I know that some Republicans and conservatives are irritated at this:
that John McCain seeks to appeal to independents, is appealing to them, and says conservatives need to appeal more to them.
I think those on the Right irritated at McCain for this are slightly off-base. There's nothing wrong with appealing to independents. The question is: how are you seeking to do it. Are you doing so by emphasizing conservative themes and principles that many independents might embrace (no to affirmative action; yes to school choice; yes to being tough on crime; yes to securing our borders)?
Or are you doing so by trying to echo more liberal ideas (big-government solutions to climate change, to poverty)? (as, too often, Mr. McCain does?)
It's a key distinction.
