No, It’s Not Manageable
The Washington Post is speculating as to whether John McCain's "principled stand" will hurt his 2008 presidential ambitions. One strategist says the issue is manageable for McCain right now, but may not be if no deal is reached before Congress adjourns.
For months, McCain has been wooing Bush's donors, hiring his former advisers and standing by him in the Iraq debate. But the fragile rapprochement between two men who were once bitter rivals for the presidency is facing a sharp new test over McCain's rejection of Bush's pleas to let the administration interpret the Geneva Conventions as it sees fit.
The impasse, which has preoccupied Congress this month, is likely to be settled within a few days but could remain hanging when lawmakers adjourn in a few days. Either way, it is likely to carry a long echo — especially if the senator from Arizona forces Bush to back down.
Substantively, the legislative battle will shape what limits the administration will face on its anti-terrorism policies in the final two years of Bush's term. Politically, McCain's willingness once again to confront Bush raises questions about how he will position himself toward the Republican Party's conservative base, which he has aggressively cultivated over the past year as he pursues the presidency.
In a reprise of criticism showered on McCain during his 2000 campaign, some prominent conservatives are branding him a disloyal Republican and an unreliable conservative because of his assertiveness on the detainee issue.
The senator's actions "are blocking our ability to gain from terrorist captives the vital information we need," said a front-page editorial Saturday in the Union Leader of Manchester, N.H., the largest newspaper in the state with the first presidential primary. Conservative radio talker Rush Limbaugh said Friday that opposition to Bush's approach "is going to go down as the event that will result in us getting hit again, and if we do, and if McCain, et al. , prevail, I can tell you where fingers are going to be pointed."
Well, I'd say the issue is not manageable for McCain. Now that the Guardian has leaked the actual techniques the administration wants to use, McCain is in serious trouble. While he could preen and posture about how principled he was until now, the list of techniques shows him for what he is. A preening hack willing to put Americans at risk to try to gain votes. While I am not seeing the reports about the Guardian's revelations yet on the news wires, the media will not be able to keep a lid on this.
And American will be furious with McCain when the details get out.
McCain's political ambitions just reached the end. He will never be president. If America sustains another attack, McCain will not be able to hang on to his seat in the Senate, either.
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Freedoms Zone — Tuesday, 19 September , 2006 @ 10:57 am
By Santay, Tuesday, 19 September , 2006 @ 6:40 am
Thomas Sowell nails it pretty well over at RCP.
By Gaius, Tuesday, 19 September , 2006 @ 6:42 am
Yeah, I saw that, just haven’t had a chance to post on it yet.
By Former Republican, Tuesday, 19 September , 2006 @ 10:40 am
You really think McCain is just trying to gain votes? You really think constitutional rights for suspected terrorists is a vote-getter in the US? If so, you’ve totally lost contact with reality.
And by the way, do you think Senator Warner is just trying to get votes, too? Lindsey Graham, too? Colin Powell, too?
If someone disagrees with you, is the only possible explanation that they have venal motives? Is it possible that someone might disagree with you for a principled reason?
Have you ever turned out to be wrong when you were sure you were right? Ever? If you haven’t, you need to get a cape and tight suit.
When you attack someone’s motives rather than addressing his arguments, do you think you are persuading people who may be listening to you?
By Gaius, Tuesday, 19 September , 2006 @ 10:57 am
No capes. Didn’t you see The Incredibles?