Any other Republicans not like John McCain?

[Wishing on a star]

There is not a single "true" conservative left in this race, that left with Fred Thompson. I disagree with McCain on many issues, but at least I know where he stands. He is not a panderer of the ilk of Willard and Hillary. Romney has shown himself to say whatever he has to to get a vote. Whether that's promising subsidies to farmers in Iowa, or autoworkers in Michigan, being an adamant advocate of gay rights and abortion on demand in Massachusetts, or being the "family values" candidate in Florida. I think the man has the authenticity of Hillary Clinton.

I am a long time listener of El Rushbo, Hannity, Glenn Beck, etc, and I am being sick of being told that Romney is a conservative and the McCain is not. I actually agree with McCain on the environment, and somewhat on immigration. I don't support his positions on the Bush tax cuts, or campaign finance reform, but again I'd much rather vote for an honest man I disagree with than a pandering political sellout like Romney or Hillary.

John McCain is no liberal. He is a conservative, and more conservative than Huckabee. I can't say that he is more conservative than Romney with any certainty, because I believe Romney will take any position that makes him more "electable." McCain is the anti-Bush in that he works hard to control spending. He is consistently pro-life, he is pro 2nd amendment, supports privatizing social security, supports school vouchers, supports making the Bush tax cuts permanent, supports free trade, and is by far the strongest candidate we have on the most pressing issue of our time, the war on terror.

I am glad that in addition to his multitude of conservative traits, that he is willing to break party ranks to take stands which may not be wise political moves. Romney on the other hand, would not dream of rocking the boat in such a manner. I think it's awesome that just like Teddy Roosevelt, McCain sees our environment as a national treasure that needs to be protected in a much more stringent manner. He is a realist on immigration, there's no way we're ever getting rid of 12,000,000 people living in our country illegally. Why not collect taxes and payments from these people? And though I disagree with him adamantly on a few issues, I'd vote for him any day over someone who takes no unpopular stands. His position on a troop surge is something Romney would never dare to do. He knew that it could further ruin his campaign, but he believed it to be the right decision, so he did what was right, regardless of political trends. McCain is the man simply put.

Excellent comments!
I am not really a McCain fan or supporter.
But I do agree with much of what you just posted!

 

[DawnCt1]

72 is not ancient these days. The man is no spring chicken, but a dinosaur?

DINO rhymed with RINO. I couldn't resist. The truth is, if the race comes down to McCain, Clinton or Obama, what choice is there? At least out of the three, McCain recognizes that there is an actual enemy out there who wants to destroy the United States. Obama is hopelessly naive! Hillary is just another Clinton and I couldn't stand the first one.

 

[dcentity2000]

The age factor has torpedoed a few major politicians over here recently. Michael Howard cited his age as the reason that his Conservative Party failed and Sir. Menzies Campbell cited his age as the reason that he resigned as leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Sad but true.



Rich::

 

[Mr Man]

Talking about McCain's age reminds me of the 1984 campaign where Ronald Reagan teased Walter Mondale by joking, "I will not make age an issue in this campaign. I'm not going to exploit for political purposes my opponents youth and inexperience."

or when he said, "I'm afraid the age factor may play a part in this election." After a trademark pause, he added, "Our opponent's ideas are too old."

I still chuckle.....

 

[DawnCt1]

Talking about McCain's age reminds me of the 1984 campaign where Ronald Reagan teased Walter Mondale by joking, "I will not make age an issue in this campaign. I'm not going to exploit for political purposes my opponents youth and inexperience."

or when he said, "I'm afraid the age factor may play a part in this election." After a trademark pause, he added, "Our opponent's ideas are too old."

I still chuckle.....

Unfortunately John McCain is no Ronald Reagan.

 

[Mr Man]

Unfortunately John McCain is no Ronald Reagan.

Yet, he just might surprise us all. He has real credentials as a Reagan Republican (although it doesn't always make it through the media fog). I wish there was a website that lists out Pres. Reagan's core beliefs and Sen. McCain's. I am just guessing that the two men are a lot closer than we perceive.

Honestly, I haven't made my mind up yet on McCain or Romney (it is a good ways to Nov after all and only one of them will make it there). I will give Sen. McCain a fair listen though.

 

[floridafam]

I'm a Romney fan. There is just something about McCain I don't like. He has a certain wishy/washy quality about him that bugs me.

 

[Keggy]

Having just voted in Florida, I will give MY (& mine alone) take on the primary here............

1. Romney just PLASTERED the airwaves here. It was the same commercial over&over%over&over............................

Where he said that family is important (agreed), marriage MUST come before children (didn't specify what he would do when that did not happen.........), marriage is between a man & woman (personally I think MARRIAGE is a religious issue, but I'm ok w/"civil unions" at the STATE'S discretion), etc., etc.

He really hammered the "family values" issues home.

But, said absolutely nothing about how he would govern the country.

2. He launched some pretty snippy attacks through interviews & the print media.

3. Huckabee did not really campaign here. I think he's putting his efforts to super Tuesday.

4. McCain did not advertise as heavily, maybe because he did not have his own $$ to put forth. I think it was reported that Romney played TEN commercials for every ONE of McCain. His ads were more of a "this is who I am" style. Not much on what he would do other than make the Congressional approved GWB tax cuts permanent. He also said that many mistakes have been made in Iraq (duh!), perhaps distancing himself from the President on that one while not screaming "Withdraw!"

QUOTE]


This is interesting because we just had a discussion here that we barely heard or saw any Romney advertisements. We mainly heard the negative ad that McCain had for Romney over and over.

 

[Keggy]

Actually, illegals do pay taxes. They pay sales tax, property tax (American citizenship is not a requirement for purchasing homes in the US) through homeownership or rent, and the same payroll and income taxes you pay are taken out of their checks each week. I think most people believe that all illegals are paid cash under the table, live in parks and under bridges, and send all their earning back to their home countries. That simply isn't the case.

How are illegal aliens getting legal paychecks with taxes taken out? I am asking honestly. I have been in HR and staffing for 10 years now - so I honestly am wondering how someone who is not legally here in the US with some kind of VISA or work permit is legally getting paid with a paycheck that has taxes taken out. I have never been able to hire someone that does not have a work permit or Visa. Can you get a work permit and be an illegal alien? This is honestly something I did not know. Thank you for the education on this one.

 

[Ticket Man]

Who let the dogs out + bling bling = highly awkward situation

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pJWSIqv8NOc

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

I'm from Arizona and I too believe John McCain is a huge flopper. He says whatever he has to in order to get elected. I just can't trust a man like that.

I also remember when Cindy McCain got outed for drug use. Here's a quick link http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/10/18/drugs/. It wasn't so much the drug addiction that bothered me but the cover up and threatening the guy who blew the whistle on her. I just can't see her as First Lady.

 

[NewJersey]

If it's him vs Hillary, I'll take a close look at him but if I don't see things that I like, I'll either not vote in November or vote for a 3rd party.

 

[Beezle2]

UCONNJACK best post on this thread so far. Intelligent, thoughtful, and well reasoned.

I've always thought McCain was head and shoulders above anybody he has run against so far. He will be getting my vote this fall if he is on the ballot. If not I'll go for Hillary just because I'll never vote for a far right candidate. I think there are a lot of voters like me out there too. We are tired of the division and want a centrist. I think that would be good for the country.

alisa

 

[dejr_8]

UCONNJACK best post on this thread so far. Intelligent, thoughtful, and well reasoned.

I've always thought McCain was head and shoulders above anybody he has run against so far. He will be getting my vote this fall if he is on the ballot. If not I'll go for Hillary just because I'll never vote for a far right candidate. I think there are a lot of voters like me out there too. We are tired of the division and want a centrist. I think that would be good for the country.

alisa

In your opinion, what defines someone as far right?
Do you think Hillary is far left?

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

Here are my daily McCain annoyances today.

1) during the Guiliani endorsement, Guiliani mentioned part of McCain's "platform" was to make the Bush tax cuts permanent. Ok, so 3rd time's a charm I guess

We're supposed to now take his word over his record on that issue.

2) um, dodge questions much? Twice he was asked yes or no questions about whether he'd vote for his own bill (McCain-Kennedy) and whether he flip-flopped on the Bush tax cuts, and he dodged the question

3) I cannot BELIEVE he is standing by his assertion that Romney advocated for a timetable for withdrawal. Romney did not even SUGGEST that..I guess now whenever you say a sentence with a particular word in it, you support that idea whether or not the rest of your sentence directly contradicts that assertion.

It is honestly insulting my intelligence to suggest that Romney was trying in any way, shape, or form to say that.

4) Vote for John McCain because a bunch of other people say so I am again insulted by the fact that he was advocating people should support him because he's won over a bunch of endorsements. Note to John McCain, "we" get it. You're the "establishment" candidate. I think (hope that most actually) of the Republican constituency would like to judge candidates by ISSUES not because Norman Schawrzkopk says so.

5) Taking Pot-Shots at Romney. Honest to Pete...are ya kidding me? The best moment of the debate for him when McCain was actually talking about his own record and history of serving this country. Taking jabs at Romney about how people had probably lost jobs within Romney's company..its completely unnecessary. I'm as snarky as they come, but when it comes to being President of the United States, show some class. Are you going to take pot shots at foriegn dignataries when you dislike what they're saying?


Myabe I'll start a daily McCain blog...looks like he could be the nexr President, so I'll have a lot of food for thought i nthe next few years!

 

[Olaf]

I wasn't impressed either, StrollPatrolMom. He certainly didn't look like a leader to me last night. He came off as petty and snarky. His cheap shot (timestables) at Romney has run its course. He reminded me of Hillary taking swipes at Obama. Ick. There's something about the guy that grates.

Honestly, to those who support McCain, did he thrill you last night? Did you say, "Yeah, that's my man"! What do you see in him?

 

[yeartolate]

72 is not ancient these days. The man is no spring chicken, but a dinosaur?

Wasn't Reagan 70 when he took office?

 

[Galahad]

Wasn't Reagan 70 when he took office?

69 I think.

OT: I just read an article on Yahoo news that included this:

Large majorities of voters believe the president has considerable sway on a range of big issues such as inflation, interest rates, the federal deficit, taxes and more. Fully three-quarters believe the president has at least some influence over health care costs, for example. Sixty-nine percent can see the president making gasoline prices go up or down.

I'm sorry, but whether it's McCain or Clinton or Obama - if this is what the majority of our electorate think and want we're in serious trouble.

 

[Disney Doll]

I think most don't like the cackle because they don't think it's genuine, I honestly never heard her laugh before now, so that might unfortunately just be how it sounds. I think we all know though that Bush just can't speak English, and it has nothing to do with him trying win people over, it might work for Jessica Simpson, but not the President.

could you, Olaf, yeartoolate and fitswimmer stop the ridiculous personal attacks against the candidates, in what is otherwise a relatively civil debate?

Who cares how someone laughs or whatever?
Grow up.

 

[NewJersey]

I wasn't impressed either, StrollPatrolMom. He certainly didn't look like a leader to me last night. He came off as petty and snarky. His cheap shot (timestables) at Romney has run its course. He reminded me of Hillary taking swipes at Obama. Ick. There's something about the guy that grates.

Honestly, to those who support McCain, did he thrill you last night? Did you say, "Yeah, that's my man"! What do you see in him?

I only caught parts of it but I have a few problems with Romney too - a) he is too much of a slick willy b) I just don't believe he has any sort of convictions, especially on social issues, and c) I don't see him as strong on foreign policy.

With that said, I really like his business background and fiscal stances. However, he is far too socially conservative (at least in this election cycle ) for me.