Fact: Meghan McCain is the most visible political person in the country under 25 years of age right now. With appearances on Rachel Maddow, The View, and now Larry King Live, the 2008 presidential campaign (and her blogging during it) has given her a sizable podium. Some have criticized her for her centrist, socially liberal views--Laura Ingraham compared her to a plus-sized model--and earlier this month she gave a name to the brand of moderate Republicanism to which she ascribes: "progressive Republican."
Last night, on Larry King Live,
she talked more about what that means: "I consider myself a progressive
Republican. I am liberal on social issues, and I think that the party
is at a place where social issues shouldn't define the party...in
fairness to me, I am a different generation than the people that are
giving me heat...I think there's such a generation gap that the people
that don't undertand me, I actually take it as compliment, that sort of
this new young Republican can come forward and make progress and be
successful in the ways that this party has curently failed."
For some, the words "young Republican" conjure images of conservative
college students passionate about their right-of-center ideals. But if
McCain is the most visible young Republican in the nation, is that
where the party's youth are headed--to a deconstructed, moderate
attitude in which social issues take a backseat? McCain is outspoken
about the party's current failures, and she says the GOP doesn't have a
leader. There is no question that it's currently trying to find itself.
Social conservatism and ties to the evangelical community defined a
significant part of President Bush's power base; now, President Obama
has sought to take back some of that ground by cultivating a
relationship with Rev. Rick Warren--though his stem cell order may have
given it back to the GOP. Within the political elite, there's an
opinion that one of John McCain's major failures was capitulating to
the social conservatism he rejected in 2000. Insofar as Republicans
share that opinion, there could be room for movement on the social
front for the GOP by 2012 or 2016.
With a few more appearances on widely viewed national TV programs,
McCain could foster a social liberalism among young conservatives--or a
conservatism among young social liberals--and become that model "new
young Republican." Then again, that could be a tall order: Obama is
pretty popular among the young people, too.
Then again, her macroeconomic chops are at least as finely honed as Dick Shelby, Eric Cantor, and Mike Pence, so maybe she should be in Congress.
I'm glad Meghan McCain is out there speaking out for moderate, centrist Republicans. Few, if any, other people are. She's also reaching out to young people, which is something Republicans need to do. I like her message of tolerance and her identifying herself as a "progressive Republican." I've adopted that term for myself as well. Meghan is such a refreshing new presence, and I hope we'll be seeing and hearing a lot more of her.
Let's see if the times union does it's job and asks Murphy about this.
Scott Murphy for Congress truth about bonuses
Scott Murphy for Congress tax problem
Scott Murphy for Congress against death penalty
Right now she is a media darling because she makes comments that oppose conservatives . But just like her dad ;the media will turn on her after they have used her.
As a McCain supporter it's fun to see Meagan McCain show that same spark that her father has in a new and fresh way.