Maverick McCain Does Iowa Politics by the (Holy) Book

The bold Maverick has been in Iowa, working hard to drum up Christian Right support for the 2006 presidential caucuses there. But the righteous brethren aren't so sure about him, hard as he's been working to show he's worthy of their love and support. From McCain Courting Iowa Conservatives by Mike Glover (AP) 04/13/06:

"I don't want to say it's an insurmountable hurdle, but it's a big, big hill to climb," said Steve Scheffler, who heads the Iowa Christian Alliance, formerly the Christian Coalition. "There's no support for McCain in this constituency, and I don't see how you can make a scenario where you can bypass us." ...

"I don't think you can win with just this constituency, but no Republican can win without the support of that constituency," Scheffler said. ...

[Chuck] Hurley [head of the Iowa Family Policy Center] hasn't forgotten McCain's clash with religious conservatives during the 2000 campaign, when he labeled some "evil."

"I don't think Christian leaders who urge people to vote biblically, I don't think that's an evil influence," Hurley said. "To me that statement by McCain is an extreme slap in the face to my faith." ...

Hurley raised the possibility of welcoming McCain.

"Forgiveness is biblical, too," Hurley said. "I'm all for forgiving him if he says he did wrong."

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