John McCain has just endorsed Mitt Romney. That should mean something to Republican voters on the fence as we move into the next phase of the presidential race. But what?
“President Obama is a nice guy. He just doesn’t understand how to run the economy,” said Mitt Romney after his eight-vote victory in the Iowa Caucuses. Rousing words for the GOP establishment’s standard bearer against the most dangerous, destructive President the United States of America has ever endured.
Words to inspire. Words to motivate and persuade: “Let’s get this nice guy out of the White House because he just doesn’t understand.”
Just imagine. “No more Mr. Nice Guy!” could be the campaign slogan. As Barack Obama plunges the country into soul-crushing debt, we can all collectively sigh and remark, “That just wasn’t very nice.” As he hesitates to halt the proliferation of nuclear weapons while Iran threatens to cut off our oil supply we can opine that Obama just doesn’t understand. As he promotes abortion of all kinds, at any time for any reason, we can cluck our tongues with disapproval. As marriage and the family implode, the military is dismantled, the unemployment rate increases, personal wealth shrinks, homes further devalue, veterans come home to a crumbling economy, Romney can rally us with the battle cry, “He’s a nice guy, but he just doesn’t understand!”
Doesn’t anyone remember the 2008 campaign 2008 as John McCain ordered his staff never to mention Obama’s middle name, “Hussein?” Or his orders not to mention Obama’s pastor-mentor, Leftist-radical Jeremiah Wright? Nor Obama friend and co-worker, domestic terrorist, William Ayres, who McCain dismissed as just “some old terrorist?” Anyone remember how he restricted Sarah Palin from speaking the truth about Barack Obama? He left the nation defenseless in the face of a radical, masquerading as a bridge-building new kind of presidential candidate.
Immediately after the convention in Minneapolis where McCain selected Sarah Palin as his VP, he did an appearance in Wisconsin. The crowds were huge because people were electrified by Palin’s powerful persona. But John McCain was the candidate and as he stood on the platform, someone from the crowd shouted pleadingly, "Fight for us Senator McCain! Fight for us!" McCain responded with derisive laughter.
The fight he waged is now legendary. Weak, ineffective, dispassionate, missing the mark, clueless to the real dangers. It was a terrible campaign run by a foolish candidate whose idea of opposing the nation’s worst nightmare was to hail Obama as “a great American.”
Following his 2008 defeat, John McCain began a campaign to purge the Republican party of conservative influence. He wrote an article detailing his plans to do so. That plan was to get rid of social conservatives who were an embarrassment to the party. He was convinced we must elect moderates in all key races. And he put his money and influence where his pen had been.
One of the first endorsements McCain did under his “plan” was Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois. McCain came pouring into the state with millions in PAC dollars to overpower Illinois Conservatives and elect a pro-cap and trade, pro-gay rights, pro-choice liberal to replace Barack Obama. He succeeded in Illinois. And if it had been left to McCain, there would have been no Senator Marco Rubio but rather the dishonorable Senator Charlie Crist. Thanks to the efforts of Senator Jim DeMint, we got Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Ron Johnson, Mike Lee, and Kelly Ayotte. Those Senators are currently the banes of John McCain’s Senate existence.
Now he has endorsed his arch-nemesis in the Republican primary of 2008, Mitt Romney. It shouldn’t be such a surprise. Both are moderates, unconcerned about social issues except to the extent that tweaking their positions can get them elected. Both engender zero passion. They care very much, they say, but even what they care about is negotiable under the right circumstances.
Now the weak, moderate, passionless 2008 Republican Presidential candidate who inspired no one, and never understood who Obama really was, is endorsing Romney, a man just like McCain. It took six years for Romney to get the support of just 24.5% of Republican primary voters in Iowa. That’s fewer, not more voters than supported him in ’08. And many of them gave him their support not because they like him, but because they were led to believe he is the only candidate who can beat Barack Obama.
If he earned no more traction or enthusiasm after all the money and time he poured into Iowa, what makes pundits think he can electrify the general public to beat the charismatic Barack Obama in 2012?
McCain has endorsed Romney. That should speak volumes. Is any one listening?
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