReplyDeleteOf course in the SOuthern Baptist the two blogs I have polled , Me and one other, are winning the Huckabee VOte so far :)
I should note If something happens to Huckabee I shall be supporting McCain most likely. I have never had any real big problems with him besides CFR.
Bill Donohue made a comment today about McCain Embracing John Hagee's endorsement. As you know this man is a very loud Catholic basher. If McCain continues this way, he'll lose this catholic vote and hopefully many more.
ReplyDelete