Originally Posted by Spencer Collins

McCain tangles with conservatives

(CNN) -- GOP front-runner John McCain is cruising into Super Tuesday with a hefty lead in the polls, but he's drawing a backlash from some top conservatives who say he is too liberal to carry the Republican nomination.

Radio hosts Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Hugh Hewitt and Lars Larson are among the conservative voices speaking out against the Arizona senator.

The attacks have gotten so heated that former Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole Monday wrote Limbaugh defending McCain.

CNN obtained the letter from a Republican source close to Dole.

In the letter, Dole says McCain is a "mainstream conservative" who supported the party on critical votes during Dole's time as the Senate Republican leader.

Dole says he remains neutral in the GOP contest and speaks kindly of all three remaining leading GOP candidates.

But the letter comes at a time Limbaugh is trying to rally grassroots conservative support against McCain.

"Whoever wins the Republican nomination will need your enthusiastic support," Dole says in the letter. "Two terms for the Clintons are enough."

Limbaugh has called McCain's rise the product of a "fractured" conservative base and an "uninspiring" GOP presidential field.

"McCain will kill conservatism as a dominant force in the Republican Party," Limbaugh said on his radio show Monday.

Meanwhile, conservative commentator Ann Coulter last week said she would support Democratic contender Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York over McCain.

McCain tangles with conservatives - CNN.com

Holy smokies,Ann Coulter said she would support Sen.Hillary Clinton over McCain???..What did Juan McCain ever do to be treated by his own party this way? I mean you know,McCain is a hero and all..how could they reward him by turning against this paragon of conservatism? McCain has become far more conservative ever since he announced his candidacy.The way I see it,most Independents will get what they want this November. They will either get McCain or Hillary,in a way..they can't lose,it's a win win for Independents and the village people! McCain is not as conservative as some people would desire but Hillary is not as liberal as some would want...