McCain is no “maverick”

If he ever was (and that’s debatable), he certainly isn’t now.

If McCain can’t lead Republicans, how can he lead the country, much less the world?

Two of the most prominent conservative Republican commentators are concerned enough about the competency of McCain’s campaign to write publicly of the matter, apparently hoping to get a message through before it’s too late.

Robert Novak:

Shortcomings by John McCain’s campaign in the art of politics are alienating two organizations of Christian conservatives. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family is estranged following the failure of Dobson and McCain to talk out their differences. Evangelicals who follow the Rev. John Hagee resent McCain’s disavowal of him.

The evangelicals are not an isolated problem for the Arizona senator. Enthusiasm for McCain inside the Republican coalition is in short supply. During the four months since McCain clinched the nomination, he has not satisfied conservatives opposed to his positions on global warming, campaign finance reform, immigration, domestic oil drilling and how to ban same-sex marriages.

William Kristol:

In any case, with the battle against Hillary Clinton behind him, everything seems to be going swimmingly for Obama. Meanwhile, the McCain campaign dog-paddles along. And almost every Republican I’ve talked to is alarmed that the McCain campaign doesn’t seem up to the task of electing John McCain.

Oklahoma Republicans are primarily Christian conservatives. McCain doesn’t share their values, and he doesn’t seem to be able to conduct a civil conversation or maintain an ongoing relationship with those that do.

His campaign is off to a rocky start, and it doesn’t seem likely to get much better. Their only hope is to be as negative as possible, and that’s not a tactic that’s going to play well in Oklahoma.