McCain’s Clumsy Conversion

McCain's Clumsy Conversion

Mr. Maverick has drunk the Kool Aid. It's what has to happen if
you want to lead the emerging post Bush clique.

Now that the GOP has been transformed by the rise of
the South, the trauma of terrorism and George W. Bush's conviction that God
wanted him to be president, a deeper conclusion can be drawn: The Republican
Party has become the first religious party in U.S. history.

(snip)

Unfortunately, more danger lurks in the responsiveness
of the new GOP coalition to Christian evangelicals, fundamentalists and Pentecostals,
who muster some 40 percent of the party electorate. Many millions believe
that the Armageddon described in the Bible is coming soon. Chaos in the explosive
Middle East, far from being a threat, actually heralds the second coming of
Jesus Christ. Oil price spikes, murderous hurricanes, deadly tsunamis and
melting polar ice caps lend further credence.

The potential interaction between the end-times electorate,
inept pursuit of Persian Gulf oil, Washington's multiple deceptions and the
financial crisis that could follow a substantial liquidation by foreign holders
of U.S. bonds is the stuff of nightmares. To watch U.S. voters enable such
policies — the GOP coalition is unlikely to turn back — is depressing to
someone who spent many years researching, watching and cheering those grass
roots. … …

How
the GOP Became God's Own Party

Sunday is a light posting day for me, but this one is important.
There is no doubt that Kevin Phillips is on to something. We talked about it
briefly in my C-SPAN interview this morning. All you have to do is look at John
McCain to see what has happened within the Republican Party. He's swallowed
the hallowed wafer of the right. Outsider status is only baggage when you want
to succeed President Bush.

I just started Kevin Phillips book, American Theocracy, which is amazing. He was interviewed
last Saturday and this is what he had to say about John McCain.

“… For example, I used to think,
until John McCain developed this enormous affection for George W. Bush and Jerry
Falwell, which doesn't exactly light my bells, that I would vote for John McCain,
if he were the Republican nominee in 2008, and I still might, provided he stop
being so interested in George W. and Falwell. …” – Kevin Phillips

That's the rub for so many I'm already hearing from today.
Even Democrats used to think McCain was a good guy and nice guy, someone who
would buck the establishment. However, those days are gone. There's little difference
between Bush and his mini me.

What's happened to John McCain? It's really simple. It's early
and he's doing the dirty deeds necessary, making a deal with the devil who once was once his nemesis.
He's hoping nobody will notice that he's sold out. However, the die hards in
Memphis didn't buy it. He's even getting heat from Chris Matthews and Tim Russert.

For me, McCain's move right is blatantly obvious and tremendously clumsy. McCain
isn't even making an effort at his ungraceful religious conversion based on convenience
and calculation.

But in the end, Republicans will want to win. So, it still could
be enough to land the Republican religious back in the White House in 2008,
through the candidacy of John McCain. It all depends if he can seduce the religious
right. Obviously, McCain understands this too, so he's working as fast as he
can, as early as he can, so there's still time in the end to move center after
his sell out.

Bottom line is that McCain is just another politician willing
to do whatever is necessary to get ahead. But seeing him drink from the same
cup of Jerry Falwell, you'd think that would be too much. Unfortunately, it's
not. But will it work?

RUSSERT: But, Senator, when you were on
here in 2000, I asked you about Jerry Falwell, and this is what you said:

MCCAIN (clip, 3/5/00): Gov. Bush swung far to the right
and sought out the base support of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. Those
aren’t the ideas that I think are good for the Republican Party.

RUSSERT: Do you think that Jerry Falwell’s ideas
are now good for the Republican Party?

MCCAIN: I believe that the “Christian Right”
has a major role to play in the Republican Party. One reason is because they’re
so active and their followers are. And I believe they have a right to be a
part of our party. I don’t have to agree with everything they stand
for, nor do I have to agree with everything that’s on the liberal side
of the Republican Party. If we have to agree on every issue, we’re not
a Republican Party. I believe in open and honest debate. Was I unhappy in
the year 2000 that I lost the primary and there were some attacks on me that
I thought was unfair? Of course. Should I get over it? Should I serve —
can I serve the people of Arizona best by looking back in anger or moving
forward?

RUSSERT: Do you believe that Jerry Falwell is still
an agent of intolerance?

MCCAIN: No, I don’t. I think that Jerry Falwell
can explain how his views on this program when you have him on.

McCain
Says Jerry Falwell is No Longer an ‘Agent of Intolerance’

Another thing to consider if you're still a McCain fan, is that if he's elected after Bush — if we haven't won in 2006 and redeployment becomes reality — we'll likely have long-term bases in Iraq forever.