McCain, Limbaugh, and Political Brinksmanship

Conservatives in talk radio and the blogosphere are playing a dangerous game of chicken with John McCain. The Arizona senator has taken positions that legitimately ruffle conservatives feathers and they have rightly called him on that. He doesn't have a sound grasp of the free market, property rights, freedom of speech, or originalist constitutionalism. Many people forget that he most likely only got his appointment to Anapolis because his father and grandfather were Navy admirals, and he promptly graduated last in his class. It's no wonder Adam Smith, John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, and Milton Friedman have yet to sink in on the 71 year old.

But the bottom line is that there is no true conservative in the race. Now is the time for some realpolitik. If true-blue conservatives continue down this path they're pidgeonholing themselves into political irrelevance. If McCain wins over their protests, our hopes for any influence in policy, particularly judicial nominations, is lost. Instead, there needs to be some type of public reconciliation and quid pro quo between the two sides. Conservatives will give their blessing and McCain a rock hard commitment to appoint originalists to the court. No ifs ands or buts. No garbage about difficulties in the senate. If McCain backs out, like Bush did when he nominated Miers, we walk away.

And lets face it. If we must have a knee-jerk moderate in office, lets have one with the personal honor and national security understanding of John McCain.