Say Anything Blog

What does it mean to be a Republican?  What does it mean to be a Conservative?  The two used to be pretty much synonymous, but with McCain at the helm, the Party’s tiller is soon to be jammed hard a-port.

Some Conservatives intend to try to minimize the damage.

Conservatives to battle McCain over platform
Activists don’t want his views on warming, stem cells, other issues adopted

Conservative activists are preparing to do battle with allies of Sen. John McCain in advance of September’s Republican National Convention, hoping to prevent his views on global warming, immigration, stem cell research and campaign finance from becoming enshrined in the party’s official declaration of principles.

McCain has not yet signaled the changes he plans to make in the GOP platform, but many conservatives say they fear wholesale revisions could emerge as candidate McCain seeks to put his stamp on a document that currently reflects the policies and principles of President Bush.

”There is just no way that you can avoid anticipating what is going to come. Everyone is aware that McCain is different on these issues,” said Jessica Echard, executive director of the conservative Eagle Forum. “We’re all kind of waiting with anticipation because we just don’t know how he’s going to thread this needle.”

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One main concern is immigration. The current plank on that issue calls for a temporary-worker program, something that both Bush and McCain have supported but that many conservatives view as unwarranted amnesty for people who arrived in the country illegally. She would like a much tougher position and is wary of McCain on the issue.

“Our job is to make sure that the grass roots continue to have a say,” she said.