McCain is dangerous

[gravity]

First, McCain is one of the few republicans that I actually have some respect for. I don't always agree on the issues, but I respect the fact that he doesn't always follow the party line and comes up with pragmatic solutions to many problems. I am probably more moderate than many of the folks here on some issues, but I just want to point out how moderates and independents view McCain.

Don't be fooled by his primary campaign. Right now, he is pandering to the extreme right, which isn't his strong point. Once nominated, McCain will run a moderate campaign which will appeal to the indepents and moderates. The far right will probably support him no matter what, while McCain will allow himself to appear more authentic to the center playing the maverick role.

I just want to remind everyone what we are up against. You must know your enemy and what motivates his supporters. Don't let the current republican infighting and his waffling on far right issues give you a false sense of confidence. He could be a formidable opponent in the general election.

[mikelgb]

1. im scarred

:scared:

[denem]

2. If McCain primary campaign is to the 'Right'

His GE move towards the center will drive away Republicans in droves.

[DJ13]

4. His GE move towards the center will drive away Republicans in droves.

Not if he's running against Hillary in the GE.

The GOP (and a good portion of the independants) will flock to McCain.

Or more accurately, they will run away from Hillary as fast as possible.

[gravity]

5. Unless the far right pulls a Nader

Most of the republicans will vote for him

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

3. They all pander. They all waffle. They all want to get elected.

That's politics.

[opihimoimoi]

6. He is not annointed just yet...Mittens might make a spectacular Surge to the Foray to WIN

Ole Murphy sez so...

[islandmkl]

7. "So I lied to you to get your vote."....

It's not my fault you voted for me.

[Demeter]

8. Everyone Is Dangerous--But McCain is Electable

and that's much, much worse.

[madrchsod]

9. ron paul's army won`t vote for him but moderates just might

[bridgit]

10. He'll be easily seen as a war monger, and imo his own words are easily consternated...

I think which ever Dem is nominated then going after McCain? McCain will be walking & talking in circles and baying at the moon in no time :patriot:

[TwilightGardener]

11. If you respect anything about Mr 100 Years of Continuous Warfare

beyond his distant military heroism, then I have no respect for you. He's awful. He's not a "Straight Talker", he's a doddering 72-year-old man desperately grabbing for his last chance at commanding an army, and people like you are inexplicably buying his bullshit.

[tritsofme]

13. Whether or not you agree with the sentiment of the OP is irrelevant.

The fact is that similar sentiment is widespread among the electorate and this is what makes McCain such a dangerous candidate.

[TwilightGardener]

16. It's perpetuated by bullshit posts like this, so I aim to call people on it--

I had to do it for Fred Thompson, who had the little "fan club" of DUers who insist he's "dangerous", which means they like him and will vote for him and want to see if other DUers feel the same way--couched as "concern", of course. And then there were the Huckabee folks, who thought he was such a "nice guy", such an "anti-corporate hero"! Thank God THAT'S dying down, finally. And now there's going to be post after post on DU proclaiming the media spin that McCain is a "maverick", with whom we can disagree but still respect, or whatever. I just responded to another post just like this. It's one thing to be aware of an opposing candidate's strengths and weaknesses, and quite another to perpetuate a flattering myth on DU.

[gravity]

21. I don't support McCain

I just think it is a mistake to think that he will be easy to beat.

[TwilightGardener]

22. Even if Mittens was the nominee, no one

in going to get complacent. Whenever the battle comes down to a one-to-one matchup, there will always be a real fight, because fully half of this country is NOT Democrats, and the Repub is guaranteed at least 30% of the vote. I think we'll beat him. That doesn't mean I'm overconfident--I trash him at every opportunity and try to present facts that keep other DUers from believing the media BS. Just my little service to the Democratic party and to the country. :patriot:

[TheWatcher]

27. Then pehaps it's time to think about evacuating from the country

If the electorate is this nuts, and this mislead, and this far gone, that McCain seems like a viable alternative.....

Then we are quite lost indeed.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. It's his pandering that made me lose respect for him

After the shit Bush/Rove pulled in the 2000 campaign with the push polls , I expected him to have the self respect to not become such a sychophant to Bush, but no, he was immediately shaking hands, patting backs, etc. of the very people who SCREWED HIM OVER.

[southerncrone]

14. Dangerous, alright!

Earlier he was babbling like an Alzheimer's patient. Lately, I've notice he's not doing that as much. (Maybe got the meds right.) Still too old. Makes his VP pick all the more a concern for us.

Second, this summer I noticed he suddenly became GWB II! Began spouting the exact crap.

For a past prisoner of war, I find it mind-boggling that he has become such a warmonger!

He will be the toughest to beat, but we gotta!

[proud2bamerican2]

15. Disagree...

McCain has done everything short of airing an ad with the one-finger salute to conservatives, which is why the majority of the GOP are either frantically supporting Romney (a candidate whom they would otherwise find detestable), Ron Paul, or vowing to sit out.

Right now, the media hasn't breathed a word to remind voters of the Keating 5, but I imagine there will be plenty of re-coverage of that corrupt chapter in McCain's history come the general election, if he makes it.

For Democrats, they couldn't hand-pick a better opponent than McCain in the GE. In fact, if he's the GOP nominee, all the Dem candidate has to do is basically, breathe. Breathe, maintain a pulse, and watch the landslide.

[gravity]

19. I hope you are right

I just don't want everyone thinking that he would be an easy opponent.

His strength is with the independents, not the far right. Most strong conservatives still have to vote, and will choose the lesser of the two evils for their party.

[demo dutch]

17. BTW It's spelled DANGEROUS

[kikiek]

18. He certainly is. A great article from the Independent outlines him nicely.

McCain has mostly opposed using US power for humanitarian goals, jeering at proposals to intervene in Rwanda or Bosnia – but he is very keen to use it for great power imperialism. He learnt this philosophy from his father and his granddad Slew, who fought in the Philippine wars at the turn of the 20th century, where he was part of a mission to crush the local resistance to the US invasion. They did it by forcing the entire population from their homes at gunpoint into "protection zones", and gunning down anybody over the age of ten who was found outside them. Today, McCain dreamily describes this as "an exotic adventure" which his grandfather "generally enjoyed".

Then McCain's father, John, led the US invasion of the Dominican Republic in 1965, at a time when there was a conflict on the Caribbean island. On one side, there were forces loyal to Juan Bosch, the democratically elected left-wing President who was committed to land redistribution and helping the poor. On the other side, there were forces who had overthrown the elected government and looked nostalgically to the playboy tyranny of Rafael Trujillo. John McCain Snr intervened to ensure the supporters of the democratic government were crushed, bragging that it taught the natives "how to behave themselves". He saw this as part of a wider mission, where the US would take over Britain's role as a "world empire".
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-dont-be-fooled-by-the-myth-of-john-mccain-773072.html

[rayofreason]

20. McCain will beat Hillary..

...but Obama could take him down.

[AZBlue]

23. McCain is scary - but it's because he's a pandering sycophant who says what he thinks is needed

I agree with your overall point, but I have to respectfully disagree with this one part: "...he doesn't always follow the party line and comes up with pragmatic solutions to many problems."

They younger McCain was indeed like that. He was a moderate Republican and I did find myself agreeing with him on several issues. To me he was a reasonable GOP'er.

But, he sold his soul and his reputation a few years back to try to win the GOP nom. As you said, he's still sucking up to the Right at this point to get the nom. What will happens when/if he does? Who knows? Who knows what he really believes anymore? How can he be counted on by either side to do anything he says?

This indeed makes him dangerous, as does the fact that most Americans still view him as the moderate Republican. He will - under false assumptions - appeal to a wide range of voters.

[blondeatlast]

24. "Maverick" McCain

[ecstatic]

25. Hmm... a sitting senator who chuckles when Clinton is referred to as a bitch

Who describes teenage girls as unattractive, who makes racist comments, and wants to be in Iraq for 100+ years. I suggest you google McCain and take the blinders off. There's nothing there to respect unless you've fallen for MSM lies and omissions.

[TheWatcher]

26. So you have respect for a man who has promised us many more wars

And would not mind being in Iraq for 100+ years.

Perhaps your definition of moderate is a bit different than most.

Interesting standards you have set for yourself.

McCain is vile, and he is quite literally, insane.

Please Wake Up.

He is dangerous, but not for any reasons he would deserve respect for.