Republicans...Do you think John McCain is too much "on the fence"?
609034
I think he's viable for that reason alone... people are not responding well to the partisan views of the current Republican leadership... I think if you go with someone like a Frist, it's a sinking boat, as things stand now...
780421
I wouldn't go have a beer with the guy, but I respect what he's done so far. It's a tough job that most people wouldn't want, and he could have done worse.  He's had a tough road from day one with the 2000 elections, 9/11, then the Iraq war.  \n\nI think he gets a bad rap because he's not as polished as most politicians.  I don't agree with some of his policies (religion, gays, etc), but overall I think he is a patriot with our best intentions in mind.\n\nThe bottom line:  I like him, and I respect the job he's done.
763797
Republicans have a real problem here - they can't afford to let Kerry run his mouth uncontested, but they are skating on thin ice concerning Iraq with the nearing election. I would not want to be in a position trying to justify our being there (even though I feel that we need to stay at this point). Politicians are just slinging mud - when the overspray of mud hit the voters in the eye, the election can be affected drastically. Republicans need to be mindful of the shaky ground that they are on and proceed cautiously.
343694
He has actually moved to the right some, but all in all is still quite moderate, Bush being far right does cause conflict with him and he does disagree with him on certain points. I have allot more respect for McCain then most repuglicans that get in lock step with the far right and never mind what the average American people need.
65390
i am a democrat, but i don't think the next president is going to be a democrat.  we have been seriously getting our asses kicked and the republicans have too many big-name personalities, whereas we have.. who? hillary? bah. get real.\n\npersonally, i think if john mccain can swing the nomination, he's got a great chance.  he's very powerful, liked by lots of people, and seems to legislate based on ethical principles, not self-interest and sleazy practices.  hell, i'd vote for the guy and i'm in the other party!\n\nhttp://mccain.senate.gov/
783887
Arlen Spector, Chuck Hagel, Lindsay Graham, Susan Collins. McCain used to be more of a straight talker, but I would not trust him now. Other honest Republicans will surface after the election
347592
McCain is one of the few likable politicians out there, as far as I'm concerned.  He seems like he has wisdom, and he relates well to people.  Plus, I think his war experience could be crucial toward dealing with the war at hand.\n\nHe would get my vote.
740892
Didn't McCain's son just enlist?\n\nBTW - apparently the percentage of Congress-members with children in the military is double that of the average population.
104667
No I do not, for several reasons.\n\nFirst, I believe he does not want to run for it.\n\nSecond, I believe with his ongoing health issues he would be unelectable (or at least pictured that way by the voting public).\n\nThird, I believe he has more bad press than he has deserved. He definately has an image that is prevalent.\n\nFourth, I believe the Republicans have stronger candidate possibilities.
766623
I am hoping for John McCain. He is the only republican I will vote for period. I fear however that the neocon will rally and nose McCain( a more traditional conservativve meaning strong defense strict fiscal policy etc) out of the runniong in favor of a more neocon choice like Bill Frist\nHillary will be for the Dems unless she blows it
980728
Either way, he is likely to be confirmed.  While he is a Republican, he is not a zealot.  He has proven in the past that he can work with both parties.  He is probably a very good choice.  This is the first replacement, but probably not the last, that Jim Baker will ask the President for.
882365
Philosophically, I'm a diehard democrat.  However, if McCain ran as the President, I would vote for him.  Probably regardless of who his running mate is.\nWhy?  Because John McCain is one of the few politicians (and the only one at the national level) whom I believe when he speaks.  I don't always agree with his ideas; frequently, I disagree; however, when he speaks, I don't feel like he's pandering to this special interest or speaking because of results of a focus group.  He has bucked both parties at various times, but is also willing to work with people on both sides of an issue.  The man, whether you like his plans or not (and he's one of the more moderate Republicans out there), appears to have ALWAYS been honest AND to avoid the dirty campaining prevelent within both parties (remember the mudbath Bush gave him in 2000)?.\nTo me, integrity means a lot more than agreeing on every single issue out there.\nI don't like Rudy Giuliani, though.  If he ran for President, I wouldn't vote for him.  Being from NY, I will grant that he had many successes.  But his dishonesty sticks with me.  If I remember correctly, he's on his third marriage, this one to his former mistress.   Doesn't sit well with me, along with the whole Brooklyn Museum controversy (1st amendment rights, anyone?) and Farmersville Garbage debacle...if you say something, you need to mean it.
478919
McCain is too liberal for me personally, especially in regard to issues like illegal immigration, gun control and campaign finance reform.  With that in mind, I can't imagine the Dems running a candidate that would be much better on those issues.  In the end, it'll get down to a lesser of two evils, just like the 2000 and 2004 elections.  \n\nOne of the biggest indicators that McCain is a bad choice is the huge number of liberals who claim they'd vote for him in an election.  I don't believe that crap for a second.  When it gets down to it, liberals are not going to support ANYONE in the Republican party, even if they were a self-avowed communist.\n\nNope.  When the rubber hits the road, McCain isn't a viable conservative choice.  Now...if you're asking will he win the nomination, I'd have to say he has a pretty good chance.
243927
It might help if you could list for us what precisely he has done --that is, that has been PROVEN, not that some opponent has alleged.   I certainly have things I don't like about the guy-- I think he's become too friendly with the status quo and the powers that he once opposed.  \n\nBut as for the things he's been specifically charged with...  Ronnie Earle's proceedings against him are a joke.  Come on, empaneling one grand jury after another until he could get one that would go along with him??   Then having to turn right around and   empanel another to quickly tack on another charge when he discovered he had charged the man under a law that didn't even exist at the time of the alleged offense?! (charges that, not surprisingly, were subsequently dismissed)\n\nIn the end Earle's antics will probably end up the way his other attacks on his political opponents have ended... embarrassing the accuser. \n\nFrankly, I think there's probably a lot of folks who WOULD have been glad to vote for one of the other primary candidates, except they are afraid that would send the signal that Earle's nonsense was legitimate.
1034274
If you think republicans are evil, why would you consider becoming one? (and yes I agree with you)  Nobody ever said you have to lean completely to the left or completely to the right.  There are a lot of people sitting in the middle of the fence.  Instead of worrying about that, why not worry about your stance on the actual issues behind everything?
136493
Hopefully, Sen. John McCain will run.  Not a Republican, but I truly believe this man can bring some integrity to Congress and the White House that has been so lacking during the Bush Adminstration.  It is high time to restore some semblance, order, and stability and a renewed confidence in the Constituiton and the Bill of Rights.
931373
... well... first off... I fear I may be wasting my breath, because the information is out there and with an attitude like "all that I have seen or heard from the democrats is their utter hatred for President Bush"... it seems to show that you watch and believe only conservative sources of news... if that's all you believe, then it's pointless to argue...\n\nbut, real quick... a few points... \n\nIraq... listen to the generals (as many retired generals have said the current admin has not), set goals and flexible time lines to get the country stabilized and our boys home...\n\nhealth care... work to either expand current coverage of medicaid or work on bringing the costs down, but not through caps... costs are totally out of control\n\neducation... work to give more loans at lower rates and grants... tuition has skyrocketed... also, rework no child left behind to make it a working program...\n\ntaxes... keep the cuts on the middle class, repeal investor tax cuts... this will generate revenue to apply to the deficit...\n\nsocial security...we need to stop taking out of the jar and pay back what we have taken out... \n\nterror... work on bin Laden... a lot of talk from the Republicans about bin Laden... little action... the sooner we stabilize Iraq, the more we can focus on him...\n\nthere are other issues... and different democratic candidates have different views on the issues... just like McCain and Bush's views on these issues you asked about are sometimes very different inside the same party...\n\nEDIT: don't mention it... I think that one IMPORTANT key is that I don't like all democratic candidates... I think some of them are crazy... and I don't dislike all Republican candidates... \ntry to vote on the individual and their stances and not the party... I may lean to the democrat side often, but I do vote Republcian at times...