Last night Jeremy linked to this piece of mine arguing against giving
John McCain the Reagan treatment (see Peter Wallison's column for a different view). We need to
remember we're not crowning the leader of the conservative movement
here or defining conservatism for all time. If McCain is nominated,
as now appears likely (though still not inevitable), that is
something conservatives need to keep in mind.
It's possible McCain will return to his Reaganite roots as the
nominee or once in office. It's more likely that he'll continue his
past decade's worth of Strange New Respect Republicanism, governing
at best as a more hawkish Bush 41. Now is the time for
conservatives to stop being, as Paul Weyrich once put it,
monarchists at heart. We are not defined by whoever the GOP nominee
or whoever the president is. The task of coming up with the
conservative agenda for the 21st century should not be left to a
septugenarian. If McCain is the nominee, back him when he's right
and oppose him when he's wrong. But look beyond RNC press releases
to determine which is which.
topics:
John McCain, Conservatism
