WWTBAM Bored

I think McCain's appeal comes from what used to be called the liberal wing of the Republican party -- the Rockefeller Republicans, as it were.

I think he won New Hampshire because he convinced many voters who might otherwise have voted for Obama to vote for him instead.

He has credibility on military issues, and a lot (somewhat less than straight military) on foreign policy. I don't think he's a foreign policy expert, but compared to Romney and Huckabee, he's ahead there.

He also seems to be one of the top two or three candidates who people feel can keep us "safe from terrorists."

I won't be voting in the Republican primary in Indiana, but there are two or three Republicans I could see myself voting for if I can't abide the Democratic candidate. McCain might be one of them.

Parting shot: I think the term "right wing" is meaningless as applied to libertarians like Ron Paul.

I used to live in Arizona and I really liked McCain, he seemed like a moderate. At the beginning of 2007 he said that Roe vs. Wade should be overturned. I see it as pandering to the far right, so I would never vote for him.

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:I used to live in Arizona and I really liked McCain, he seemed like a moderate. At the beginning of 2007 he said that Roe vs. Wade should be overturned. I see it as pandering to the far right, so I would never vote for him.

The first time McCain was ever on my radar was the 80s, and the Savings and Loan scandal, as one of the Keating Five. He seems to have worked his way free from that, but I don't know that he has ever been anything remotely approaching pro-choice. I think he has been remarkably consistent on his social issues, which are largely if not entirely conservative in the social sense, but he earned the tag "moderate" because he wasn't afraid to stand up to the party bosses on things like immigration and campaign finance.

I think Huckabee's point is well-taken, no matter how much I tease his camp for it. Every politician I can remember panders to somebody. A Republican must pander to his base to get nominated, then, if he takes Nixon's advice, moves to the center before the general election. Pretty much the same with the Democrats. Or, if you're George W. Bush, just make sure you're running against two of the biggest jamokes in the history of the world, and you don't have to pander to anyone beyond your base.