In a rather conciliatory speech last night, likely Republican nominee, John McCain reached out to the conservative base which has largely spurned him since the primaries began.

From Reuters:

"McCain, the 71-year-old former Vietnam prisoner of war, has become a target of critics on the right for his moderate views on illegal immigration, his votes against President Bush's tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 and his labeling in 2000 of some religious conservative leaders as 'agents of intolerance.'"

Politics makes strange bedfellows, because suddenly those agents of intolerance have become very important to John McCain. Now he is promising to embrace the Right in his bid for the Republican nomination.

"I am acutely aware that I cannot succeed in that endeavor," said McCain. "Nor can our party prevail over the challenge we will face from either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama without the support of dedicated conservatives, whose convictions, creativity, and energy have been indispensable to the success of our party … over the last quarter century."

In yet another attempt to cast himself as a Reagan conservative, McCain went on to quote the late former President and then added, "I am proud, very proud to have come to public office as a foot soldier in the Reagan revolution. And if a few of my positions have raised your concern that I have forgotten my political heritage, I want to assure you I have not and I am as proud of that association today as I was then."

He also trumpeted classical conservative ideals citing, "small government, fiscal discipline, low taxes, a strong defense, judges who inform and not make our laws, the social values that are the true source of our strength, and generally, the steadfast defense of our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which I have defended my entire career as God-given to the born and the unborn."

About halfway through the speech, McCain came to the issue of immigration. His mention of the topic brought a mixture of applause and boos from his audience. After the crowd calmed down, he promised that it would be among his highest priorities to secure America's borders before dealing with the illegals already in the country. Although, he was almost totally nebulous on the later point of dealing with those who are here illegally saying, "Only after we've achieved widespread consensus that our borders are secure, would we address other aspects of the problem in a way that defends the Rule of Law and does not encourage another wave of illegal immigration."

We shall see how this ambiguity plays out in light of McCain's push to ram amnesty for illegals down the gullet of conservative America. I haven't forgotten his partnership with Kennedy and Bush Jr. to change the Rule of Law in an effort to conform it to their "unique" vision of the country.

He failed to mention his Benedict Arnold routine in the Gang of 14 and a few other "highlights" of his career.

One of the big questions everyone is speculating about is who will he chose as his running mate? Provided he gets the nomination, look for him to take Huckabee as a largely symbolic gesture to help solidify the base. Ol' Huck has been rather cordial with McCain throughout the primaries. Apparently, the feeling is mutual. Huckabee turned out to be the perfect siphon for Romney who might have given McCain a run for his money otherwise. Anyway, it's all but academic now. It looks like we have our man and his name is John McCain.