Contact: Bob Sturm, 703-396-6974; after 6 PM Eastern, Vi Shields or Bob Sturm, 703-906-6542, 703-307-8176; both for ConservativeHQ.com
MEDIA ADVISORY, April 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, has listed the problems which conservatives have with presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain.
"The truth is that the differences with McCain are real. They involve matters of policy, of personnel, and of insights into the Senator's thinking about conservatives and the issues important to conservatives," Viguerie said.
He said some of the biggest complaints were:
- The Supreme Court. According to John Fund of the Wall Street Journal, McCain "indicated he might draw the line" against nominating someone like Samuel Alito who "wore his conservatism on his sleeve." Since any conservative judge would vote to overrule the McCain-Feingold law, conservatives fear McCain would appoint justices like David Souter and John Paul Stevens.
- Right to Life: McCain supports continued taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood and opposes any limitations on killing embryos for stem cell research.
- Taxes: McCain opposed the Bush tax cuts in 2001 and 2003.
- First Amendment: As the principal sponsor of the infamous McCain-Feingold law, he has protected incumbents by shielding them from criticism and improved the advantage of wealthy candidates.
- Second Amendment: McCain has earned "F-minus-minus" grades from Gun Owners of America.
- "Gay Marriage": Mc Cain opposes a constitutional amendment to reserve marriage to one man and one woman.
- Amnesty for Illegal Aliens: McCain has been the foremost proponent--more than President Bush or any Democrat--of amnesty for persons who have entered the U.S. illegally.
- Personnel: McCain has brought on board his campaign non-conservatives, and even anti-conservatives, like Ken Mehlman, Karl Rove, Jerry Perenchio, Juan Hernandez, and Bobbie Kilberg. "Show me who you walk with and I'll show you who you are," Viguerie said.
- Loyalty to the Republican Party: Several news sources reported that McCain seriously considered switching parties in 2001 in order to give the Democrats control of the Senate. And in 2004, McCain discussed with Senator John Kerry the possibility of becoming Kerry's vice presidential candidate.
Viguerie said, "There is simply no way to reconcile McCain's flirting with Democrats in 2001 and 2004 and his claim that he is, and has been, a conservative Reaganite Republican."
He added that, in the two months since he has wrapped up the nomination, McCain has done nothing significant to reach out to conservatives. "And that fact alone tells you everything you need to know about John McCain," Viguerie concluded.
The full article, with additional details, is posted online at http://conservativehq.com/news-from-the-front/ravonmccain080416
NOTE TO EDITORS: Richard A. Viguerie pioneered political direct mail and has been called "one of the creators of the modern conservative movement" (The Nation magazine) and one of the "conservatives of the century" (The Washington Times). His latest book is Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big-Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause (Bonus Books, 2006).
