I Ask Again - Why Is She A Republican?

[lame54]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/18/meghan-mccain-old-school_n_188636.html

Meghan McCain: "Old School" Republicans Are "Scared Shitless"

April 18, 2009 09:46 PM

Speaking to an affectionate crowd of Log Cabin Republicans on Saturday evening, Meghan McCain ridiculed the party her father headed this past election, declaring that "old school Republicans" were "scared shitless" of the changing landscape.

The Senator's daughter, who has quickly become something of an iconic figure in the gay conservative community since the end of the election, took repeated shots at the GOP for its antiquated mores.

"I feel too many Republicans want to cling to past successes," said McCain. "There are those who think we can win the White House and Congress back by being 'more' conservative. Worse, there are those who think we can win by changing nothing at all about what our party has become. They just want to wait for the other side to be perceived as worse than us. I think we're seeing a war brewing in the Republican Party. But it is not between us and Democrats. It is not between us and liberals. It is between the future and the past."

Later, she called out those officials in the Republican tent who insist that tactical improvements, technology and brass-knuckle politicking are the path back to relevance.

"Simply embracing technology isn't going to fix our problem," she said. "Republicans using Twitter and Facebook isn't going to miraculously make people think we're cool again. Breaking free from obsolete positions and providing real solutions that don't divide our nation further will. That's why some in our party are scared. They sense the world around them is changing and they are unable to take the risk to jump free of what's keeping our party down."

The remarks, delivered at the Log Cabin Republican's national convention in Washington D.C., drew healthy applause and the occasional high-pitched whistling. McCain, at one point, declared herself a proud member of the GOP. But her pot shots at the Republican Party and its flashier figures were not thinly veiled. Describing her public tiff with Ann Coulter as non-delicate, she went on to refer to the brash conservative talker as "overly partisan and divisive." Later in the speech she insisted that "most of our nation wants our nation to succeed" - a pretty clear dig at the now-infamous remarks of talk radio host Rush Limbaugh.

As for the GOP establishment, McCain described it as a "party that was thriving at one point on a few singular issues" but could no longer "see long-term success."

"We've seen how it has contributed to some serious problems in our nation and world," McCain said, in an apparent reference to the government under GOP control. "Let me blunt, you can't assume you're electing the right leaders to handle all the problems facing our nation when you make your choice based on one issue. More and more people are finally getting that."

[Atman]

1. Family.

She's young. I know people like this...Daddy always voted Republican, so they automatically vote Republican, too. They don't search their own beliefs, they're afraid of upsetting the family, so they just go along to get along. Meghan McCain isn't a Republican at all, but the family is, and Daddy is a high-profile Republican, so she goes along to get along.

.

[crim son]

6. Doubt it.

She clearly understands where her beliefs and those of the GOP diverge. I agree with the poster below: inheritance, privilege. Look, she's actively trying to make the repuke party more like the dems. It's misguided but it's telling.

[muffin1]

10. I agree.

I think she's a Democrat at heart, but changed to make Daddy happy. Instead of coming home, she's trying to twist repukes into Democrats.
I really appreciate a lot of the things she been espousing lately...especially her views on equal rights for gay people.
Hell, we have people in our own party who are not as enlightened.

[gamecock]

18. exactly

She's only a Republican because her father is one of the most prominent Republicans right now. I feel she could be the new voice in the GOP though....

[Skidmore]

2. Because this future heiress does not want to pay taxes.

Entitlement and greed are what the Republicans are all about.

[LanieR]

20. She doesn't want to pay taxes?

To be fair, and to play Devil's advocate: the same could be said about many of the nominees this year, who are Democrats.

[Pholus]

3. Maybe that's where she's needed.

If she can nudge them, even a bit, back to the center from their current lunatic positions she's doing yeoman's work.

Her motivation? Love for her party and seeing where it's went wrong.

I'm pretty sure I'd disagree with her on 90% of her positions. But that's far better than disagreeing on 100% and then being threatened with extermination for disagreeing.

Let's hope she's the future of a more moderate, sane GOP. That's probably too much to hope, though...

[ellenfl]

23. i disagree that she loves her party. eom

[monmouth]

4. Threads about her are now "not welcomed" at FReeperville..LOL...n/t

[Juche]

17. She voted for Kerry in 2004

And she criticizes many of the right wing beliefs of the GOP on stem cells, global warming (science in general), gay rights, etc.

She is their equivalent of the DLC. Imagine if John Edward's daughter voted for Bush in 2004 and then in 2009 told the democrats to soften their views on issues like unions and the environment. We'd probably say and do the same thing.

[Mike Daniels]

28. Anything McCain is now verbotten at FR at this point

Not surprising at this point. It looks like FR recently purged anyone who didn't buy 100% into Rimjob's rantings.

The post counts on most threads barely get past 30 hits now unless it's a particularly nasty "anti-Obama" one.

[HamdenRice]

5. Maybe she'll revive the Jacob Javitz wing of the Republican party

We forget that once upon a time there were great progressive Republicans like NY Senator Jacob Javitz.

They mainly differed from Republicans by being for fiscal restraint, economic realism, and in many cases, stronger on civil rights and civil liberties.

[KharmaTrain]

7. She Came Late To The Party...

IRC, Meaghan wasn't a registered rushpublican until daddy's campaign got rolling and that she had previously described herself as independent. It's pretty obvious why she's a rushpublican...she's white, has money and her daddy was the party's presidential nominee. While she can show sympathies and repect to the GLBT community, just like the log cabin crowd, it's not mutually exclusive to the party's long time catering to the rich. She walked into a party that already had fractured...and witnessed the inept and corrupt policies and aparachniks that led to daddy losing. And that's a point to think about here.

Methink Meaghan is an idea sockpuppet. We're seeing the first salvos of "who lost 2008"...a vital game the GOOPers will have to play to figure out who will be their candidate in 2012. McCain is already being called the "Dukakis" of the GOOP and we've heard rushbo all but blame him for letting the "colored fella" win. Meaghan positioned herself as a media darling...and she can say what daddy can't. She can stir the shit with no real skin in the game. In essence, she's giving it back to the wingnuts the same way they dish it out.

Sit back and enjoy...the longer the rushpublicans stay in denial, the more bitter this fight will become...

[notesdev]

8. She likes mommy's money

I was about to say 'daddy' but I realized that he is not the one who wears the pants in that family.

[Orsino]

11. ...and perhaps hasn't had much of a chance to develop strong principles.

That can be tough, inside the bubble. And she can afford the softest of pillows to help her sleep at night.

[LeftinOH]

9. Why is SHE a Republican?.. Why are the Log Cabin folks Republicans?

She's a party outsider speaking to other party outsiders -and the mainstream party will have nothing to do with her (or them) ...EVER.

[guitar man]

16. probably the same reason for both

money over principle....

[Beer Snob-50]

22. she probably believes in traditional republican values

not the shit that they spout now. lincoln, einshower, and (flamesuit on) nixon, and ford are probably turning in their graves when they hear their party talk about stem cells, abortion, and terry schiavo.

[no_hypocrisy]

12. Maybe MMc wants to influence the dialogue in her party and work

to change it from being dictated to by corporations and religionists to something more dynamic, a party that can work with and compromise with democrats, and return this county to a more civil union.

I applaud her dedication and vision, if I'm reading her correctly.

[opihimoimoi]

13. GOP = DEAD HORSE = Hopeless....Meghan is right...its been fucked

She will end up marrying a DEM and become a Senator someday...as a DEM....

[PassingFair]

14. I like her....

much better than most Republicans
that I know personally.

They will shoot her down one
of these days, and she will
either retire to private life
and lick her wounds, or she
will switch sides or declare
herself a Libertarian or something...

[Wetzelbill]

15. She said before that she fell in love with the party

and how she enjoyed meeting all the people on the campaign trail etc. I think she generally believes in the GOP platform and likes the people within the party that she's met, but she knows that the party has big problems in terms of policy and divisiveness.

[walkaway]

19. She is the lipstick on the pig

the people who really run the republican party don't care about these "social" issues. They just use them as a wedge. She is just one of their new ways to make them seem cool and acceptable. Seems like it's working real well.

[NeedleCast]

21. I had an Ex-Girlfriend a Lot Like This

She came from a traditional, conservative family. Military officer father, she grew up as an Air Force brat. When I met her, she was woring for a conservative non-profit. Her mom and dad are both conservatives so she felt a strong pressure to be one as well. However, her politics were moderate to slightly left in lots of areas. I asked her once why she called herself a Republican and her answer was that she was afraid her dad would be really disapointed in her if she didn't, but eventually she got to the point where she admits that she is a moderate (just not around her family).

[Javaman]

24. she's a republican until daddy kicks the bucket. nt

[Mike Daniels]

25. It seems the only place she really differs from the Republican mantra is social issues

She seems to fall into the conservative ideology when is comes to economics and international affairs.

In that instance why wouldn't she stay in the Republican party and try to change the one issue foundation she disagrees with?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

26. Greed? Money? Family?

[Politicalboi]

27. She wouldn't get any backing

If she changed parties. There are some Repukes that do want to change with the rest of the world.