NPR: Keene: McCain Has a Lot to Prove to Conservative

Keene: McCain Has a Lot to Prove to Conservative

If you want a clear picture about why conservatives are reluctant to whole-heartedly throw their support behind John McCain, you should listen to this interview with David Keene, the chairman of the American Conservative Union, from Morning Edition. (Questionable stories in The New York Times will not be enough.)

Sen. John McCain gives his victory speech after his Feb. 12 primary victory in Virginia.

Sen. John McCain celebrates Feburary 12, 2008 in Alexandria, Virginia, after sweeping the Maryland, DC and Virginia primaries. Directly behind McCain are Rep. Tom David (r) and his wife, former Virginia state Senator Jeannemarie Devolites Davis.

Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images

In Keene's opinion, McCain will have to prove that he doesn't want to remake the Republican Party.

The ACU gives politicians a conservative rating. McCain's lifetime rating is 82.3 percent - anything above 80 is considered conservative. But his most recent rating, from 2006, is 65. "We don't consider him conservative," Keene says. "His ratings don't reflect that he's conservative."

"But I don't think when conservatives look at John McCain, it is simply his voting record," Keene says. "It's more than that that's caused problems. For a long time, his position and the position of his staff was that he didn't have a problem with conservatives. He had a problem with some inside-the-Beltway conservative leaders.... If he's learned anything from the primary process, it has to have been his problem is not inside the Beltway. His problem is with Republican primary voters who describe themselves as conservatives."

Keene pointed to what happened after McCain's victory in the Virginia primary as an example of the kind of incident that worries conservatives. As he gave his victory speech, one of the people joining him on stage was Rep. Tom Davis. Davis is stepping down from his district after 14 years House in the next election, but he recently strongly criticized the Republican Party. He was there with his wife, Jeannemarie Devolites Davis. Although she recently lost her seat in the Virginia senate, Keane says conservatives have considered her the state's most liberal Republican for a long time.

Keene says is McCain was trying to send a message, it wasn't one that conservatives liked.

10:30 AM ET | 02-25-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Of course the (extreme) right-wingers wish John McCain was more conservative! But that is why he is the BEST choice for president. Because he's not TOO conservative!!!

John McCain is the kind of thoughtful, "what's best for EVERYBODY" candidate that America needs!.

NOT some "Anti-Bush", "Change everything for the sake of change", Democratic pacifist. Trying to score "brownie points" issue by issue.

Sent by Harold | 11:20 AM ET | 02-25-2008

Tom Davis denouncing the Republican Party may show character and honesty. President Bush invaded a country under questionable or even false circumstances, was willing to take revenge on a diplomat and his CIA agent wife, makes treaties with Iraq without the Senate by not calling them treaties. Conservatives run as being strong on values. Honesty, decency and the Constitution are apparently not conservative values.

Sent by Michael Ferguson | 11:34 AM ET | 02-25-2008

Come on newsfolks...these kind of articles are just a way to make McCain appeal to moderates, and have you guys pay for the press. Does anyone in the press REALLY think conservatives are going to vote for a woman or a black man? Of course conservatives will vote for McCain...he doesn't have to appeal to them for anything. But he DOES have to appeal to moderates and the middle-of-the-road voter, and headlines like yours will help him do that.

Sent by Pat | 2:07 PM ET | 02-25-2008

I can't wait until NPR devotes a week to fawningly interviews members of the extreme left. Just like the numerous antiwar critics, who were right about Iraq, that NPR has interviewed.

Then hell will freeze over.

When did the extreme right become "Conservative"? Portray the extreme right as conservatives, that makes moderates left, and progressives extremist (no agenda here folks.)

Sent by Ron Gordon | 12:23 PM ET | 02-26-2008

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