MoveOn targets McCain

I don’t know how many times in the last seven years I’ve heard or read that John McCain is a moderate candidate for President that the Left could stomach electing. From the time he started his “Straight Talk Express”, the media has been in love with him. But I’ve always doubted that was true, and said as much at every opportunity. I was sure that in the run-up to the 2000 primaries, the Left wanted McCain to run because he was easier to beat in the general election than George W. Bush.

When McCain lost the Republican bid, many on the Left used the fact that McCain wasn’t the candidate as an excuse to oppose Bush at every opportunity (until they used the war against terror to oppose him at every opportunity).

Now, from the Washington Post, I read that MoveOn.org has already begun running ads against McCain’s candidacy;

Over the past several election cycles, Moveon.org has demonstrated a willingness to throw its weight around in the political process.

Today provides yet another example, as the influential liberal group is up with television commercials intended label Sen. John McCain — the leading Republican candidate for president in 2008 — as the leading supporter of sending more U.S. troops to Iraq.

In the ad, as images of McCain and President Bush flash across the screen, a narrator intones: “John McCain has done more than just embrace George Bush’s failed policy in Iraq. It’s actually his idea to escalate the war there.”  

If he was such a wonderful choice for us in 2000, what has changed since? Nothing, really. McCain has always been strongly for our national defense, so his support for the so-called “surge” isn’t surprising.

I suspect that MoveOn.org’s strategy is a move to push Republicans towards McCain (what self-respecting Republican would vote against a Republican candidate in a primary because MoveOn.org told them to vote against him?). MoveOn.org doesn’t normally throw away money trying to influence registered Republicans to vote against their candidates because those candidates don’t support the Democrat side of the issue. Especially in the primary.

I guess they figure they can’t influence Republicans honestly, so they’ll try skullduggery. Again.

Category: Politics