John Edwards endorses Barack Obama

[silverscreenselect]

Someone who promotes the global warming hysteria and is, really, all for doing nothing about the illegal migration problem and has shown no proclivity to reducing government cannot be called a conservative.

This is not a good year to be a Republican. If they can lose House races in red districts of LA and MS, nothing is safe. They have nearly 30 open House seats to defend in the fall, while the Democrats have only a handful. There were also a number of Republicans who hung on in 2006 by the skin of their teeth. They have nearly twice as many Senate seats to defend, including several open ones, as the Democrats, and all the vulnerable Senate seats except possibly LA are Republican. Generic Democrats outpoll generic Republicans by 15-20 points.

Despite all the conservative gnashing of the teeth about John McCain, he is the only Republican candidate who stands a realistic chance for President. No matter how fractious the split between Hillary and Obama is, Romney or Thompson or Huckabee or Giuliani would have been steamrollered by a Democrat.

McCain is the only Republican who doesn't totally surrender the Hispanic vote against a Democrat (goodbye AZ, NM, CO and NV in a general election). His position on the environment doesn't drive moderates away (goodbye OR, WA and MN). His position on other issues is such that he offers something that the other Republicans don't, a remotely plausible alternative to a Democrat.

The American public has soured on Republicanism and conservatism this election cycle. Contrary to what a lot of conservatives believe, Reagan was only able to convince the voters to give his brand of politics a chance because Carter was viewed as screwing up Iran and the economy so abysmally. Now Bush is seen as having done the same thing, and voters want to try something new.

That McCain is within shouting distance of either Democrat right now is only due to his own unique set of positions that are somewhat appealing to the public and his image as a maverick and not a latent voter desire to elect a "real" conserative that McCain is thwarting. Having said that, his desire to clash publicly with "real" conservatives during the campaign, which may or may not be a campaign ploy, is helping him with the voters he needs to reach in the fall.

[Jeemie]

Now Bush is seen as having done the same thing, and voters want to try something new.

Except they won't get something new.

They'll get something old.

Old, tired, and guaranteed to be a failure.

'course- they would have gotten that with today's brand of "conservatism" as well...but the socialism that we will get with Obama and large majorities in both houses will be no less ruinous than the 8 years of Bush's "actions".

[Sir_Galahad]

McCain ain't liberal and ain't moderate (despite the way he's characterized in the media).

Well, then, what the heck is he because he sure ain't a conservative!

Someone who promotes the global warming hysteria and is, really, all for doing nothing about the illegal migration problem and has shown no proclivity to reducing government cannot be called a conservative.

As always, to paraphrase one of the Conservatives' favorite targets, it depends on what your definition of "conservative" is.

But let's look at your concerns point by point:

"Promotes the global warming hysteria": I guess you're referring to McCain's recent statement that one of his first term goals would be to do the cap-and-trade thing on greenhouse emissions. Is it the fact that he actually has a concrete plan to do something that irritates you? I mean, the whole trade-emissions-credits thing on the open market is the essence of some free-market solutions to air pollution. Notice I am not referencing GW, although I'm sure that McCain mentions such, because he's no dummy as a politician. But the action he's suggesting has been called free market by more than one "conservative."

Once again, I make the distinction between man-made climactic change and the non-fact that the earth's temperature is rising due to forces brought upon it by man. And that by man's continuing to promote this problem, the earth's temperature will rise 8 degrees and we will all turn into cannibals (if you listen to Ted Turner) within the next 20 years. I have no problem with being environmentally conscious. But, I do not believe Al Gore, Michael Moore or any of the other far-left group that are promoting the global warming hysteria.

"all for doing nothing about the immigration problem": McCain actually has a pretty activist record on the immigration problem. You just don't agree with what he wants to do. Since you don't agree, and you're a conservative, then he must not be, right? I'm certainly not a conservative in the modern sense (interesting oxymoron there) but McCain's record on immigration is pretty close to a lot of popular self-described conservatives, including our current commander in chief. Of course, those "conservatives" go running for the hills when there's an election coming. The big difference is that McCain continues to say what he believes on this issue. And by recent standards, you're right, that takes him pretty far out of the conservative movement.

I think his record on immigration speaks for itself. Politicians say what they want you to hear in order to get elected. By McCain claiming "I have heard the people" makes me raise an eyebrow. I am of the old school that teaches to believe "half of what you see and none of what you hear." This is epecially true where politicians are concerned. And, just because I call myself a conservative does not necessarily mean he is not simply because I don't agree with him on this issue. And, FTR, I don't consider a Bush to be a conservative either.

"shown no proclivity for reducing goverment": This one really makes me laugh. Considering that the hero of modern conservatives, Ronald Reagan, expanded government more than any other twentieth century president, and that our current compassionate conservative shattered Ronnie's record, McCain is a ferocious fiscal conservative by comparison. He's on record as being against earmarks, and for all the unintended consequences, the McCain-Feingold bill was supposed to be about reducing one aspect of government.

If you consider that, then that makes me laugh as well as many times Senor McCain has spoken about how closely he was associated with Reagan's "conservatism." Yes, he has been on record regarding earmarks, but a stance on one conservative point does not a conservative make. When I hear him proclaim that he intends on reducing the size of government and eliminating unnecessary and over-bloated programs then, perhaps, I will consider him on his way to fiscal conservatism.

There's plenty to criticize McCain about, from both sides of the fence. It just strikes me funny that you chose three issues where he actually is on the free-market, fiscal conservative side of things to criticize him for.

Sorry, Mr. K, but if you want to call McCain a conservative then we will have to agree to disagree. He may be what they call a neo-con but, from my point of view, he is not a conservative.

[mrkelley23]

Sorry, Mr. K, but if you want to call McCain a conservative then we will have to agree to disagree. He may be what they call a neo-con but, from my point of view, he is not a conservative.

I'm sure we disagree on any number of things politically, but I don't have a problem with those who want to call McCain a non-conservative. I just found it funny that you picked three issues where he has actually at least talked the conservative line to justify that label.

And he's definitely not neo-anything....