Video: Why didn’t McCain consolidate his Saddleback buzz by committing to a pro-life VP?
posted at 4:59 pm on August 20, 2008 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
The boss asks, but alas, no answer is to be had. The obvious possibility is that he’s pandering to centrists, whom he fears will desert him if he doesn’t at least make a pretense of being mavericky in his VP selection choice. If it’s all pretense, though, what’s with the phone calls from campaign HQ? There’ll be no harm done if he ends up with a solid pro-life VP like Pawlenty, but if Mitt’s the pick, I wonder if the eleventh-hour vacillating won’t linger on the palate of social cons.
Link: sevenload.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »
I like Joe but that’s political suicide. I also like Mitt but the Mormon thing made him lose in the first place.
Pawlenty.
drjohn on August 20, 2008 at 5:03 PM
Mitt’s people called Howie Carr to let him (and us) know Mitt will be speaking at the convention the night the VP usually speaks. Howie reports they were “excited” but could not say he is the pick.
TheBigOldDog on August 20, 2008 at 5:03 PM
He hasn’t made up his mind yet and a few of the guys on his short list, who also happen to be friends, are pro-choice. Personally, I think he will pick a pro-life VP, but he can’t say that now without people saying he’s decided on his VP and hurting the feelings of the pro-choice guys on the list. And, as he said, he really hasn’t made up his mind yet.
bnelson44 on August 20, 2008 at 5:04 PM
good spot. You look better than ever MM.
ThackerAgency on August 20, 2008 at 5:05 PM
Michelle makes some good points.
I would suggest that McCain really wants Lieberman, and all the other stuff is just water cooler gossip which is what makes the whole VP selection look so inept. Plus everyone and his cousin wants to be Veep; wants to score points by suggesting who the Veep should be, and wants to score a gig with the new administration.
rockhauler on August 20, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Because he realizes that the saddleback buzz primarily about his pandering answer to the “human rights” question, which a clear majority of the electorate considers an extreme position. McCain needs more than pro-life fanatics to win the election, and he knows it.
Big S on August 20, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Why didn’t McCain consolidate his Saddleback buzz by attacking BO’s team on the unfair debate whining and challenge BO to more debates.
Man I don’t get that. He kicked his butt and didn’t capitalize on it much at all.
kerrhome on August 20, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Maybe McCain thinks he is the guy making the decision, not Michelle Malkin.
The guy has gotten where he is without any help from MM. No offence.
Terrye on August 20, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Also, I don’t know why people in our own party (”Big S”) choose to label us as “fanatics” just because we want to save lives. We’re on the same side. I’m a fiscon and defcon and I server my country in the Army, but still I fall into the “fanatic” category because I don’t support aborting life.
kerrhome on August 20, 2008 at 5:11 PM
serverserved my countrykerrhome on August 20, 2008 at 5:12 PM
And anyway all kinds of people are making all kinds of noise about who Obama and McCain will pick and why. The candidates themselves have kept their thoughts on the subject pretty quiet.
Terrye on August 20, 2008 at 5:12 PM
Have you registered in the democratic party yet?
Your positions are clearly not welcomed in the republican party…check out our platform.
Genocide supporters like yourself need not apply.
SaintOlaf on August 20, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Michelle looks like she’s getting younger, how does she do that?
(Don’t forget to paste another gold star by my loggon name Allah)
Maxx on August 20, 2008 at 5:14 PM
And as for Pawlenty being prolife, I have read that he is not, that he opposes abortion.
Terrye on August 20, 2008 at 5:14 PM
He only cares if the “others” like him, not those in his own party.
EJDolbow on August 20, 2008 at 5:14 PM
Let’s say what everyone isn’t. McCain at 72 makes his VP selection more important’s than BHO. the chances of McCain not making it to the next term or even running the for the next term is great. therefore the VP will more than likely be the REP nominee next cycle. Therefor for the social cons, and the rest of the conservatives the hope for a conservative pick to give us hope for a more inline rep in 4 years.
The fact that McCain is trying to go conservative lite is telling that McCain wants to leave his mark on the future of the rep party.
unseen on August 20, 2008 at 5:14 PM
SaintOlaf:
There really are prolife Republicans out there, registered Republicans in fact. Some of them even hold office and have not made any secret of their feelings. Rudy is one.
Terrye on August 20, 2008 at 5:15 PM
Rudy used to be pro-life — NOT ANYMORE.
EJDolbow on August 20, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Yep. Michelle Malkin, Laura Ingrahm, Rush Limbaugh – every conservative pundit out there – railed against John McCain, saying how bad he was. Yet, he won. Therefore, he knows that all conservative Pundits, including Michelle and Laura are completely irrelevant and hold no power. (Aside… funny how people rail against Limbaugh as irrelevant, yet don’t say the same thing about Michelle and Laura…)
McCain knows he got the nomination without Conservatives and he is tied with Obama without conservatives. So there is no reason to pander to them. He’s going to do his own thing, just as he always does. And there’s nothing irrelevant Michelle, Laura and Rush can say or do to stop him… since they haven’t stopped him at all yet, and he has actually succeeded despite them.
Michael in MI on August 20, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Rudy is not president nor welcome to represent our party’s supreme court justice picks.
SaintOlaf on August 20, 2008 at 5:18 PM
Mitt is only objectionable when compared to other republicans who are more conservative.
Mitt wont cost McCain the south because the South will have its on problems with Obama’s social liberalism. So in this sense Mitt will not hurt McCain.
William Amos on August 20, 2008 at 5:18 PM
First, there’s a difference between being generally pro-life and believing that fertilized eggs have “human rights”.
Second, about 35% of the Republican party is pro-choice.
Big S on August 20, 2008 at 5:18 PM
And look where McCain is! His campaign has been tepid at best, and his inability to go after Obama when necessary has been incredibly frustrating for the base. The fact that he didn’t play off the Obama “infanticide” buzz with a commitment to a pro-life position and quash the lead trial balloon about a pro-choice VP from the get-go is absolutely appalling. His cozying up to Juan Hernandez and the rest of the open-borders crowd has been an absolute smack in the face to conservatives and a shameless pander to Hispanic voters.
Perhaps if McCain paid a little more attention to MM, he wouldn’t have to be playing this tightrope act in the polls.
MB007 on August 20, 2008 at 5:18 PM
Mccain isn’t running on it because he would rather have people talk. People who talk about what happened are more prone to tune in for the “next round” and see what happens.
As for VP.. who the heck knows. Speculating on a dream is not a good idea.
upinak on August 20, 2008 at 5:18 PM
Which of the possible choices could win against a possible Hillary run in 2012? I think that is a necessary component.
bbz123 on August 20, 2008 at 5:18 PM
The Evangelicals are the reason that Mitt isn’t the candidate in the first place. The far right is as stubborn and inflexible as the far left.
cannonball on August 20, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Who knows. It’s exciting because this is the most interesting matchup maybe ever, in 220 years of prez elections, and the VP pick will add spice to that gumbo. I’ve been a huge fan of Romney. I wonder if McCain was testing the waters re: Rudy. Who can say.
I’m glad Fox got Michelle’s coloring right, sometimes they put her in whiteface which freaks me out. Natural tones work great for her. I’m glad AP captured the “boss’s” Cavuto appearance since I missed it.
Paul-Cincy on August 20, 2008 at 5:22 PM
I have seen several links like this on Pawlenty:
In 2003, Pawlenty and Wooddale hosted about 1,600 evangelical leaders from around the country for a two-day convention of the National Association of Evangelicals. Pawlenty praised the work of President Bush and his faith-based initiatives, a program that funnels federal funds to religious charities. “If you’re going to change destructive behavior, you’ve got to change hearts,” said Pawlenty, according to the Star Tribune. “Governors can’t do that. We hope you can do that in a God-honoring manner that meets the challenges of our day.”
In 2004, the evangelical Twin Cities Festival drew around 80,000 people to the Minnesota Capitol grounds for a two-day faith event. Pawlenty offered a warm reception, and even held event-organizing meetings with Luis Palau, according to the Pioneer Press. Of the festival, Pawlenty said, “I’m proud to be associated with such an important faith event. Faith is an important glue that holds our state together.” He added that he prayed “that God will bless this weekend and continue to bless this great state.” Mary Pawlenty was a featured speaker at the festival.
Pawlenty has quietly but firmly put his evangelical beliefs to work in his political life as governor. In 2003, an inauguration ceremony was held at Wooddale just before his swearing in with Anderson saying a few words: “I believe the God of government has brought Tim Pawlenty to the governor’s office in St. Paul for peace and good in the lives of all Minnesotans.” He had a similar ceremony at Wooddale in January 2007 after winning reelection in 2006.
More here.
Here’s how the Baptist Press describes him and his actions:
Re-elected as governor of Minnesota in 2006, Pawlenty is pro-life and has spoken at March for Life rallies in St. Paul on the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade decision. At the 2006 rally, he told marchers, according to the Associated Press, “We have a dream today that someday soon this will not be an anniversary of sadness, but an anniversary of justice restored.” He also has signed into law several pro-life bills, including one requiring a mandatory 24-hour waiting period before a woman can obtain an abortion.
Terrye on August 20, 2008 at 5:23 PM
Sweet Jesus, this isn’t all about you. Sorry, but there are actually people out here whose vote counts just as much as yours, Ms. Malkin. And some of them don’t put abortion at the tip top of their litmus test list for a candidate for vice president.
I’ll agree that Lieberman or Ridge would be disastrous picks. But Rudy would rock, and Romney would be fine, and both of them have been or continue to be pro-choice.
funky chicken on August 20, 2008 at 5:24 PM
MB007:
Right now McCain is pulling ahead and the fact that he got the nomination at all was certainly in no part do to his taking advice from Michelle Malkin. I am not dissing the woman, I am simply pointing out that MM has not exactly been a supporter and a fan.
Terrye on August 20, 2008 at 5:25 PM
Why is it that Pro-Abortionists on here and everywhere ignore science when it comes to what that “fertilized egg” is? The scientific word is, that “fertilized egg” can be nothing other than a Human Being, and it gets a heart beat within the first month.
Heartless selfish bastards.
kirkill on August 20, 2008 at 5:26 PM
The collective wisdom of Republican voters have made friggin fools out of likes Malkin, Limbaugh and Ingrahm.
In spite of the “true conservative” bitching and moaning, they chose the ONLY Republican candidate who could win this election cycle.
Outside of Boob Dole, the Republican voters have consistently chosen the right candidate at the right time.
I think Malkin is the last one to be giving McCain advice.
mylegsareswollen on August 20, 2008 at 5:26 PM
McCain has GOT to hold townhalls with an empty chair for Obama. Heck, I’ll fill in for Obama. “Uh … I, uh, uh, I, I, I, I’ve said that all along. Let me be clear, in the strongest possible terms. I profoundly disagree. Uhhhhhhh. Uh. I, I, I. And did I mention I’m black?”
Paul-Cincy on August 20, 2008 at 5:27 PM
Just curious, when do those fertilized eggs become humans and get rights?
misterpeasea on August 20, 2008 at 5:27 PM
I agree with Terrye, Michael in MI, funky chicken, and cannonball.
Half of these pundits, Michelle Malkin included, have barely had a nice thing to say about McCain anyway.
MayBee on August 20, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Michelle
Only McCain can defeat McCain!
Dr Evil on August 20, 2008 at 5:30 PM
I’d only call you a fanatic if you said you wouldn’t support McCain/Giuliani or McCain/Romney this year because Rudy is, and Mitt was pro-choice.
I totally am cool with pro-life folks. Hell, McCain is strongly pro-life and I support him. I even understand why pro-life republicans wouldn’t get behind McCain/Lieberman because Lieberman isn’t pro-life or a republican or at all conservative (0 for 3, strikeout, whatever).
funky chicken on August 20, 2008 at 5:31 PM
I think this whole head-fake story is way overblown. Everyone should get his/her panties out of a twist and just see who the guy picks for crying out loud.
I think Michelle is wrong on one point — McCain loses nothing coming out of his performance at Saddleback. He hit it out of the park — that’s what people will remember. The subsequent head-fake is nothing but gossip and innuendo.
If McCain picks a pro-choice candiate for his VP, then I think Michelle’s point would have some merit, but until the guy makes his pick, everyone is just swirling around in the world of conjecture…
D2Boston on August 20, 2008 at 5:31 PM
Malkin can’t stand McCain. It’s my guess that she is trying to take some of the Saddleback gain away from him.
Which is a way to defacto support Obama, which confuses me, since her problem with McCain is that he’s not conservative enough. But we’ve been over that territory before.
funky chicken on August 20, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Maybe you should ALSO remember, that haven’t said ANYTHING nice about ANY of the Canididates.
Fred, they hated him.
Romney, not to impressed.
McCain.. to liberal in their eyes.
Hunter, not public or national enough.
Should I go on? Clean your ears and wipe your eyes.
upinak on August 20, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Had the Huckster exited the race I suspect his followers would have gone to Romney. Huck seems to have some Mormon bias that kept him in the race to act as spoiler long after it was obvious he wasn’t going anywhere.
DerKrieger on August 20, 2008 at 5:34 PM
Because not “committing” to something right now makes no difference at all–it will be a moot point next Friday–and doing so diminishes any strategic advantage he might gain by keeping people guessing.
The real question is why is everyone getting so worked up and begging for meaningless “commitments” 1 week before he actually announces his pick, when it will ACTUALLY matter?
DaveS on August 20, 2008 at 5:34 PM
If you don’t like the platform leave the party!
How can you not understand this?
We have four out of the five necessaary justices ready to end abortion in the USA and two positions will be opening up this next term.
The appointment of justices is a VITAL issue this year!
We can end abortion in America and save the lives of ten’s of millions of innocent human beings!
Frankly you would have to be either a total monster or totally clueless and brainwashed by the lib media to support abortion. PERIOD!
50 million babies have been murdered due to the libs policies. That is genocide far worse than the nazi holocaust.
If the republican party switches sides on this issue and nominates a pro abortion candidate like Romney…WE WILL LEAVE THE PARTY. That will be the end of the republican party.
SaintOlaf on August 20, 2008 at 5:34 PM
They are human beings from the moment of conception. They aren’t dog or cat, they are human. They are at simply a different developmental stage.
You could ask when do babies get human rights, or toddlers, or children, or teenagers, or adults, or even senior citizens. Throughout all of these stages, whether inside or outside-the womb, they have the same identifying DNA. They are a human being.
dominigan on August 20, 2008 at 5:35 PM
Here we go again — raising the bar on McCain and trashing him because he won’t jump over it rightnow.
Michelle is flat out wrong on this one. And as has been said earlier, she is not exactly the one to be expecting John McCain to call her for campaign advice. He seems to be doing quite well without her, thank you very much.
rockmom on August 20, 2008 at 5:35 PM
Big S on August 20, 2008 at 5:36 PM
A veep candidate that is Liberal on abortion is far more likely to be Liberal on most other issues as well. Do we want to set a Liberal up for the GOP nomination in 2012? I don’t.
DerKrieger on August 20, 2008 at 5:36 PM
Oops…messed up the tags
Big S on August 20, 2008 at 5:36 PM
Pawlenty–good pick. Sanford–good pick. Cantor–good pick. Rudy, Romney both strong. Palin–OK pick, but I want somebody who wouldn’t need lots of on the job training if (God forbid) something bad happened to McCain within the first year of his term.
The only one on my list who is still claiming to be pro-choice is Rudy.
funky chicken on August 20, 2008 at 5:37 PM
It’s a sad argument for Mitt. Multiple-choice is better than pro-choice.
myamphibian on August 20, 2008 at 5:38 PM
I’m doing what I can to change the platform, from within the party.
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Big S on August 20, 2008 at 5:38 PM
Announcing the VP pick now would be a mistake- why generate buzz now only to have it negated by the upcoming Dem convention? Better to wait at least until the day after the Dems hold thier convention to steal some of their thunder, then capitalize on it with their own convention.
But yeah- picking a pro-choice candidate would be a big mistake. Not just because doing so threatens to alienate social-cons, but doing so would also force McCain and his VP pick to waste time explaining the discrepancy in their views- something the MSM would exploit to full effect.
Hollowpoint on August 20, 2008 at 5:38 PM
This is true.
The republican party (the people who voted for all the republican candidates including McCain) are a diverse group. From very far right, to moderate. McCains entire career has been republican, and working with democrats. Much to his desire to be bi-partisan, many of his actions have not been successful in my opinion. He’s not pretending to be as conservative or more so than all the other hopefuls. The people who voted for him knew that. It’s not like McCain is a democrat that moderates to the center. This is what Obama (who is a very left leaning liberal) is doing, trying to appear more centrist to attract more moderates to his side.
McCain has been able to succeed this far and gain support from his actions. We will have to see which one, Obama or McCain will ultimately win. McCain has previously said that he would rather loose an election than loose a war. I’ll take him at his word, but others are free to come to their own conclusions and say that he’s being deceitful. I happen to look at McCain and see an honest man.
Back to Michele, I’d love to see her run for office. She’s very intelligent and knowledgeable, and will be a outstanding mind and face for the conservative republican area of politics. Michelle does an outstanding job to disseminate information. And as good as that is, it can only go so far by itself.
For all of the people who were upset that McCain will win the republican primary and become the nominee, then please point me to the outstanding conservative republican politician who should have been able to inspire more voters to support them. If this can be done (and it won’t start with a run for president, there’s congressman, mayor, senator, governor ..) then this would be much more meaningful, in the end run. I happen to think that the best presidents come from the best state governors, not Senators. Because governors of states(and mayors) have a more president building job requirement.
Anyway, things like this don’t fall into place, they need to be worked on. And they take years to come to fruition. And if we want better candidates to vote for, then these candidates need to get started. Don’t like something, do something about it. Writing words on a sheet of paper or on a computer screen is nice. It informs and motivates people. But it only goes so far.
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 5:39 PM
The fact that he won the nomination was due to the fact that Huckabee’s candidacy stole a key section of voters that would have largely voted for Romney or a more qualified candidate. The fact that he won the nomination was due to the fact that McCain consistently lied about his opponent’s positions and his own record and got away with it (as did Obama.) Think of what would’ve happened if we had a better candidate around this time of the year that could have unified the base even more. Obama would be flailing about, drowning in the weight of his own misconceptions, and the election wouldn’t even be close. Instead, we are stuck here, parsing within the margin of error and praying for electoral votes.
It wouldn’t surprise me if your head is swollen as well. The Republican voters have been much less than infallible. George Bush in 1992? Gimme a break.
Like I said earlier, if McCain followed MM’s advice, we wouldn’t be chewing our fingernails when it comes to electoral votes.
MB007 on August 20, 2008 at 5:40 PM
The Republican Party HAS nominated a pro-life candidate. HIS NAME IS JOHN MCCAIN. If this is the issue you care about the most, you should be out there doing everything you can to elect McCain because you’ll never get a more pro-life President.
McCain has looked into the eyes of people to whom life means nothing. He has saved an abandoned child who, thank God, was not aborted, and given her life and opportunity. He has demonstrated in every way possible that he knows at his core the sanctity of human life and the necessity of defending it.
rockmom on August 20, 2008 at 5:42 PM
That’s because you are either a total monster or totally clueless and brainwashed by the lib media.
SaintOlaf on August 20, 2008 at 5:42 PM
I think this is all a tempest in a teapot. I’d be willing to bet that the pro-life/pro-choice question was one of a dozen rattled off in the midst of some trial balloons, and the MSM picked up on it as a way to dent McCain’s recent good news days.
Think_b4_speaking on August 20, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Overturning Roe will not outlaw abortion. It will remain legal until the state or federal legislatures take action. And this is properly a states rights issue. To me this is the reason the whole abortion issue is much ado in the first place.
Assuming enough Conservative SCOTUS’s are seated we then assume that they will overturn Roe.
Assuming Roe is overturned both sides will mobilize to have Congress either outlaw it or legalize it permanently.
My assumption is that it will remain legal because there will never be enough votes on terh other side to outlaw it.
When that becomes obvious to abortion foes they will rightly make the case that abortion is a state issue and move to make it illegal at the state level. Assuming again that the Red/Blue divide remains I’m going to assume that it will be outlawed in ~15-20 states at most.
This is why I wish this issue would go away.
But, as I’ve said often today there is not such thing as a “little bit” Liberal. If you’re a Lib on abortion chances are you’re a Lib on a bunch of issues.
DerKrieger on August 20, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Wait wait wait, hold on a friggin minute.
Lets see if I get this straight:
But if McCain, who supported Alito, supported Roberts, gets a pro-life VP – who doesn’t pick the Judges, that’s the President – then:
You’ll step aside to let Barack Obama become the President?
It’s a shame people can’t get elected on the strength of their cognitive dissonance – you’d get to the Senate easily.
apollyonbob on August 20, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Yes.
But the VP pick is crucial!
Mccain is a very old man you know.
SaintOlaf on August 20, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Michelle gets more beautiful with age.
revolution on August 20, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Ha ha ha ha… no. The hardcore Huckabot holy rollers hate Romney. Huck stayed in so long simply to placate his ego- he didn’t quit until well after Mitt dropped out.
Hollowpoint on August 20, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Not at all….we would take over the constitution party!
SaintOlaf on August 20, 2008 at 5:46 PM
That’s such crap. He’s not gonna die in four friggin years. He may be old, but his mom is still alive. He’s got some damn good genes, and he’s already been through hell and back. He’s the quintessential survivor.
apollyonbob on August 20, 2008 at 5:46 PM
… oh good grief.
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 5:47 PM
So he lives. His VP is still likely to be the next POTUS candidate for the GOP. Do we want to nominate a Lib?
DerKrieger on August 20, 2008 at 5:47 PM
You folks do realize that you’re trying to argue with a clinically insane person, right?
Hollowpoint on August 20, 2008 at 5:48 PM
In two months? You can’t possibly be serious. It boggles the mind that someone would actually use that as a defense.
I hate to interrupt your beautiful fairy tale with an ugly fact,but if you don’t support McCain this cycle, you get Obama.
I note that McCain is pro-life, and Obama is pro-choice.
apollyonbob on August 20, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Your sage is well taken. I’ll stop XD
apollyonbob on August 20, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Doesn’t the VP have to go through the same nomination process as everyone else? He won’t unless he’s elected in the primary.
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Did John McCain lie at Saddleback?
He said he would have a pro-life administration but does he not supports federal funding of embryonic stem cell research?
That is not pro-life by any stretch of the imagination.
EJDolbow on August 20, 2008 at 5:50 PM
I think you and I are in the same frame of mind.
upinak on August 20, 2008 at 5:51 PM
correct
funky chicken on August 20, 2008 at 5:52 PM
And here Ms. Malkin can’t wait to help them.
funky chicken on August 20, 2008 at 5:54 PM
“at least it’s not Rudy?”
Rudy would be the BEST pick.. America could do FAR WORSE..
Rudy is a real Leader.
Chakra Hammer on August 20, 2008 at 5:56 PM
I know all you McLame cheerleaders must be exhausted, but keep those pompom’s ready to go. If not for the liberals that run the republican party now, like some who post on this site, we could and should have a conservative nominee in both slots right now. Instead, we’re discussing the merits of naming a liberal loser from the other party, to go along with the Rino that we’re already stuck with. Am I the only one in the Twilight Zone?
nivram1 on August 20, 2008 at 5:57 PM
A significant number of people who consider themselves pro-life are in favor of embryonic stem cell research … probably because they don’t think early embryos have “human rights.”
Big S on August 20, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Well politically i’m not saying that Rudy would be the “best pick” HOWEVER HE WOULD be the best pick for AMERICA IF McCain/Giuliani WON the election, Rudy was my guy in the primaries so obviously I think that he’s the MOST qualified for the job.
Chakra Hammer on August 20, 2008 at 5:58 PM
What part of “the election is now a two man race, where one candidate is guaranteed to become the next president, and the other will loose” do you not understand.
Seriously?
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 6:01 PM
“A significant number” pulled out of your butt.
If they do, then they are ignorant of the news that adult stem cells provide the best hope here. And no embryonic stem cells have helped anyone yet. Embryonic stem cell research is just yet another ruse to play God with humanity.
kirkill on August 20, 2008 at 6:04 PM
Pandering! He must be pandering!
It can’t possibly be that his great showing at Saddleback was buzzworthy enough. Or that competing with the Obamamania in the Countdown to Denver would make his own story go thud.
No, it must be that he’s pandering.
Good golly.
MayBee on August 20, 2008 at 6:04 PM
*Sigh.* Yeah.
It was so much more fun to watch operation chaos when it was only going on with the democrats. Oh well.
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 6:09 PM
And yet this awful candidate is actually LEADING in the polls against the Anointed Messiah of All Mankind. Hate to burst your bubble, but that’s because he is John McCain. There simply is not another Republican/conservative alive who would not be getting his/her clock cleaned right now by Barack Obama. Ronald Reagan is not walking through that door, to paraphrase Rick Pitino.
I most certainly did NOT support John McCain to be the Republican nominee and I was depressed for a while after he won it. But on the issues that really matter to me – life, fighting radical Islam, judges, government waste, and fiscal sanity – McCain is on my side. So now I am on his. And I am deeply impressed by how well he is running this campaign. To even contemplate a President Barack Obama is to stare into the abyss. I can’t go there.
rockmom on August 20, 2008 at 6:09 PM
However just because Rudy was my guy in the primary, McCain has my vote regardless of whoever he picks for VP.
Chakra Hammer on August 20, 2008 at 6:10 PM
About 50 percent of the country considers itself “pro-life”, but polls consistently show much stronger support than that for the availability of early term abortions, birth control, and the use of human embryonic stem cells in medical research (go to pollingreport.com if you want to sample a few polls) This means that many of those who call themselves “pro-life” are not nearly as uncompromising as most of the commenters here at HotAir.
As for embryonic stem cell research, the reason embryonic stem cells have not been used in as many therapies (there are only a few anyway) is that they are not drawn from the same individual on whom the treatment is occurring, the supply is smaller, and the research is newer. In order to advance the adult stem cell therapies, embryonic cells will need to be studied, even if they are not the final source of cells used in potential future treatments.
Big S on August 20, 2008 at 6:14 PM
Not only is the next Ronald Reagan not walking through the door, they haven’t gotten off their buts with any effort to go into politics. (That I’m aware of.)
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 6:19 PM
Ummmm…..
FRED!!!!
Anyone…????
BigWyo on August 20, 2008 at 6:24 PM
Michelle is always very rough on McCain (mostly deservedly so), but I cannot imagine him choosing someone who agrees that abortion is OK! when his record is 180 from that. For me, this feels like a ploy to keep his name in the news since the democrat party IS having a big show next week. I am confident he will not choose a pro-abortion VP. If he does, I’ll eat crow.
SouthernGent on August 20, 2008 at 6:31 PM
I couldn’t disagree more. Abortion is the one issue I differ with most other conservatives on. I am strongly in favor of smaller government, lower taxes, capitalism, and a strong national defense. I endeavor to elect candidates who will see that our country has those things. If you want to call me a liberal because I have a different opinion on one issue, that’s your choice. But I would consider that a very narrow way of thinking.
backwoods conservative on August 20, 2008 at 6:37 PM
Rudy is not “Pro-Abortion”, “Pro-Abortion” would be people like Obama that say “I don’t want my daughters PUNISHED WITH A BABY OR A STD! If they make a mistake”(speaking to planned parenthood) or that are like Obama in in favor of infanticide.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/10/abortions-shade.html
Michael Medved
Very interesting..
Chakra Hammer on August 20, 2008 at 6:52 PM
That’s 1.
2. Ensure highest possible satisfaction with his pro-life pick.
3. Demonstrate to Hillaryites and other liberals, indies, and pro-choicers that he can work with them and that there’s a meaningful place for them within his coalition – including especially those already within the party and/or within his inner circle (Rudy, Joe, Ridge).
Unless you’re ready to read everyone out of the party who isn’t hardcore, no exceptions, more Catholic than the Pope on life, why shouldn’t leading choicers be shown respect, and seriously considered? Why shouldn’t the party activists be canvassed? Why shouldn’t the leader of the party decline to disqualify them absolutely and with extreme prejudice? McCain & Co might have believed they’d get just the reaction from the base that they’ve gotten, but it’s not a small d democratic way of doing business just to assume your faction is right and unassailable.
CK MacLeod on August 20, 2008 at 6:53 PM
Sarah Palin is unassailable when it comes to the abortion issue. Actions speak.
myamphibian on August 20, 2008 at 6:57 PM
very true.
upinak on August 20, 2008 at 7:04 PM
WTF??? are you a friggin’ idiot?? how do you think he got where he is? by We the People. and if he becomes president it will be the same way. jeez, you mccain sheep are getting way too arrogant. keep pissing off the conservatives and you can forget about the White House. just go ahead and pick joe and watch it all drift away. bambi screwed up bad at saddleback but mccain has plenty of unforced errors too, and the potential for many more.
chasdal on August 20, 2008 at 7:15 PM
Headfake?
I’d like to see someone “leak” Hilary’s name, as a possible running mate for Johnny Mac.
Then, watch Michelle M’s head explode.
Where did the idea come from, that McCain has a “conservative” base?
McCain is a Republican…The Grand Old Party…THAT’s his “base”
Conservatives only comprise a small portion of the Republican Party….Yet, to hear THEM tell it, they’re in control…They think, they’re entitled to pull all the strings.
I got’s some bad news.
Conservatives need Republicans, more than we need them.
franksalterego on August 20, 2008 at 7:26 PM
at the moment of conception.
If you disagree, lets do an experiment..
A woman has a fertility problem and she is elderly and has only one chance to get “pregnant” so she goes down to the “clinic” and gets Artificial insemination (AI) this process costs her LOTS of money and it works she gets pregnant and is 2-1/2 months pregnant then.. gets mugged and the attacker, punches her in the stomach and causes a miscarriage.. The assailant get arrested for assualt and battery.
Does he also get charged for the death of the baby or could he be sued or the death of the baby, wrongful death?
If he can be sued for wrongful death, then YES that is a life.
Chakra Hammer on August 20, 2008 at 7:27 PM
chasdal on August 20, 2008 at 7:15 PM
I stopped reading after “you mccain sheep-”
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 7:28 PM
Keep right on making the perfect the enemy of the good – and watch our conservative majority dwindle into an angry fringe while the Left takes over the country.
rockmom on August 20, 2008 at 7:29 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »