Vox

Musings, rants, rambling, general nonsense

Hayworth? McCain? Door Number 3?

Posted on | July 5, 2010 | 5 Comments

John McCain is up for reelection…again. For like the 400th time. He’s been in D.C. since 1982 (after settling in Arizona in 1981) Remember 1982? It also gave us the movies E.T., Tootsie, Tron, Ghandi…. In other words, it was a long time ago, people. (My first dealing with, and disappointment in, McCain & his office came just a short time later, in 1986.)

All of which is to say, he is nowhere near a man of the people – at least not the Arizona people. Many conservatives are long past ready to see him retired, not without cause. You need only do a cursory review of his record to see how his “Mavericky” ways have all too often been counter to small-government, conservative ideals. Which may be why he’s apparently not a maverick anymore.

He further distanced himself with his atrocious handling of Sarah Palin during the campaign, and abandonment of her to the wolves of his campaign staff after. The fact that he was only willing to handle Obama with kid gloves is in glaring contrast to the way he has enthusiastically attacked any Republican who dares to challenge him.

Like, for instance, J.D. Hayworth.

Not that J.D. doesn’t present an easy target, he’s managed to efficiently place a giant “Kick Me” sign on his own back. The baggage he brings to this race, from his voting record to his questionable associations, could fill the carousels at Sky Harbor.

While Hayworth’s campaign has consisted almost exclusively of “I’m not John McCain”, McCain’s campaign has been landing direct hits on Hayworth’s spending and charges of corruption.

I’m not the only one who noticed:

Hayworth’s campaign until this point, however, has consisted of “we’re not John McCain and John McCain is the enemy.” They have a treasure trove of issues on which McCain has abandoned the base (taxes, guns, environmental extremism, first amendment rights, government regulation to name a few) to work with but have not yet chosen to do so. It would be good for democracy and their cause if they moved to issues post-haste. They have a very receptive audience. At some point, it may benefit them to be more than “we’re not John McCain.”

There are two big issues in Arizona elections this year: Illegal immigration & government spending.

McCain ceded much of the ground on the illegal immigration debate by supporting amnesty, guest worker programs, and suggesting that Americans wouldn’t can’t do the jobs. Even so, he has always insisted that the border be secured – and he is continuing to make that point. Hayworth may actually be able to get a foothold on the issue, but he needs to sound more like a statesman and less like a shock jock.

McCain has, however, managed to carve out a solid reputation when it comes to spending – specifically by resisting it. I know there is a point to be made there, particularly after the massive bailout he supported, but it isn’t ever going to be a kill shot. Hayworth is especially impotent in making that charge – considering he spent his time in Washington up to his elbows in the taxpayer’s wallets.

Every charge McCain makes against Hayworth has been met with little more than, “I know you are but what am I?” If you have no answer when he brings up your big-spending, Abromoff-associated, also-a-Washington-insider past in the primary, how do you expect to survive the charges in a general election?

Recently, to add insult to the insult of Hayworth thinking we are smart enough to remember McCain’s record, but too stupid to remember his own, we were treated to video of an old infomercial.

Hayworth’s immediate ‘excuses’ were of the “I had no idea they were bad guys” variety. That does little more than reinforce the idea that Hayworth will do anything for money – after all, lawsuits had been filed against National Grants Conferences in several states, they were already under Better Business Bureau investigation. If Hayworth couldn’t be bothered to do even cursory due diligence before selling his endorsement, why should the voters of Arizona trust his judgment in D.C.?

Then, back to the “uhn uh, YOU are!” defense, they try to equate a campaign contribution the founder of National Grants Conferences made to McCain with JD Hayworth actively pimping the company. If Hayworth (or his campaign staff) can’t make a distinction that obvious, how discerning can he be expected to be in the Senate?

The next attempt at dodging responsibility for the poor choice comes in the pointing of fingers at McCain’s official Senate website*, where you can find info on applying for federal grants. Not only is this information provided by many members of both houses as a service to their constituents, it further illustrates how corrupt the National Grants Conferences scheme was. John McCain was providing, for free, all the information that NGC was charging for – and NGC was making enough of a profit to buy a “Former Congressman” to shill for them.

Finally, Hayworth decided that he regrets “pitching grants for troubled firm“. That’s great, JD, glad that after 3 years (and several days of bad press) you realized it was a very bad idea. However, at the time, in front of the camera, you had no problem encouraging others to wallow at the federal trough – the very thing voters are outraged about right now.

The anti McCain meme has been that he is a “convenient conservative”, a RINO who moves right during each election cycle. Unfortunately for Hayworth, he is attempting the same tactic – expecting that voters will ignore his actions of the past, and simply embrace his campaign rhetoric.

Not being John McCain may work in the primary, but if he makes it to the general election, he will need more than that. I can hold my nose and vote for John McCain, as I’ve done several times in the last 20 years.

I don’t think I could bring myself to cast a vote for Hayworth.

UPDATE: Noble Thinking seems to agree McCain v. Hayworth: It’s About Character

* They have since claimed that McCain removed or hid the grants link, but it is still available, in the same locations, and just as visible in all three browsers I tested. I think they missed that it was never a link on the home page, and was only ever linked on a couple of pages inside. In other words, depending on which page you visit, you can get a screen cap of it there – or a screen cap of it not there.



Comments

5 Responses to “Hayworth? McCain? Door Number 3?”

  1. Vox
    July 5th, 2010 @ 9:27 am

    There is another choice in the race – the Independent candidate Ian Gilyeat
    http://www.electiangilyeat.com/

    He is a Conservative, and a thinker, that I trust. Having worked for him in the private sector years ago, I know if he says he believes something, it is because he really does. If he says he will do something, you can bet that he really will.

    However, the role & effect of third party candidates could fill another long & rambling post.

  2. Gerberich
    August 11th, 2010 @ 8:28 am

    I’m gonna get lit up by the softies but I’ll say it anyway: If you want to live in America, learn English. We should not have to cater to immigrants who can’t be bothered to try and assimilate. Also, pay taxes. I have an honest job and each paycheck a nice hefty chuck disappears to the government (the same government that wants to give these people drivers licenses..wtf). Diversity is great, but if you want to live here and expect people to welcome you with open arms, contribute to our culture.. don’t try and resist it

  3. Dotty Crosier
    August 17th, 2010 @ 2:45 am

    I agree 100%

  4. Enda Hachez
    August 19th, 2010 @ 9:45 am

    A politician guilty of false statements. What next? A baker guilty of baking a cake?

  5. Losers Law in #AZsen Race
    November 1st, 2010 @ 2:06 pm

    […] cast your vote for Glassman because you are pissed at McCain. McCain may be a RINO, but he is right on some important issues. Glassman never will be – and he will be beholden to the Pelosi/Reid/Obama […]

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