Nancy Reagan endorses McCain early
posted at 4:50 pm on March 25, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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All of the pushback against John McCain’s talk of being a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution might get silenced with an unexpectedly early endorsement from Nancy Reagan. Usually, as she herself acknowledges, she waits for the convention to support the Republican nominee. Nancy wants to start bridging the gap that has opened between McCain and conservatives now rather than at the end of August:
Former first lady Nancy Reagan planned to endorse John McCain for president on Tuesday, as the Arizona senator continued to collect the backing of leading Republicans who might help him win over critical conservative voters.
Now certain to win the GOP nomination, McCain is on the West coast this week to raise money. He was to stop by the Southern California home of former President Ronald Reagan’s widow to accept her endorsement.
In a statement before the event, Reagan said she typically waits until after the GOP convention to announce her support but she decided to do so now because it is clear the Republican Party has chosen its nominee.
“John McCain has been a good friend for over thirty years,” Reagan said. “My husband and I first came to know him as a returning Vietnam War POW, and were impressed by the courage he had shown through his terrible ordeal. I believe John’s record and experience have prepared him well to be our next president.”
Will Nancy’s efforts make an impact on disaffected conservatives? Obviously, McCain hopes it will. His campaign made a quick adjustment to their schedule to include a public appearance with the former First Lady. A photo op will take place this afternoon, as McCain had already been in California on a fundraising tour.
Liz Sidoti of the AP notes that McCain might hope to win some Reagan Democrats with Nancy’s endorsement, but that’s probably not going to have the same kind of impact on moderates. Nancy had been a polarizing figure during Reagan’s tenure, unfairly so, given the later performance of sleep-deprived presidential spouses. McCain already does well with independents and moderates, but he needs Reagan’s mantle for the conservatives who remain skeptical of McCain on several issues.
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Wait a minute.
Didn’t she endorse him already weeks-months ago?
Around the time of the Republican California debate?
Remember?
Indy Conservative on March 25, 2008 at 4:56 PM
http://www.redjersey.net/2008/01/31/nancy-reagan-is-for-mccain/
http://blog.reagansgop.com/?p=51
Indy Conservative on March 25, 2008 at 4:58 PM
McCain really needs some reagan era videos of him and reagan standing together. I believe he was a major speaker at the 1988 convention ? McCain would do well to replay that speach
William Amos on March 25, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Hmm…no, no it won’t.
doubleplusundead on March 25, 2008 at 5:03 PM
Party girl … Looks like fundraising for the “third Democrat” isn’t going well.
tarpon on March 25, 2008 at 5:04 PM
Look, McCain wasn’t my first, second or even third choice… But he’s the only horse in this race worth backing. It’s either him or whoever comes out of the Democratic unCivil war. I’ll take John this time and look for a better candidate next go around.
hburns on March 25, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Really!?
Weight of Glory on March 25, 2008 at 5:10 PM
Dare I say it?
The….chickens…have come home…to,
roooooost.
[flourishing hand]
franksalterego on March 25, 2008 at 5:12 PM
Anti-McCainers begin bashing Nancy in 5…4…3…2…
amerpundit on March 25, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Dude.
Weight of Glory on March 25, 2008 at 5:14 PM
Wait Wait Wait…
Please, can you start again?
I was in the toilet.
Indy Conservative on March 25, 2008 at 5:19 PM
Dude nothing. I’ve gotten emails from anti-McCainers that would literally slam Jesus Christ Himself if he endorsed McCain.
amerpundit on March 25, 2008 at 5:25 PM
she ain’t buyin green bananas if you know what I’m sayin.
beefytee on March 25, 2008 at 5:26 PM
Everybody knows Jesus was a Ron Paul guy…now he’s just kind of lost.
beefytee on March 25, 2008 at 5:27 PM
Heh.
amerpundit on March 25, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Entelechy on March 25, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Nancy Reagan may have been married to the Gipper but that doesn’t mean conservative critics will accept McCain just because she said he’s ok. Like McCain she does support embryonic stem cell research. That doesn’t go over well with many pro-life conservatives.
seanhackbarth on March 25, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Literally?
I know Jesus is kinda busy these days.. you know.. Easter masses, eating Easter eggs, etc., millions of them.
But I do think that some of the Anti-McCain people -like myself- who think he’s a Liberal, are a bit aggressive.
They write emails with one hand and carry a butcher knife in the other hand.
Please pray for them so they can see the Light and prepare for the arrival of the Maverick.
Indy Conservative on March 25, 2008 at 5:39 PM
I’m warming up to McCain. He may be a sonofab*tch, but he’s our sonofab*tch.
Niko on March 25, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Niko, here’s hoping you can vote soon. Regards,
Entelechy on March 25, 2008 at 5:41 PM
Are you trying to confuse me?
When I go, I go, I don’t take a bath after I go.
Is it politically correct to say “bathroom” instead of “toilet?”
Jesus, Mary and Joseph!!
OK, next time, I’ll just go without saying where I’m going.
Is that OK with you?
Now excuse-me, I have to go take a dump.
Oooops… sorry. :-)
Indy Conservative on March 25, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Did Nancy Reagan consult with her astrologers first before she made this endorsement?
Okay, okay. He’s the best we’ve got. BUT I am still waiting to see who McCain taps as Veep before any money of mine goes to his campaign.
onlineanalyst on March 25, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Then you don’t comprehend the enormity of Republican/Conservatives’ high regard for Nancy Reagan…And, the place in our hearts, she will always remain.
franksalterego on March 25, 2008 at 5:50 PM
It’s either McCain or Obama………..don’t be childish……….this is our country’s future we’re talking about here.
BTW, I’m a recovering Fred!head and have NEVER been in the tank for Sen. McCain.
omnipotent on March 25, 2008 at 5:53 PM
Regardless of who wins the election we need to work on illegal immigration. McCain will be legally unable to do anything about the border fence thanks to the Hutchinson Amendment that gutted the Secure Fence Act. Since then, Duncan Hunter and Rep. Jones have been working to restore the fence provisions. Please sign this petition to help restore the Secure Fence Act.
Thanks.
NTWR on March 25, 2008 at 5:55 PM
I think Nancy is fine for who she is: the widow of an amazing, conservative President. She’s never been known to me as someone I looked to for conservative ideals.
seanhackbarth on March 25, 2008 at 6:02 PM
I’m with you. Heck I worked for Fred, and I’ll vote for him. However, I will point out where McCain can do better. He needs to reach out to conservatives. Just saying he’s a Reagan conservative won’t cut it.
seanhackbarth on March 25, 2008 at 6:03 PM
She was his wife and he loved her more than any human being. That fact goes without saying. But what you’re saying here is like saying we should listen to everything Ron Jr. says because he’s got his daddy’s name. Nancy has never held water for the conservative movement.
Sultry Beauty on March 25, 2008 at 6:23 PM
Endorsements, for the most part, are symbolic.
Nancy is the living symbol of Ronald Reagan…He speaks thru her.
After all, who knew him better?
I was a Fredhead too…But, guess what?…Fred’s no longer in the competition…So, there’s no use crying over what could’ve been.
If Johnny Mac has the endorsement of Nancy, that’s good enough for me.
franksalterego on March 25, 2008 at 6:27 PM
Indy Conservative on March 25, 2008 at 5:46 PM
I humbly, and gladly, stand corrected. You’re right, you were “in the toilet”.
Entelechy on March 25, 2008 at 6:27 PM
Oh Come On! Conservatives and Republicans are supposed to be the ones who stick with the truth.
Fact of the matter is that this “endorsement” is hardly surprising. It is also true that Nancy Reagan in recent years has expressed her hatred of social conservatives almost as vocally as Triceratops himself. In other words, Nancy Reagan is more akin to Ronnie junior than Michael or Maureen. Nancy Reagan has also made it clear she loathes GWB and this may well be payback on her part.
I’m not sure that RWR would be supportive of Triceratops or not but I know for a fact that the gipper wouldn’t have ever called me a racist if I have a different view on immigration! In fact, I did in 1986, I was right and RWR was wrong but during the heated discussions back then he never called Americans racist. It is a lesson the GOP’s version of Judas should remember when he claims to have been a Reagan Republican.
highhopes on March 25, 2008 at 6:28 PM
Dude, it doesn’t matter who he picks as veep. McCain sucks enough all by himself for 2 people. I hope he doesn’t pick anyone decent; I would hate McCain’s legacy to taint that person’s future. If we’re going to be stuck with King Weasel, let’s have a fine veep choice like Mccain buttboy Lindsey Graham. Now there’s a campaign poster to vomit on.
austinnelly on March 25, 2008 at 6:39 PM
I’m voting for McCain. No question about that. But I’m not doing it because Nancy Reagan told me to.
I think Reagan fetishism goes too far when you claim “Nancy is the living symbol of Ronald Reagan…He speaks thru her.”
seanhackbarth on March 25, 2008 at 6:39 PM
When was he ours? During the gang of 14? During immigration? When he attacked the swiftboat vets? No, McCain hasn’t been ‘ours’ since we failed to nominate him in 2000. You can keep him. He’s ‘yours’.
austinnelly on March 25, 2008 at 6:43 PM
It’s going to boil down to “FAR, FAR LEFT Democrat” or “Not my kind of Republican”.
Since the next 2 or 3 SCOTUS picks are probably going to happen in the next term… I’m going with “Not my kind of Republican”.
The alternative is another couple of Ginsbergs on the Supreme Court… Maybe even Bill Clinton,
Yoiks! Shut up. Hold your nose and do it. There’s always 2012.
heldmyw on March 25, 2008 at 7:02 PM
heh
franksalterego on March 25, 2008 at 7:02 PM
It’s all right. You’re forgiven.
Have my blessings :-)
Indy Conservative on March 25, 2008 at 7:22 PM
Its all meaningless to me.
Never thought much of Nancy. Oh, she is a decent lady and obviously loved R.R.; And God bless her.
But I remember very well back when she was actually First Lady that she was considered a bit of a nut, and pretty obviously not a solid Conservative.
When She and Ronald fell in love, he was a “union boss’ (President of the Screen Actors Guild) and a Democrat.
And they first met when she contacted him to help her get off the Communist Blacklist in Hollywood.
(No I’m not saying that she was a communist: The official explanation is that it was another Nancy Davis; a case of mistaken identity.)
Nonetheless, Most people fall in love for other reasons than those based on political beliefs. Just because they loved each other greatly, doesn’t mean that they believed in the same political policies.
Short of Jesus Christ, I can’t think of anyone who could sway my 32 year old opinion of McCain. And even He would have to change water into wine and feed the entire crowd at the Republican National Convention with three fish and half a loaf of bread before I’d be certain.
Maybe if Michelle Malkin, Rush Limbaugh, and Mark Levin all endorsed him, I might reconsider it. But I tend to base my judgments on MY judgment, not that of various and sundry famous people of uncertain agenda and principles.
But personally, I believe that her endorsement of John McCain is really only based on shared history: The Chicago Fire, San Fransisco Earthquake, Johnstown Flood etc. ;-)
LegendHasIt on March 25, 2008 at 7:43 PM
Call me sentimental, but Nancy lived through RR’s decline with class and dignity and I respect that. A little bit of love for her can’t hurt and being hard core conservative isn’t going to happen this time around. Show her some love, IMHO.
JAW on March 25, 2008 at 7:50 PM
So true, Nancy is a RINO dontcha know?
Squid Shark on March 25, 2008 at 7:59 PM
It not about our countries future for some of those with MDS. It is about their power and influence in the Republican Party.
Squid Shark on March 25, 2008 at 8:03 PM
Her dad was a huge republican and is credited as one of the key influences that for the Gipper on our side.
Squid Shark on March 25, 2008 at 8:04 PM
I know Limbaughs endorsement of Romney made me want to rush to the polls all the faster for McCain….(FL Voter)
Squid Shark on March 25, 2008 at 8:06 PM
How huge was he?
7′ 3″ and 600 lbs? ;-)
Her Stepfather to be precise.
Not that it matters.
My problem is with McCain, Not Nancy Davis Reagan.
LegendHasIt on March 25, 2008 at 8:12 PM
Sorry I was spitballing. I was making a point that she is not just some liberal as was implied.
Squid Shark on March 25, 2008 at 8:14 PM
We go to war with the candidate we have, not the candidate we might like. But war it is, and although I would prefer to be voting for someone whose politics I admired a bit more, I’m also pretty sure I’m not too good to vote for someone who was tortured for this country for 5 years.
drunyan8315 on March 25, 2008 at 8:25 PM
Changes nothing.
Angry Dumbo on March 25, 2008 at 9:27 PM
Here is my surprised face :O
Squid Shark on March 25, 2008 at 9:52 PM
Why bash Nancy when you can bash McCain?
He’s an egomaniac who considers most Americans racist (70-80%) because they don’t want to be colonised by Mexico. He’s a multicultural emperor who wants to police Iraq for the next 1,000,000 years. He knows zilch about economics. He supports the McCain-Feingold Bill (even though it was legislated by two Senators he had never heard of let alone endorsed).
Before you ask, yes I am a retired NVA officer posing as a blog commenter. This “aengus” charade is my cunning disguise, an online identity I have spent years cultivating.
aengus on March 25, 2008 at 9:58 PM
Shut up and vote McCain, ain’t workin is it?
Angry Dumbo on March 25, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Whoop-dee-friggin-doo!
corona on March 25, 2008 at 11:36 PM