McCain woos independents, Democrats, GOP

WASHINGTON, May 2 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., having reached out to Democrats and Independents, shifted his message to appeal to conservative Republicans, his campaign said.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee plans to discuss judges and guns, two topics that motivate conservatives to vote, USA Today reported.

McCain also wants to reassert his bone fides to blunt accusations he isn't conservative enough. Despite criticism from commentators such as Ann Coulter and others, McCain strategist Charles Black said the GOP core is with McCain because "he's been conservative the whole campaign."

Michael Gaynor, a blogger for several conservative Web sites, said Republicans remain nervous about McCain because of his membership in the so-called Gang of 14, a bipartisan senatorial group that worked out a deal with the White House on conservative judicial nominees blocked by Senate Democrats.

Despite his renewed attention to conservatives, McCain still will court Democrats and independents who may be dissatisfied with Obama and Clinton, The Washington Times reported.

"(We) are working to get a larger share than normal of independents and conservative Democrats, mainly because our own base is narrower than four years ago," said Black, who's participated in every GOP presidential campaign since Ronald Reagan's nomination in 1976.