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Bush: a real conservative
BY PATRICK BUMATAYWatching Meet the Press on Sun., Feb. 27, reinforced something I have known for a long time: George W. Bush, Jr., DC '68, is the best person to become the next President of the United States. On the show, Bush had sent Rep. Chris Drier (R-CA) to speak on his behalf, and the congressman began by talking about all the accomplishments Governor Bush has made in reaching out to minority voters. The congressman mentioned that Bush received almost 50 percent of the Hispanic vote and over a third of the black vote in Texas in 1998. He explained that Bush was currently in California, working to accomplish a similar feat. The governor was reaching out to Hispanic voters by visiting their communities and discussing how his compassionate conservatism can benefit everybody, regardless of racial and political affilations. He was explaining how his tax reforms would allow people to keep more of what they earn, and discussing how important education reforms are in preparing our children for the future. His ability to speak on such crucial issues while reaching out to such a diverse constituency proves that Bush is someone who brings people together. This is why I so vigorously support him.
However, what was most telling about the show is that the McCain campaign sent Rep. Peter King (R-NY). The sole purpose of King's appearance was to attack Bush for being an anti-Catholic bigot because he gave a speech at Bob Jones University, a small conservative school in South Carolina. King claimed that by making the campus visit, Bush "shook hands with the devil." All I could think was: is this the "high road" to the Oval Office that Senator McCain talks about? To me, it seems like McCain is playing the sad, divisive game of identity politics. The charges leveled by his campaign only serve to pit Americans against Americans for his own political advantage. The intent was to stir up fear and hatred among voters. I, for one, am strongly opposed to the policies of Bob Jones University. But to say that Bush is an anti-Catholic bigot simply because he made a visit to the school is ludicrous. Bush has firmly repudiated the practices of Bob Jones. His own brother and sister-in-law are Catholics. McCain's smear tactics are completely unfounded, and his degrading use of religion as a political weapon is sad and offensive.
Instead of taking the "high road," McCain chose to play dirty politics. Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert later revealed that McCain admitted to orchestrating an anonymous smear campaign in Michigan that tried to paint Bush as a threat to Catholics. According to Russert, McCain confessed to approving a plan to anonymously call Catholic voters claiming that Bush is anti-Catholic. What makes the situation more nefarious is that only three days ago, McCain told reporters that he had nothing to do with the campaign. It is shocking to see a man riding the "Straight Talk Express" boldly lie to reporters.
It is time for Republicans, along with like-minded Independents and Democrats, to reject this extreme form of negative campaigning. It is time for us to repudiate lies, smearing, and divisive politics. McCain likes to say that he is a Reagan Republican. Well, Ronald Reagan also went to Bob Jones University to deliver his message of inclusion and hope for America. McCain's rhetoric of class warfare and identity politics shows he is no Reagan. In fact, most of the arguments that McCain uses against Bush are the same arguments that liberal Democrats lobbed at Reagan in the 1980s.
Time and time again, McCain has shown that he is willing to abandon the core principles of the Republican Party for electoral gain. Now more than ever, we must unite behind George W. Bush for the presidency of the United States. He is the only one who will not run away from the mainstream conservative philosophy that has brought the Republican Party to the forefront of American politics. Not only will he win the White House back for the GOP, but he will do so in the right way.
Patrick Bumatay, a senior in Ezra Stiles, is youth coordinator of the Connecticut Bush Campaign.
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