McCain Cannot Unite Republicans

With John McCain’s victory in Florida, it is likely — barring some unforeseen intervening event — that McCain will be the GOP nominee.

But, even if he does win the nomination, he cannot, and will not, unite the Republican Party.

Conservatives hate McCain and that antipathy will only increase the more they are exposed to him.

The so-called mainstream media has propelled McCain back into this race — even though the base of the GOP is opposed to him!

Beginning today, we will watch the spectacle of GOP leaders around the country fawning over a man they privately distrust and urging that the “party come together.”

OK. He got 36 percent of the vote in a multi-candidate GOP primary with Huckabee and Romney dividing the conservative vote.

And he will win a ton of delegates next week. Then, the same so-called leaders who traipsed down to Austin in 1999 to beg G.W. Bush to run are now going to kiss the ring of John McCain and urge unity.

A disgusting sight.

But the GOP base, conservatives, will not accept him. They will either run a third candidate or, at the least, enough of them will sit it out (like they did in the 2006 congressional races) that McCain will lose in November. Hillary or Obama will paint McCain as a “third-term of G.W. Bush.”

The Democrats have a similar problem: Hillary and Bill have launched a civil race war in their party. With the Kennedys joining on Obama’s side, that party may be seriously fractured.

The heart of the Democratic base, African Americans, have always loved and adored the Clintons. But this vivil race war threatens that harmony.

It is possible that the Democratic base will also be furious with their nominee if it is Hillary.

It is assumed that the African-American vote will still turn out in lock-step for the Democrat in November.

But, like almost all assumptions this year, it may be wrong.

So we may face an odd spectacle: the two nominees — D.C. insiders — and the two biggest war hawks in their respective parties running in November in a nation that hates this war and with their own bases not too enthusiastic for them.