First of all, I just want to say I admire Sen. John McCain. He’s a thowback, a Republican who actually doesn’t mind working with Democrats and doesn’t let partisan politics override what’s best for the country. That breed has nearly become extinct, but McCain shows that it’s not gone completely.
McCain is a conservative, but his maverick reputation is well-deserved. I’ve liked, or at least respected, some of his positions. McCain-Feingold was a valiant, although less than successful attempt to lessen the way money corrupts politics. His stances on gay marriage and immigration are fairly reasonable. He was against GWB’s tax cuts before he was for them (a flip flop that folks on both sides are right to criticize). He is not a global warming denier. And I think our nation owes him a huge debt for being a Republican leader who has come out strongly against torture.
Those stances drive many Republican pundits crazy, of course. But part of the reason, I believe, that McCain is doing so well is that the Republican rank and file are beginning to moderate their views somewhat. One might say that Republican voters are finally entering the 20th century. And John McCain is leading the charge.
On the flip side of all these warm and fuzzy feelings, however, I have a sense of déjà vu. Regardless of whether or not the Republican Party is changing, many observers say Republican voters are flocking to McCain because they’re convinced he’s the Most Electable. These "most electable" rationales can backfire, you know. They said that about John Kerry, too.
They also said that about Bob Dole. Talk about Déjà vu: Dole was a war hero, like McCain. Dole ran in a primary against a rich former businessman (Steve Forbes), a charismatic conservative insurgent (Pat Buchanan), and really boring old guy (Phil Gramm). Sound familiar? Dole was the oldest presidential candidate ever at the time, at 73 years and 1 month. McCain will be 73 years and 1 month old if and when he gets the nomination.
Oh, and Dole was running against someone named Clinton.
1 comment:
Agreed that McCain is a maverick and a throwback as a Republican who can work with Democrats. It would be nice to see him get his due from the GOP powers, since they denied him when he really had a chance to win but, in the end, I don't think it's going to happen. Surely the Republicans have learned that being the not-Clinton (assuming she gets the nom) vote is not enough to get someone elected, but, as Izzy so astutely pointed out, there are a good number of coincidences lining up...I just don't want Clinton in office again because the Republican's not-Clinton vote couldn't make it.
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