McCain and the Evangelicals

Dear editor:

Those bigoted, “family value,” extremist, right wing pundits of the conservative airwaves; Rush Limbaugh, Neal Bortz, Hugh Hewitt, and Ann Coulter, (backed up by evangelical Christian leader James Dobson,) who claim to represent the “base electorate” of the Republican Party, are at it again, debasing and trashing Sen. John McCain, the presumptive presidential candidate of the Grand Old Party (GOP.) Coulter, who a few months ago declared on TV that Jews need “to be perfected,” stated that the only way McCain could have her vote is if he “put a gun to my head.” Limbaugh stated on air that McCain is “going to destroy the Republican Party.” The others have made similar disparaging statements about Sen. McCain, a true American war hero who speaks his mind and sticks to his opinions and guns.

Let’s face it, Sen. McCain ran in primaries against Rev. Huckabee, the darling of the evangelicals, and beat him soundly. Could it be that the religious extremists in the GOP are not the true “base” that controls the party, but rather the “base” is composed of all those who would rather see someone who wants to change the outlook of the United States and is not a tool of the so-called conservative talk radio hosts and their minions? In America the majority nominates, and evidently the majority of the Republican Party voted for McCain. Aren’t they really the “base?”

The one thing Mr. McCain has to do is not fall prey to the rantings of the extremists. Recently he has started to change some of his opinions and statements on many pressing subjects just to attract and pacify the evangelicals. If he continues this it is a major mistake, for he would be walking away from the “base” of the party that nominated him with their votes. Changes like this would be an insult to those who backed him in the primaries and probably would cost him many, many votes in the November general election.

I have always had a lot of respect for Sen. McCain as a straight shooter, even though I do not agree with him all the time (i.e. the continuing war in Iraq.) He stood up to the North Vietnamese in a prison camp for so long, and I think he should stand up to those in his party who want to remake America in their warped image.