McCain Speaks, Get Your Decoder Ring Out

Senator John McCain is talking to you. What? You can't hear him. Listen harder. Nothing? Oh wait, you're not wearing your decoder ring.

McCain is talking almost incessantly the last week about abortion and freedom of religion. The media's not helping because they're consumed with declaring Barack Obama the Democratic nominee. But McCain has been trying to speak to religious pro-lifers but like I said, it's in code. You'll hear two words coming out of McCain's mouth quite often: "Roberts and Alito."

He's vowing to appoint conservative judges like Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel Alito. "I will look for accomplished men and women with a proven record of excellence in the law, and a proven commitment to judicial restraint," he said.

That's as close to red meat that McCain gets.

McCain focuses on Roberts and Alito because they are the hope of conservatives for turning over Roe V. Wade. He stays away from mentioning Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas because let's face it -for one Thomas has political baggage. But also Scalia has been on the bench for twenty two years. There's bound to be a case or two that can be used to pummel McCain on if he is out there mentioning Scalia all the time.

Ironically, McCain is talking about nominating justices like Roberts and Alito who found many tenets of his own campaign finance reform law unconstitutional. But I digress...and so does he because he knows that much of the conservative base which still doesn't trust him may, in the end, vote for him because of one issue, the issue which goes unspoken -ABORTION.

That's what so much of this campaign is going to come down to. Liberal New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof knows it. He wrote today of the fear of Hillary voters not voting for Obama in the general election, "It’s true that most of Senator Clinton’s supporters presumably will flinch if they contemplate a McCain Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

Conservative columnist Thomas Sowell said something similar but from the opposite side. Sowell said John McCain could never convince him to vote for McCain. Only one man could do that. That man's name is Barack Obama.

Make no mistake, the future direction of the Supreme Court is very much at stake in this November’s presidential election. The two or three justices most likely to depart the Court over the next four years — Justice Stevens, Justice Ginsburg, and possibly Justice Souter — are liberal judicial activists. If a President Obama names their successors Roe will likely be preserved for at least another generation.

And McCain is saying everything he can to keep your eye on that fact. In fact, take a look at his home page at JohnMcCain.com. The site looks more like it belongs to conservative stalwart and culture warrior Sen. Sam Brownback than the John McCain we've come to know and...be wary of. The headline of the site is McCain looking off inspiringly into the distance and next to him it say "Defending Freedom and Dignity." The dignity part is his attempt at code for abortion and euthanasia.

Now here's the best part. Under it he has a quote from William Wilberforce which says, "When we think of eternity and of the future consequences of all human conduct what is there in this life that should make any man contradict the dictates of his conscience, the principles of justice, the laws of religion and God."

Pro-lifers often (and fairly) compare abortion to slavery as both denied human dignity to certain members. That's why Wilberforce is there.

Notice that McCain is talking to us now while the media is consumed with the Democratic nomination process. See, McCain knows that to win in this desperate time for Republicans which include an unpopular war and a shaky economy, he must appeal to moderates, independents and Democrats. He doesn't believe he can make a play for New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Michigan if he's talking about abortion in plainspeak. McCain wants to appeal to moderates while intimating his conservative credentials. He's saying many of the right things. Can you hear him? Do you want to?

Why Catholic Schools Are in Trouble

Catholic schools are in trouble in America and in these darkening economic times, we should expect it only to get worse as families find it increasingly difficult to afford private school tuition. In the last two decades, at least 1,300 Catholic schools have closed. Most were located in our cities, where many children attend low-performing public schools.

Pundits are pushing Sen. John McCain to make vouchers a key fight in the upcoming election. Kathryn Jean Lopez of National Review writes convincingly of the need for vouchers. The Washington Post even came out for vouchers today saying, "What's at stake is not a political point of honor but the opportunity for children to go to schools that work for them. Second, it's a program that is supported by District leaders and embraced by their constituents. A measure of its popularity is how demand for the scholarships outstrips capacity."

Yes. Among many, vouchers are very popular. But here's the sad truth. It's probably not going to happen. Why? Because there's little in it for the politicians.

In politics everything comes down to votes and money. Republicans would love to make vouchers a reality. Democrats, who believe in choice when it comes to killing children but not when it comes to educating them, are tied in to the teacher's unions because of their huge political donations.

So what's left for the Republicans if all the money goes to the Dems? The votes? African Americans, for the most part, are the ones who most need the vouchers to escape failing inner city schools. So the Republicans would need to get African Americans to vote Republican to support vouchers and that hasn't happened and it's certainly not going to happen in this cycle with Sen. Barack Obama on the top of the ticket.

So for Republicans there's no votes or money in the deal so that would seem to be ballgame. But wait, what about Catholic voters? Sadly, many of them want vouchers in theory but don't want voucher students in their children's schools.

I've run a few political campaigns in urban/suburban areas and I've seen that many white middle class voters have moved out of the cities and into the suburbs in order to escape the worst aspects of city schools for their children. In short, they don't want vouchers. They love their children and want to protect them. And quite frankly, many don't want busloads of African American kids being bussed out to the their children's schools which they pay such high taxes to keep. And those suburbs around major cities in swing states like Pennsylvania and Michigan are crucial in the upcoming election.

Sen. McCain has favored vouchers but favoring them and making them a staple of his campaign are two different things. One hope is that his pushing vouchers is one of his much needed olive branches to Christian conservatives but I think McCain is also going to be the recipient of anti-Obama votes from Christian conservatives so we've yet to see how strongly McCain is going to court the right wing of his party.

Sadly, Catholic schools are going to have an increasingly difficult time of things until a champion can come along to push vouchers as a social justice issue. That someone may just be the Governor of Louisiana Bobby Jindal who is pushing either vouchers or tax credits for parents for their children's education. If it works in Louisiana and minority voters there see an appreciable improvement in their children's education then Republicans may push Jindal for nationwide office as a candidate who can make real inroads to minority populations.

Man of Steele

Rumors are swirling that Lt. Gov. Michael Steele is on the short list for John McCain's VP running mate. US News and World Report lists a number of things you may not know about Steele.

Steele's devout Catholicism is one of the most noted facts about the potential running mate.

One of the first in his family to go to college, he earned a bachelor's degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Steele also spent a few years at the Augustinian Friars Seminary at Villanova University, in preparation for the priesthood, before deciding instead on a career in civil service.
...
A devout Catholic, Steele is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Landover Hills, Md. He regularly attends services with his wife, Andrea, and their sons, Michael and Drew.

PolitickerMD.com headlines a report on Steele's prospects by informing readers that Steele is "Really, Really, Catholic." The really really is notable in itself. We are just not used to Catholic politicians actually being Catholic. Just by virtue of being a serious Catholic, you need to distinguish him from the Catholics in name only. Hence the really really.

I have no idea how serious Steele's prospects may be, but it is an interesting thought. I don't think that Steele's pigment will pull one single vote away from Obama. However, having a serious pro-life conservative on the ticket may shore up any lingering weakness with conservatives and pro-lifers McCain may have while simultaneously insulating him from potential charges of racism if things get a little rough during the campaign. Interesting.

Keep an eye on Michael Steele.

McCain's Denial is Evasive

The New York Times ran a story today on an alleged affair between Senator John McCain and a lobbyist. And there's an implication that she might have gotten extra favors out of this deal as well.

Well this is Senator McCain's denial of the Times story from National Review via Communications Director Jill Hazelbaker:
"

It is a shame that the New York Times has lowered its standards to engage in a hit and run smear campaign. John McCain has a 24-year record of serving our country with honor and integrity. He has never violated the public trust, never done favors for special interests or lobbyists, and he will not allow a smear campaign to distract from the issues at stake in this election.

"Americans are sick and tired of this kind of gutter politics, and there is nothing in this story to suggest that John McCain has ever violated the principles that have guided his career."

Anyone else worried about this denial? Hello? He doesn't deny having an affair with the woman.

Those words used by the campaign were very carefully chosen.

Is there still time for Fred Thompson to come back? I mean maybe it's just me but for me -if you're going to lie to your wife and dishonor your family what are you going to do to the taxpayers?

One last thing - you have to love the Times waiting until McCain sewed up the Republican nomination before throwing this bomb.

Update: McCain is now denying that he and the woman are more than "friends."

Thank You Planned Parenthood

Just when I was really not feeling good about John McCain, Planned Parenthood makes me feel a little bit better about him. Hey if Planned Parenthood hates you enough to make a commercial against you, you can't be all bad.

And maybe this will serve another purpose in that John McCain will remember that the wacko left will never love him no matter how much he compromises so he might as well stay true to his pro-life friends. Here's to hoping...

McCain Calls for Waterboarding Clemens

In a stunning move designed to make his candidacy more appealing to pro-torture conservatives, Sen. John McCain has called for the waterboarding of Cy Young Award winning pitcher Roger Clemens, who testified before Congress that he'd never taken steroids.

"We'll get the truth out of this punk one way or another," said McCain, who had formerly prohibited torture for any reason.

McCain said he would still prohibit waterboarding for terrorists and those plotting to kill Americans but in the case of Clemens he'll make an exception. "This is baseball we're talking about," said McCain. "We're not just talking about some loser blowing up a mall or something like that."

Many conservatives in Congress cheered the move and a waterboarding session for Clemens will force the rescheduling of approving nominees to the federal bench, a health care bill, and a vote on President Bush's tax cuts.

Asked for a comment on McCain's turnaround on waterboarding, Democratic hopeful Barack Obama said, "We must remember the past while marching boldly together into the future."

Asked what that meant Obama said, "Our hope is in change and the change is hope."

Pro-Choice Group Endorses McCain

Oh Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Republicans for Choice Political Action Committee has endorsed John McCain (R-Ariz.), saying he is the best candidate now that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is out of the presidential race.

The Republicans for Choice PAC supports Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, and also wants the Human Life Amendment removed from the plank of the Republican Party.

I know what you're thinking. But John McCain's pro-life. But Republicans for Choice founder and Chairwoman Ann E.W. Stone told Cybercast News Service that McCain's professed pro-life position wasn't an issue.

"(McCain) is (pro-life), but it's not at the top of his agenda, not like Huckabee or the born-again Romney," Stone said. "He's shown his willingness to reach across the party, and we look forward to those discussions."

This is exactly why every pro-lifer I know doesn't trust McCain. How could abortion not be at the top of your agenda.

Remember that recently while campaigning in South Carolina, McCain was quoted telling reporters riding with him on his bus that he was comfortable pledging to appoint judges who would strictly interpret the Constitution in part because it would reassure conservatives who might otherwise distrust him. “It’s not social issues I care about,” he explained.

Look, the next Supreme Court nominee is crucial. Let's realize that six of the nine Justices are 68 years old or over. That could mean a lot of appointments for the next President.

If you have the opportunity to remake the court the abortion advocates are going to scream, kick and yell. The media will go bonkers and a President that has the opportunity to nominate two justices better be ready to have his Presidency defined by those appointments.

I don't have any confidence that McCain has the...guts...to nominate one, two, three pro-life justices. I fear that he will seek some middle ground in the great tradition of Sandra Day O' Connor.

This endorsement makes me really nervous.

McCain Resurrects Zombie Reagan

In a move bound to both rankle and awe conservative members of his party, presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain resurrected the remains of former President Ronald Reagan to appear next to him.

"You wanted Reagan," screamed McCain from the dais at the C-PAC convention. "Well I brought him. Let's see Romney do that." The confused crowd looked around until McCain unveiled what he brought to the convention. "Huckabee go get him," he ordered his assistant, Governor Mike Huckabee scurried behind the curtain only to return again leading a ressurected and zombified former President Ronald Reagan by the hand.

There were scattered cheers, a few eewws, and a number of "Dear Lord, what pox has this man brought unto us!" heard throughout the well attended event.

Zombie Reagan did not officially endorse anyone as his missing jawbone made speech difficult but the McCain campaign surely hopes that Reagan's "presence" will bring the conservatives to the McCain campaign - even those who ran out of the convention promising to return with pitchforks and torches.

McCain's opponent Gov. Mitt Romney suggested that zombie Reagan be placed between him and McCain and see which one zombie Reagan comes to.

The McCain camp didn't respond to that suggestion though one McCain aide suggested that they dug the former president up, cleaned him up, fed him fresh flesh of now- missing prostitutes so they didn't think it likely the Romney camp would even get an audience with zombie Reagan.

Get The Huck Out

I want something. I want to say yes or no. I want to pick one or the other. GOP voters should have the clear choice based on the records and ideas of two viable candidates. As long as Mike Huckabee stays in the race, we will be denied that choice. While Mitt Romney has been the clear choice of Republican and conservative voters, John McCain continues to win primaries. This is due to two factors. First, several of these early states allow democrats and independents to vote in the GOP primaries. John McCain has been the clear choice among these voters. Mitt Romney has been running a close second. Second, McCain has been winning because many socially conservative voters are voting for Mike Huckabee.

Huckabee remains in the race for reasons I cannot fathom even though he has no realistic chance of winning anymore. He has not won a race since the Iowa caucuses. He came in fourth in Florida. He is not in serious contention in any of the Super Tuesday states. But Huckabee remains in. By doing so, Mike Huckabee is denying me what I want most. I want an up or down vote on John McCain.

So with great respect, I cannot help but ask Mike to Get the Huck Out. Now. Respectfully of course.