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SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu

by BooMan
Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 02:01:51 PM EST

Over at MyDD Scott Shields has a good analysis of what is going down at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference this weekend in Memphis. The SRLC is having a straw poll to test the strength of potential 2008 Republican aspirants to Bush's throne. And John McCain seems to have pulled a jujitsu on Bill Frist. Rather than put his hat in the ring for a straw poll taking place in Frist's homestate, he told attendees not to vote for him, but to vote for Bush. Of course, Bush is constitutionally ineligible to run for the Presidency in 2008.

"For the next three years," McCain said, "with the country at war, he's our President, and the only one who must have our support today."

So, McCain solved the problem of a potential poor showing in the straw poll by asking his supporters not to vote for him. But, for good measure, he got his ally, Trent Lott, to accuse Frist of cheating.

"Frist is bussing people in," Lott said, referring to Senate Majority Bill Frist (R-Tennessee), whose political organization is working to ensure he wins this unscientific early test of election viability. "These are not real delegates. These are people being bussed in to produce the results. It is a rigged deal. It doesn't matter."

That's a double whammy. If Frist does well it is because he was cheating and if McCain does poorly it is because he wasn't trying. And McCain makes it all look magnanimous by appealing to support for Der Leader in a time of war. This is brilliant stuff. If McCain keeps his game at this level, he just might be able to win the nomination.

SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu | 22 comments (22 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

McCain with the Republican nomination beats any Democratic candidate. At least, as of today. IMO

by maryb2004 on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 02:12:51 PM EST

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

probably so, but he still has to win it.

by BooMan on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 02:25:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

I've always thought that he couldn't win it. But if he's learning how to play the reindeer games with the best of them, that changes the dynamic.

We'll know he's really turned a corner if he starts spreading rumors that Lindsey Graham has a an illegitimate black baby.

by maryb2004 on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 02:30:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

I think Lindsay is going to be on McCain's team, unless he goes with Hagel for some reason.

McCain's advantage is that he is one of the few well known GOP leaders that is isn't significantly tarnished by the Bush years. That may be what puts him over the top. Their field is even weaker than the 2000 field, when McCain was the only real candidate of the bunch.

by BooMan on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 02:33:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

I just picked his name out of the air as an example.

The most surprising thing to me about the Bush administration is that they have never groomed an heir apparent. McCain would like to be that person; but I don't know if I see Bush choosing him. Bush is so self-centered it's probably hard for him to imagine choosing anyone.

Although if Cheney resigns after the fall elections, we may yet see the choice become clear.

by maryb2004 on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 02:50:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Jeb! (none / 0)

As much as Jeb! would hate to admit being Whackjob's Heir Apparent, I gotta go with him diving in. Perhaps things will begin to be in disarray and he will be "forced" to step in to help "heal" the party. Blah, blah.

I can't help but think there's plenty of campaign dough stashed away for such an event.

If I seem cynical, it's only because I am.

by vicki (nosnivelling at hotmail dot com) on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 06:48:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (none / 0)

I don't think BushCo could figure out how to groom a replacement for the imbecile they already had. How could they promote a successor to a presidency that is in the end a massively destructive, abject failure on all levels? How could they promote a successor without having to repudiate the current imbecile in chief in order to promote someone different?

Denial is our most dangerous adversary.

by sbj on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 07:59:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (none / 0)

But you're being logical; logic is not one of their strong points. And I put nothing beyond the talents of Rove when selling something to that 33% base of his.

by maryb2004 on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 08:01:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (none / 0)

I doubt Rove will serve another "master" besides Bush the younger and I doubt anyone with clout would have Rove on his staff anyway. Even Bush the elder dumped Rove back during his campaigns for the presidency.

No, Rove will probably seek a safe sinecure as a professor or something at some university in Texas.

No serious Repub contender for the presidency is going to want anything directly to do with Rove, Cheney, or the battallion of neocon operatives that have infiltrated this Bush regime. Creatures like George Allen will sympathize with these Bushco lunatics, but they won't openly embrace them and will avoid obvious links to them that might be discovered by the press or the public.

I'll be looking to see who the Scowcroft, Baker, CArlucci, Carlyle Group crowd seem to identify with. As yet I haven't identified any of the current aspirants that might be favored by them, but I think these guys are going to be retaking control of the direction of US foreign policy from the neocons by 2008.

Denial is our most dangerous adversary.

by sbj on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 08:48:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (none / 0)

link

Graham, who backed McCain in 2000 and would again in 2008, suggested that McCain wants Republican voters to view him as Bush's heir in fighting terrorism, but his own man on fiscal responsibility.
"If you believe the party has drifted from fiscal conservatism, you'll have no greater advocate than John McCain," Graham told reporters.
Though supportive of Bush, delegates here said they were shaken by a spate of White House miscues, culminating with the collapse of a vastly unpopular deal to allow a Dubai company to run six U.S. port terminals. Several delegates urged Bush to clean house at the White House.

"First, they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win." Mahatma Gandhi

by Street Kid on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 05:39:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

McCain is playing to Bush, - he's reported canvassing Bush's fund-raisers.

But Oh for a ticket to watch the fur fly

(hat tip: Rawstory)

Well, "You can't vote for war and disown the results"

by idredit on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 02:30:51 PM EST

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

That "Fancy Frist" link was too rich, especially once I got the joke.
(If you still don't get it, try this.)

Ecological collapse is already happening. Your resentment of the word doesn't change the fact that it is occurring.

by Knoxville Progressive (green_planet_2000 (at) yahoo (dot) com) on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 02:41:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

my hint was in "watch the fur fly"

My two feast on fancy. We're grateful they allow us to live with them.

Well, "You can't vote for war and disown the results"

by idredit on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 02:54:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

McCain should be able to beat Frist with half his brain tied behind his back to keep it fair. I'm more interested in the next challenge he'll face after Frist self-destructs.

Ecological collapse is already happening. Your resentment of the word doesn't change the fact that it is occurring.

by Knoxville Progressive (green_planet_2000 (at) yahoo (dot) com) on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 02:33:44 PM EST

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

McCain is a sly politician, which makes him more of an asshole. He has supported everything BushCo has thrown our way with the sole exception being the torture policies (even there he is weaving through the grey area).

He will be the GOP's biggest opportunity for cross-over voters unless we make it clear to our base and the independent middle that he will bring us more of the same.

Don't forget that he was one of Bush's fellow fiddlers when New Orleans was suffering.

We are condemned to kill time, thus we die bit by bit - Octavio Paz / Latino Político

by Man Eegee (man.eegee at gmail dot com) on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 03:16:14 PM EST

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (none / 0)

He will get crossover voters. First he will get back most of the Republicans who crossed over to Kerry. Almost all the republicans that I know who crossed to Kerry were McCain supporters originally and regularly voice their support for them. Then these people will work on their Democratic friends to cross over to the repubs. And they will use peer pressure/guilt -- I crossed over to Kerry for you; you should cross over to McCain for me.

If he gets the nomination he wins.

by maryb2004 on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 03:19:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 2)

not so sure about those cross-overs to Kerry returning to the fold or that Mccain can be a runaway-with-it-all candidate.

Jane Hamsher at FDL has Mcain pegged just right in

"The Many Faces of John McCain"-cracking open the McCain myth'

For starters, he can be tarred and blocked on the independent cross-over vote. He did say he would've signed the South Dakota bill too. Indeedy, he did.

And has Bush's memory when it comes to distancing himself..like with Abramoff.

from the Abramoff Vanity Fair interview
the denial
["S]enator McCain was unaware of his existence until he read initial press accounts of Abramoff's abuses, and had never laid eyes on him until he appeared before the committee."[..]
<i.the response</i>
Abramoff says, "As best I can remember, when I met with him, he didn't have his eyes shut. I'm surprised that Senator McCain has joined the chorus of amnesiacs." [..]

And when did we Democrats ever fear taking on any GOP candidate?

Well, "You can't vote for war and disown the results"

by idredit on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 06:54:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (4.00 / 3)

For those who still may question McCain's ambitions, motivations, ideology, loyalty...

clik to enlarge

a picture's worth a thousand words...if this one doesn't work for you, there are thousands more.

Peace

the revolution will not be televised...

by dada on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 06:36:48 PM EST

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (none / 1)

It is perhaps the most alarming of ironies that McCain is the only major Repub contender who seems to advocate for both more troops and a more vigorous prosecution of the war against the Middle East while at the same time being seen himself as the candidate most likely to garner more votes from Independents, moderate Repubs, and even crossover Dems.

Considering that the majority in the country now openly opposes our presence in Iraq, it strikes me that there'sa ot of cognitive dissonance being inculcated into the public psyche about McCain.

I personally regard him as one of, if not the most, dangerous of all the Repub candidates. Whatever integrity he may once have had, IMHO, has been completle eroded by his political ambition, and to the extent he may have once had the ability to be rational about matters concerning the debacle in the MidEast, I suspect his own mental and/or emotional pathology has rendered him unstable on these matters.

Denial is our most dangerous adversary.

by sbj on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 05:43:47 PM EST

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (none / 1)

He is a republican to the core. Outside of the torture and campaign funding issues. He supports the perverse tax structure of the admin. He supports raping the environment and the war. Anti-choice to boot. But he has made himself look like a moderate with the torture issue. The republicans would do well to run him he could fool some people.

"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; now we know that it is bad economics;" - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

by Salunga on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 06:26:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (none / 1)

Even on the torture issue McCain basically capitulated by not condemning the "signing statement" delivered by Bush saying he'd do whatever he felt like as far as torture or "harsh interrogation methods" in his capacity as Commander in Chief.

McCain has completely sold out to his own electoral ambition, his hunger for power. Whatever he may once have been, he's a disgrace now, betraying virtually every principle he once claimed to hold so dear. IMHO he deserves to experience a humiliating defeat.

Denial is our most dangerous adversary.

by sbj on Sat Mar 11th, 2006 at 07:38:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu (none / 0)

Please...see my diaries BREAKING: McCain to be next RePresident and The RePresidential Fix is In, In, In. McCain In 2008. Pt. II for more on this.

McCain is the next choice of the same people who are running Butch.

On the evidence.

Don't look at the hand that is waving the handkerchief.

Follow the money.

BET on it.

(He is...)

AG

Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie.-Mae West

by Arthur Gilroy (arthurgilroy<at>earthlink.net) on Sun Mar 12th, 2006 at 01:10:39 PM EST

SRLC: McCain's Jujitsu | 22 comments (22 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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