McCain Musings

Mark over at Decision '08 has this article up analyzing the results on his John McCain poll. Now, Mark's a McCain '08 man, and I'm not, so keep that in mind as you read my remarks. This was supposed to be a comment, but ran too long.

-The poll essentially asked what you'd do if John McCain were the Republican nominee in 2008. The winning answer choice was "wait and see the other nominees before deciding", with 32% of the vote. Call me crazy, but I'm not seeing where other nominees are going to arise, and this led to my rejection of this option. If McCain's the GOP nominee, what else is there to consider? It doesn't matter who the Democrats send up, I'm not going to vote for the Democrat. (Of course, if they send Mark Warner, I'll have to pray that George F. Allen is the Republican nominee. Otherwise, loyalty to Virginia could get very expensive from a political standpoint. I digress.)

I suppose he's talking about third parties, but you'd think that no Republican would consider them. Then again, I'm not accustomed to dealing with political "independents"; reversing Pauline Kael, all my friends vote Republican.¹ I'm simply not sure what that response choice means, which is why I ignored it.

-I'm pleased to note that my response, "hold my nose & vote for McCain" is the second choice, within the margin of error at 30%. Not that there was any actual error, but I'm trying to spin this.

For the reasons I ramblingly laid out in "The McCain Bakery", I would vote McCain if he were to be the nominee. I see it as part of the deal each Republican makes when he steps up to the voting booth in the primaries. Put simply, "In the primaries, you will work for your man, and I will work for my man. In the general election, we will work for our man." One of the things that I regard as important in the transition from primary to general election is the expression of party unity and so forth, which I generally define as the defeated candidates pledging support to, and campaigning on behalf of, the nominated candidate.²

In the context of the 2008 Presidential election, my theorem means that I will work to the very last for George F. Allen, assuming his candidacy. Once the Republican convention is over and a nominee is had, I will work for that nominee, whether it be John S. McCain or George F. Allen.³ I may not give the campaign equivalent of the last full measure of devotion---leave that to the winning candidate's loyalists---but I will certainly try to find an articulable reason to carry the flag for the GOP nominee.

Just because your man isn't the lead locomotive doesn't mean that he's not needed somewhere else in the train.

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¹ That's not actually the truth, but it was too good of a line to pass up.

² I readily admit to, at one level, being horrified when reading what then-Governor George W. Bush said about how he, Bush, and his brother Jeb, would "sit on their hands" in Texas and Florida respectively if Steve Forbes were our party's nominee.

Sure I understand---it's Steve Forbes for crying out loud; I haven't liked that guy ever---but to read those words was not a positive event. Handing the country to Al Gore is such a mark of political unity, Junior. What was that about loyalty?

³ I've been called a party hack in the past for articulating this viewpoint, but I don't think it wrong for the party which I more or less line up with to expect me to support its candidates. I may not always agree with the candidates my party machinery in Virginia and the several States have selected, but I'm remarkably reliable in doing something for them, even if it was simply speaking a favorable word to close friends. I do, however, specifically reserve the right to gripe, moan, complain, and otherwise grouse as I see fit.

UPDATE: Mark's not a McCain man at this point in time. Says he: Oh, but Country Pundit, I'm not a McCain '08 man...I haven't declared my loyalty to any candidate yet (though if I had my choice so far, it would probably be Condi)...

I regret the error. Sorry 'bout that.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 11:41 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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