Republicans only: Do you consider John McCain our best candidate?

I am a staunch Republican but do not consider myself conservative, at least as the standard definition reads.

To wit, I don't support abortion but believe it should be kept legal. I don't like the Iraq war but we are there and need to finish it with honor. And finally, I hate the role our party has given to the rightwing "born again" Christian crowd, most of whom just plain creap me out. Gay marriage... honestly, who cares? Really, I just want my taxes cut, my business left alone and our country well defended.

So back to McCain. I like him. I think he would be a great candidate and could lead the GOP back were we belong -- in the center, not on the rightwing fringe that Bush has put us in.

No - I am a hardcore conservative and will NEVER vote McCain - even if it gives Hillary or Obama the win.

No.

Ron Paul is the best candidate. Ron Paul is the only genuine conservative.

For your views, abortion, is something that legally should be a states rights issue. The federal government should not have power over the issue, as it is not given to them in the US Constitution.

The Iraq war is a undeclared war, and it has already been won. We invaded, killed Saddam's sons, captured Saddam, held trial, held elections, executed Saddam, killed terrorists, and now we are done. Sticking around can do nothing but cause more problems. Leaving immediately will cause no problems, since we are the thorn in the thumb.

Ron Paul thinks his relegion is a private matter between him and god, and that flaunting relegion is just a way to get votes.

Liscensing Gay marriage, or ANY marriage is not a power given to the government in the constitution. Therefore if states want to require liscenses, or conditions of who can and cant, let them. Another state issue, allowing each state to vote locally and determine its own position.

For taxes, we don't need them simply cut. We need taxes ELIMINATED. Imagine you did not have to pay a income tax. Way better than a simple tax cut. This can easily be done by decreasing the size of government. No candidate other than Ron Paul dare talk about reducing the size of government. Therefore no candidate other than Paul is serious about tax cuts.

McCain is not in the real center. The real center is a constitutionalist. If offers freedom, and liberty, and personal responsibility, while offering a strong military and national defence.

I like him, but after taking a voters guide test, I found out Romney most closely lined up with the way i feel in 9 out of 10 questions.

no!
huckabee!!!


the order of candidates for me would be:
huckabee, thompson, guiliani, romney, mccain, paul, and then obama or edwards, and hillary isn't even an option for me. (yes, i know edwards, guiliani, and thompson have dropped out)

I still favor Huckabee. I really don't know what to think about McCain. I like him, but I'm not sure if he is the right person to be President. I would vote for him though if he were the only Republican. I'll never vote Democrat.

Well, your views mirror McCain's so it's obvious why you like him.

I'm not very into politics anymore, but I am opposed to abortion, but no politican will ever touch it so I don't even consider it in a litmus test for a candidate.

However, McCain is more liberal than me. I really liked Fred Thompson and .................................am looking for a third party candidate. I've met Huckabee several times and he's more liberal than McCain --- except on abortion...............and that's to get the "born again" vote. He governed as liberally in Arkansas as Clinton did - look at the record.

Ron Paul's da bomb

Rush Limbaugh doesn't like McCain.

If Rush a staunch conservative doesn't like him,
shouldn't all Republicans be scared?

I would rather vote Ron Paul over any of them.
He is still a candidate isn't he.? And Huckabee,
but I think because he is a Baptist minister, that
that he will try to covert us and we will be having
Church every time he speaks.
As a minister he doesn't believe in war though.
Would our security be at risk? Ron Paul
mirrors George Bush without the War Mongering
mentality. But Ron Paul worries me with his
far out alien responses. He may set up a alien
mission in the White House without us knowing it.

John's okay - but not capable of running our country; especially considering all of the problems the Bush administration will leave behind - combined with the problems that will naturally occur. He is slow to respond, often stares into the distance, is not well-versed on the issues, and often forgets his train of thought. Sorry but the next president will need a lot of energy, grit, quick thinking, and knowledge of all the issues facing America. John might make a good consultant to the military establishment, but that is all.

So far I think McCain is the best bet. What will really matter now is who he pics as a running mate. If he goes with the status quo white haired old man (like himself) they are doomed. If he get a young progressive moderate to be his VP I think he will be tough to beat. But that means nothing if he doesn't win the primaries.

No, I do not consider John McCain our best candidate. Ron Paul was a great choice however, he should have ran as an Independent (he could be considered a Libertarian) it would have given him a better chance.

Rudy Giuliani also shared some of your same ideas but, he too, is out.

As my brother said (he is conservative in your sense) I will not vote for McCain if it is between him and Obama--I would rather vote Democrat and have fresh blood in the White House than to have stodgy, shifty McCain.

No but I will vote for him if Romney doesn't get the nomination.

Yes - by far.

I favor Mitt Romney cause he is a christian first and foremost. He stands for everything that God is for and I believe that is what this country needs to be run on. The beliefs that Abortion should be outlawed, Gay Marriages should be outlawed and we need to get back to what this country was raised on and that being god fearing christians in the white house.

NO!

I'm a swing voter, I still see no body to vote for, I will not vote for Hillary, Nor McCain as to his view on illegals.

Here are the views I want to see:

* Seal the borders AND have a path to citizenship
* Strong on defense WITHOUT more Iraqs
* More research on global warming AND stem cell research
* Roll back taxes AND spending
* Let everyone enjoy the misery of marriage
* Early term abortion allowed but NO partial birth abortion
* States rights on education decisions but NO state control over federal resources like the National Guard.
* Third-party candidates allowed ONLY IF there is a primary, a general, and a runoff election where the choice is finally narrowed to only two so that we can see who gets a majority vote; and lastly,
* No altering the constitution unless through the legitimately established amendment process.

Funny you should mention bringing the Party back to the center.

McCain has spent the last month and a half trying to convince voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan, South Carolina, Florida, and now California, that he is a consistent conservative. He's been pushing himself as far to the right as he can, just to allay fears that he's "too liberal".

As I type this, Bob Cusack, the managing editor of "The Hill", is on Fox News, saying that he spoke with several former senators who, in 2001, had heard McCain say that he was close to leaving the GOP, and not necessarily to become an independent.

To answer your question, though, no. John McCain is not the best Republican candidate. Vote for Mitt Romney.