Rallyin' 'Round McCain

I've been watching the news today which has been all about the New York Times' "expose" of John McCain's allegedly improper relationship with a lobbyist. This story is clearly a hit piece but, much to its chagrin, the New York Times may have handed John McCain just what he needed to rally conservatives to his candidacy.

The Times has always been exhibit A for conservatives' charge of a liberal bias in the media. This attack on McCain not only solidifies that view but also gives McCain more conservative street cred. In the process of condemning this blatant liberal smear conservatives are finding themselves defending McCain as a candidate. Yes, the New York Times endorsed McCain for the GOP nominee but did so, apparently, just to knock him down. Thus, that initial endorsement shouldn't cause conservatives to continue to shy away from McCain. Now that the Times is bashing the senator from Arizona it's time for even the most sceptical conservatives to give him another look. And here's another reason to support McCain: abortion.

For now the pro-life vote seems to be going primarily to Huckabee, but since he has virtually no chance of being nominated it's time for pro-lifers to switch to McCain. If conservatives care about this issue as much as we say we do there's no other choice. McCain's pro-life record is nearly pristine. Hillary and Obama are pro-choice fundamentalists, Obama going so far as to vote against the Born Alive Act which would've required doctors to save babies who survived abortions rather than letting them die. Obama claimed that saving the babies would put a "burden" on women.

And let's not forget Hillary's and Obama's promise of universal health care. This would almost certainly mean taxpayer funded abortion, even for minors. For me, that's almost as vile as the procedure itself. Under no circumstances will my tax dollars go to pay for someone else's abortion, especially that of a minor. Other conservative pro-lifers feel the same I'm sure. Yet many of them continue to back a sure loser in Huckabee or, like Ann Coulter, say they'll vote Democrat if McCain is the GOP nominee, not caring what impact that will have on the unborn.

We pro-lifers must rally around McCain. We and the conservatives outraged by the Times' tabloid journalism could give him the edge he needs to win. The defense of the nation as a whole and of the unborn in particular depend on a McCain victory. Hillary and Obama stand in opposition to both tasks. If we care about these causes as much as we say we do then McCain has to be our man, like it or not.