Great news: McCain set to remake GOP in his own centrist image
posted at 2:23 pm on October 2, 2009 by Allahpundit
Thus is a new generation of amnesty-supporting Republicans made. Can you feel the excitement?
It’s all part of an approach that is at odds with most other recent failed presidential nominees, whose immediate response to defeat was to retreat from the electoral arena. But those familiar with McCain’s thinking say he has expressed serious concern about the direction of the party and is actively seeking out and supporting candidates who can broaden the party’s reach…
In mid-September, McCain invited his favored candidates to the St. Regis Hotel in midtown Manhattan to rub shoulders with 40 of the senator’s top donors at a reception for the Arizona Republican…
McCain told POLITICO in a brief interview that he was determined to play a major role in the GOP’s rebuilding effort—beginning with the party’s 2010 campaign.
“I think it’s important, at this stage in my career, to try to support candidates that I think represent the next generation of leadership in the Republican Party,” the 73-year-old McCain said on his way to the Senate floor for a vote last week.
The main beneficiary of McCain’s largesse so far: Illinois Senate candidate Mark Kirk, whom you’ll remember for his crucial House vote in favor of cap-and-trade and who currently counts among his informal advisors one Steve Schmidt. Exit question: Given the demand there’ll be for Palin on the campaign trail once her book blows sky high, and given that she’s obviously going to position herself to Mitt’s and Huck’s right as the “true conservative” choice, aren’t we practically guaranteed a McCain vs. Palin proxy fight at some point? But where, oh where, is such a fight likely to take place?
Blowback
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Hey McCain….you lost. And frankly, without Palin you would have lost HUGE. So pipe down.
search4truth on October 2, 2009 at 2:25 PM
More of that MAVERICK spirit. What could go wrong?
Cicero43 on October 2, 2009 at 2:26 PM
F*CK YOU, JOHN MCCAIN!
GO HOME AND TAKE YOUR UGLY DAUGHTER WITH YOU!
HornetSting on October 2, 2009 at 2:26 PM
sigh.
albill on October 2, 2009 at 2:26 PM
I’m always amazed (although I’m not sure why) of the desire for the Republican blue-bloods to go after the base in ways they would never go after democrats.
SouthernGent on October 2, 2009 at 2:26 PM
Go away, Senator.
Connie on October 2, 2009 at 2:26 PM
No he won’t. We already tried his model and it doesn’t work. The party must return to the values set forth in the founding documents, promote free markets, reduce tax rates and GTF out of our everyday lives.
BottomLine5 on October 2, 2009 at 2:26 PM
I guess McCain subconsciously wants to end his political career now…this is going nowhere.
AUINSC on October 2, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Shocking! Knucklehead’s main guy to reclaim the senate. ;-)
This is going to be one of those slow trainwrecks that is almost painful to watch. Is this guy going to have any money to dole out?
WashJeff on October 2, 2009 at 2:27 PM
I’ll bet on Operation Rogue.
the_nile on October 2, 2009 at 2:27 PM
GO
AWAY
angryed on October 2, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Old Man Winter is delusional if he thinks he the titular head of the GOP.
Tasha on October 2, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Couldn’t get 500 to show up in his hometown.
She drew thousands in NEW YORK, the bluest of the blue.
Good luck, John.
ZJPolitical on October 2, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Yay! Captain Nosedive back just in time to f*ck up the 2010 elections for us! Go moderates! Let’s remember our GOP motto: We don’t throw away our garbage: we eat it!
austinnelly on October 2, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Is this a sick joke by a disgruntled Chicagoan?
lonestar1 on October 2, 2009 at 2:28 PM
OK, this one takes the cake for me!!! Hilarious! Thanks for the laugh!
search4truth on October 2, 2009 at 2:28 PM
It’s ON ! BABY!
TimeTraveler on October 2, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Head of the party? You’re kidding me.
There’s a spot of deluded thinking. I’d be surprised if some people don’t ask him NOT to help out their campaigns.
AnninCA on October 2, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Apparently the man can’t read the papers.
The times, they are a-changin’.
mankai on October 2, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Time to flood maverick’s office and tell him to buzz off.
(202) 224-2235
HornetSting on October 2, 2009 at 2:28 PM
“That’s the mother, ain’t it?”
- Archie Bunker
Cicero43 on October 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM
So he can get fired up about something, then? I didn’t think that was possible.
Kensington on October 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM
“John remains the titular head of the Republican Party and he will be until there’s a new nominee.”
This is pure delusion.
CP on October 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Nothing screams Republican like a hotel in Manhattan. Come McShamnesty, just switch parties and be done with it.
angryed on October 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM
I have question… what was McCain doing from say Spring of last year to August? If he wanted to remake the GOP, that was the time…
ninjapirate on October 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Mccain is going to get sent home packin’ and if I were an arizonian I would be insulted that he thinks they are so stupid as to want what he is selling!Outrageous!… My gosh,this has been a day of up and down emotions!
ohiobabe on October 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM
He just needs to shuffle off ans start making boner pill commercials like Dole.
Cuffy Meigs on October 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!
Tell that to Bob Dole. Presidential losers are head of only one thing…..their charitable foundation.
Rocks on October 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Rogue > Maverick
Dusty on October 2, 2009 at 2:29 PM
I think that the self proclaimed emperor is naked.
Gulchie on October 2, 2009 at 2:30 PM
you mean that guy who ran with Palin?
Fighton03 on October 2, 2009 at 2:30 PM
You know if he had put forth a teensy weensy bit of effort in his campaign he would be president right now. He had about 8 gazillion ready made ways to attack Obama and show what he truly was and he refused to use them. That especially burns my ass after the way the press jumped on the anti-Palin crusade.
Johnnyreb on October 2, 2009 at 2:30 PM
I guess he hasn’t heard about the presidential election results yet.
Cicero43 on October 2, 2009 at 2:30 PM
You’re right. The GOP is going to go through something similiar to what the Dems went through after Kerry’s loss–the DLC vs. the Daily Kos/DU/Moveon party base. We all know who won that battle.
Revenant on October 2, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Please dear john, go away, retire, go fishing, hunting, or whatever. I voted against bho for you because of Sarah. You can not be nice to d’s, they will eat your lunch because of rino’s like you.
L
letget on October 2, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Maybe we can convince him to be the pitch man for the 2020 games…
PatriotRider on October 2, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Does McCain want the GOP to keep losing?
lorien1973 on October 2, 2009 at 2:31 PM
Please just”fade away”
flyoverboy on October 2, 2009 at 2:31 PM
There’s another ex-GOP senator looking to get in that race too…
I think Rubio should have waited and ran against Nelson…
ninjapirate on October 2, 2009 at 2:31 PM
John McCain may become the Republican party’s Jimmy Carter. Just give him a little more time.
MB4 on October 2, 2009 at 2:31 PM
Dang it, and I was in such a good mood after the Big Guy’s Olympic fail…
TheQuestion on October 2, 2009 at 2:31 PM
John McCain is irrelevant. He made so when he failed to fight for his Presidency last year.
The Conservatives want nothing to do with him.
Enoxo on October 2, 2009 at 2:32 PM
CRASH and BURN McCAIN.
easyone on October 2, 2009 at 2:32 PM
McCain should really start thinking about retiring from politics and picking some sort of non-political cause to champion…and not being a complete idiot, spouting off nonsense like Carter
IC on October 2, 2009 at 2:32 PM
Hey, sorry about the POW stuff but you tried this the lase election—How did that work out for you.
rjoco1 on October 2, 2009 at 2:32 PM
The man wasn’t satisfied giving us a socialist in chief, and badly damaging Palin. Now, he wants to try and put a stake in the heart of conservatism.
Vashta.Nerada on October 2, 2009 at 2:32 PM
So he can get fired up about something, then? I didn’t think that was possible
///
Oh man,when he sat there calmly while o lied his butt off and never raised his voice at all to silence him,…well my t.v. is lucky to be in one piece!
ohiobabe on October 2, 2009 at 2:32 PM
Senator McCain didn’t have a number one best seller before his book was even printed President Palin did.
mcl2177 on October 2, 2009 at 2:32 PM
Term limits sound good about now.
nyx on October 2, 2009 at 2:33 PM
McCain losses and thinks he won. time to fund a primary challange to old John. If he is spending his time fighting for his job he won’t have time to ruin the GOP anymore. If John wants a fight I think he has forgotten that his right flank is unsecured and his supply lines are a ways off. AZ. primary challange.
unseen on October 2, 2009 at 2:33 PM
McCain is not the solution. McCain is the problem.
jukin on October 2, 2009 at 2:33 PM
LOL! But the moron is close. McCain is a tit on the head of the GOP.
progressoverpeace on October 2, 2009 at 2:33 PM
The man who was vivsected by a marxist who launched his political career in the house of a former terrorist thinks he knows how to win elections.
V15J on October 2, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Same as old Bob Dole, right after he lost, he comes out with the I’m remaking the party schtick.
It was stupid then. It’s stupid now.
Blacksmith8 on October 2, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Someone please vote this idiot out of office.
SirGawain on October 2, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Wow, a chance to re-make the party into the image of someone who’s run two pathetic presidential campaigns, has supported incredibly destructive policies for the country, and allowed (encouraged?) campaign staff members to trash his running mate? Where do I sign up … to tell him to go away and leave the party alone. What a loser…
rmgraha on October 2, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Hate you so much.
Terry_Dyne on October 2, 2009 at 2:33 PM
McCain is history – he’s not tapped into the Liberty Movement in any way, shape or form. They appreciate his service to the country in his Navy uniform but intesely dislike his service in RINO uniform.
Seriously – there’s no “intensity” in the GOP other than in the Liberty movement. You can write an article that says “Oh yeah – McCain is in charge” … but it doesn’t make it true.
Truth kind of matters.
HondaV65 on October 2, 2009 at 2:34 PM
McCain introduces the next generation of gracious LOSERS.
Fletch54 on October 2, 2009 at 2:34 PM
McCain is our Teddy Roosevelt. He’ll make a third party of the GOP, for sure.
spmat on October 2, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Does McCain want the GOP to keep losing?
/////
YES he’s a democrat at heart,him and grahamnesty!
ohiobabe on October 2, 2009 at 2:34 PM
BTW, I was hoping that McCain would have done something… be he did nothing…
Obama did all he could to remake the democratic party in his image… he built his website in a way where he keep wackos out and keep everyone focused…
ninjapirate on October 2, 2009 at 2:34 PM
I’d rather he were unceremoniously thrown out, as quickly as possible.
progressoverpeace on October 2, 2009 at 2:34 PM
I called and left a scathing message, telling maverick that:
1. We do not need to remake our party…we are getting back to our conservative roots, something he does not understand.
2. He lost the election 2008, because of HIM, not because of Sarah, who understands and lives by her conservative values.
3. Told him that I hope the citizens of Arizona vote him out during the primary so that he could no longer destroy the republican party.
4. Told him to go home and take his loud mouthed daughter with him.
Let him know how YOU feel about a loser ‘remaking’ our party. This is our party, take it back from the RINOS!
HornetSting on October 2, 2009 at 2:34 PM
at least Dole had enough character to just fade away after his loss
unseen on October 2, 2009 at 2:35 PM
So:
Obamas’ humiliated…
Chicago corruptocrats get the shaft…
back to despising McAmnesty…
BEST DAY EVAH!
Rogue on October 2, 2009 at 2:35 PM
With friends like this, who needs enemies.
In the 2008 campaign, McCain almost destroyed the party. After the election, he sent his daughter out to finish the job. Now this.
petefrt on October 2, 2009 at 2:35 PM
Okay so the Time link has to do with Crist vs Rubio?
I doubt it will be the start. I’ll guess the start is already starting, or will much sooner than that, in the back rooms.
Dusty on October 2, 2009 at 2:35 PM
BTW, I like McCain because McCain is for ala carte cable… there is absolutely no consumer agency when it comes to cable… it sucks…
ninjapirate on October 2, 2009 at 2:35 PM
Hey for the Conservatives here – don’t get worked up on this article. It’s about as relevant to fact as any Global Warming alarmist article you can think of.
Seriously – McCain has had his day – it’s over.
HondaV65 on October 2, 2009 at 2:35 PM
No, no, the only reason it didn’t work was because Senator Rockstar was the other candidate. If only it had been someone else, McCain would be flying home from Copenhagen today in moderate triumph.
They always have an excuse ready for why Republicans who wear their moderate credentials on their sleeves primarily crash and burn on election day.
I swear, the “moderate” junkies in the GOP might be worse than the Leftists who believe that a glorious Utopia awaits if only the right people finally get a chance to shove Communism down our throats the right way.
Kensington on October 2, 2009 at 2:35 PM
To paraphrase Patton, America hates a loser.
Cuffy Meigs on October 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
It’s time for McLame to get out of Washington and leave the GOP.
If the GOP keeps going back to this guy, they’ll be guaranteed losers for the next several cycles.
cubachi on October 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Good for you!
John the Libertarian on October 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
But the internet will change this…
ninjapirate on October 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
If McShame had any integrity, he would have pulled out of the primary after his shamnesty was roundly rejected by the base and it decimated the GOP. McCain is a slug – to the core.
progressoverpeace on October 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
HA HA HA HA HA HA —-
McCain-Kennedy FAILED THREE TIMES. For a good reason.
We don’t want your shamnesty legislation and we don’t want you.
fred5678 on October 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Imaginary quote from Michael Steele, “John who?”
Caststeel on October 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Let’s chip and buy him a snuggie and some knitting needles. He can knit scarves for the troops in Afghanistan.
Laura in Maryland on October 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
How can a political loser remake the Republican Party?
McCain isn’t Goldwater. He has no loyal grassroots base. The guy is a big toolbox.
taney71 on October 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
McCain plans to hold a press conference in front of another empty room to expound on his vision of the GOP’s future.
Cicero43 on October 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
McCain vs. Palin will not end well for the old man. The conservative base hates him and loves her. If he was smart, he’d keep his mouth shut and just fade away.
Doughboy on October 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
It would be more awesome than Rio winning the Olympics if John McCain lost the AZ primary.
Pasalubong on October 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Hey for the Conservatives here – don’t get worked up
/////
Thanks,I needed somebody to slap me and tell me to SNAP OUT OF IT!!!!
ohiobabe on October 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
McCain, I voted for you for one reason and one reason only: Sarah Palin.
Do us all a favor and just GO AWAY.
Norwegian on October 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
“Titular head” my ass. We voted for Saraj. Isn’t that clear yet?
evergreen on October 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
The strongest, and most vehemently opposed legislation in my 65 year lifetime was McCain-Kennedy-Bush – the amnesty granting bill that resulted in DC switchboards being overloaded for days on end. Just how does this man think anything he proposes will be received by we – the very same people who told him “Hell No!” on amnesty?
Obviously, he learned nothing. And when Sarah Palin gets done with him, he’ll crawl back to Arizona wondering what Hell just hit him.
GoldenEagle4444 on October 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
What did he bump his head???????
PLEASE GO FAR AWAY MR McCAIN!!!!!!!!
1luckydogg on October 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
What an ego! His image is that of a loser, who will screw over his own party to curry favor with donks. If he loses his senate seat, will he take that as a sign to go away? Or, will he claim it just give him more time to perfect his vision of destroying the gop?
Blake on October 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Er, Sarah.
evergreen on October 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
Kalifornia Kafir on October 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Go away, Mac.
You’ve failed enough for one year.
Bring on a McCain-free 2010!
Good Lt on October 2, 2009 at 2:38 PM
You Lie…. Not!
As an old Marine I can’t speak to McCain’s POW status because I was never a POW, but I did have to learn over and over in boot camp what my behaviour was to be should I get captured (which was never going to happen:Do or Die…Not To Ask Why).
McCain’s behavior as a POW was the main reason I could not vote for him and now to think I will have to listen to his chicken-shit ass talk AT ME some more is like looking forward to a 20 mile forced march at Pendleton in July.
jarhead0311 on October 2, 2009 at 2:38 PM
+1000
nyx on October 2, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Phoenix 2016!
LibTired on October 2, 2009 at 2:38 PM
The man is a loser. Why is anyone paying any attention to him at all?
hachiban on October 2, 2009 at 2:38 PM
I was not aware that McCain was backing our liberal Republican douche nozzle Mark Kirk, but it makes perfect sense. And it reveals another important truth from the 2008 election.
Many moderate GOP commentators (Frum, Medved) vehemently defended the conservative credentials of McShame, including his bona fides as a pro-life politician. Mark Kirk’s position on abortion and stem cell issues is to the left of NARAL’s. He is also pro-amnesty, an enviro-kook, and anti- 2nd Amendment. He has a lifetime ACU rating below 50%. He’s not a RINO; he’s a liberal.
Now I understand why so many Christian Conservatives stayed home on McCain. He’s a liar.
Jaibones on October 2, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Now, there’s a thought. Here’s another: What organization to both McCain and Obooboo belong to?
CFR
Hey, it’s not a conspiracy theory, it’s a fact.
Blacksmith8 on October 2, 2009 at 2:39 PM
That hall needs to be filled with TownHall Protestors that will tell mccain EXACTLY what THEIR vision for the party is and EXACTLY where this nutcup needs to go……Let’s tell him to his face that it is time for him to fade away….along with his dimwit of a daughter.
HornetSting on October 2, 2009 at 2:40 PM
The only reason I’m still a registered Republican in AZ is so I can vote for this man’s opponent next year in the primary. I want to see him defeated so bad.
jennifernaz on October 2, 2009 at 2:40 PM
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