Why do so many of you Republicans dislike John McCain?

[FerrisBueller86]

I learned about John McCain when he ran for president in 2000.  Even though I don't like his conservative ideology, I admired him and found it difficult to object to him.  He has a reputation for honesty and reform.  McCain is also a war hero, and I can't believe people can object to a war hero.  I wouldn't have voted for him over Al Gore or Bill Bradley, but I definitely WOULD vote for him over a Democrat I don't like (such as Robert Byrd or Zell Miller).

If my mother hadn't attempted to be an Al Gore delegate, I would have voted for John McCain in the Illinois primary.  I thought he was a breath of fresh air and something the Republican Party needed.

I didn't like Bush.  I found him to be too slick, too dumb, and too selfish.  While McCain was a war hero, Bush enlisted in the National Guard to avoid being drafted to fight in Vietnam.  What's more, he was FOR the war.  I couldn't believe that Republicans were tripping over each other to support Bush after bashing Clinton a few years earlier over the draft issue.  (And recall that Clinton was AGAINST the Vietnam War.)  I couldn't believe that veterans liked Bush better than McCain.  I admire those who valiantly fought in the Vietnam War and those who protested against it.  However, I have a negative view of draft-dodging HAWKS.  It's one thing to be a dove who dodges the draft - such people at least act on their beliefs.  But the HAWKS to dodge the draft are selfish.  Veterans should be angry at the draft-dodging hawks, NOT the draft-dodging doves.

If you are a Republican, how can you object to John McCain?  He's a reformer and a war hero, AND he's conservative on the hot-button issues.  What more could you ask for?