The Spectator carries an interview (by Matthew d’Ancona) with Senator John McCain – Republican front-runner for the 2008 Presidential race – where he delivers fulsome praise for David Cameron and compares him to J F Kennedy. He praises Cameron’s “youth, enthusiasm, willingness to embrace new ideas based on conservative policies,” and pays particular tribute to his fresh emphasis upon the environment. “It’s very obvious to me that what Mr Cameron is trying to do is what I’ve been trying to do: preserve your base principles and philosophies, but also see how you can shape those policies to attract what is viewed as the independent voter, or the great middle of the British electorate.”

“I have seen in them an attempt to restore confidence in voters that ethics, clean government, influence of money are priorities, and the influence of money and campaign contributions can be absolutely minimised so that there is less representation by the special interests, and more by the general populace.” he continues. An Iraq war hawk, he praises Cameron’s robustness on the issue, and expects him to preserve the ’special relationship’ across the Atlantic.

The interview comes ahead of McCain’s Conservative Conference next week. But his comments tell us more about McCain and US politics than Cameron and British politics. Praising the British Conservative leader plays well in the Republican core vote (or ‘base’) in the United States. The implication is that the ’special relationship’ will continue to be special between him and a Cameron-led UK. Calling Cameron a realigning politician with the potential of JFK is really an attempt to get people to think of McCain that same way. The environment is a key US issue, too. At the age of 70, he cannot claim to youth, but “enthusiasm, willingness to embrace new ideas” on subjects such as the environment are what he wants to underscore for his own electorate. Likewise, his view about the Conservatives reaching out to new voters – just as Arnold Schwarzenegger did for the Republicans in California.

Like Princess Diana, an early tragic death made JFK an icon. Aspiring to emulate his charisma is one thing; aspiring to some of his sillier policies would be quite another. But then JFK did of course cut taxes, with hugely positive results. Perhaps McCain should tell the Conservative leader to emulate that.

From Adam Smith Institute

Tags: Libertarian, Politics, Liberty, Freedom