Tonight's theme at Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) rally in Richmond was unmistakeable. McCain is a Conservative! At least that's what his campaign hopes will come across. For weeks, the party's far right wing, and conservative talk radio hosts have lambasted the Arizona Senator as a "closet liberal" or at best a moderate out of touch with the GOP's "Ronald Reagan idealism."
So tonight McCain was flanked and endorsed, by Virginia's elite conservatives: Sen. John Warner, former Sen. and Gov. George Allen, former Gov. Jim Gilmore, and former Family Research Council leader and one-time presidential candidate Gary Bauer. Then there were all the military vets, young and old. Again the message, McCain is conservative on enough key issues, i.e. the War in Iraq, abortion, permanent tax cuts, etc.,to be acceptable as the GOP nominee.
Critics point to the McCain-Feingold Campaign finance law, a failed immigration compromise with Democrats and a vote against the original "Bush Tax Cuts" as reasons why they don't trust McCain's conservative claims.
Even McCain acknowledged that tonight, saying, "There have been times where we disagreed in the past and there may be times where we disagree in the future.”
Tonight he extended a hand, aimed at healing his party.
McCain promised to appoint Justices to the U.S. Supreme Court that conservatives will like, and he bragged of his support for such men as Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito. McCain promised to appoint judges who "won't legislate from the bench," which has been a conservative rallying cry.
And the most beloved modern Republican's name was everywhere, to help paint McCain as conservative enough. Sen. John Warner, (R-VA) said, "As old Ronald Reagan used to say, 'democracy is not a spectator sport'" as he urged Virginia Republicans to back McCain on Tuesday. Reagan's name was invoked early, and often!
The alternative of President Barack Obama, or Senator Hillary Clinton is worse according to Warner. So he endorsed McCain, the former Vietnam Prisoner of War, saying, "we need a man who needs no on the job training."
I'll be "live" from Capitol Hill on KTVU's "Mornings on Two" with Ross McGowan, Tuesday at 7:45 a.m.
Check in for updates on the Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC primaries throughout the day at www.MarkCurtisMedia.blogspot.com.
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