Preliminary presidential endorsement: Anybody but McCain

As the Florida presidential primary draws nigh, conservatives have to be worried about the rise in the stock of Sen. John McCain.

Of all the legitimate, serious candidates for the Republican nomination, McCain is the least conservative of the bunch.

His positions on limiting political speech, voting against tax cuts and supporting amnesty for illegal aliens should give all conservatives and Republicans pause when they consider voting for him.

McCain got a shot in the arm over the weekend when Florida's governor, Charlie Crist, endorsed him.

McCain must be stopped at all costs.

Many conservative thinkers believe that the Republicans lost the House and Senate in 2006 not because of Iraq, Jack Abramoff or Mark Foley, but because the GOP officials abandoned their conservative principles somewhere along the way.

And they expect to retain the presidency if they nominate a RINO who has basically spit in the face of conservatives for years?

We honor McCain's military service and the sacrifice he made while a prisoner of war, but we don't think that translates into him being the best possible Republican nominee.

McCain is the worst possible choice that Republicans can make among the serious, legitimate candidates (and that excludes you, Crackpot Ron Paul) and any Republican that would consider nominating him really ought to go register as a Democrat.

Since Kentucky doesn't hold its primary until May, our voters won't have much say in choosing the nominee. However, most of us know someone who lives in Florida or in one of the Super Tuesday states.

We have a preference among the candidates, but we won't reveal it at this time. However, we believe any of the legitimate candidates -- Romney, Huckabee or Giuliani -- would be infinitely preferable to McCain.

So we urge you to get on the phone or on your computer and get in touch with your friends in Florida. Implore them to vote for anyone except McCain tomorrow. Then start working your friends in the Super Tuesday states.

If McCain isn't stopped now, we run the horrible risk of having to choose between two liberals in the general election.

Anybody but McCain!