The backdrop to Sen. John McCain's victory party in Alexandria last night has drawn some notice, including on blogs such as Politico's Jonathan Martin's. For some, the issue is that the assembled crew were either lame ducks or are already out of office. For others, the presence of Rep. Tom Davis and Sen. John Warner suggested a speedbump in McCain's outreach to conservatives.
But McCain's campaign doesn't see much need for outreach, and says the real story is conservatives reaching out to McCain. This is from Rick Davis, the campaign manager, speaking to reporters today, when asked if the campaign is considering some gesture to convince conservatives McCain is one of them.
"The grand gesture, I think, is really being made on the part of conservatives to John McCain, saying, we believe that you would make a good president and are willing to put our political capital to your disposal. I think that is an incredible, grand gesture."
Here's the answer in full:
"When you look at what has happened in the last two weeks, really since Super Tuesday, inside the McCain campaign and the McCain orbit, if you want to call it that, you've seen, heard, a landslide of high-profiile Republican conservatives supporting John McCain. And so, I think, without trying to parse it by who brought what to the table, it's every ideological mix. In other words, there are economic conservatives, there are defense hawks, there are social conservatives. Every single thread of the Republican blanket has covered John McCain."
(Davis interrupted his own stream of thought to tell reporters he was thrilled with having crafted that line: "That was pretty good, I kind of like that. That's got to go out in a release like in an hour, that's really good stuff.")
"The grand gesture, I think, is really being made on the part of conservatives to John McCain, saying, we believe that you would make a good president and are willing to put our political capital to your disposal. I think that is an incredible, grand gesture.
"You look at the response he's gotten at the CPAC event, you look at the people who have signed up, Ted Olson and others, who are symbolic to the movement, and they've said, I want to be part of the McCain operation, I want John McCain to be president. To me, that is the grand gesture. And I think John appreciates that a great deal and actually is very excited about having all these people come in to make a stronger campaign for him.
"Other than a few voices out there, I don't hear the demand for John McCain to be anything other than John McCain. I think there's a belief, regardless of your ideology, that what got him to securing this nomination, assuming we will secure the nomination, is exactly the same kind of campaigner that would make a good candidate in the general election."
— Stephen Dinan, national political reporter, The Washington Times
Comments (5)
"...make a good candidate in the general election." I thought we were trying to win the presidency here? The last statement seems to indicate some kind of door mat model for the Democrats.
Posted by Larry Stone | February 14, 2008 2:28 AM
McCain has his national security outlook going for him. What will make him is the economy and his policies dealing with taxes and spending. The Democrats are proposing more social entitlement programs which will probably be funded at the expense of a military budget reshuffle if there is threat of a recession. Clinton did it with training and logistics funds in the 1990's. If McCain can pull a Sarkozy, freeze the spending for infrastructure review, tie it to the GNP and keep the Democrats from "internationalizing" the military while enforcing existing immigration laws along the border, it will provide enough stability to "walk softly" and still carry the big stick to poke holes in the Democrats fiscal initiatives.
Posted by Larry Stone | February 14, 2008 5:06 AM
McCain keeps touting the "response" that he got at CPAC. Well, I was there, and I can't for the life of me tell why he thinks that was a receptive audience. It was cautious and lukewarm, at best, with even some booing thrown in for good measure. All of McCain's old chickens are coming home to roost. As one person put it, almost every conservative group has one of McCain's knives sticking out of its back.
In huge contrast, I was in the room when Gov. Huckabee spoke. I lost count of how many standing ovations the guy received. Almost the entire room was hollering, clapping, waving Huckabee signs, and letting the media know (whether the media chooses to report it or not) that they like Mike, not Mc.
The more people get to know where Huckabee stands on issues, and his solid conservative record, the more support he gains. I look forward to McCain and Huckabee duking it out at an open / brokered convention. Let the man speak!
And no, not "every thread" of the Republican party has covered McCain. At least 41% of the VA threads didn't want him, and a lot of the rest of America, too. And he's able to gather support with only 2% of the media coverage (according to CNN) and on a shoestring. Now THAT's a fiscal conservative.
I suppose it would be idealistic of me and naive to wish that the media would just report the news and facts, and let the readers make up their own minds... instead of spinning and making stuff up.
Posted by True Conservative Voter | February 14, 2008 2:29 PM
I guess I'm not the only one that saw McCain grinning uncomfortably as the boos rained down on him at CPAC.
Where is the John McCain who opposed foreign intervention in Lebanon by Reagan in 1983? Where is the John McCain who claimed he was against torture?
Conservatives generally are an untrustworthy lot. McCain isn't fooling anyone, regardless of how many endorsements by the power hungry sycophants he racks up.
Posted by nathan | February 14, 2008 4:43 PM
Untrustworthy sycophants? What an interesting way to define conservatism. Please define is.
Posted by Larry Stone | February 15, 2008 1:49 AM