The debatable question arose:
"Who is more likely to gain support from the independents? John McCain or Barak Obama?"
Some of the students argued that John McCain would be more likely to get the independents vote because he is a "moderate conservative," while Barak Obama is on the far left with liberal ideals. But what the students failed to understand is that McCain is a full-blown left wing conservative, and there's nothing "moderate" about him. Although some media outlets might make him out to be a moderate conservative, the proof is really in the pudding. Don't believe me?
The front page of Huffington Post featured an article today that perfectly summarizes just how conservative John McCain really is. When it comes to every partisan issue, John McCain takes the right-wing stance indefinitely. Not only does he support the war in Iraq, but he also has served as a key ally in George Bush's efforts to increase U.S soldiers occupying the country. Other topics like abortion, gun control, and gay rights also illustrate that "moderate," is really not a descriptive word pertaining to the Republican candidate.
When it comes to abortion, McCain is a self-proclaimed pro-life advocate. He has vowed to appoint Supreme Court Justices that will limit the impact of the Roe v. Wade ruling, which basically legalized abortion. His views on gay marriage are just as conservative since he completely opposes it. In fact, he worked to ban gay marriage in Arizona and fully supports the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. He even opposed legislation that would protect homosexuals from hate crimes and job discrimination. To top things off, he is an avid supporter of the National Riffle Association and has voted AGAINST a ban for assault-style weapons. But people consider him a moderate conservative?
Where is the logic in that?
Polls have indicated that most people do in fact see McCain as a centrist while Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton are perceived as far left candidates. Studies done by political scientists such as Philip Converse show that independents are typically less politically aware than strong Democrats or Republicans. This presidential election would perfectly illustrate that finding if the independents are naive enough to fall for McCain's "moderate conservative" tactics.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 5)
16. http://evolutionfacts.blogspot.com
FORMER ATHEIST at 7:18AM on Apr 15th 2008
17. Democrats need to wake up to the fact that their entitlement vote buying programs are what is pushing the dollar down the drain.
Welfare, Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, Section 8 Vouchers, Food Stamps, AFDC, TANF, EITC, Supplemental Social Income, et al....... END THEM-DO NOT MEND THEM!!!!!!!
Paul Sparcello at 8:12AM on Apr 15th 2008
18. McCain promises four more years of bush.,that's pretty hard to stomach at this point...
John at 8:28AM on Apr 15th 2008
19. Moderate...Liberal.... Conservative... Shipboaerd living is not condusive to to Homo lifestyle yea don't ask don't tell or any other form of fighting aids,,,,abortion of any kind is MURDER next subject...Crackpot teachers are going to finish this country before the traitor Obama can get there he has no buisness in the Senate much less the Preiidency... OPRAH you really screwed up supporting this guy.
Grampa at 9:57AM on Apr 15th 2008
20. Excuse me, folks, but it is McCain who is trying to act like he is so different than Bush, when in fact his policies are identical. He never mentions Bush name on the campaign trail and I doubt he will campaign with him much at all. If being a Bush conservative is so wonderful to some of you, why is McCain distancing himself from Bush?
Gee, I wonder...
David S. at 10:21AM on Apr 15th 2008
21. Ana
It would seem that the recent Obama "I put my big foot in my big mouth again" speech to the RICH Democrat Political Donors in San Francisco would be a more interesting discussion for your group of fellow students in the Political Behavior Class in Graduate School. Obama has alreay said he chose his words carelessly, that he could have worded what he wanted to say much beter than he did. But is that the case? Obama is very well prepared when he gives a speech. It was hard to believe that Obama could make such an eror. Then more of the truth came out, but of course not in Cenks last story about this speech, but from the newspapers. It seems Cenk loves to censor what he tells his readers and in this case, Cenk forgot to mention that the fund raiser was CLOSED TO THE PRESS and that the speech was OFF THE RECORD. Obama thought he had no problem with talking down at middle class America to the fellow Liberal Democrat Elitists. Instead of just saying that they cling to their guns, religions etc., Obama should have just shortened that and called those common people he was referring to as "Rednecks"
Obama knew very well what he was saying as he is prepared for all his speeches he gives, he just did not think that it would be the headline for the next days press.
That would have been a heated discussion for your group. Is Obama the Elitist he sounded like in his speech or was it just a mistake?
PS That is the way Rev Wright gave his sermons in his church, behind locked doors and to his selective audience.
robert okane at 11:25AM on Apr 15th 2008
22. You are a pathetic child. You only had to go bad FIFTEEN YEARS
Sharon at 11:46PM on Jul 1st 2008
23. You go to graduate school? Who would have thought? Thank God you didn't embarrass the school by giving the name!
Ken Green at 11:52AM on Apr 15th 2008
24. WOW! You only had to go back FIFTEEN YEARS to dig up something with McCain stating his opinion about a completely UNRELATED ISSUE. One situation and time have nothing to do with the other. Many opinions and other issues have changed within me in the past FIFTEEN YEARS. You, perhaps, have not had the opportunity or wisdom of any growth and change over in a decade and a half, but be assured, that is not a thing you should take pride in. What an asinine position you are standing in. I hope you experience some growth in the NEXT FIFTEEN YEARS.
Susan at 1:17PM on Apr 15th 2008
25. In your first paragraph, you conclude that "McCain is a full blown left wing conservative." What exactly is one of those? Sounds a tad bipolar. Does your graduate program include a psych component?
Bob at 12:03PM on Apr 15th 2008
26. Great Chunk...you now have a 22 yr old graduate student posting for you.....It defies belief how you got and keep this gig...It must be like working for Air America and you don't get paid.
Who is Chuck Enger at 1:38PM on Apr 15th 2008
27. Newsblogger needs to wake up...Independents are NOT Liberals.
It makes you wonder why, if McCain is such a hard-core Conservative, why the far right wing of the Republican party did not back him until he was the certain nominee.
Davidg at 1:37PM on Apr 15th 2008
28. Robert Okane, when are you going to explain why you voted for Barak Obama?
Captain Negative at 1:43PM on Apr 15th 2008
29. Susan, I'm with you: At least McCain HAS fifteen years of experience to draw on. Does 18 months running for President actually count as Senatorial experience for Barack? All three have been on the road far too much.
The Huff -n- Puff Post draws the same stupid lemmings that Olbermann pulls in with his tripe every night. They all sit there night after night like bobbleheads nodding to every distortion he can come up with - this is a man who plays with paper doll cut outs of Bill O'Rielly (who IS a putz) and makes high pitched voices while doing it. Last night he claimed he is the sixth most powerful man in broadcast NEWS - God help us if that is true. These are the leading Democratic voices along with the Airhead America crew - fortunately no one is listening to those folks.
Lastly did you see the article about Chris Mathews in the NY Times? Hysterical, and right on the mark.
John McCain will resonate with the country. If he can pull Colin Powell onto the ticket, the Dems can just stay home.
OpenYourBlindEye08 at 1:44PM on Apr 15th 2008
30. ihavenobias #5: Yes, National debt is up, the dollar just started a decline after the subprime BS hit, and the tax cuts drove us out of the Clinton recession and were ACROSS THE BOARD - everyone got tax cuts. The ones for the more wealthy were higher based on percentage. Obama seems to think that he can pay for UHC, higher teacher pay, new hand outs for everyone and a pony for all twelve year old girls by taxing the "rich". Define the rich.
Perhaps if the worst Congress in history had been on the ball, they would have had some hearings on the sub-prime crisis LAST year while they were busy chasing Scooter Libby (for the fifth time) and wringing their hands over who injected steroids into some athletes ass. Maybe they could have moved a little faster on their idiotic giveaway stimulus package. We can thank Nancy (whose "first" step toward farm subsidy reform) produced further giveaways to corporate farms and launched the biofuels scam. This has produced a food inflation crisis, not just here but around the world.
There is plenty of idiocy in Washington to go around.
OpenYourBlindEye08 at 2:09PM on Apr 15th 2008