Question: What’s a sure fire way to make the moderate support base that McCain has disappear overnight?
Answer: Make John Bolton his VP.
The media would have a field day with this. They HATE Bolton, period. In addition to the fact that he rubs people the wrong way, (I know a number of conservatives and libertarians who despise him).
It’s too bad, I like Bolton…he’d make a really fun and controversial Secretary of State, though
VP? deffinately not. He does nothing for the ticket. McCain is already great on international policy/military/whatever, he needs a fiscal and social Conservative who can run in 2012 or 2016. Bolton is not that person.
Matt, wasn’t it you who pointed out earlier today that McCain doesn’t need a running mate with national security creds, but instead one with economic and social conservative creds? Maybe it wasn’t.
Matty is right about Bolton as running mate.
Aron & act-blog, Bolton isn’t the kind of guy McCain is likely to put in the Sec of State position. He’s likely to put a more diplomatic person in that role. A hardliner would be more likely to be Nat’l Security Advisor or SecDef. Bolton would be a natural as Nat’l Security Advisor.
McCain doesn’t NEED foreign policy in his VP choice; i.e, he shouldn’t alienate the base to get someone with foreign policy credibility. But, as far as I know, Bolton is down the line conservative. And much of the base loves him simply because they saw him being trashed by liberals for over a year. I don’t Mac has the independent draw to staunch the bleeding that Bolton would cause among more moderate voters. But, I think Bolton would do as fine as any at keeping people in the tent. And at 59, he’s just under the 60 age limit I proposed.
I’d take another Cheney, sure. Bolton’s much better then Cheney though. Much smarter. Admittedly, though, I don’t think McCain has the stones to deliver such a kick in the teeth to the media.
Heh. A lot of people say that a VP should “amplify” the presidential nominee’s good points. Bolton would surely “amplify” McCain’s temper and overall prickliness. I say go for it!
Heck, no matter what McCain should float Bolton’s name on a potential VP shortlist. Just the suggestion that McCain would be willing to put Bolton on the ticket would go a long way to restoring conservative trust.
Speaking of a potential VP shortlist, the New York Post reported on Page Six yesterday the sighting of:
“RUDY Giuliani escorting John McCain, his wife, Cindy, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, and Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, into Fresco, where the regulars whipped out their cellphones to take pictures…”
As much as I like Bolton’s politics or enjoyed watching uptight foreign diplomats get in a fit over him, the man was a horrible Ambassador to the UN and would make a disastrous VP, or even worse, Secretary of State. I’m as conservative as any other on international affairs, but the world requires diplomacy and decency, and Bolton lacks any sense of both. It’d just be stupid to put that man in any position where he would have to act in a diplomatic function.
Ambassador Khalilzad would be the best Secretary of State, with the VP going to an economically-minded governor and across-the-board conservative.
not me. The failure of Bush to have a strong, conservative VP who could pick up the party and take us back into the White House without a messy internal fight is the main reason we are stuck with an old moderate as our nominee.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Question: What’s a sure fire way to make the moderate support base that McCain has disappear overnight?
Answer: Make John Bolton his VP.
The media would have a field day with this. They HATE Bolton, period. In addition to the fact that he rubs people the wrong way, (I know a number of conservatives and libertarians who despise him).
It’s too bad, I like Bolton…he’d make a really fun and controversial Secretary of State, though
February 8th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Bolton as McCain’s Secretary of State?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/08/bolton-as-mccains-secret_n_85760.html
February 8th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
SoC? very possible.
VP? deffinately not. He does nothing for the ticket. McCain is already great on international policy/military/whatever, he needs a fiscal and social Conservative who can run in 2012 or 2016. Bolton is not that person.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Matt, wasn’t it you who pointed out earlier today that McCain doesn’t need a running mate with national security creds, but instead one with economic and social conservative creds? Maybe it wasn’t.
Matty is right about Bolton as running mate.
Aron & act-blog, Bolton isn’t the kind of guy McCain is likely to put in the Sec of State position. He’s likely to put a more diplomatic person in that role. A hardliner would be more likely to be Nat’l Security Advisor or SecDef. Bolton would be a natural as Nat’l Security Advisor.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Bolton as Veep? You guys really want another Cheney?
http://www.political-buzz.com/
February 8th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Metro,
McCain doesn’t NEED foreign policy in his VP choice; i.e, he shouldn’t alienate the base to get someone with foreign policy credibility. But, as far as I know, Bolton is down the line conservative. And much of the base loves him simply because they saw him being trashed by liberals for over a year. I don’t Mac has the independent draw to staunch the bleeding that Bolton would cause among more moderate voters. But, I think Bolton would do as fine as any at keeping people in the tent. And at 59, he’s just under the 60 age limit I proposed.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
I’d take another Cheney, sure. Bolton’s much better then Cheney though. Much smarter. Admittedly, though, I don’t think McCain has the stones to deliver such a kick in the teeth to the media.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Heh. A lot of people say that a VP should “amplify” the presidential nominee’s good points. Bolton would surely “amplify” McCain’s temper and overall prickliness. I say go for it!
February 8th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Heck, no matter what McCain should float Bolton’s name on a potential VP shortlist. Just the suggestion that McCain would be willing to put Bolton on the ticket would go a long way to restoring conservative trust.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Speaking of a potential VP shortlist, the New York Post reported on Page Six yesterday the sighting of:
“RUDY Giuliani escorting John McCain, his wife, Cindy, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, and Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, into Fresco, where the regulars whipped out their cellphones to take pictures…”
http://www.nypost.com/seven/02072008/gossip/pagesix/sightings_______sightings_821573.htm
February 8th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
As much as I like Bolton’s politics or enjoyed watching uptight foreign diplomats get in a fit over him, the man was a horrible Ambassador to the UN and would make a disastrous VP, or even worse, Secretary of State. I’m as conservative as any other on international affairs, but the world requires diplomacy and decency, and Bolton lacks any sense of both. It’d just be stupid to put that man in any position where he would have to act in a diplomatic function.
Ambassador Khalilzad would be the best Secretary of State, with the VP going to an economically-minded governor and across-the-board conservative.
February 8th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Unfortunatly Matthew, it would be the base, and only the base.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
“I’d take another Cheney, sure.”
not me. The failure of Bush to have a strong, conservative VP who could pick up the party and take us back into the White House without a messy internal fight is the main reason we are stuck with an old moderate as our nominee.
February 9th, 2008 at 5:40 am
#10 The caption to that picture should be “McCain surrenders GOP to liberals.”
Afterwards, it would not surprise me if they took in a drag show.
February 9th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Mostly for Crist’s benefit, Axel. ;D
February 11th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Matthew I always thought you had TOTALLY FRIGGIN WACKED ideas, now I am certain of it.