McCain touts conservative record

Tries to sway longtime critics at GOP event

Republican John McCain made his speech yesterday to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. (evan vucci/Associated Press)

WASHINGTON - Years of conservative resistance to John McCain was reduced to a skein of boos cutting through the applause as he faced the Conservative Political Action Conference yesterday as the Republicans' de facto nominee, but a certain skepticism from longtime antagonists remained.

A McCain aide said Mitt Romney's surprise withdrawal from the race earlier in the day did not change the substance of McCain's speech beyond a perfunctory salute to his vanquished rival and an invitation for Romney's supporters to join his campaign.

Yet in place of a primary season appeal to one of his party's most influential interest group coalitions, McCain delivered what many considered the first address of his general election campaign. In the "30,000-foot-view of the election," as Senator Lindsey O. Graham of South Carolina put it, McCain emphasized what makes him different from any future Democratic nominee as he asked conservatives to help him win.

"This election is going to be about big things, not small things," said McCain, who lost the group's straw poll last year and has alienated many conservatives with his barbed criticism in 2000 of conservative icons Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. "And I intend to fight as hard as I can to ensure that our principles prevail over theirs."

The Arizona senator rehashed his conservative record, from taxes to judges to abortion, and discussed conservative principles in more philosophical language than he typically does before voters. In addition, he displayed fluency with the movement's rhetorical tics: McCain cited Edmund Burke, mimicked air quotes around the words "assault weapons," and recounted the role Ronald Reagan played in his political maturation.

"I am proud, very proud to have come to public office as a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution," McCain said.

Even as McCain spoke, an aide said the remarks were merely a first step on a long road to conservative acceptance. "It's to get them to talk about supporting him," said Charlie Black, a veteran Republican strategist working for McCain. "It's not to get them to sign up today, but to define the issue."

As soon as McCain walked off the stage, however, his appeal faced high-profile resistance. Saul Anuzis, chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, had been enlisted by conference organizers to offer what he described in an interview as a "hold-his-feet-to-the-fire speech." Anuzis attacked McCain's centrist politics and challenged him to focus on his party's right wing. "Electing the next Republican president won't be simply about moving moderates into the Republican column," Anuzis said. "It will be about moving conservatives of every stripe - or no stripe at all - to vote for our nominee."

A sense of defiance lingered despite McCain's entreaties. Boos greeted the mention of McCain's name throughout the daylong program, and a speaker made a vague reference to "Governor Romney's main opponent." When McCain raised the "issue of illegal aliens," boos returned, although they were eventually overwhelmed by cheers and waving of McCain signs.

Over the course of the day, a passel of anti-immigration protesters in the lobby of the conference hotel added to their arsenal of professionally printed "Stop McCain's Amnesty" placards by scrawling "Join Republicans Against McCain" on corrugated cardboard.

"I don't think it's enough to say you were a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution," said Laura Ingraham, a talk-show host who was informed of Romney's move prior to taking the stage but nonetheless introduced him as the "remaining conservative." "I think the question is what have you been doing for conservatism lately."

McCain faced the challenge of an audience doubly dispirited, by an ascendant Democratic Party and by a Republican standard-bearer who asked for their support only after having wrapped up the party's nominating contest.

"This is the first time we've had a party nominee who won the nomination while losing conservative and evangelical voters in the process," said Ralph Reed, a former executive director of the Christian Coalition.

Conservative leaders said yesterday that the issue was not whether McCain would pick up the support of conservative voters in the fall, but how much enthusiasm they would bring to his effort.

"This would be a great opportunity to rally the troops at a critical time for him. It's building relationships. Republicans win when we outwork the Democrats," Anuzis said before the speech.

"They want to understand a little more and feel comfortable with him, not only know where he stands on specific issues, but that he supports the broader conservative vision," Anuzis said. "They want to hear him, see the passion, and reflect on the passion."

Even those who applauded McCain's remarks - former presidential candidate Gary Bauer called it a "great speech" - said there was still work for McCain to do in motivating conservative activists.

"This is fired-up Democratic Party, and it is not enough to simply define the differences between the parties," said Reed, who advised McCain to "choose a running mate with street cred on the right" and devote his nominating convention and fall campaign to "striking conservative themes."

"The road map to this is George H.W. Bush's 1988 campaign," said Reed, referring to another nominee who had been viewed with suspicion by conservatives but held their support in the general election.

McCain's focus on the stakes in November appeared to resonate even with those who have disagreed with him on major issues or felt slighted by what some perceived as disrespect for some of the party's core constituencies.

"It's been an energizing campaign, but there's nothing like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to unite the party," said Bauer, a former president of the Family Research Council. "There's not much point in being a conservative if you can't govern."