THEY'RE an interesting thing, these primaries. Above all, it's fascinating that in the age of television and the Internet, politicians still must go around the country, campaigning from state to state as if they were snake oil salesmen traveling on the carnival circuit. One of the most fascinating things about primary politics is that it offers parties a chance to choose someone electable, rather than a figurehead for the party's agenda.
This is a crucial distinction. Oftentimes, the most electable candidate is not who the party would choose in a perfect world. The liberal wing of the Democratic Party may very well prefer Bill Bradley's old-time rhetoric over Vice President Al Gore's more moderate, proven approach. But they know that nationalized health care and pandering to the Al Sharptons of the world will not get their nominee elected.
The same process is underway in the Republican Party. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), as every poll has shown, would overwhelmingly beat Al Gore in the general election. While Texas Gov. George W. Bush currently holds a 9-point lead over Gore in the latest national poll, you can bet that will change as the election draws closer. If the Republican Party wants to choose a nominee that can win in November, it should swallow its pride and rally around McCain. By choosing Bush, the GOP would handicap itself by picking a nominee who is beholden to interests - the Religious Right, the gun lobby - that many Americans find distasteful. It's a choice between ideology and pragmatism.
It's understandable that the Republican establishment is so fond of George W. Bush. He has a lot of cute catchphrases. He has - or at least, had - a lot of money to spend. His father was president. He is the governor of a very large state, which means that should he get the nomination, Texas - and all its electoral votes - is guaranteed to him. And in direct contrast to McCain, Bush's campaign finance "reform" still will allow political parties to receive huge sums of unregulated money under the guise of "individual contributions."
This means that the concerns of regular people will be stuffed in the trunk while large donors' agendas get to ride up front. In direct contrast to this attitude, McCain has promised to end the stranglehold that political donations exercise over Washington. The party establishment knows that should McCain win, the game is over for them and their special interest pals.
In Virginia Beach on Monday, McCain launched a clear shot against the fundamentalists who falsely claim to represent Christian voters. McCain made his feelings toward the Christian Right painfully clear: "We are the party of Ronald Reagan, not Pat Robertson ... We are the party of Abraham Lincoln, not Bob Jones." On the surface, these words are simply an attack on an opponent's support base. But if you read deeper into them, they represent much more.
CNN political analyst Jeff Greenfield observed last year that for a candidate to gain credibility with the general electorate, as opposed to simply his party, he needs a "Sister Souljah moment." Greenfield was referring to the time in 1992, when then-governor Bill Clinton appeared on a forum with the highly controversial activist. He repudiated the liberal, apologist views on race that had characterized the Democratic Party for much of the 1970s and '80s. In effect, Clinton was rejecting the tired, old politics of race-baiting and pandering - the same politics that had cost the Democrats several elections -in favor of the more moderate approach that the Democrats employ today. It established Clinton's image as a genuine centrist, and someone who would not pander to racial extremists in exchange for their votes.
In essence, this is what McCain did on Monday. In the heart of Christian Coalition territory, he made it clear that while Christian conservatives are always welcome on his campaign, they are not allowed to dominate it with their fire-and-brimstone rhetoric.
More importantly, McCain is not going to hitch his campaign to their wagon. It's a wagon that lead straight to defeat for the previous two Republican presidential nominees.
The difference now is that McCain has had his "Sister Souljah" moment. He has rejected the fringe of his party that is so unappealing to the general electorate. While it did not help him in Virginia, appealing to moderates in the primary season may pay off. Republicans in states like New York and California often are very different from their party colleagues in the Southeast.
Republicans voting in the primaries on March 7 should take into account McCain's stunning popularity among all voters. If only registered Republicans voted in general elections, George W. Bush would win without a doubt. However - as many voters in that party seem to be forgetting - a candidate must have mass appeal to win a national election. Republican voters in the upcoming primary states should avoid voting based on an obstinate display of support for who they feel is "the right candidate." If they want someone from their party to actually win, they should support the most electable candidate. Clearly, at this moment in time, that candidate is John McCain.
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