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<p>I used to like J Mc when he was J Mc. Lately, he feels in order to achieve his dream, he has bedded down with those who not too long ago drug him through the mud. A different guy than a few years back and I think he’ll find that going after that deep conservative base will just be a trade off from the moderate middle base from both sides that he one time owned. Net sum gain= 0.</p>
<p>“he has bedded down with those who not too long ago drug him through the mud.”</p>
<p>I agree with you there. He broke my heart on the Daily Show. He made an appearance before the election, and Jon Stewart was an obvious fan at the outset of the interview, and gave McCain every opportunity to distance himself from the administration’s mistakes. The Straight Talk Express derailed, and McCain parroted the Republican talking points, defending the president across the board and right from the script. After what W did to McCain in South Carolina in 2000, it was very hard to watch the better man kissing the ring (I’m being delicate) of the lesser man.</p>
<p>I noticed Bush mentioned McCain specifically during his VietNam press conference.</p>
<p>I like McCain and I want to keep liking McCain. But I feel pretty wary.</p>
<p>Hanna, when the country is becoming more and more polarized, you shouldn’t be surprised when people gravitate toward the main tenets of their political beliefs. Even though McCain may have disagreements with the Bush Administration, I think it’s naive to hope he’s going to slam GWB in public. It’s not like he’s going to become a Democrat in the near future.</p>
<p>I also have ‘changes’ in him. I liked him and thought I could even vote for him, but now I am not that sure.</p>
<p>I don’t know that McCain was ever such a great guy. He was one of the Keating 5 after all.</p>
<p>“when the country is becoming more and more polarized, you shouldn’t be surprised when people gravitate toward the main tenets of their political beliefs”</p>
<p>Actually that middle 40% is what wins or loses it. The people who will vote against the party if they like the canidate or are independent and like what the canidate believes. Just from the few posts here, you’re seeing a tradeoff, not a gain. J Mc might just be listening to the wrong advice and assuming he has the middle in his pocket. Wouldn’t be the first time somebody made that mistake.</p>
<p>“In May 2006, McCain gave the commencement address at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University. During his 2000 presidential bid, McCain had called Falwell an “agent of intolerance.” With significant coverage during the campaign, McCain said that he would never back down from his earlier statement.”</p>
<p>Stay the course.</p>
<p>Mini, as a favor, could you come up with another closing comment, besides “Stay the course?” It’s just getting a little repetitive. ;)</p>
<p>Opie, I was speaking of politicians. As political debates become more contentious, you can’t expect a politician to sound too far off his/her party base. It’s like expecting Pelosi to support the war or the troops.</p>
<p>SJ, I like Mini’s “Stay the Course”.</p>
<p>There’s comfort in repetition. :)</p>
<p>In terms of McCain, I cannot imagine him completely abandoning Bush, and while he is not conservative enough for many conservatives, he will never sway much over the moderate line.</p>
<p>Actually, I thought the policy of “staying the course” without actually saying so (which is Abizaid spent all day doing yesterday), is what is getting repetitive.</p>
<p>Mr. Sleaze spent 2 1/2 years repeating the phrase (and now a little more supporting the policy); when I get anywhere close to catching up, I’ll let you know. Mine, after all, doesn’t kill anyone (at least as far as I know).</p>
<p>What about Clinton? (that was my New Year’s Resolution) ;)</p>
<p>Clearly you can do what you want – which is why I phrased my request as a favor.</p>
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<p>Just because someone says over and over for years that they intend to stay the course doesn’t necessarily mean that they will stay the course.</p>
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<p>Even by the standards of Senate Hearings, that was a depressing afternoon of testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Basically, the testimony was:</p>
<p>a) What we are doing won’t work</p>
<p>b) Doing “this” won’t work</p>
<p>c) Doing “that” won’t work</p>
<p>d) The only thing that would work is a strong, effective, pluaralistic central government.</p>
<p>e) A strong, effective, pluralistic government in Iraq is impossible.</p>
<p>A politician changing his tune in 7 years–there’s a shocker. Maybe he got to know JF a bit better. JF says many things just for the publicity–much like his Dem counterpart Al Sharpton.</p>
<p>“As political debates become more contentious, you can’t expect a politician to sound too far off his/her party base.”</p>
<p>and my point is that it could be to his determent. McCain used to consider himself an old school republican, not a new school republican. I liked the old school better than this newer version of the gop. I voted old school. I don’t recognize what’s there now. </p>
<p>20-30 years ago the term Balanced Budget and democrats would never be used in the same sentence. Now, we have to look to the democrats to be the ones to bring the budget back from the spending disaster that the new republicans brought upon Amercia. McCain should have stuck to his guns, he’d be a lock for 08, now by having to kiss up to those worked so hard to disgrace him back in 2000… as I said he’s not gaining by this tactic, just swapping votes.</p>
<p>Opie, I’m curious. Some of your other posts seem to indicate more liberal leanings. Yet, here you say you voted Republican at one time. So, my question is, if the Republicans are not frugal enough for you, do you think the Democrats will be? For example, Massachusetts recently elected a Democrat for governor. About three days later, the headline on the front page of the Boston Globe was something like “Deval Patrick says we need additional $120 million in taxes” for something. I mean, the guy hasn’t even taken office yet, and he wants to raise taxes. </p>
<p>Anyone who wants a frugal government can’t seriously vote for a Dem, imo.</p>
<p>Virtually all state governments - Dem and Rep - have had to raise more funds due to Bush Admin. cuts to state infrastructure - police, roads, highways, schools, Medicaid.</p>
<p>As long as Halliburton gets paid, is there anyone who really cars?</p>
<p>Stay the Clinton.</p>
<p>Funny, mini.</p>
<p>And, the fact is, for whatever reason you want to assign it, sjmom, we stopped running a deficit under a Democrat, and started again under a Republican.</p>
<p>I know a lot of old school Republicans and/or conservatives who look at this government and can’t figure out what happened.</p>
<p>and count me another who would have voted for Mccain over quite a few Democratic candidates, mainly on the strength of his now-compromised integrity.</p>
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<p>What’s all this talk about his “compromised integrity”? One would expect that a compromised integrity would come with a litany of changed views. What’s the list of McCain’s changed views?</p>