A Tale of Two Headlines

Four in 10 Republicans Would Not Find McCain an "Acceptable" Nominee:

[C]onservative Republicans are less likely to deem McCain acceptable (49%) than Republicans who identify themselves as moderates or liberals (66%). Since nearly two Republicans identify themselves as politically conservative for every one saying they are liberal or moderate, McCain's challenge is clear. It is thus no surprise that he has recently made outreach attempts to conservative leaders, such as Jerry Falwell.

Hmm. Maybe it’s not because he’s not socially conservative enough, but because he’s not perceived as a dedicated enough warmonger to satiate conservatives. Which brings us to our second headline.

Conservative Anger Grows Over Bush's Foreign Policy:

Conservative intellectuals and commentators who once lauded Bush for what they saw as a willingness to aggressively confront threats and advance U.S. interests said in interviews that they perceive timidity and confusion about long-standing problems including Iran and North Korea, as well as urgent new ones such as the latest crisis between Israel and Hezbollah…

"It is Topic A of every single conversation," said Danielle Pletka, vice president for foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank that has had strong influence in staffing the administration and shaping its ideas. "I don't have a friend in the administration, on Capitol Hill or any part of the conservative foreign policy establishment who is not beside themselves with fury at the administration."

…It is an odd irony for a president who has inflamed liberals and many allies around the world for what they see as an overly confrontational, go-it-alone approach. The discontent on the right could also color the 2008 presidential debate.

John Cole, a center-right blogger who I generally like reading (even though he’s not especially fond of me or the rest of “the crowd who dares not shave their legs”), says a bit on behalf of the Righties who are amazed that “the president who many think is batshit crazy has started taking fire from his ‘side’ for not being batshit crazy enough,” and shares some of what he heard on the latter subject on Savage Nation, noting, “It seems somehow poignant that the only caller who answered Michael Savage’s search for a new leader suggested…Dick Cheney.” Yeesh.

Given that benchmark, it’s no wonder that McCain isn’t polling well with Conservative Republicans, who no doubt suspect that his having been a POW undermined the integrity of his spine, while Cheney’s avoidance of service left his spine in the flawless condition required to blow up half the world without a moment’s hesitation.