Being Meghan McCain

By Michael J.W. Stickings

On Larry King, Meghan McCain described herself as "a progressive Republican," "liberal on social issues." She also came out in support of gay marriage as well as in support of abortion rights.

On Obama: "He's our president and when the election was over and when President Obama won, all negative feelings were gone. I support the president."

On the GOP: "I just want to show that you don't have to think one way and fit into this one box in order to be a member of the Republican Party."

She's an admirable young woman, and I respect her views, as well as her opposition to the dogmatic extremism of her party, but I suspect she's fighting a losing battle.

The leaders of her party, from Dear Leader Rush on down, do want Obama to fail and do demand ideological purity. There are exceptions, to be sure, but the party has moved to the far, far right post-Bush, and those who oppose the conservative base have been cast out.

There just aren't many moderates left, and she may be on her own when it comes to being progressive.

She can say whatever she wants to say -- courageously, I might add -- and she ought to continue to do so, but she shouldn't expect Republicans to pay her much attention other than to attack her for daring to challenge their orthodoxy.