An Unwitting Conspiracy on the Conservative Right

Last week, Mitt Romney ended his quest for the Presidency of the United States. The former Massachusetts governor officially threw in the towel on Thursday, February 7, after an inauspicious showing on Super Tuesday. It was a disappointing end to a campaign that seemed primed for success. He seemed to have it all - the crisp suits, the carefully coifed hair, lots of money, and strong support in conservative media outlets. Yet, despite all of that, his campaign fizzled, and many pundits were left to wonder why.

As it stands now, Senator John McCain has amassed 827 delegates, and will likely win his party's nomination for the Presidential campaign. His nearest rival, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, poses little threat, and God only knows (that's probably true, in this case) why he is still campaigning.

Throughout the race, Mr. Romney fought to present himself as the true conservative candidate, while trying to portray McCain as a moderate maverick. Many Right Wing pundits, such as Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, and Ann Coulter, bought into his candidacy. In Limbaugh's case, he used his popular talk show as a forum for praising Romney, stating that "...he (Romney) exemplified characteristics of somebody who (was) not afraid to lead." Coulter, meanwhile, tried to take a bullet for the fallen candidate, stating that "...if McCain weren’t a dunce, what he would do is take Mitt Romney as his vice president. That is the only way I think you could get me to vote for him. That's my final offer."

Additionally, both popular pundits used their respective platforms to throw bombs at Romney's GOP rivals. Limbaugh once opined that either a Huckabee or McCain candidacy would "destroy the Republican party." He chided McCain as "someone who supported amnesty for illegal aliens, who supported limiting free political speech, (and) who embraced the ACLU's brief for terrorist detainees getting US constitutional rights." Huckabee, he said, "might be a fine man, and is a great Christian - [he] is not a conservative." Coulter argued "John McCain is not only bad for Republicans - he is also bad for the country."

Based on Romney's poor showing on super Tuesday, one could argue that pundits do not assert as much influence over voters as they think. His withdrawal has left them alone in a political desert, drinking the last few drops of Romney Kool - Aide left in their canteens.

Or so it seems. One can't help but think they're enjoying this.

It's important to remember that pundits like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter are not nonprofit enterprises. They do not merely exist to provide (what they consider) a service. They exist to make money, and will do anything to improve their profit margins. Limbaugh, for instance, includes product endorsements during his program. I may not remember much of his program's content, but I will always remember the ringing endorsement of "Clean Shower" I heard him deliver some ten years ago.

Without a doubt, their relentless attacks against McCain and Huckabee have drawn plenty of attention. A quick google news search confirms this - try searching for "Rush Limbaugh" and "John McCain" together - you would be amazed at how many hits come up. The same is true for Coulter. Bomb throwing creates more exposure.

Additionally, the "lone wolf" effect cannot be underestimated. Romney never developed into a clear front-runner, which made their contrarian positions stand out even more in the media landscape. Like salmon bravely battling currents upstream, Limbaugh and Coulter's supposed struggle for true conservatism caused the media to point its cameras and microphones right at them. Only instead of National Geographic, their words appeared in newspapers, on blogs, and on network news. In short, Romney's loss has been their personal gain. However, while interesting, this analysis barely scratches the surface. There is something far more significant at work here. Their relentless assault has been, and will continue to be, a boon for John McCain.

It goes beyond the 827 delegates under McCain's banner. Change is happening in the Republican ranks. True, the word "change" itself is used so often these days that it seems nearly devoid of meaning. However, the success of John McCain's candidacy represents a slight departure from the Carl Rove school of campaign strategy.

When Rove (with plenty of help) engineered two successful presidential campaigns for George W. Bush, the greatest emphasis was placed on the Republican base. In short, Bush and his fellow campaigners worked hard to win the full support of the conservative right. Opposition to gay marriage, tax cuts, and a hawkish foreign policy were all political cornerstones, particularly in 2004.

Instead of engaging the conservative base, John McCain's focus will likely be on courting independent voters. Both parties are seeing record turnouts for their primaries and caucuses, but it appears that in many cases, the Democrats are bringing out slightly more voters. Senator Barack Obama has proven a worthy adversary in the struggle for independents, and Hillary Clinton, while trying to regain her momentum, is no slouch either. Being labeled a "moderate" and / or a "maverick" only helps McCain in his quest for independent votes.

In many ways, John McCain is a truly conservative politician. He voted to defund Planned Parenthood last year. He opposes partial birth (and all) abortions. He voted for both of George W. Bush's Supreme Court appointments. He has never voted for tax increases. He advocates more tax cuts structured similarly to the Bush tax cuts. He convicted former President Clinton on impeachment. He does not support universal health care, but rather, private strategies. Most significantly, he is a staunch supporter of the war in Iraq. Sure, he acknowledges that global warming is actually occurring - that is hardly a radical position when placed in a global context. It's actually quite mainstream. I could go on and on about his conservative voting record. However, I will leave that to Bill Bennett and Seth Leibsohn of the National Review Online. Read their article, "Conservative Sense and Sensibility" for more insight into McCain's conservatism.

The next President will win not because of their political base, but because of their ability to reach beyond it. On the key issues, by and large, Senator McCain is a conservative, not a moderate. Yet, this largely fictitious moderate identity has been perpetuated by people like Limbaugh and Coulter. Whether they know it or not, their arguments against John McCain are only going to help him.

It was Bill Clinton who once quipped that "Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line." True to form, the Republican voters will fall in line behind John McCain. Look no further than surveys taken during the recent Potomac primaries. According to CNN, three quarters of the Republicans they polled said they would support McCain in November, regardless of how they voted in the primaries.

While John McCain is not a true moderate, the election will be decided by moderate voters. The more Limbaugh and Coulter label him a moderate, the more they help his cause. So, in a strange way, such bluster is working towards exactly what the conservative right desires. Four more years.

Then again, what stake do such pundits really have in this race, anyway? If McCain wins, they get another four years with a Republican President. If he loses, they will have at least four years of fun - filled, liberal - bashing ahead. Either way, they'll get their television, radio appearances, and book deals. It's a win - win for them.

If only every American had it so easy.