Posted by
Scott Ott on Thursday, July 31, 2008 9:58:15 AM
Every sports fan knows there comes a time when the game plan has collapsed, and the star has stumbled. Wisdom and experience dictate that you yank the starter, put in a promising second stringer and go to Plan B.
For the Republican party, that time has come. It's time to bench Sen. John McCain, and replace him with someone who can inspire
the base of the Republican party as he, or she, stands boldly for its basic principles.
Don't tell me that McCain trails by only seven points in the polls. Don't tell me that Sen. Obama got no bounce from his recent international junket, and that the rookie is bound to make a momentum-killing mistake. Don't plead that we're too close to November, and any alternate candidate wouldn't have time to build a grassroots campaign. And don't make me laugh by suggestion a great VP pick will cure what ails him. These are the excuses of unprincipled losers.
Grassroots conservative constitutionalists
still ache for an opportunity to throw their enthusiastic support behind a like-minded, visionary candidate. It's not too late. We have not yet nominated the Senator from Arizona. He is still simply presumptive.
Sen. McCain has already defined the 2008 election as a referendum on
Barack Obama -- a strategic blunder which undercuts any claim that McCain has to leadership ability. If he should happen to win, he will have succeeded in redefining the Republican party in a way that will send conservatives running.
The primary election system as it is -- a product of the last 40-years of media-driven politics -- is broken. It's a terrible way to pick a leader. Instead of choosing the boldest advocate for conservative, constitutional government, it has produced a nominee who proved least offensive the most primary voters. Remember, the primary system belongs to the party, it's not a Constitutionally-mandated process. My fellow Republicans, it's ours. If it's not working, we can change it. Conventions used to have a purpose beyond coronation and inebriation. It's time to restore that purpose.
Of course, I have just branded myself as a traitor to the party, or some kind of enemy of Sen. McCain...or worse, a secret ally of Sen. Obama. I'll spare you the self-defensive denials.
Conservatives lack only one thing at this pivotal moment in history: Courage.
If nothing changes, yes, we will vote for Sen. McCain, because the
alternative is unthinkable. However, the individual votes of the
committed core won't provide the margin of victory. Sen. McCain has our
votes by default. What he needs is our hearts, which
stir our voices and move our feet.
Conscience compels us to act now for the sake of this great nation.
Bench McCain.