The American Spectator

R. Dittmar| 11.12.08 @ 12:01PM

Did John McCain even have any key policy stances??

Bullpup| 11.12.08 @ 12:24PM

Aside from the issue of taxes, Obama's policies pretty much fall the same way.

Matthew Bishop| 11.12.08 @ 12:43PM

McCain was right on Iraq and stuck to his guns even when it was unpopular. I'll give him category 3 on that one.

The whole attempt to finagle the economy has been a comedy from the start, and I think that's where McCain put forward most of his category 4 positions. Immigration, too.

He's hardly alone there, though.

I think Americans have decided that government ought to fix the nation's problems, but they haven't yet figured out that it can't. That leaves them curiously demanding that their elected officials do something and yet disliking almost everything their elected officials do. The result is a large Cat. 4.

Mary| 11.12.08 @ 1:55PM

McCain may be a lot of things, but one thing he's not is a leader. His claim to fame is bipartisanship. Nothing wrong with that, per se, but a lot of times it leads to solutions that are designed to stave off the hard decisions that sooner or later someone else is going to have to take.

I can't believe I thought suspending his campaign might prove a good idea. Desperation will make you blind.

His health care plan was actually a good step in the process of beginning to try to get people to understand that if they retain some control in the market, they can influence it.

But could he sell it? No. Could he sell his economic plan? I can't answer that because I don't even know what it was. He said economics wasn't his strong suit. That sure seems to be an understatement with hindsight.

He has an anti-pork record, but there's a lot more to balancing the budget than earmarks.

From Mitch McConnell's campaign website:

“The question in this election is: will Kentucky go to the back row, or will it continue to enjoy the privileges of having a Senator in leadership in Washington D.C.?”

I wonder what he means? ;)

I like Mr. McConnell, but it's likely he's part of the problem.

The bailout isn't just a problem because it was crap sandwich. The usurpation of legislative privilege by the Senate, in order to strong arm the House, will be remembered as a sure bet.

An honest-to-goodness leader, leads. That's why he's not known as Follower.

Let all the disparate factions in the republican house convene all the committees they want.

It will behoove conservatives on the ground to pay them only requisite attention, and take Dick Morris' advice today, and learn how to raise money and increase influence via the Net.

Money talks, and suckers walk.

Captain America| 11.12.08 @ 1:55PM

This is a highly speculative listing. It is clear that some conservatives, like liberals, take positions that I would deem wrong but fall more in line with the electorate. In Minnesota, Sen. Coleman has disappointed me on numerous occasions by taking liberal positions which are more popular in a blue state but are wrong to a conservative.

Still, given the alternative, would I vote for Al Franken? Obviously no.

Captain America| 11.12.08 @ 1:58PM

Now, in McCain's situation, he obviously has to be less concerned about Arizona than Coleman would have to be concerned in Minnesota. He takes positions which are meant to build consensus amongst members on both sides of the Senate. Herein laid his biggest weakness, and why so many conservative chose to stay home on election day.

J David| 11.12.08 @ 2:40PM

Any fool should know that he can't get elected without support of the base that does all of the work, and coughs up most of the money to elect the candidate, but "there is NO fool like an old fool"... and running to the enemy camp to win your campaign for you is sheer retardation.

John Thacker| 11.12.08 @ 5:09PM

He has an anti-pork record, but there's a lot more to balancing the budget than earmarks.

That's true, but he also voted against the Medicare prescription benefit and against ag subsidies, both of which are a lot more cash than earmarks, and which perhaps fall into category 3.