Tuesday, September 27, 2005
The McCain Moment?
When the editor of the conservative National Review pronounces Arizona Senator John McCain "probably the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008," attention must be paid.
What many forget is that George W. Bush planned to campaign as John McCain: a "reformer with results" who was a moderate compared to the average Republican Congressman. Bush even rebuked his Republican colleagues for "balancing the budget on the backs of the poor" that year.
When McCain ran as a moderate Republican, Bush was forced to campaign to McCain's right and so became a conservative icon. But George W. Bush is still quite McCainish. Both men back amnesty for illegal aliens and support bilingual education. McCain sponsored campaign finance reform. Bush signed it into law.
This is the reason John McCain remains so angry about losing the South Carolina primary to Bush. The two men weren't that different, but thanks to the under-the-radar work of Bush operatives, McCain became Satan's liberal helper and lost the presidency.
The problem with any McCain candidacy remains that those who know him best -- fellow Senators, fellow Naval officers -- seem to think the least of him.
|posted by Jim on 7:01 PM|
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