Ann Coulter says – given their stands on issues – she might as well vote for Hillary as John McCain. Rush Limbaugh says he thinks we’re out of luck this election – there is no conservative choice. And Laura Ingram says, Amen.

Equally vociferous, on the other side of the equation, Jack Kemp – who almost appears to have become a co-host of ‘Hannity and Colmes’ – says McCain is just fine and calls Ann, Laura and Rush to task for not towing the party line.

Let us lay aside the question of Jack not finding McCain superlative until after the New Hampshire primary and examine his admonition. Should Rush, Laura and Ann hush? Or are they right when they say conservatives should not embrace McCain, say, as they did Bush in 2000?

Well, from their point of view criticism of McCain serves a purpose. Conservatives embraced President Bush hook, line and sinker, and fell in line like choirboys. And look what happened: The Arab ports deal. Immigration reform. The deficit.

Ann, Rush and Laura, like many conservatives, have even more differences with McCain than they do with Bush. And, unlike Jack, they don’t feel like jumping on McCain’s bandwagon. So why shouldn’t they speak their minds? What’s wrong with having a few maverick points of view? After all, we’ve experienced a dearth of independent-thinking conservative critics for eight years.

And, what’s more, Senator McCain’s a tough nut. He can take it. He may even find a little dust-up with Ann and Rush and Laura helpful. They may even be performing a public service and, unless they’re hoping for positions in the McCain administration, what real harm does taking a shot at Senator McCain, now and then, do? Ann, Rush or Laura may even want to take one at Jack.

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