John McCain says he's a true conservative. As a matter fact, he even has a TV ad up about it. Watch it here and read below:
Announcer: As a prisoner of war, John McCain was inspired by Ronald Reagan.
JOHN MCCAIN: I enlisted as a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution.
Announcer: Guided by strong conservative principles, he'll cut wasteful spending and keep taxes low. A proud social conservative who will never waver. The leadership and experience to call for the surge strategy in Iraq that is working. John McCain: The true conservative Ready to be commander-in-chief on day one.
OK, all you McCain haters out there; stop it right now. I know you are rolling around on the floor laughing. That's not polite. Are you done yet? I know you think he's anything but a conservative but here's the problem for you: you're running out of time.
I get it. You like Romney and think he should be the conservative standard bearer. And he's talking your language and saying all the right things. I know, I get it.
Here's the deal. I brought this up after McCain won New Hampshire and wondered aloud when other candidates were going to end the free pass for McCain. I know Rush Limbaugh has been ripping into McCain but it's different if you have a team of presidential candidates' gang up on him. It never happened.
Romney has been harping about McCain on a whole host of issues but guess what folks? He's the only one. Huckabee? Please…he likes McCain and never went negative on him in South Carolina when victory was there for the taking. Giuliani? Umm? Enough said. He just endorsed McCain. Fred Thompson? He's a good friend of McCain So what are you left with? One guy…Mitt Romney doing all the dirty work. It may not be enough.
Romney, Limbaugh and the EOM groups (Enemies of McCain) have just a few days left to make the case that McCain is wrong for the Republican Party. But not only did they possibly wait too long to recognize the threat but McCain has two bedrock conservative principles going for him: less government spending and hawkish national security. Throw in McCain's patriotism to our country, and the fact that, except for embryonic stem cell research, he's pretty much been there on the life issue, it just may be enough to bring enough conservatives to his side and secure the nomination.