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McCain vs. the Right: Give Peace No Chance

Yesterday, John McCain asked his foes on the right to "just calm down a little." He was talking about Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity and other conservative big-mouths who in recent days have pumped up the volume of their anti-McCain crusade. Just the day before, James Dobson, a leading social conservative who heads Focus on the Family, declared, "I am convinced Senator McCain is not a conservative, and in fact has gone out of is way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are." (Last year, Dobson also accused Fred Thompson of not being a real Christian.)

As the Republican Establishment swings behind McCain--each day his campaign sends out several emails noting this or that endorsement from a GOP figure--the conservative ideologues are holding firm. This is setting up a dramatic split between the GOP elite and the conservative movement's leading influentials. The ideologues hate McCain for several reasons. He has pushed bipartisan, Democratic-backed legislation on campaign finance reform, global warming, and, worse, immigration reform. He never got on his knees before the conservatives--particularly the religious right. In 2000, he blasted Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson for exerting too much influence over his party. And--egads!--he has been a favorite of Washington journalists, that band of well-known, America-hating liberals. The fact that McCain has been a prominent champion of the Iraq war--the number one issue for most of his detractors--means nothing to these ingrates.

Today, McCain is appearing at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, a gathering of hundreds, if not thousands, of rightwing activists. Imagine John Kerry speaking to a convention of Swift Boat Veterans for the Truth. (My colleague Jonathan Stein will have a report on McCain's appearance later.) But if McCain believes he can make nice with the rightwing talkers, he's kidding himself. This group--especially Limbaugh, Hannity, and Coulter--have no incentive to be pragmatic. They each earn much money by being provocative. Their first loyalty is to their audience, which expects hard-edged ideological warfare from them. They go soft--or reasonable--and they risk their reputations.

It's possible McCain could engage in an act of self-flagellation so extreme, his right-wing critics could claim victory and boast that he kissed their rings. But in the absence of such a move, they will keep pounding him. It makes good TV and radio. So if the Democrats are stuck with a months-long battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the GOP could have on its hand a never-ending cat-fight between its nominees and the spiritual leaders of the conservative movement. As of now, the conflict between Obama and Clinton has not gone so far that it cannot be resolved when that race is done. The McCain wars on the right could continue right up to Election Day.

Comments

It is sheer joy to watch the Republicons eat and devour one another. Would this be fascist cannibalism?

Posted by: Ted Stevens on 02/07/08 at 8:12 AM Respond

Just think, Ron Paul wanted to help this wretched nation. Go figure. Time to work for the Communist Chinese, you know, like Bill and Hillary :)

Posted by: Daniel on 02/07/08 at 8:58 AM Respond

Why should we expect anything different from the same group that has worked tirelessly to polarize this country in the name of ideology?

Posted by: Lou Sanchez on 02/07/08 at 10:59 AM Respond

I sometimes think that when Republicans were born it was in a war tank. This may explain why they always love war. And for the other group that love war. I think there just mentally unstable.

Posted by: Michael on 02/07/08 at 11:05 AM Respond

I saw an Obama button logo that reads "B.O. 2008". REALLY!! Who are these logo people? Republicans? Hillary? Obama himself (because those buttons will sell, I know they will. I want 100 of those to sell on Ebay 25 years from now)? I'm conflicted.
The rest of the world must think they are watching "Keystone Cops" reruns or an old Marx Brothers movie.

Posted by: dusty on 02/07/08 at 12:29 PM Respond

The Marx Brothers didn't have nukes.

That said I often wonder if anyone in the GOP has checked out Romney's record vs. McCain's. I tend to think not.

Posted by: Kyle on 02/07/08 at 3:20 PM Respond

So, Focus on the Family is a 501c3, but Focus on the Family Action is a 501c4. Why? According to the Action site, “Because gifts to Focus on the Family are tax deductible, the Internal Revenue Service severely limits its involvement in such issues. Speaking for Focus on the Family, I can only take stands on ballot measures and lobby legislative bodies to a very limited extent. But Focus on the Family Action is formed under IRS section 501(c)(4). It will be free of any such restrictions and allow me to speak out freely on the range of issues that affect the family.” Affect the family my ass – more like affect how he works Washington.

Now check this out. http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000006444.cfm
This is massively partisan (as with all of Dobson’s speech) and linked from the Focus on the Family website. Is it just me, or are they hiding behind a very sympathetic Justice Department???

Posted by: kirkbrew on 02/07/08 at 4:31 PM Respond

Strategy for Hannity, Coulter, Limbaugh et al:

(1) The next term will likely be horrible and disappointing for Americans (Iraq mess continuing, deep recession, oil prices soaring ...). Any President will fail to appeal to the public in these years 2009-2013.

(2) So give these four years to Clinton or Obama. (As they already try to do in fighting McCain.) Let the Democrats drown in negative news 2009-2013.

(3) Then, in 2013 W E will be back, and with a really radical Presidency, more radical than the one of GWBush. Then we will change the USA, establish an imperial Presidency and change the conditions for politics in a way that the Liberals will never have a chance to come back again.

Posted by: Loewe on 02/08/08 at 9:53 AM Respond

Even though McCain is a registered republican, he is, at heart, a true democrat who registered as a republican in order to try to do as much damage as possible to conservatism. He wants to allow an invading force (illegal aliens) to stay in our country. He does not care about the security of our nation at all!! From the beginning, the war on terror should have included securing our borders with both Mexico and Canada. And yet few politicians have the guts to do anything about this invasion. Make no mistake about it, Mexican leaders fully intend to re-annex the border states... La Raza rules!

Posted by: Joe Nowak on 02/08/08 at 11:32 AM Respond

Question for the leader of this pack? I've never seen independent verification of McCain's contention that he was a POW. What proof do we have, other than his word, and the word of those who are indebted to him? What to the (north)Vietnamese say? Who's asked? Can anyone shed some light on this for me? Thanks.

Posted by: jsgordon on 02/08/08 at 4:49 PM Respond

i think what people on the far... FAR... right are failing to recognize is that mccain IS ahead, so despite what you personally may feel about what a "democrat" he is at heart or how much you imagine he loves the "invading force" it seems evident that the vast majority of the republican party (as well as the nation) would rather vote for him. so with that in mind you should ask yourself if perhaps your candidate isn't winning because his ideology and all-american hatred of all things "liberal" are officially outdated. the funny thing is, even though mccain is the oldest on the repulican side, his brand of politics is more in line with the times than huckabee or romney.

Posted by: cannibalism on 02/11/08 at 10:15 AM Respond

jsgordon

McCain is on some film shot at the Hanio Hilton - he was there. FWIW

I don't think the film's were faked.

Posted by: capt on 02/11/08 at 10:30 AM Respond

All should look up the definitions of the words "Liberal and Conservative" in Webster's dictionary. You'd be surprised.

Posted by: Frank Libbon on 02/11/08 at 10:17 PM Respond