Progress Illinois

Despite evidence suggesting no major fissure exists, the media is doing its best to keep the conflict between ardent supporters of Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in the news. Today in The Hill, for example, Bob Cusack reports on disenchanted Democrats who are planning rallies at the Democratic convention in Denver in support of the New York Senator. Yesterday, Daily Herald opinion page editor David Beery jumped into the fray as well:

Eighteen million strong, Hillary Clinton backers have a choice to make as the Democratic convention nears in late August.

Switch allegiance to Barack Obama -- as some have and more undoubtedly will -- and leave Denver as a unified party. Or, keep flirting with the idea of turning their support to the relative moderate on the other side of the ballot: Republican John McCain.

McCain a "relative moderate"? As compared to whom? George Bush, whose polices he has parroted for years? The Christian right, who McCain has bent over backwards to attract? Or maybe Barack Obama, whose stances on the war, health care, and the environment are supported by most Americans?

The PUMA phenomenon is heightened by Berry's characterization of McCain, which reinforces the idea that the Arizona Republican represents a sensible alternative for moderate voters -- even though he's drifted well to the right of the American mainstream on crucial issues facing the country. Whether it's the war, taxes, or his pitiful record on abortion rights (he has voted with the anti-abortion camp in 125 of 130 relevant votes), McCain is no "moderate." Indeed, VoteView ranked him as the eight most conservative member of the 110th Congress.

Still don't believe us? McCain himself acknowledges his conservative bondafides. During a February 7 speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, McCain said he is "proud to be a conservative" and that his "record in public office taken as a whole is the record of a mainstream conservative."