Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Summed Up In A Phrase   [John Hood]

For those who don't comprehend why many conservatives are so hostile to John McCain, I'd call their attention to how The Wall Street Journal quoted him today, in response to Mitt Romney touting his business credentials:

"I did not manage, I led ... And I didn't manage for profit, I led for patriotism."

McCain can certainly sound fiscally conservative when he wants to, but this is a revealing quote. At his core, McCain just doesn't display much of an affinity for free-market capitalism. He thinks government service is far more noble, more socially beneficial, than serving one's fellow man through creating economic value in the marketplace. He's wrong, importantly wrong, and it's that kind of sentiment, coupled with his record, that makes a good chunk of the GOP coalition nervous and distrustful.

(By the way, McCain's new campaign tactic of contrasting leadership and management is another sign of his lack of connection to today's business world. If you keep up with the literature and trends, you know that making rigid distinctions between the two is so 1980s.)

01/29 12:04 PMShare