McCain's candor, as usual, gives his foes an opening

As Mitt Romney fights to stay alive in the Republican presidential race, he and his campaign are doing their best to haunt John McCain with his own words. On Sunday, Romney's highly vigilant media shop jumped on a comment he made to reporters a few weeks back while stumping in South Carolina: "It's not social issues I care about."

The quote was buried deep, deep in a Washington Post story on the overall ideological struggle between McCain and Romney. But the latter's staff was quick to highlight it in a release that included excerpts from a lengthy Vanity Fair profile a year ago, such as this quote from a former McCain aide: "Yes, he's a social conservative, but his heart isn't in this stuff."

None of this will come as a big surprise to those within the GOP for whom opposition to abortion rights and gay marriage is paramount. Social conservatives long have known that although McCain's voting record is generally solid on their issues, it is not an agenda he could be expected to promote.

The Romney camp, in its release, smartly paired ...

   

McCain's expression of apathy toward social issues with comments he's made about his grounding in economics (i.e., "I still need to be educated" on that subject.).

As Romney seeks to keep his candidacy viable, he's hoping that these holes in McCain's GOP resume will eventually undercut his rival's momentum. But Romney may run out of time. It's clear that many well-known party members see the McCain train leaving the station, and they're rushing to hop aboard.

On Sunday, Pete Wilson -- who last September endorsed Rudy Giuliani -- signed up with McCain, now that his first choice has exited the race. A few hours later, another former California governor, George Deukmejian (a politician not known for getting ahead of the curve), was announced as a McCain supporter.

Still, these and other endorsements -- regardless of how numerous -- can't undo the damage McCain often does with his own words to his avowed goal of uniting the GOP's disparate elements behind his banner.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[armyvet]

What should a government provide to its citizens? Clear national boundaries, national defense, immigration policies, education K-12, access to college education, streets & roads, sewer systems, a stable monetary system, coins & curency, flood control, a criminal justice system, libraries, national parks, forests, etc. But some want a whole lot more without paying anything for it...free health care for everyone is an example. It is time to have this national debate. I think national defense comes first, and that is why I like John McCain. Mitt Romney should become a senator first to find out more about our federal government.

[Elaine McKillop]

The media has made McCain, by convincing the ignorant masses that he is the frontrunner so that Hillary can pick him off like a fly. I have never seen a McCain campaign sign or heard anyone say they will vote for him. I believe that his success has been created with vote fraud. Programing voting machines and destroying the cards like they did in New Hampshire. This Keating Five creep stopped the investigation into MIA's & POW"s left behind in Vietnam. How is he a war hero? What is heroic about crashing your airplane five times? This country will go down the tubes into bankruptcy if we elect any of the five CFR's running. The only vote that will make a difference is a vote for Ron Paul.

[FRANK KAYE]

Hilliary denies there is no truth to the partnership of North America (Mexico, Canada and US). Go to the website: SPP.GOV