McCain Watch - 7

Blue Texan at Unclaimed Territory somewhat assuages my concerns (see most recent in my series of McCain Watches) about Sen. John McCain becoming president in 2008.

McCain, who couldn't beat Bush in South Carolina in 2000, still couldn't. Despite his reluctance to vote against his own party and his nauseating attempts to prove that he's really one of them since shilling for Bush in 2004, he's still hated among Bush followers. They've never forgiven him for McCain-Feingold, and they suspect that deep-down, he's a closet liberal.

Powerline recently wondered, "Can the nation afford a President McCain?", Mobius Dick accused him of "bashing Bush" on the war as Red State called him a "backstabber", Ann Coulter called McCain a "demagogue," Hugh Hewitt hilariously blamed the Republicans staggering losses in November on McCain, Free Republic called him a "treasonous bastard" and a "fascist" World Net Daily just asked, "Why does John McCain hate the GOP?" and Jonah Goldberg breathlessly declared that "McCain's moment is over"...six years ago.

But if you really want to see firsthand the level of hate and vitriol that rank-and-file Bush followers have for McCain, just go to Town Hall or Free Republic or Red State and scroll through the comments on any McCain-related article. It's beyond ugly.