McCain Storms CPAC?
Michelle Malkin:
Just for the record: I am not convinced. One CPAC speech and a bunch of robo-calls repeating his “secure the borders” pledge are not enough. Not at all. Not when he has done nothing to repudiate his Soros-tied “Mexico First/”Free Flow of people”/”bloc, not a nation” Hispanic outreach director and his anti-English immersion national finance-co-chair.Jim Geraghty:
Murmured on blogger's row. "This is a good speech."Hugh Hewitt:
It was a strong appeal to conservatives' strongest suit --their deep patriotism and their admiration of his sacrifices and service. The seven reasons for supporting the GOP nominee I noted two days ago remain the same, and both Mitt Romney and John McCain reminded the CPAC audience that the fall campaign against the Democrats will be waged across a much greater divide than any which separates Republicans. November's vote will be a referendum on whether to pursue victory or accept retreat in the war. Senator McCain has Governor Romney's support in that campaign, and he should have the support of all conservatives as well.Patrick Ruffini also thinks McCain Can Beat Obama:
Hillary is in the impossible position of having to beat down the Democrats' very real desire for "hope" and "change." McCain will just disregard those sentiments and argue on experience, building a base among Republicans and independents for whom experience actually matters (Hillary has no such base among Dems). And then he'll ask the question: Who would you trust as Commander-in-Chief? And it will be no contest. Voter discontent with Iraq (which has been abating of late) aside, people like a Commander-in-Chief who acts like a Commander-in-Chief, not one who will have tea with Hugo Chavez. Hillary denies McCain this angle of attack to some extent. Obama leaves it wide open.Dan Riehl:
The mood around CPAC is not good. Stay tuned.Stanley Kurtz:
The pledge not to sign any bills containing earmarks felt like a headline. McCain seemed categorical on this point. I took him to be saying that he would be willing to ride out a close-down-the-government game of chicken with congress over this issue. That didn’t work for the Republican congress when it went toe-to-toe with Bill Clinton. But coming at the beginning of a presidency where abolishing earmarks was a major campaign pledge, I think it just might work. This is where McCain’s ornery ways will help conservatives. McCain hates earmarks and clearly wants to provoke a showdown with congress over the issue. He is intentionally making himself honor-bound to stage a huge confrontation on this. In fact, that kind of showdown may be the only realistic way of finally abolishing earmarks. The crowd seemed to recognize that this pledge by McCain was a big deal. Finally, I’d mention Iran, which I wrote about today (arguing that NIE notwithstanding, this is a winning issue for Republicans). The NIE report has not scared McCain off of the Iran issue. He is foregrounding it, and I think it’s going to come back big-time when McCain debates either Hillary or Obama. McCain’s speech focused on the evil intentions of Iran’s leaders, their calls for Israel’s destruction, etc. I do hope that McCain eventually gets to the larger strategic threat of a nuclear Iran–the wave of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East that would follow, how much easier that would make it to hand untraceable nukes off to terrorists, and the dangers of Iranian-abetted radical Shiite rebellions in the Gulf states.Lastly, Joe Carter discusses how we can save conservatism: • Stop the Bleeding • Start the Breathing • Next: Protect the Wound UPDATE: Paul Mirengoff:
This sort of grown-up behavior on both sides will be essential if the election of a leftist Democrat is to be avoided.