John McCain has been given the look of approval from the father of the Republican Party’s political dynasty, George Bush Sr. who is the 41st United States President before losing the 1992 US Election to Bill Clinton. This should send a strong message to the GOP and especially the conservative base that have their concerns and fears about John McCain as the possible GOP nominee and possible US President.
Bush Sr. has said McCain’s conservative voting record is a solid one. Mathematically speaking, McCain is the inevitable GOP nominee. However, McCain’s rival Mike Huckabee who is deemed an underdog has remained in the race.
“No one is better prepared to lead our nation at these trying times than Sen. John McCain,” Bush Sr. had said while he was with McCain in an airport hanger. He added: “His character was forged in the crucible of war. His commitment to America is beyond any doubt. But most importantly, he has the right values and experience to guide our nation forward at this history moment.”
McCain would respond. “I think that our effort to continue to unite the party will be enhanced dramatically by President Bush’s words,” McCain added saying that he was honored by Bush Sr.’s endorsement.
Ever since the chief rival Mitt Romney had dropped out, McCain has been trying to woo the conservative voting bloc of the GOP. However, many conservatives are not convinced. Mike Huckabee’s refusal to drop out of the race has made it more difficult for John McCain to get the conservative voting bloc behind him. McCain had said that he needed the support of conservatives to win the candidacy.
With Huckabee still in the race, it will be difficult for McCain to get the conservative vote.
While there are people getting behind McCain, he still has a long way to go towards energizing most of the Republican Party. The endorsements are telling many conservatives to support McCain and urge Huckabee to drop out. However, Huckabee has dismissed all requests to drop out.
However, Bush Sr. said that he was not telling Huckabee to drop out.
“I had not come here to tell any other candidate what to do,” Bush Sr. had said. He would then talk about his own defeat during the 1980 US Presidential race. Bush Sr. would say: “It can take a white for any candidate to read the handwriting on the wall, and that certainly was true of me.”
He also would fire at critics of McCain. Bush Sr. said that it was unfair and absurd of the right flank to say that McCain is not conservative enough.
“He’s got … a sound conservative record, and yet he’s not above reading out to the other side,” he said in regards to McCain’s critics.
While McCain looks to be the inevitable nominee, Huckabee’s refusal to drop out has forced him to focus on the primaries. McCain has to rally the GOP and clean the slate of current US President and Republican George W. Bush, the son of Bush Sr. Currently, Bush’s job approval is at a very low margin.
Many moderate Republicans and independents have showed their disapproval of George W. Bush.
McCain’s possible presidency has been painted by Democrats as a continuation of the George W. Bush era. Huckabee had also made it known that he is unfazed by McCain’s endorsement by Bush Sr.