Opinion: For John McCain, praise from well-known conservative proves fleeting
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Pity poor John McCain.
Just when he has good reason to think he’s finally made progress getting staunch conservatives to warm to him, along comes someone like Richard Viguerie to throw cold water on such notions.
Indeed, often Viguerie is precisely the conservative who tries to take McCain down a notch or two -- as happened after Tuesday night’s debate.
Viguerie, a godfather of the modern conservative movement largely because he helped perfect the art of direct-mail fundraising years ago, likes to hold forth in periodic missives. Here’s what he sent out after McCain squared off with Barack Obama at that town-hall forum in Nashville:
In order to win, any Republican presidential candidate must ‘nationalize’ the election -- make it a stark choice between liberals and conservatives, between two competing visions of government. John McCain did not do what he needed to do. Too much of the debate was about John McCain, about his record and his service to the country. That’s important, but we’ve heard that before. He should have focused on a clear theme, explaining what a victory by liberal Democrats would mean in terms of weaker defense, activist judges, higher taxes, and a greater government burden on average Americans. For John McCain, the opportunities to win this election are dwindling down to a precious few. This was an opportunity squandered.
McCain can be excused if Viguerie’s words left him nonplussed. Here’s part of what the 75-year-old activist had to say in a statement on that memorable day in late August when McCain unveiled Sarah Palin as his running mate:
Congratulations to John McCain for hearing and responding to conservatives. Conservatives, the base of the party, have been listless. But, now, nearly all will work enthusiastically for the McCain-Palin ticket. In fact, this is the most enthusiastic conservatives have been since the era for Ronald Reagan. This is a grand-slam home run. Conservatives’ feet haven’t touched the ground since this announcement.
Obviously, gravity is back in play for Viguerie.
-- Don Frederick