Yesterday’s California Supreme Court ruling overturning the state’s gay marriage ban gave John McCain a big open to reach out to his party’s conservative Christian base, especially the Christian Right leaders who continue to be openly skeptical of his candidacy
McCain could have announced he was reversing his opposition to a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. He could have used the California court’s decision to vent outrage at a “runaway judiciary” and to repeat his promise to appoint conservative judges to the bench.
So far, the Arizona senator has done neither. Instead, his deputy communications director–released this awfully obligatory-sounding statement:

“John McCain supports the right of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution sanctioning the union between a man and a woman, just as he did in his home state of Arizona. John McCain doesn’t believe judges should be making these decisions.”

Yawn.
Half the reason religious conservatives are wary of McCain is his issue stances, from his opposition to the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment to his out-front support for campaign finance reform to his refusal to push for the “nuclear option” during the Senate stalemate over approving George W. Bush’s judicial nominations.
The other half is McCain’s obvious lack of passion for hot button social causes like stopping gay marriage at costs. His response–or non-response–to yesterday’s California ruling will remind the GOP’s base of both reasons for not trusting him.

6