Another Real Conservative Abandons McCain

[jillian]

Michael Smerconish Endorses Obama

John McCain is an honorable man who has served his country well. But he will not get my vote. For the first time since registering as a Republican 28 years ago, I'm voting for a Democrat for president. I may have been an appointee in the George H.W. Bush administration, and master of ceremonies for George W. Bush in 2004, but last Saturday I stood amid the crowd at an Obama event in North Philadelphia.

Head Strong: McCain fails the big five tests | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/19/2008

 

[AllieBaba]

Who cares?
Keep digging. It won't win the election for you.

 

[DavidS]

Who cares?
Keep digging. It won't win the election for you.

Allie, can you tell me which of the swing states you think McCain will win? Do you think McCain will win Virginia?

 

[Red Dawn]

Noted Reagan adminstration official and top US Arms negotiator bails too

Lifelong conservative Republican Ken Adelman to vote for Obama, blasts McCain and Palin

KEN ADELMAN:

Why so, since my views align a lot more with McCain’s than with Obama’s? And since I truly dread the notion of a Democratic president, Democratic House, and hugely Democratic Senate?

Primarily for two reasons, those of temperament and of judgment.

When the economic crisis broke, I found John McCain bouncing all over the place. In those first few crisis days, he was impetuous, inconsistent, and imprudent; ending up just plain weird. Having worked with Ronald Reagan for seven years, and been with him in his critical three summits with Gorbachev, I’ve concluded that that’s no way a president can act under pressure.

Second is judgment. The most important decision John McCain made in his long campaign was deciding on a running mate.

That decision showed appalling lack of judgment. Not only is Sarah Palin not close to being acceptable in high office—I would not have hired her for even a mid-level post in the arms-control agency. But that selection contradicted McCain’s main two, and best two, themes for his campaign—Country First, and experience counts. Neither can he credibly claim, post-Palin pick.

 

[Ravi]

There's some hope, then, if conservatives are actually disgusted.

 

[jillian]

There's some hope, then, if conservatives are actually disgusted.

Well it's reinforced that there are conservatives who aren't wingnuts. I'm comforted by that.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Noted Reagan adminstration official and top US Arms negotiator bails too

Lifelong conservative Republican Ken Adelman to vote for Obama, blasts McCain and Palin

KEN ADELMAN:

Why so, since my views align a lot more with McCain’s than with Obama’s? And since I truly dread the notion of a Democratic president, Democratic House, and hugely Democratic Senate?

Primarily for two reasons, those of temperament and of judgment.

When the economic crisis broke, I found John McCain bouncing all over the place. In those first few crisis days, he was impetuous, inconsistent, and imprudent; ending up just plain weird. Having worked with Ronald Reagan for seven years, and been with him in his critical three summits with Gorbachev, I’ve concluded that that’s no way a president can act under pressure.

Second is judgment. The most important decision John McCain made in his long campaign was deciding on a running mate.

That decision showed appalling lack of judgment. Not only is Sarah Palin not close to being acceptable in high office—I would not have hired her for even a mid-level post in the arms-control agency. But that selection contradicted McCain’s main two, and best two, themes for his campaign—Country First, and experience counts. Neither can he credibly claim, post-Palin pick.

Wow. This says a lot about rational thinking returning to American politics.

-Joe

 

[DavidS]

There's some hope, then, if conservatives are actually disgusted.

McCain threw this election away the minute he chose Palin as his VP. Conservatives were outraged by it in their immediate reaction. Then the RNC came knocking and told them all to be good toy soldiers or the RNC wouldn't pay them this year. So the conservative journalists went along with it until Palin's ABC interview where she said that you can see Russian land from Alaska as being foreign policy experience. Her interview with Couric was a disaster.

When Gerogia, North and South Dakota are becoming swing states, you know Nov. 4 is going to be a long night for the GOP.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

So what's more conservative about Obama than McCain?

 

[Navy1960]

While it's not a secret that I do not support Barack Obama, I do not support John McCain as well and I have been a life long Republican. It is my belief that John McCain abandoned fiscal responsibility, and basic principles of representation, when 87% of the people here in Arizona that sent a resounding message to him NOT to vote for the bailout bill John McCain did so anyway. This sent a strong signal to me that like many other people in congress both democrat and republican alike that John McCain was willing to disregard the very people that placed him into office. Another reason that my support for John McCain was withdrawn has been his open support for EADS in the Air Force Tanker contract over Boeing and a bidding process which allowed a contract process to drag on for more than 10 years on an Aircraft that is more than 45 years old. I have had my disagreements with many here, and still will defend John McCains naval career and I believe his service was nothing but honorable. However all that being said, I see John McCain and Barack Obama as both having enough issues that my support was not warranted.

I see this race in 2008 as unlike any other it has been my experience to vote in. While many conservatives are openly not supporting John McCain , there are many democrats that are supporting John McCain. We have entered a brave new world where, perhaps we will start picking out candidates on their individual qualifications and not the little letter at the end of their name. I see this as a positive step in any case. Perhaps if we are lucky enough we might even be able to rid ourselves off all those benchwarmers in congress that have no other interests but their own both democrat and republican.

 

[jillian]

So what's more conservative about Obama than McCain?

Well, he's truer to the social ideals of true conservatives... you know, where you don't interfere in people's private lives.... particularly to substitute your moral choices for theirs.

Mostly, I think it was about, demeanor, competence, foreign policy....and a sense that Sarah Palin is not up to the job.

 

[xsited1]

A real conservative would abandon McCain, but wouldn't endorse Obama.

 

[Caligirl]

So what's more conservative about Obama than McCain?

His steady hand and cool jugment, his deliberation before deciding on a course of action.

 

[jillian]

While it's not a secret that I do not support Barack Obama, I do not support John McCain as well and I have been a life long Republican. It is my belief that John McCain abandoned fiscal responsibility, and basic principles of representation, when 87% of the people here in Arizona that sent a resounding message to him NOT to vote for the bailout bill John McCain did so anyway. This sent a strong signal to me that like many other people in congress both democrat and republican alike that John McCain was willing to disregard the very people that placed him into office. Another reason that my support for John McCain was withdrawn has been his open support for EADS in the Air Force Tanker contract over Boeing and a bidding process which allowed a contract process to drag on for more than 10 years on an Aircraft that is more than 45 years old. I have had my disagreements with many here, and still will defend John McCains naval career and I believe his service was nothing but honorable. However all that being said, I see John McCain and Barack Obama as both having enough issues that my support was not warranted.

I see this race in 2008 as unlike any other it has been my experience to vote in. While many conservatives are openly not supporting John McCain , there are many democrats that are supporting John McCain. We have entered a brave new world where, perhaps we will start picking out candidates on their individual qualifications and not the little letter at the end of their name. I see this as a positive step in any case. Perhaps if we are lucky enough we might even be able to rid ourselves off all those benchwarmers in congress that have no other interests but their own both democrat and republican.

As always, your posts raise the level of discussion, for which I'm supremely grateful. I truly hope you're right about it being a positive sign. I know that I'm pleasantly surprised to see conservatives standing up to what they see as unacceptable.

It would be nice if those other parts of the party that rely on inciting hatred and distrust would find a place in retirement, too.... like the representative who said that all democrats in congress should be investigated for unamerican activities. Smacks too much of HUAC and hooray for the conservatives who know better.

 

[DavidS]

A real conservative would abandon McCain, but wouldn't endorse Obama.

Bob Barr?

 

[I Missthe North]

Who cares?
Keep digging. It won't win the election for you.

Keep digging for what? Your candidate is the one the is behind in all of the polls two weeks until election day. As much as it may hurt for you to admit to yourself, a long time republican (28 years) voting for a Democrat for the first time in the time span says there is a serious problem with your current candidate. Talk about digging for ways to make yourself feel better. Telling yourself that its not true does not make it so. But whatever helps you sleep at night works for me.

 

[newpolitics]

Who cares?
Keep digging. It won't win the election for you.

You know this is significant. This will sway some independents. It will help Obama.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

His steady hand and cool jugment, his deliberation before deciding on a course of action.

His willingness to spend $850 billion of taxpayers money on a plan that only causes further damage to the economy?

Face it folks, your choices for the two major candidates are "big government" and "bigger government."

Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin are your choices for limited government.

 

[jillian]

His willingness to spend $850 billion of taxpayers money on a plan that only causes further damage to the economy?

Face it folks, your choices for the two major candidates are "big government" and "bigger government."

Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin are your choices for limited government.

But neither Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. And given that there are real differences between these guys, I'd say that it matters which one gets into office. So, regardless of which "side" you're on, it would seem like not voting is a vote for the "other one".

 

[dilloduck]

But neither Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. And given that there are real differences between these guys, I'd say that it matters which one gets into office. So, regardless of which "side" you're on, it would seem like not voting is a vote for the "other one".

It might seem like that but if I don't vote it certainly is NOT a vote for the "other" one. There is no "other" one.