It is very possible that this could be the end of his short relationship with the religious right which would really hurt his chances of getting the 2008 nomination. It probably also reinforces why Guliani might not get the nod. Here is a take:

 

The recent marriage of two former political foes may already be over. Or at least the relationship got a bit more complicated with today's Senate vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment.

 

Arizona Sen. John McCain ? received plenty of attention when he accepted the Rev. Jerry Falwell's invitation and spoke at Liberty University's commencement ceremonies on May 13. McCain's appearance seemed to signal a new relationship between the former adversaries and at least showed a willingness by Falwell to support the senator in the 2008 presidential contest. (He said the invitation was not an endorsement.)

 

But yesterday, before the vote, Falwell gave his thoughts on the potential fallout from the Marriage Protection Amendment fight. "I want to see where everyone stands. It's my opinion that anyone in the Senate running on the national level will be committing political suicide by voting against it," he told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

 

As expected, the amendment failed, by a 48-49 vote, with three senators not voting.

 

Senator John McCain was among the senators voting against the amendment.

 

Falwell's strong statement has obvious implications for McCain. Either Falwell will continue to speak positively about McCain and project an openness to supporting him for president. Or, Falwell will back away from the Senator, work actively to make sure he does not win in 2008, and match his actions with his statement about the importance of the marriage vote.

 

Overall for McCain, this vote will likely stall, if not hinder his recent outreach to the socially conservative Republicans he needs to win the Republican presidential nomination.

 

-- Nathan L. Gonzales is political editor of the Rothenberg Political Report.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2006/06/...n_marriage.html

 

 

And something else that is interesting...Falwell in that same Richmond Times article mentioned a name that I think will be the guy to watch in 2008:

 

 

 

In the meantime, Falwell says, "I think you'll see this become a springboard for all the presidential candidates."

 

He says Virginia Sen. George Allen, for one, will benefit by supporting the ban, whether just in his re-election bid this fall or in a run for president in 2008.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satel...d=1149188267757

Just makes me like McCain even more, I hope he runs. He would be the perfect man upon a ticket to win the election. He could capture the moderates

He'll be speaking at graduation this weekend, but that whole break-up, make-up with Falwell thing REALLY rubbed me the wrong way. McCain is strong by virtue of the fact that he's the first guy who says he'll break party lines for issues and then does it. And then he goes and makes up with THAT guy!?

 

But, yeah, I'll be interested to see what happens. I want to like the guy, but man sucking up to the far right is anethema to my vote.

I've begun to dislike McCain recently for his lack of the proverbial balls to stand up against the people who have slandered him AKA his party.

He is in a tough position. He wins the presidency if he does what he always does but he doesnt get the nomination if he doesnt. His hope was probably that enough independents and democrats wouldnt notice or wouldnt see it as a big deal so that he could at least get the nomination.

 

But he made a mistake that a lot of presidential hopefuls make, especially senators. He stuck to his principles on this one. Presidential candidates usually have to screw around with their principles.

 

This could also be another reason why senators rarely get elected. Governers don't have to vote on this stuff.

I really really wish it was feasible for McCain to just run as an independent third party candidate

I don't see the religious chunk of the right carrying the Republican party to extreme authoritian social views anymore. I'd say the Libertarian side of the right is quickly gaining steam and someone like McCain will benefit from that.

Finally, McCain stops sucking up to the administration and the religious right. The last few months have not been like him.

McCain has problems...he's sucking up to the same people who, back in 2000, were slandering him in the Southern states. I believe it was Turdblossom Rove who started up the sh*t that McCain fathered a child with a black woman.

 

And then last year he starts kissing Bush's ass..and then becomes pals with Falwell. Sounds like he's a masochist.

 

Sorry, but when I see McCain, this scenario enters my mind:

 

"Here John. Here John ! Sit up..lick Bush's hand! Good doggie! Gooooooood doggie! Now roll over...lick Falwell's shoes. Good doggie! GOOOOOOOOD doggie! Now here's a cookie!"