Those who know him best often like him least
John McCain will win all of Arizona’s allocated delegates when polls close this evening. But come November, and even earlier if the Republican primary race continues beyond today’s primaries, the Copper State could become a serious albatross around his neck.
McCain’s legendary temper and maverick streak have irked members of the GOP on virtually all sides. No one knows that better than those who should be his biggest backers, the top leadership of the Arizona Republican Party. Instead, they are some of his most ardent foes, and McCain’s actions earlier this year have done little to assuage their anger
Reid Wilson of RealClearPolitics writes about the disconnect and massive distrust many Arizona Republicans have with John McCain.
Seeing Red AZ 
[…] Was searching the Arizona conservative blogs and found this, which echoes my comment above about the folks who know McCain best: McCain’s legendary temper […]
The article says that polls conducted in recent weeks show McCain with a significant lead of 16.3 points. Anything less than a fifty-one percent margin over Romney will prove a major embarrassment for McCain. Al Gore was unable to carry his home state of Tennessee when he ran for president. We can hold out hope that the same fate would befall McCain–although it’s unlikely. I’d be plessed to see him with a less than exuberant response from Arizonans.
I honestly don’t know one single Republican who admits to voting for McCain. Of course they exist, but not in the circles in which I travel.
The idea that McCain is a “Maverick’ is a public relations fantasy, not unlike the Kennedy’s being part of Camelot. Once these hooks grab hold, they tend to stick since they are repeated ad infinitum by the adoring media. McCain is not a maverick. He is a foul-mouthed, irritable old liberal, who is well past his prime and his colossal ego can’t allow him to give it a rest.
A good number of his votes came not from Republicans, but from crossover Independents and Democrats to whom he actually appeals. Republicans are not lining up to support this Shamnesty Senator.
Thomas,
You must not know many Republicans. I know many, including me, who voted for McCain. That is why he won!
Joe,
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I am an elected Republican precinct committeeman, and know a whole lot of Republicans. The activists I know are all united in one respect–and that is they feel betrayed by McCain. Even the national pundits have acknowledged that his base of support is not within his own party. McCain does well with crossover Democrats, registered Independents, the unread who are not familiar with his many affronts to the GOP and the newcomers to the state who have heard his name over the years and figure him to be an Arizonan in what they consider to be the mold of Goldwater. That’s why McCain adopted the ‘Maverick’ logo when he carpetbagged into Arizona.