Sunday, October 8th, 2006...9:21 am
McCain Endorses Graf
Well, I certainly hope that this puts the nail in the coffin for all of you who still cling to the quaint notion that John McCain is some sort of benevolent, moderating force within the Republican party. The Star ran an article this morning announcing McCain’s endorsement of Randy Graf.
McCain’s state director, Paul Hickman, said:
He likes Randy; he agrees with him on most issues that Republicans hold dear.
McCain has made it clear that the two of them disagree on immigration. In fact, the main issue that supporters of Graf, such as the Minutemen, claim makes Gabrielle Giffords such a “liberal extremist” is her agreement with McCain on immigration issues. So, if you agree with McCain on Graf’s number one issue, he will belittle you as an out-of-touch lefty, but Graf is proud to take McCain’s endorsement. Well, works for Jon Kyl, I guess.
But let’s go back to what Hickman said. McCain and Graf agree on most issues. So, which important issue does John McCain, tribune of bipartisanship and moderation, agree with Randy Graf on?
Back in 2004, when Randy Graf made his first run for congress, he supported the elimination of Medicare. He told the Star on August 29, 2004:
Asked if he would support the elimination of Medicare, Graf did not reject the idea but said, “It’s not going to be done over-night.” And asked about what should happen in case of poor families who can’t afford costly medical care, Graf said “hard decisions” will have to be made.
In that same article, he opposed an increase in the minimum wage. He also said that the Department of Education was not in the constitution, therefore it should be eliminated. He never addressed whether it is in the golf rulebook though.
In his survey for the National Taxpayers Union, Graf answered “yes” to a question asking if he supported privatization of Social Security.
Back in his last months in the legislature, Graf voted against HB 2694, which would have made burning a cross on someone’s yard a Class 1 misdemeanor. In previous sessions, he voted against two bills that would have made more seniors eligible for perscription drug benefits. One would have applied only in counties where Medicare HMOs don’t offter perscription drug benefits, so arguments that the private sector would take care of it don’t hold here. Back in 2001, he also was the only member to vote against changing the blood alcohol standard for DUI to the new national standard of 0.08%.
But, putting the “McCain” stamp on him erases all of that and makes him a moderate, right?
NB - I misidentified Paul Hickman’s position in my original post. I have corrected this.
9 Comments
October 8th, 2006 at 8:17 pm
I don’t think this shows that McCain is far right. I think it shows that McCain will endorse anyone with an “R” after his or her name, which is just good planning for the future in case of presidency.
October 8th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Jane is right.
McCain’s endorsement occurs within a context that has nothing to do with the CD 8 election or his views of Graf’s positions.
Said more about it here.
This move is based on calculations regarding a run for the Presidency in 2008, calculations which may or may not be accurate.
October 8th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
Correction Teddy, Paul Hickman is Sen. McCain’s State Director. Must have you libs worried as the next President of the United States has endorsed Randy Graf!!!
October 9th, 2006 at 1:18 am
Tony-
I had trouble telling that from the article. I will be correcting that. Thanks!
October 9th, 2006 at 8:32 am
McCain is simply triangulating within his own party with right wing conservatives.
In 2000, McCain had momentum and then had to run in South Carolina and then Super Tuesday (a host of southern primaries). Aside: You think the repubs around here are conservative…you just go there!!
Anyhoo, McCain was spanked by Bush, Bob Jones, and the religious right. He knows he faces the same test which is why he has wooed Lindsay Graham and which is why he appears with Falwell and now happily endorses Graf.
But there is more. Graf and Tancredo of course represent “the toughest” on immigration in the party. By endorsing Graf he is signaling to conservatives (in the Heartland and the South) that he is tough on the border.
You should hear what conservatives say about immigrants, Spanish speakers, etc. on South Carolina conservative talk radio.
October 9th, 2006 at 12:55 pm
Why doesn’t someone just state the obvious? McCain is too old to be elected president. Remember Ronald Reagan? If Hillary gets the Democratic nomination in 2008 and McCain gets the Republican nomination, then he’s got a chance. McCain can’t turn back the hands of time no matter how badly he wants to be President. He should use his remaining years in the Senate to tell everyone what he REALLY thinks of them. Why doesn’t someone just tell him he’s too old?
October 9th, 2006 at 2:31 pm
Exactly. I was going to say what everyone is already saying.
Early 2008 polls suggest that his strongest opponents for the GOP Presidential nomination may be Mitt Romney and/or Rudy Giuliani. So if McCain tracks center then Romney runs to the right of him and wins. If McCain tracks right then he does concede the centrists to Giuliani but he is probably counting on still getting enough of them so that he can add them to the far right and put together a win.
October 9th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
And ‘Democrats who are getting the message’ can’t vote in a GOP Presidential primary.
October 9th, 2006 at 5:00 pm
Oh…I think we are all correct!!! Well said everyone.
Now…to take it further…2008 is far far off. But look at the median Republican PRIMARY voter in the South and Midwest.
The immmigration issue on the south is fascinating to read. In towns like Gainesville GA (heavy Chicken industry NE an hour from Atlanta) illegal labor has been there in force for years. The movement of Hispanics into NE Georgia is a big cultural change for lower Appalachian-Americans there. They need the labor, but…also see the “myths” much more plainly.
The other interesting thing is that that unlike African-Americans in the South, there is not a critical enough mass of power (of Hispanics) to make politicians stop and worry about the vote. People like Charlie Norwood know very well who elects them and “who dont.”
Last, in the struggle for power in the South, adding more possible Democrat voters to the mix (in the form of new hispanic Americans) frightens the hell out of them.
McCain will need the Tancredo/Graf/Minuteman views to win this thing in the south.
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