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February 22, 2000 3:00PM
McCAIN'S FRIENDS -- I
Gary Bauer says that many of his old friends disagree with his endorsement
of John McCain. He argues, surely correctly, against "those who claim that
my endorsement they disagree with cancels out a lifetime of work." But
McCain isn't making Bauer's life any easier. Over the weekend, John McCain
was asked about his campaign chairman Warren Rudman's remarks trashing
Christian conservatives. Rudman, he explained, was only talking about
those conservatives who had had the gall to criticize Colin Powell, an
American hero. McCain cited Paul Weyrich, whom he has ample reason to hate
(Weyrich has raised the possibility that McCain is a Manchurian candidate,
having been turned during his captivity in North Vietnam). But one of the
conservatives who stood with Weyrich at the press conference denouncing
Powell in 1995 was Gary Bauer.
McCAIN'S FRIENDS -- II
Also at that press conference: Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax
Reform. It's hard to understate the hatred the McCain camp bears for him.
Rudman is in the Washington Post today saying, as he has before, that
"Norquist is fighting for his pocketbook, not for conservatism." Now it's
possible to criticize Norquist on any number of grounds — that he wears
too many hats, works too closely with the Republican leadership on the
Hill, has bad table manners. But the notion that he's in politics for the
money is just absurd, as anyone who's been to his southeast Washington
abode — nice, but not palatial — knows. For better or worse, Norquist is
a true believer. Besides, who's Warren Rudman to tell anyone who is or
isn't a conservative?
McCAIN'S FRIENDS -- III
At a rally for Gov. Bush on Friday in Anderson, South Carolina, one of the
speakers mocked congressman Lindsey Graham for supporting McCain. He said
that Graham needed to "check the pulse" of his district, which was Bush
country. Hoots and hollers all around. As it turned out, the northwest
portion of the state did indeed go heavily for Bush. Graham's endorsement
could cause problems for his envisioned Senate run in 2002 — especially if
Bush is president.
PRIEST SHORTAGE
The accusation that Republicans demonstrated anti-Catholic bigotry in
passing over a Catholic priest for the post of House chaplain is mostly
bogus, but it continues to be a p.r. disaster for House Republicans. The
latest Weekly Standard argues that "the only face-saving solution" is to
leave the current chaplain in place, and reports that Republican leaders
have in fact reached this decision. Wrong on both counts.
Republican leaders have decided on no such thing, thank goodness. The last
thing Republicans should want is to let the Democrats say that they're so
bigoted they would rather not have a new chaplain than appoint a Catholic.
Republicans would be far better off to find a (conservative) priest for
the position — and then to ask why the Democrats never got around to
appointing one in the history of the institution.
But even that may not be enough to deal with the perception of Republican
anti-Catholicism, which is metastasizing thanks to George W. Bush's having
spoken at Bob Jones University. The issue here, as with the chaplain
controversy, may not seem all that important in the grand scheme of
things. But it is precisely the kind of symbolic issue that could cost
Republicans the House, and even make the difference in a tight
presidential race. If this problem gets any worse, Republicans may find it
necessary to nominate a Catholic for vice president.
CATCHING UP WITH NR
Those who missed our website coverage of the South Carolina contest might
want to check out "It's Over"
( http://www.nationalreview.com/vibe/wire021900c.html , in which Ramesh
Ponnuru argues that while McCain can still win primaries, the nomination
is now out of his reach.
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Updated By:
Ramesh Ponnuru - Senior Editor
John J. Miller - National Political Reporter
Kate Dwyer - Editorial Associate
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