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George Stephanopoulos: McCain’s Gamble
June 07, 2006 11:42 AM
It's no surprise that the Senate today failed to pass the Marriage Protection Amendment. It's no surprise that Democrats Ben Nelson and Robert Byrd voted to consider the amendment, or that Republicans from the Northeast voted as a bloc against the amendment.
What's most interesting to me is how John McCain is doubling down on his 2008 strategy. Coming just two weeks after his break with the GOP base on immigration reform, today he became the only '08 wannabe (with the possible exception of Rudy Giuliani, who I don't think will run) standing with President Bush on immigration reform and against him on the gay marriage amendment. He's likely to break with the base again when repealing the estate tax is considered later this week.
With every one of these votes, McCain makes himself a more appealing candidate to voters in the general election and a more appalling choice to conservatives who dominate the GOP primaries. Maybe he's banking on fractured opposition in the primaries, or that the prospect of Hillary Clinton as President will force conservatives to hold their nose and nominate him anyway. And it should pay off big if he doesn't get picked off early. But that's looking a little more possible every day.
June 7, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (2)
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McCain's gamble may look a lot less risky after the 2006 mid-term elections. If the Bush administration is repudiated by a decisive Democratic victory,Republican strategists may be looking for a more centrist Presidential candidite and could successfully postion McCain to the conservatives as the lesser of two evils, especially, as mentioned, if Senator Clinton is the opposition candidate.The country is tired of ideology driven politicians, and if the conservatives are not prepared to be somewhat flexible, they must be prepared to retreat to their pre-Reagan status.
Posted by: Mike | Jun 7, 2006 5:41:27 PM
John "Keating Five" McCain has little chance of winning a general election in 2008. His role in helping rip off retirees and the taxpayers make him a non-viable candidate.
Posted by: Tom | Jun 10, 2006 11:08:21 PM
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