February 7, 2008
Dazed and Confused
So, John McCain is being pilloried for not being conservative enough. I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around this for the past couple days. I’ve seen his voting record broken down to reveal him to be the conservative mirror of Hillary Clinton. Meaning, he stands as far to the right as Clinton stands to the left.
If Clinton is perceived to be the outlier of liberal politicians, and McCain is statistically her opposite, what do American conservatives want?
Is it possible to imagine an electable politician who stood to the left of Hillary Clinton? Is it possible to imagine a media infrastructure capable of calling for such? A pundit who would be taken seriously for saying Hillary Clinton wasn’t liberal enough?
That, in a nutshell, is what scares the living shit out of me.
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I thought I had it, but now I’m not sure. I thought Hillary was being touted as the most right (leaning) of the democrats, and that McCain was the most left (leaning) of the republicans. Now I hesitate to call her name (for fear of sending Kathy Hilen-Smith over the drum-set) but the pundit to whom you refer? Might her initials be Anne Coulter? Whom I heard quoted as saying that Hillary should be their (the radical conservatives’) candidate if McCain won the nomination because Hillary was more conservative than he was. (I believe I heard she went so far as to claim she’d campaign for Hillary.)
All it seems to say to me is, as is my take on what you said yesterday. (And I’ll paraphrase and elaborate a little) Either one of them would bring us a “liberal” version of more of the same. (?)
If Huckabee’s Red, red, red. And [*oh, heck, name the most liberal democrat*]‘s blue. Are Hillary and McCain purple?
I do not think the hatred of Hillary Clinton by the political right is based on views of her liberalism–I think that’s the handiest rhetoric her detractors can trot out. A lot of them are still using the 1988 playbook, when “liberal” was the worst insult you could hurl.
I view Clinton and McCain as mirroring one another as well, but each from a point closer to the center. I wouldn’t go so far as to say either is purple–but they’re closer to purple on the spectrum than the other candidates. Obama and Edwards are both to the left of Clinton and either could/could have won the national election, in my opinion. I frankly do not believe that Hillary Clinton could win against John McCain, precisely because they are relatively close on the political spectrum and she is so widely reviled by conservatives. I do believe Obama can win against McCain. I’m ready.
“Average” conservative pundits are saying McCain isn’t conservative enough, when, in fact, he is the same degree to the right that Hillary is to the left.
The generic conservative response to Hillary is that she is the most extreme liberal politician in the country. Even pretending that were true, that would make McCain the most extreme conservative politician in the country.
And yet, they want someone more conservative than McCain.
McCain used to be one of the few conservatives I could tolerate until he stuck his whole entire head all the way up GWs ass a few years ago. I lost all respect for the man after that. Since I’ve been hearing how much the evangelicals and conservative talking wanks hate him, I’ve softened my view. If Ann Coulter (gawd I hate that guy) is anti-McCain, well then…
In fairness (and I say this as someone who’s been an Obama supporter since way back), I do long for a candidate on the Democratic side who’s more progressive on issues like health care and taxes than either Obama or Clinton.
But our system is set up in such a way that change must come slowly and incrementally, so I’m happier to vote for a candidate whose strength of character I have confidence in rather than someone whose stances on the issues I agree with 100%.
I do too. Neither Hillary or Obama is progressive enough for me. What scares me is a mainstream media that embraces conservatives who want someone more conservative than McCain, who believe Clinton to be the most liberal candidate imaginable. This dynamic is evidence to me of how broken our country is. I don’t know if I am articulating it correctly or clearly.
I don’t see the mainstream media embracing conservatives who want someone more conservative than McCain (unless you think of wackos like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter as “mainstream media”). I think the media is simply reporting the views that are out there, including those of extremists–and the most vocal extremists in this country are organized on the right. For them, John McCain might as well be a Democrat. Hillary Clinton is the antichrist because she is married to Bill, she is strong as steel, she’s a woman, and she wants a universal healthcare system.
Would it be better if the media didn’t report these views? I frankly think they are what’s going to win the election for the Democrats.
Perhaps I am mistaking reporting of these views with embracing these views. It does concern me though that this group (who think McCain is a liberal) is so large and has such influence, even if they aren’t technically mainstream.
I don’t think they’re all that large. I think they’re very loud.
It’s just a matter of aesthetics, I think. Left-wing politicians usually come across as total pussies. I think that’s why Obama (not that he’s particularly liberal is having the success that he is. He has a presence that is very, very different from say Al Gore in 2000. The GOP has done a tremendous job of weaving the traditional American hatred of the poor and fear of sex into electable candidates. I think the Reagan-era deregulation of the media along with the Bush/Quayle campaign in ’88 have created a situation where the vocabulary of electoral politics is dictated by conservatives. I think it would take a giant economic crisis to change this. And maybe one is on the way.
I don’t think they’re all that large. I think they’re very loud.
See, that’s it right there.
The media has become a utensil to feed its corporate appetite, shovel dollars into the shareholders’ maw. We don’t even talk about News anymore. We talk about The Media. Is there any other way to explain the success of the Murdock Empire? Local news broadcasts?
I think Cindy’s right: loudest sells, but that simply doesn’t translate into meaningful.
This time around, do you suppose the candidates might succeed or fail on the basis of their objectives and America’s faith in their ability to accomplish something?
I’m sick of Red v.Blue; Right v. Left.
Me too, Kathy! Does that mean I really should vote purple?
I honestly don’t know how I’ll withstand the media until November.
One of the things which scares me is hearing folks talk about how much they HATE Hillary Clinton and then going right into a recounting of what they’re doing at church this weekend.
Coop– That sort of fits my view of Christian Right Republicans: they want to legalize road rage, but only for those who are on their way to church.