It’s probably not how the “Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain” wants to be remembered but recent reports that Bush will implement McCain’s escalation plan in Iraq should give Republicans serious pause about the future of the McCain roller coaster. Escalation in Iraq is a sub-20% issue with the American public at the moment. You can’t have an issue lingering at 20% approval without a chunk of the Republican base coming out against the plan, (ask Bill Frist about Schaivo). Even if Republicans aren’t willing to split with McCain over his plan for escalation the issue is unpopular with Independent and Democratic voters.
With todays report that the Bush Administration will shortly roll out the McCain escalation plan in the coming weeks and with media reports and framing from John Edwards that pins the plan on John McCain it may be impossible to see the death caused by the Iraq War and not think that John McCain represents a continuation of the status quo in Washington.
We’ve watched as McCain has turned hard right over the last three years, attempting to close off openings to his ideological right. Many of us have been waiting for McCain to “Jump the Base,” and propose or advocate some policy that would only appeal to a sliver of the Republican parties right-wing base, while at the same time turning off the rest of the electorate.
Could the McCain Doctrine of escalation, now that it’s been fully accepted by the Bush Administration, doom McCain? If not in the Republican primary, surely during the general election.
Something to say?
