Residual Forces

Polinaut linked to the John McCain announcement of his team of Minnesota officials on board with him so far. You will see a vast list of State Reps and Senators, past and present, and a few people involved in GOP politics on official levels.

McCain has been quite daft at recruiting entrenched politicos and officials to his campaign. Much like his vaunted Gang of 14 (regarding judges who were ‘too controversial’ for the Senate to vote up or down on, yeah take that values voters who think is rock solid on social issues), he has managed to make people think they can win by saddling their wagons to him. Well, um, in this case, time will tell.

In the next few days, you will hear of another well known Minnesota Republican who will be a national chair for a McCain sub-campaign group. (hint Veterans). Of all the names on the list, of whom I know their voting records is RINO. I’ll spare them, but let’s just say some of these people are leading the charge on the nanny state initiatives in Minnesota.

I was offered/promised/threatened an interview with McCain to ‘get me on board’ by one member of the list, but for some reason I am still awaiting that. In all honesty, I’d probably cave like the MSMers do to McCain’s maverickness, but I would love the chance to see if I have the cajones to ask him tough questions from the conservative base point of view.

I was struggling with a non-editorializing post on this, (I’ve been advised to hold back a bit to be taken seriously) and this morning, someone emailed and said just link to David Strom’s post on it. He titled it “Not very impressive…”

He goes through the list person by person and dispels the conservative cred myth for most. Here’s his conclusion which pretty much nails it, it being Mccain’s coffin closed on any chance in Minnesota.

Overall I see this list as a HUGE rebuke to the Governor and McCain, and more evidence that McCain is tanking. Where are the big names? There are so few current legislators that the few who are there stand out. The FORMER legislators are on the whole VERY VERY former. Totally out of the loop in today’s politics.

It’s kinda like getting George McGovern’s endorsement today for Democratic Presidential candidates. Won’t exactly move the Party faithful today.

Why was Pawlenty so unsuccessful in filling out this list with big names? Where are the big money people other than Eibensteiner?

Hmmm. Where is everyone else going? Romney or Guiliani? Or just waiting in the wings?

Take it at what you will. It is interesting seeing 7th District Vice Chair Andy Van Dam on the list though. (admission, the guy bugs me, and I am sure we have a mutual dislike thing going) He is a lifelong friend and ally of Eric Hoplin the state Deputy Chair (who I don’t think is the devil like some) who is forbidden from participating in the endorsement debate along with Chairman Carey (who I don’t trust) and Sec/Treas. Tony Sutton (who I think I like, but I am not so sure he’s OK with me as I did cost him his full time job with the party). I did hear Ron Carey tell the Blaine Townhall attendees that he does know who he is supporting though. (what does this have to do with anything? I just wanted to get it off my chest)

Anyways, the list of McCain supporters is about as impressive as my endorsement for something. No offense to those on the list, but if the early polls are dead wrong, and McCain had a serious chance of winning this thing, you’d see scores of well known conservative names on this list.

I can tell you that many people I have talked to about McCain, are supporting him solely based on his military career, and time served in the Hanoi Hilton. I would never begin to attack them or McCain for that, but I would strongly urge anyone seriously considering McCain to look at his Senate career instead. That’s the kind of President we will get with McCain.

Some other names on the list that I know can simply be summed up by saying that they believe the Government should solve every and any problem. RINOs, if you will. We’re gonna be ground zero in the 2008 Presidential melee for Republicans, and this is the list of people McCain and Pawlenty put together to go twist arms? Frankly, a lot of these people won’t even be listened to by the conservative base of the Republican party.

Heck, I’m sure most of us won’t even open the door to give them a chance to spin McCain’s career. I guess I am not so comfortable with a man who is telling me what to think, and gets snippy when I don’t listen and do what he wants me to so his own political career and aspirations can pan out. Guess that explains why Pawlenty is on board.

I’d say team McPlenty’s Minnesota campaign is DOA.

(Dang it, I editorialized, well, this one is better than the other version. Trust me. )