ABM

I have long admired John McCain and wanted to like him as a presidential candidate. I’ve been rereading his remarkable memoir Faith of My Fathers in the hope that the time might come when I could pay tribute to his manifest gifts. I’ve reserved judgment on the relative merits of the three major Republican candidates. Never mind.
Usually a presidential candidate waits at least to secure his party’s nomination before he reaches beyond (sells out) his party’s base. It seems to me that for those of us who have kept an open mind on Senator McCain, hoping that he might pay us that minimal respect, the time has come to check out on his candidacy. Claiming paternity of the prospective immigration amnesty along with Senator Kennedy and others today, Senator McCain has saved me the traditional buyer’s remorse. Pending further developments, I’ve narrowed the field of acceptable Republican candidates. I’m opting for Anybody But McCain.
PAUL concurs: For me, it’s down to Giuliani, Romney, and Fred Thompson if he enters. Some will defend the position of the Senate Republicans in this matter on the grounds that they don’t have the 40 votes to stop immigration reform so they had to cut a deal. I don’t find the defense very persuasive and, in any case, it’s not available to McCain. He’s a big reason why Senate Republicans don’t have the 40 votes. That may be leadership, but it’s not the kind we need.