[01LUGrad]

McCain hopes to mend fences with evangelical leader
POSTED: 5:14 p.m. EST, January 16, 2007

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) -- Sen. John McCain said Tuesday he hopes to patch things up with conservative Christian leader James Dobson, who recently said he wouldn't support the Republican's presidential bid under any circumstances.

In a radio interview with KCBI, a Dallas Christian station, Dobson argued that McCain didn't support traditional marriage values and said he has prayed "we won't get stuck with him." Dobson is founder of Focus on the Family, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

"I'm obviously disappointed and I'd like to continue and have a dialogue with Dr. Dobson and other members of the community," McCain said Tuesday during a stop in Columbia.

McCain has said gay marriage should not be legal but has angered some conservatives with his opposition to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex unions. The Arizona senator said the issue should be left to the states.

"I'm happy to say that I've established a dialogue with a number of other leaders," including the Rev. Jerry Falwell, "Purpose Driven Life" author Rick Warren and Dr. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention.

McCain has reached out to conservatives he once crossed. Last May, he spoke at Falwell's Liberty University in Virginia. In 2000, Falwell opposed McCain's campaign for the GOP nomination and supported George W. Bush. At the time, McCain labeled Falwell and others on the right and the left as "agents of intolerance."

During his 2000 presidential bid, McCain also criticized Bob Jones University, a Christian fundamentalist college, for its ban on interracial dating.

In a GOP debate with Bush, McCain said that given the opportunity to speak at the school as Bush had, he would have said: "Look, what you're doing in this ban on interracial dating is stupid, it's idiotic, and it is incredibly cruel to many people."

McCain said last year that he wouldn't turn down an opportunity to speak at Bob Jones.

Since 2000, the school has lifted its interracial dating ban.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/16/ ... index.html

[Brokeback Flamer]

His is a sinking ship I hope. He is working soooo hard to pander to the "religous right". I think most see through him. I of course am a big fan of the former NYC mayor. Fiscally conservative and a little more socially liberal. My kinda person. That is the type of person who can get elected for the Republicans. I hope they stay away from Newt or McCain. If not, than its Prz Clinton, again.

[01LUGrad]

...Fiscally conservative and a little more socially liberal.

A "LITTLE" more socially liberal? The guy performed a gay marriage. Yeow. Not to offend you and your friends, but I don't think that is going to fly with the righties. [Oh, he also supports murders...I mean abortions....on demand.]

By the way, I did recently see a poll (I know, what good are polls...) found that 47% of Americans would "definetly not vote for Hillary." I don't put too much stock in this, but 47% is a pretty big number.

[A.G.]

I hope they stay away from Newt or McCain. If not, than its Prz Clinton, again.

A great man once said something to the effect,, "Satan couldn't mobilize the Christian right like Hillary Clinton would."

[thepostman]

Rudy Giuliani kept the city of new york running through all the 9/11 stuff and everything, but as president? I don't think so...I don't understand why there is such a hatred out there for McCain..I like McCain...I don't think any politician should pander to any special interest group and that is exactly what the "religious right" has become...I am sick of hearing about politics in church, if pastors and leaders were doing what God truely called them to do then they wouldn't have to worry about how their congregation voted....but that is a whole other issue

I am a McCain fan...and if he is the republican's nominee I will vote for him

[thepostman]

I hope they stay away from Newt or McCain. If not, than its Prz Clinton, again.

A great man once said something to the effect,, "Satan couldn't mobilize the Christian right like Hillary Clinton would."

hmmm....I wonder what great man that was....having Hilary Clinton run would be the worst thing the democratic party could do, and I don't even think they realize it...Obama would be the choice because he seems to be the "cool" guy of the moment....but the race thing will blind the democrats and yes there are racists in both parties....shocking huh?

[Fumblerooskies]

One thing will be interesting...
...if a moderate (more liberal leaning) Republican gets the nomination (Guiliani), then how much backing will they get from the Dr. Falwell's of the world if Clinton gets the nomination from the dems? Will the Christians be able to be mobilized like in 2004 for a less than ideal candidate?

[nickrichard]

I am really looking forward to the races this year on both sides. I am real curious to see who the Dems put up. Itcould be quite an interesting race between Hillary and Obama.
If Obama is the Dem candidate, I would think you would see a lot of Rep. voting Democrat

[4everfsu]

Does anyone know if McCain is pro life or pro death?
Thanks

[LUconn]

I don't like anybody that could get elected. I'll be wasting my vote on a 3rd party most likely. The first 2 are both the same. It's amusing to see them fight and pretend like they aren't.

[Libertine]

Does anyone know if McCain is pro life or pro death?
Thanks

Dobson won't vote for him "under any circumstances". Take a guess.

Incidentally, I predict that Obama will flame out waaaay before the Dem convention. He's hot now b/c he looks good and he sounds good but give it another 6 months and the "absolutely no experience" thing is going to catch up with him. I don't think your eventual 2008 Democratic nominee has even declared his candidacy yet.

[01LUGrad]

Obama is the hot thing now. He will have to run through the gauntlet that is the primary season. The smart party will be the one that sits back and lets the other party tear its best candidates apart. IE: "He has no experience," "She changed her mind on Iraq," "He's a poopy head."

I do find it funny that 3 years ago, EVERYONE was kissing McCain's butt- Dems and Republicans alike. Now, no one is sure if he has what it takes to win a national election.
[to answer an earlier question, he is pro-life, not death]

[Libertine]

[to answer an earlier question, he is pro-life, not death]

That's not what he said in 2000. Of course, back then he was ripping everything even remotely evangelical b/c he thought that was the only way he could beat Bush. Apparently, he now needs the religious right and, well, what do you know? I won't vote for McCain either but that's more b/c I think he's a weak leader.

[ATrain]

JIM GILMORE FOR PRESIDENT...too bad Mark Warner said he's not gonna run, both were good governors of Virginia.

[01LUGrad]

George Allen!!! (Wait....never mind)

[Libertine]

JIM GILMORE FOR PRESIDENT...too bad Mark Warner said he's not gonna run, both were good governors of Virginia.

Wouldn't vote for Gilmore either. In my opinion, the only reason he got into office was that he was riding Allen's coattails and he ran on the single issue of cutting the car tax. Factor in that his Democratic opponent was a career bureaucrat who ran b/c, well, somebody had to and Gilmore won in a cakewalk. Gilmore's only accomplishment besides somewhat alleviating the car tax -- which shouldn't exist in the first place -- was the Virginia SOLs that he and Steve Newman pushed through and which would have been an educational disaster if not for the Federal No Child Left Behind Act that came along a few years later and turned the combination of the two into an absolute educational disaster.

As for Warner, he did a lot to represent Virginia in a positive light and he showed himself to be a good leader. I also disagree with nearly everything the man stands for.

The fact is that I'm not a big fan of the elected representatives we have in this country right now much less this state. The Republican party leadership in Virginia has been a shambles for the last 10 years or more and we need look no further than the Preston Bryant-Wendell Walker-Robert Garber debacle to see it. The two main parties aren't even trying to put leaders on the ballot anymore, we're just voting for spokesmen that will offend the least possible number of voters. It's enough to make a guy vote independent...oh, wait, I do.

[JDUB]

john edwards is gonna run i think from NC. i think he will have a decent chance of making it to the dem. nomination

[01LUGrad]

I'm not sure if John Edwards has enough to win a national election. I do agree with Libertine in that our national "leaders" aren't really leaders, just talking heads for the party platforms. The fun part is when the parties can't figure out what their own platforms are. I love watching the big guys (and girl) fumble and stumble around when they don't have the latest poll results in their hands when asked a question.

If only there wasn't a two-party system. We all like different types of ice cream. How in the world are we supposed to pick one of two candidates that embodies our views?

[Libertine]

I blame Aaron Burr. And the Mexicans.

[PAmedic]

I blame Aaron Burr. And the Mexicans.

great. Now SLY's gonna get upset again.

[qkslvrsrfrboy]

i cant stand obama. dont get me wrong hes a good talker, politician. But i dont agree with his views at all, and he claims to be christian although the church he is a member at is so liberal it can hardly even be called a church. When i was home for break, just about every news story was obama this and obama that, make him king now or die. I think that stephen colbert has summed him up best " his middle name is hussein, now that might sound like a familiar name you used to hear of someone in politics, saddam maybe? And his whole im not going to wear a tie thing, another famous politician also likes this style. Thats right, the president of Iran."

[Libertine]

I blame Aaron Burr. And the Mexicans.

great. Now SLY's gonna get upset again.

And, of course, by Mexicans I mean the followers of Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (aka, the guy that attacked the Alamo).

[PAmedic]

thank you for the clarification

I was momentarily confused as to WHICH Antonio de Padua María Severino López you were referring to...

[Sly Fox]

For the record, the Alamo was in Mexico at the time and Santa Anna was simply putting down a rebellion by a bunch of greedy Tennesseans & Kentuckians. But I digress since we are all glad the Alamo wasn't the end of the war for Texas Independence. Viva Goliad! Viva San Jacinto!

And Aaron Burr gets a bad rap for being a good shot.

[Libertine]

No Santa Anna, no Alamo. No Alamo, no Mexican War. No Mexican War, no escalation of the slavery debate (certainly not defending slavery here). No escalation of the debate, no central issue to split and/or unify the two largest factions of the Democratic-Republican party. No split, no two-party system. All completely hypothetical, of course.

I think it's kind of fascinating that there have numerous attempts at introducing 3rd parties into the American political landscape. Check out this list over at the Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_po ... ted_States


And Burr gets a bad rap for trying to crown himself the King of Florida.