Frankly, If I were Sam Brownback, I’d rethink my support for John McCain. At minimum, I’d demand combat pay for flacking for Sen. McCain. Here’s what Brownback said in defense of Sen. McCain in the aftermath of Sen. Santorum’s attack on Sen. McCain:

Brownback told LifeNews.com on Tuesday that Santorum’s assessment isn’t completely fair or accurate.

“The suggestion that John McCain was not a consistent conservative in the Senate is flat wrong,” Brownback said. “I have seen John operate out of the public view and there is one thing I know for sure: John McCain is a Reagan conservative we can trust.” Brownback told LifeNews.com that McCain has a clear “respect for life” and a record over 25 years on supporting “conservative judges.”

“The fact is, John McCain was voting consistently pro-life in the 1980’s long before it became politically safe to do so,” Brownback explained. “His record is not only one of Reagan conservatism, but also of consistency.”

“Further, John brings a great moral authority in his positions to public service because his life experiences have always made his arguments more persuasive and effective in the various battles that we have fought together,” Brownback concluded.

“[McCain’s] record is not only one of Reagan conservatism but of consistency”? You’ve got to be kidding me. Yes, I freely admit that McCain is solidly pro-life and he’s a conservative on national security issues. After that, it’s difficult to portray him as a conservative. Would Ronald Reagan campaign on the issue of manmade global warming? Would Reagan campaign on amnesty for illegal immigrants in a post-9/11 world? Would Reagan have sided with McCain’s Gang of 14 betrayal? Not if his life depended on it.

McCain is who he is: a patriot who’s bought into the inside-the-Beltway liberal spin. My friend Andy has a reminder of how ‘conservative’ John McCain is:

As originally introduced in January 2003, McCain’s bill would require the United
States to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, chiefly carbon dioxide from fossil-energy use, to 2000 levels by 2010 (Phase I) and 1990 levels by 2016 (Phase II). Though not as restrictive as the U.S. Kyoto target — 7 percent below 1990 levels during 2008-2012 — Phase II was close enough for government work. Too close, in fact, to have any chance of passing.

Can anyone picture Ronaldus Magnus (a little Rush lingo there) signing such legislation? It’d get vetoed 5 seconds after it hit his desk. In fact, that bill is so awful that he might go over to Capitol Hill and veto it there.

In one sense, Sen. Brownback’s a better man than I: There isn’t a snowball’s prayer I’d sign up for this type of duty. I value my integrity too much for that.

Technorati Tags: John McCain, Sam Brownback, Kyoto, Liberalism, Ronald Reagan, Conservatism, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog