Conservative won’t vote for McCain partly because of rail

Paul Weyrich, the leading conservative proponent of rail transportation, wouldn’t vote for John McCain in the general election in part because of McCain’s opposition to rail investment. McCain “would fight us on everything,” Weyrich said, including shutting down Amtrak and opposing projects like the Dulles extension, where he vehemently disagrees with DOT Secretary Mary Peters.

Of course, there’s a larger story behind many prominent conservatives’ opposition to McCain—Republican elites don’t trust McCain. But it’s pretty clear McCain would not be good for public transportation investment; on the other hand, any other Republican nominee would likely be little better.