Just curious. It looked like he would be the frontrunner but he can't get up any steam. What do you think?
2007-08-14 02:46:08 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Elections
He was the front runner for a long time, but he lost his edge.
He prided himself on being a "maverick" Senator that would not toe the party line. He had Bush beat for the 2000 nomination but then got crushed in the South Carolina primary when Bush supporters spread rumors that McCain had an illegitimate black child (Bushies did the same when he ran for Gov. of Texas and spread rumors that Ann Richards was hiring lesbians in the Texas government).
Anyway, McCain never fought back (it was rumored he was threatened to keep quiet) and lost the election. He then became a Bush supporter, supposedly as a deal to be "next in line" for the Presidency.
Then he spoke out vehemently against Bush's push to allow torture by calling it "alternative interrogation techniques" (having been a former POW himself who had been tortured) only to cave in again and allow the bill to go through. And the immigration bill, which was very unpopular to Republican supporters, was supported by McCain AND, you guessed it, George Bush.
In short, the maverick is now seen as a Bush puppet, and his support eroded. He is seen as a guy who will say or do anything that will get him closer to being President, far from the "straight talker" he once was.
2007-08-14 02:57:26 · answer #1 · answered by Mitchell . 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The answer is pure and simple...immigration. He supported and authored that amnesty bill. If he did not do that he would have very likely been the nominee. Instead he is done (and likely won't get re-elected to the Senate either).
I am a Republican and have been all my life (very active in fact)...and there is no way I would vote for this man...EVER...not in the primaries or in the general election should he get the nomination (and I say this about no other Republican candidate).
His is still pushing this crap. (I saw him on C-Span last night at a taped "town hall meeting" from Friday night talking about immigration reform and amnesty AGAIN). The man is not very bright obviously. Stupidly stubborn. He obviously does not care what America wants, or what his party wants. I have had quite enough of that crap.
I say this sincerely but sadly, if he is the nominee I would prefer Hillary Clinton (and that is quite a statement coming from my mouth indeed)!
2007-08-14 04:59:27 · answer #2 · answered by Calvin 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The base does not like him. Let me count the ways. 1) Mc Cain Finegold bill, limiting free speech, always a loser with Conservatives. 2) lack of support for the Bush tax cuts, hardly a Conservative position. 3) unwilling to build a security fence on the southern boarder, I guess that says it all. It is early in the race for the nomination, but I can tell you one thing, moderates will never win the nod. You can kiss McCain good-by by Nov. and it will be see you later Rudy in Feb of 08. The only people that thought McCain was a front runner were the main stream press that have no idea what Conservatives think, how they act, or what they want.
2007-08-14 02:54:56 · answer #3 · answered by espreses@sbcglobal.net 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Anything that looks like support of the President is political death right now. He's sticking by the point that we're responsible for the mess in Iraq and that we should stick around to help put the place back together, not least to try to repair our international reputation. Look at every poll on Iraq taken in the last six months and tell me whether you'd want to be banging that gong?
2007-08-14 02:54:20 · answer #4 · answered by djnightgaunt 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He is the only Republican that understands that no amnesty is just silent amnesty or basically he is saying that if we don't give them citizenship then there is still no way to get them out of our country because we can't deport them all. The majority of the American public unfortuanatly doesn't understand this.
Also, some people are saying it's because he supports the war but, all the Republican candidates support he war.
2007-08-14 03:02:35 · answer #5 · answered by NFrancis 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I think the Republican party doesn't back him because he's too moderate. The liberals and the moderates don't back him because he sides with Bush on key issues (amnesty and the war). He drove himself off a cliff, unfortunately.
2007-08-14 02:53:48 · answer #6 · answered by Pfo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is almost entirely because of his support for amnesty for illegal immigrants. His support for the Iraq War also hurt him, but even after he still supported the war, he had many supporters because he knows a lot about war and he was considered an American hero and gained a lot of respect after he came home after being a POW in Vietnam for a decent length of time.
2007-08-14 02:52:50 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
I think his support of the Shamnesty bill is what did him in, plus, just too much political baggage from his past.
2007-08-14 04:03:22 · answer #8 · answered by Mark A 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
He was for the illegal immigrant amnesty bill, and for the War in Iraq. Two bad issues that show he doesn't have our best interests in mind.
2007-08-14 02:50:44 · answer #9 · answered by Steve C 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
He lost his drive. He also is backing a war that everyone else says is wrong.
2007-08-14 05:26:45 · answer #10 · answered by ustoev 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋