“Stay positive and stay focused”
I wanted to share a message I received from a Republican staffer on the Hill–where they know John McCain best. Many GOP staffers will not support John McCain, but they share the principles I expressed yesterday in my Quo Vadis column:
John McCain is the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party. That is unfortunate, and I am sad to say that I cannot support him – as is the case with many people I know – for many of the reasons explored repeatedly on NRO and other places. As a Hill staffer, those of you who share my view and I know what is at stake – at least as much as anyone… from the confirmation of judges to the War on Terror and beyond. But, as a Hill staffer, many of us find him to be a petty, often vindictive man who treats people – from Senators to junior female staffers – disrespectfully and, frankly, without the manners appropriate for a Senator, much less a President.
His votes and stances are a matter of record and have been fully explored in many places. But we, as Hill staffers, have seen his personal vitriol up close and personally. Whether it has been personal confrontations with Senators or his cussing out of and demeaning comments toward staffers – whether it was his arrogance and dismissal of concerned conservatives displayed during the “Gang of 14” or his or his staff’s constant, repeated – often vindictive and very personal – undermining of conservative principles in the immigration debate – John McCain has proven time and time again that his worthiness to lead our Party, much less our nation, is more than questionable.
I believe it matters who you choose to follow. The “lesser-of-two-evils” argument is always compelling, but I simply have come to the conclusion that John McCain, for all his patriotism, is not the kind of man I want to follow and that I want to represent me, my country and my Party.
That said, the next 9 months will be an important time for conservatism. Whether you are a conservative, like me, who chooses not to vote for Senator McCain, whether you are a conservative who chooses to hold your nose and vote for him, or whether you are fully behind him, it is important to remember two things… 1) it is absolutely reasonable to support him in the face of Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton – potentially the most liberal individuals ever to run for the American Presidency – individuals who will undermine our military, choose activist judges, expand the size of government, raise taxes, show contempt for the unborn and the institution of marriage and otherwise disregard fundamental American values; and 2) you must show up to vote for conservative Senators and Congressmen regardless of your disaffection for Senator McCain or your frustration (shared by many of us) with the current Senate and House Republican leadership.
Regardless of who wins the Presidency this November, the best hope conservatives have to affect public policy in a positive direction is to get highly motivated to gain conservative seats in the Senate and the House, not to sit around moping about the likely nomination of John McCain. We must stay positive and focused…
See what others have said
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- That was the electoral week that was « Ned Raggett Ponders It All
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On February 8th, 2008 at 2:03 pm,
I have to disagree with you on that, TA.
Perot tends to become a pretty handy scapegoat for George. H.W. Bush’s defeat in 1992. But, his undoing was his own. Perot got votes, because Bush had squandered away what should have been any easy position for him to keep.
Oh, here we go again – just shut up – right?
Did you even read my post?
Shutting up.
Well Barry, the economy was in pretty bad shape at the time and it would have been difficult for the incumbent to win.
But Perot’s votes would have overwhelmingly gone for Bush1. Bush damaged himself just fine, but I fully believe that if it weren’t for Perot, Bush would have won.
Didn’t Perot get like 20% of the popular vote? That ain’t small potatoes.
I believe courtesy and common sense does not require a decoder ring. Just as there is no vast conspiracy to “silence you”, as you surmised. Nothing secret or sinister.
If I tried “but they did it first/they started it” excuse on my folks I ended up embarassed and nursing a sore behind. But that’s just me.
I submit there is enough vigorous discussion and dissent on any given comment thread eliminating a need to “import” from others to manufacture controversy. Of course, you may believe otherwise; but I’d suggest giving it more thought.
I hear you. If you hear about a big geek from Springfield aiming for Tom Davis’s seat it’ll be me.
What makes you think that McCain would nominate conservative SCOTUS judges???
Because he said so???
If that’s the case, I’ve got some beautiful land just off the Florida coast that’s for sale that you might be interested in.
I read your whole post. I didn’t see anything in there that was positive about anyone running that you support. The only thing I saw was more ‘woe is me, McCain is a liberal’.
You want a third party candidate, fine. But McCain is going to be the R nominee. I don’t like it either but it is a fact. Now I can spend my life explaining to people that McCain is a liberal. . . or I can accept the fact that he’s the nominee and figure out how to move from here.
Please, tell us the wonderful choice for president that you support who will bring peace and harmony to the world. I’m waiting with baited breath to hear your colorful praise of your chosen candidate.
I expect to hear more vitriol about McCain though.
We don’t want him to “deal” (”amnesty”) with the illegals. There is no “dealing” to be done. We can not afford the eighth amnesty since 1986. We cannot afford 12 to 30 million law-breakers being given a pathway to citizenship, with the NEXT 30 million right behind, no matter how high a fence we build (and we should build it!)
What we need is strict law enforcement and attrition through enforcement, as is being accomplished at the state level right now.
NOW is the time to call, write, and FAX your Congressman and Senators to get Heath Schuler’s HR 4088 passed – BEFORE we get a new president who will be pushing for Shamnesty ‘09. This is a strict enforcement-only bill, much like HR 4437 from Dec. 2005, but without the Democrat poison pill felony amendment.
See the NumbersUSA info on the bill, with the huge bipartisan cosponsor list, and get going. NOW!
Michelle – I don’t remember seeing you comment on this bill. ???
It’s barely been THREE DAYS! Who is “waaay over the top”, again?
I believe it was almost 19% (18.9% or something like that) that Perot received. But, that is really a mute point.
Apparently the voters felt disenfranchised for some reason to have voted for Perot and not got with Bush or Clinton.
If the economy was bad, Bush could only blame himself or the administration (i.e. Reagan) that preceded him. And, it was Ronald Reagan’s successes that made it possible for George H.W. Bush to get into the White House from the VP position.
I think more of the fault rests at Bush’s feet than he wants to realize.
I had serious issues with him for not finishing the job in Iraq, so we wouldn’t have to deal wtih Saddam in the near future. I know he had his “hands tied” by agreements that had been made. And, that is part of what I hold against him. We should allow ourselves to be put in a position of not finishing a job, if we are going to take it on.
But, this is all just IMHO.
I see Bonsai Billy gets a pass from you Thacker.
As far as I can see it, whoever becomes President at this point is irrelevant. They’re all liberals and will do a lot of harm if they aren’t blocked.
What I will do is show up to vote for my US Representative. Neither of my Senators is running this year, so I can’t vote against them, but I can support my local conservative representative and I can vote for or against various propositions. That’s where our only hope lies at this point and I, for one, will do my part. I hope others will as well and will not sit out the election because they’re miffed about the Presidential nominee. Sulking is about as useful now as it was when I was five. The thing to do now is to limit the damage.
Ditto. I am sure he is from Splendaville.
I agree with you Barry.
I’m still looking forward to the ‘Conservatives’ clamoring for a third party ‘Conservative’ candidate.
It’s only been 3 days, but it’s been going on for a month (since he was the front runner). . . when’s it going to stop?
Perot announced his candidacy in Feb 1992. If you ‘conservatives’ are so adamant about needing a representative, then I’d expect you to promote a third party conservative. Instead, it’s just more henpecking about who the Republican (not necessarily conservative) party chose.
Ron Paul is as conservative as they get. You just have to overlook his military isolationism to support him. Many conservatives are.
Again, I agree with the angst against McCain. . . I just don’t agree with the direction that people are taking their angst. I guess I was where you guys are now back in October (when there weren’t any conservatives running). So I’ve already come to terms with it.
If you want a third party conservative, or if you want to support Ron Paul (because McCain is you know . . . a liberal), now’s your chance.
Also, it’s been less than three days for me to digest Super Tuesday. I don’t know if you have seen on another thread, but that EF4 tornado that struck Union University in Jackson, TN was less than a mile north of my house. We lost power about 7pm, when the twister hit the dorms, and came within 100 yards of my brother’s business. While all of you were debating the McCain win, I was trying not to be killed. I did not get telecom service back until yesterday morning. So I’ve had about 24 hours to take in what happened politically, after getting back in touch with friends and family to make sure all were OK.
Forgive me if I’m behind on the “compromise”.
PP
You may want to give a little more thought regarding twisting what others say here. You totally missed the point of my post, and tortured a meaning out of it that strains credulity.
I thought that courtesy and common sense would have negated the need for pointing that out.
And I am sorry if I took STFU” to somehow be an attempt to silence differing points of view. Don’t know where I came up with that!
As for courtesy and common sense
barring the use of contemporaneous comments on an identical topic, I really fail to see where courtesy and common sense come into play here. The relevance of such comments is high by virtue of both the timing and the subject matter, and revealing such is a very effective illustration that identical comments are being echoed from thread to thread. To me, relevance supports common sense rather than being contrary. If you have a theory on why relevance somehow goes against common sense, I’m all ears.
On a thread where most folks are screaming at other folks to just shut up and fall in line… Probably wasn’t the best idea to call me out for a long post. Considering that this thread is full of long posts. I typically try to adhere to the rules of posting here.
Not trying to be disrespectful, if you weren’t.
What an awesome statement. I guess I will be one of those conservatives holding their nose and voting for McCain. There’s a lot at stake… con-
servatives going for Obama or even Clinton are kidding themselves if they think that either Dem candidate will bring our country together under the Unity and Hope bandwagon.
I’m genuinely scared about either Obama or Clinton getting the presidency. Obama especially, because he’s been given such a pass by the media and has received no close scrutiny about his policy positions. As a military spouse, I think he will undermine the military to such a degree in a time of war. The US, as a country, has already gone to war against its military….saying one thing “support the troops” and doing another- not supporting the war. There’s a great saying that embodies this: “the military’s at war, Americans are at the mall.”
What really bothers me is how American society treats its military families. As a military spouse, I’ve experienced more professionl/occupational discrmination (I used to be a social studies teacher) than many ever encounter in their lifetimes. It’s a pity that Pres. Bush didn’t do more earlier in his administration to counteract this type of flagrant, often hard to prove, bias.
Yes, McCain is odious, arrogant, and a liar… and at least most of us know it. I really don’t think he will win if it’s him vs. Obama. People think the US has it bad now and is going in the wrong direction, just wait for an Obama administration. The very thought disgusts me.
I was dissatisfied back in 2007 with the field of candidates and remain so today, TA. Romney was another time I was willing to settle. But, I find myself only able to settle so much.
Maybe I will have a change of heart as the months progress. But, It’s not looking too good for that to happen at the moment for me.
Now, I would love to see a true conservative third party emerge that I could get behind. Ron Paul is not the man for me though. As I noted on another thread yesterday. He is out there – way, way out there.
It’s been intersting reading and posting today, folks.
I’ve got to run for now – things to do, places to go and all that jazz.
McCain becoming the frontrunner, the Bills playing home games in Toronto… can it get worse? Yes: now I have to remove my Romney ‘08 bumper stickers tonight.
Bryan on Hot Air writes about Romney as a potential “Reagan 2.0″. Seeing how as it took 50 years to defeat Communism, and we’ve only been fighting Jihadism for 30 (my bellwether: Iran hostage crisis), we have a long way to go.
McCain is a fly on the windshield. Aw heck, guess I’ll vote for him. It’s better than being spiteful and voting Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama.
I wonder what Michelle’s been doing today? I noticed there haven’t been any new threads in like 5 hours. Not complaining…..just curious.
Something to chew on………
Amen to that last line. If I see McCain ripping the Democrats to shreds on policy matters from a conservative point of view, I might be able to get excited about this. If not, many like me will remain dispirited through November.
McCain is not, has never been, and never will be presidential. It is unfortunate that I will probably have to calm down and vote for him.
Okay TA,
So you will know. I have a candidate I support. Now, click on my moniker and explain to my why I cannot endorse a candidate.
Hint: 501(c)(3)
Excuse? No! There are some who would love to slam our charity if I were to outright endorse a candidate and I know it so, pardon my french if I do not fall in line, shut my mouth and be a stand-up guy.
BTW, I am WELL within the law to “whine” about the process that left us hanging.
If it will make YOU feel better, I will not bring up McCain being a lib again.
lgm:
Why are you on here? You’re a devout LIBERAL on a conservative website. Are the left-wing websites not enough for you? Oh, yeah, the Republicans being the masters of sleaze/pork… how do you explain congressmen like Murtha and Jefferson. Yes, that cash just magically appeared in Jefferson’s freezer. Riiiiiiiiiigggggggggt.
It’s interesting you liberals make rules for the rest of us but you fail to abide by them. I especially despise liberal educators who’ve told me how to do my job but they perpetuate the sense of entitlement and laziness in our public schools more than anyone else I’ve met. Wouldn’t you agree?
Since you’re not on here for an actual discussion and more to get a rise out of conservatives, you’re a troll. That really says more about your shallow character. Liberals are as much military-hating, self-hating, cowardice-filled hypocrites than a room full of conservatives.
Don’t feed this guy, folks… he never responds because he’s too in love with his liberal street cred as a public school teacher (say hi to your local voucher/choice hating teacher’s union for me okay?). Kisses.
My guess:
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Something else to chew on…….
Hey granite. How about moving back to NH. I don’t think we are that far gone yet. We could use some help.
McCain has every opportunity to put into motion now what he claims he will do if elected.. so why isn’t he doing it now? Only one answer can explain it – because he’s a liar. Don’t trust the foul-tempered little troll.
Voting Dem isn’t much better. There is no hope.
Thank you, JW2 #190. Makes sense to me. What do you think about writing in a candidate? I was hoping for Fred Thompson (had the bumper sticker, buttons, and signs, sigh…)would you consider it hurting the Repubican Party in November if a lot of us FredHeads wrote in a candidate? Also, if I am writing anything here that is not within the rules (I did read them!), please feel free to tell me.
FirstSkirt – Personally, I am torn as to what to do this coming election. For now I feel that I should wait and see how things pan out. As I said in an earlier comment, I won’t just toss out my right to vote, but I certainly won’t vote for Clinton or Obama. So, I guess I either have to vote for McCain (I’ll bring a vomit bag to the polls) to “support the Republican party” or write in a true conservative and stick with my principles. I have not decided.
[Side note: I did caucus (I'm in IA) for Fred last month.]
Meanwhile it isn’t the love fest on the Left, they would like us all to believe it is. Matt Taibbi, I started reading Matt after Imus started having him on, Imus in the Morning.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18349197/the_chicken_doves
Bingo. I said it weeks ago, the Repubs are playing election politics. Romney bowing out for “the good of the party” was just more proof. The Repubs in DC are only thinking who can get elected not who is better for the job ahead.
I would have been nice to see the Repubs hammer it out until the convention.
Part of my problem is, I’m not sure that voting McCain really would mean “supporting the Republican party.” It may, in fact, be more of a move that undermines the foundations of the party. But on the other hand, letting Clinton/Obama in is so scary… What to do?
This is all very overwhelming for me. I’m young, and although I’ve been of voting age for two presidential elections now, this is the first time I have paid attention to all the preliminary “stuff.” Is is always this messed up?
JW2,
Yes I think it has always been this messed up it’s just now we have the internet and Talk Radio so we are better able to acquire information.
#148 On February 8th, 2008 at 1:07 pm, Irish Rose said:
‘So, who gets to define what it means to be a “normal, everyday conservative”?
Just asking. ‘
Well then, let me just ask, who gets to define what it means to be an ultraconservative?
granite – even if Irish Rose hadn’t already signed out for the day, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for a real response to your question. I think she(?) only responds to things when she can make childish insults and unfounded statements. That was my observation anyway.
C’mon, Soap! Just calm down, watch the swinging watch and say “McCain IS a conservative, McCain WILL BE a conservative”
Rinse and repeat.
#228 On February 8th, 2008 at 3:21 pm, calamityville said:
Hey granite. How about moving back to NH. I don’t think we are that far gone yet. We could use some help.
Working on it, believe me.
Looking at a possibility in Maine.
At least that’s closer to home – within striking distance for aniother try in ?5-10 years?; and certainly more like home than Mass.
#237 On February 8th, 2008 at 3:52 pm, JW2 said:
“granite – even if Irish Rose hadn’t already signed out for the day, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for a real response to your question. I think she(?) only responds to things when she can make childish insults and unfounded statements. That was my observation anyway.”
I don’t disagree with you!
Good luck granite.
JW2,
Welcome to the world. In the immortal words of Denis Leary
Life sucks, get a helmet.
There are good years, then there are years liek this one.
Nah – I think yer a sweetie, 30pcs!
Sometimes when folks get riled up they might tend to think other folks whom they disagree with are evil (or something like that). I think that’s too bad – it’s much more often the case that fine, decent people will just honestly disagree with one another.
Yup, Soap, that’s always been my thinking. I’m a big “elect delegates locally via caucas and send ‘em to the convention” supporter. You might still get a McCain but at least all the gang would have had their say in one place, at one time.
Changes in the nominating process might be one of things we should be “positive and focused” on for the future.
Purplepeep
We have 105lb Chocolate Lab that will eat anything and I mean anything. He once ate a 1 & 1/2 pans of brownies with no ill effect. He ate an entire Rum-cake and since he is actually able to reach the back of the kitchen sink there is no where on the counter safe from his snout. He LOVES butter.
The only food he ever spat out was a purple peep.
Don’t buy it for a second, not with that image of McCain and Kennedy cheering their Shamnesty agreement still in my head.
JW2 and Azygos: I agree. I think the internet, blogging, talk radio,IMs etc., have made information much more readily accessible and knowledge is power. What I have learned, however, is that caucusing is messy–at least here in Colorado! Thanks for being active with Republicans in your state. Wish we could get Fred or Duncan Hunter as Veep,even if it’s with McCain.
Traveler, I had the good fortune to meet you head coach. Without even knowing his politics, I will be voting for Nate McMillan
Now a slavering and wholly unapologetic jonesing on McCain’s part to ram another 20,000,000+ illegal aliens down our nation’s imaginary throat is being airily brushed aside, by some, as “a whiff of moderate centrism.”
God help this party… and this nation.
This for me is where it all comes down. One need not be on the hill to see how vindictive, petty and arrogant McCain is. It just oozes off the tube, and sometimes come barrelling out. “Get used to the idea that we’re the Republican nominee” is the kind of FU attitude no President should have.
However, better that – much better – than have the drastic, hit-the-ground- running, “Hurry-and-do-it-while-we-can” reversal of everything we hold dear by Hillary or Obama, including the highest tax rates ever seen in the US (it will happen “out of necessity” and “for the good of our children”), absolute wide-open boarders in ways that would enrage even McCain (the Dems need to change the complexion of the US by filling it with half-literate illegals if they want to hold the control they would have), absolute contempt for the idea of the very lives of the unborn, socialized health care which, if nothing else, will leave Canadians with no place to go for emergency operations, and an educational indoctronation of the young which will ensure that conservatives are hated by future generations for decades to come.
No, as bad as McCain is, the lesser of two evils is something about which we need to suck in our guts and be soldiers.
If anyone thinks that having Hillary or Obama with the current house leadership will be a bump in the road followed by a grand and glorious re-birth of Republican conservatism they’re living in a dream world. The degree to which either democratic nominee as President and the current house leadership will recreate this country in a twisted marxist image and how quickly will be staggering.
And oh yes – we’ll lose the war on terror, also. What better way for the mother state to protect us than to show us how bad this country has been to easterners who hate us “with good reason”.
Hold my nose? Yes, and then press hard in every media outlet to keep Sheriff Openboarders aware that if he wants a second term, he sure as hell better, in his foul-mouthed language, get his sh*t together.
Sit it out and elect one of two socio-political Democrat monsters who would race to sign every liberal legislation, confirm every liberal judge who would then sit with impunity for decades?
No. Sorry. Not a chance.
I don’t think he’s planning to run for a second term. He’ll want to do as much damage to conservatism as he can in just four.
Actually, Jim, you lost me personally from the start with:
To my thinking if a person really believes John McCain (or anybody, for that matter) has set up a black ops squad that’s plotting to try to silence the person, the person really just don’t have much in the way of “relevance” to offer.
And, by extension, such conspiracy theories are a shot against Michelle.
On that alone I find such an allegation “objectionable”.
Wouldn’t the rational alternative explanation be that there are good folks who just disagree with you? I’m not sure why you feel it requires personal plots against you.
#251 On February 8th, 2008 at 4:24 pm, Mr_Conservative_Cat said:
“Sit it out and elect one of two socio-political Democrat monsters who would race to sign every liberal legislation, confirm every liberal judge who would then sit with impunity for decades?
No. Sorry. Not a chance.”
I think you meant “…two socio-political SOCIALIST monsters…”!
Good post.
It just might help me make up my mind.
Been going back & forth ad nauseam….
Hell, that ain’t nothing, KKlerik – I do the same thing on a regular basis!
Mr. Conservative Cat: Wow. well said. Strong case and I am afraid, very afraid, of Clinton and Obama. If McCain gets the nod, most Repubs will just grit their teeth and vote for him. I am thinking this may be me.
No, no don’t talk about him for 2012. He’s young, lets give him 8 years to be Governor, then, I’d happily follow him anywhere if he fixes Louisiana and New Orleans.
KaosKlerik (#246) –
That was too funny!
(By the way, when I was younger my family’s Golden Retriever would eat sticks of butter off the counter. I don’t know how, but she could reach them wherever the were. My dad ended up curing her of the habit by sprinkling some cayenne on a stick of butter and leaving it for her to get… she never touched the stuff again.)
Excellent “forward thinking”, Creole and Minn Gal! I’d diverge enough to say if he fixes things in La. in the next 4 years Jindal deserves a shot! Is he a good speaker?
On February 8th, 2008 at 4:24 pm, Mr_Conservative_Cat said:
Thank you for that very strong post. As I said earlier, I’ve been torn over this. I would not refrain from voting and I would never vote for Clinton or Obama, but I did consider voting outside the two parties. You have been immensely helpful, I am now convinced I have to just vote for McCain.
PP
Just might be helpful if you read the entire content of my posts rather than trying to dissect a meaning you find fits your case. The word “apparently” is prominent even in the section you quoted, but I guess you missed that, huh? Probably too much to expect from a self appointed wanna be moderator. You really did miss the forrest through all those trees.
No sense in really arguing with you – you missed the critical points in your zeal to browbeat over some imagined infraction of “internet protocol”.
Mmmmm…butter….
It’s simple enough to correct, Jim.
Do you really believe there is a McCain orchestrated plot against you or not? Or were you just blowing hot air from the start?
I just got back from renewing my drivers license. Whew! What you see these days! Now,
I’m not going to tell you to suck it up and vote for McC. I probably will because I consider the alternative to be way worse than him. What I am going to ask you to do is
to refrain from silly write ins that will not make a point because McCain will
never see them nor, will anyone else you might be protesting to. All they
will do is cause overtired election workers to have to fill out (in TX at least) paperwork
in quadruple and handwrite and tally all of those nonvotes. So you’ve punished election
workers. Ya Ha! If you are not going to vote for one of the pres candidates, please just
go to the other candidates and vote there. We’ve all seen and counted Mickey Mouse,
Donald Duck or even the voter’s own name ad infinitim. These people are working the polls for at least 13 hours straight. Sometimes when they are really busy they do
not get to eat lunch and have to almost forget about “necessary” breaks. Please think of them.
Excellent point TXRose, Although I did quickly realize the futility of a plan to write in, I must admit I never thought about the election workers.
Stay positive?
Don’t we have to be positive to stay positive? I haven’t seen much evidence of that yet.
From Hot Air:
Doees this make John Bolton a RINO?
Another group of victims in our society. Election volunteers. So, I can’t write in a vote because I might upset them. Just choose the ones who are on the ballot, shut-up and go home. Okay. The way the country is going…sounds “normal” to me. In my job, breaks are very rare…in fact I never really get one. Lunch? I eat on the run. That’s 5 days a week…no holidays either.
#268…Write in if you want, but why would you want to when none but election
workers at all levels are the only ones who will see it. I can guarantee you that
it is not going to be an effective little rebellion when it doesn’t go anywhere.
You sound aggrieved. At whom? At me for my post? I’ve been there. I have
been tired to the point of almost seeing double and knowing that I still have
all of the downright goofy and insulting write in votes to count. If there is a
legitimate write in campaign, I will count willingly. But why do I have to count
someone’s spiteful write in vote? Thankfully I won’t be working any of these
elections so I won’t see what is done.
By the way, a lot of what I am reading today reminds me of dimms and Pres
Bush.
Let me make this real clear to all of you out there sounding more than a little shakey on voting for McCrazy to keep the dhims out. If you vote for the scumbag your no better than he is. You call yourselves principaled conservatives! your a bunch of losers, no better then the open borders whore you’ll be voting for. If Jesus Christ himself came down and told me to vote for McCluney, I’m afraid I’d have to tell him where to go. It’ll be easier to fight Hillery then the incompetant you want to vote for, and if your thinking about S.C. Judges,you better go see what Jed Baban wrote about that today. Don’t expect any apologies from me, you wont get any.
I suspect Michelle is still going strong at CPAC. Doesn’t it run through Saturday?
With all the drama yesterday, I suspect people are diggin’ in and getting on with the rest of the conference agenda.
Yup, Barry, I suspect they’s a whole lot to take in, digest and sleep on.
Oh, don’t worry about that. Rest assured, I don’t want anything from you.
Here’s your choice;
Satan, Satan’s Son, or Satan’s Daughter………now just WHO would you vote for ????
NONE.
So what John Bolton said about sitting out the election is just a bunch of BS to you folks?
We have nearly a year before time for vote for President. A lot of things can
happen between now and then. If you don’t want to vote for the GOP Candidate,
don’t, but don’t think you are making things better or making a statement that
will change the party by voting across the aisle. Do you really want HRC and the
First Lech in the WH? Or, do you want Obama with his cult of personality in the
WH? Please go to your private place and kick and scream until it is all out of your
system and then sit down and think on this. Please. MM does not have stupid
people, for the most part, on her threads.
BTW…it has been announced that there has been a compromise in one part of the border fence in TX. It will be a repaired and reworked up to 18ft tall concrete levee. I won’t hold my breath, but it sounds promising.
I’m glad you respect my right to vote for whom I want. I don’t know how you came to the assumption you are more conservitive than me, many of my friends would LOL at that statement and so did I, I think you are uknowingly comparing apples to apples if that is the case.
I stated if you support McCain and you want me to vote for your guy, then you have to convince me that he is going to do what he says he will, explain in some form the thinking that went into his past actions and why I should vote for him now with out all of the rehtoric and condesention. The burden of proof so to speak is not on me but those who support McCain. I’m a Missouri boy, born and breed so SHOW ME.
hi Rose -
Yes, that doesn’t make any sense at all, Rose. But I can understand those who choose to vote for a conservative non-2-party candidate.
My guess is that the overwhelming majority of those who say they will “boycott the election” altogether have little or no political experience and haven’t ever moved out of their easychairs on any election eve. They’re just looking for any excuse for laziness.
I agree Purplepeep (can’t bring myself to call you pp). I can see voting for a
conservative 3rd party candidate or voting only below the top 2 slots. I
can’t for the life of me see how boycotting the election is going to do any
good. I remember how ill I felt when Slick won his 2 elections but it doesn’t
do any good to throw up your hands and yell That’s it! I’m Through! We can
start to work on the next candidate. It’s never too early. (I’m not wishing
bad on McCain but he is pretty long in the tooth and that temper has to
really raise his blood pressure).
Purist conservatives should carefully consider the opportunity they have between now and November to make their voices heard to John McCain.
I read yesterday on another blog – PowerLine, I think – a quote from former French Prime Minister Clemenceau to the effect that “If you want a seat at the feast, you have to help set the table.” Meaning in the current context that if you want McCain’s campaign to be responsive to your views, you need to present them in such a way that they’ll be seriously considered.
Come across as a bunch of cranks, and there’s a lot less chance of that happening.
It may not be palatable to some, but purist conservatism is *not* the mainstream of the Republican Party. That’s why McCain’s the nominee, and why blogs like Michelle’s had zero impact on the primaries: because this is largely an echo chamber for the purists.
Which is not to say that purists have no say. They do. It’s just that they need to keep in mind that they are one segment of a larger party membership that isn’t necessarily quite as hard-core conservative as they are.
You can make your views heard, and pull McCain as far in your direction as you can. He’ll never be a purist himself, but as his speech at CPAC demonstrated he’s not an idiot and realizes that he needs to build some bridges.
The ball is in the purists’ court right now: you can take advantage of the opportunity to work on McCain, or you can squander it with rigid thinking and self-defeating “Never!” attitudes and statements.
If you think that McCain is little better than Hillary or Obama – a mistaken impression, in my view, but one that people are entitled to if they wish – then there’s about 8 months before the election to make him better. He’ll never be more receptive to your points of view than he is now.
Will you make use of this opportunity, or throw it away? It’s up to each individual concerned.
Sticking with Michelle’s theme, stay positive and stay focused, although I have left the republican party I have contacted Melissa Hart’s campaign to give a little money and pick up some yard signs. She is trying to retake her congressional seat back from Jason Altmire (d-PA). Yes, small d to match his achievements…
yeah, Rose, lol – I didn’t think of that when i chose the nick!
I’m not sure that even if all conservatives voted for McCain that he’d win. Could be, but looking at the electoral landscape I just don’t see how. Maybe if the Democrats are seriously damaged and hopelessly fractured by the Obama/Clinton fight.
Yup – if anything this cycle so far has taught us to pick a good candidate and really get behind him/her early!
I have to admit it will be fun watching to see if he can get his dander up and attack the Democrat candidate. He’ll have to drop the “they’re my friends” attitude for that!
Regulus, conservatives are the base of the republican party.
And McCain has no interest what so ever in the conservative view. None. In fact he thinks the key to his election will be independents and moderate democraps who hate Hillary.
Regulus said:
Popping back in to thank you for this insightful comment… it’s the most intelligent thing that I’ve read all day.
I consider myself a conservative – but I don’t think many on this blog would concur. I believe conservatism is a political and not a social philosophy. I believe when we ‘require’ adherence to the social agenda the right demands we lose. Their are probably millions out there like me – they fear the right interfering with our personal choices as much as the left. I don’t want the government to interfere with my personal choices. The far right does that as much as the left. Personal responsibility is choice – you preach it, but when it comes to abortion or the right to die when you are really no longer a person or censorship- you want to interfere. I left organized religion when I saw the hypocricy of so many – I believe in God and what Jesus taught us – maybe even more so than those ‘true Christians’ who could not bear a Mormon in power. You call a person a flip-flopper when he tows the line for your special interests – Mitt yes but also Reagan – regardless of where they really stood they were blackmailed by the intolerant few and then chastised because of it. Yes Christians are being ridiculed – it is obnoxious, but yet many bring it on themselves – look at those who have voted in the primaries for a corrupt man simply because he is the right flavor of Christian.
Sorry I don’t mean to insult people, but I am really mad – we are losing our country – from the socialism of the Democrats to the Globalism of the Corporations supported by McCain, Bush and many on both the right and the left.
I am a firm supporter of capitalism, but the “unfettered” capitalism we are currently experiencing is destroying this country as much as the Socialism on the left.
We need to fight for what the founding fathers wanted – they were against religion interfering in our system – read about the founding fathers – most were not the traditional ‘Christians’ they were deists – they feared interference by religious groups – they believed in God – but certainly not in the same sense many of the Christian right do. They were also concerned about what would happen if corporations and business got too much power.
Guys we need to fight for the Constitution and what the founding fathers wanted. We have to put to the side (I don’t mean change your beliefs they are a strong and well-founded as mine) – but we can’t give up what this country has been, could be and should be. That requires us to put aside our prejudices and fight for what is really important to the nation.
In closing I will not vote for any of the Presidential Candidates – they are all supportive of the destruction of this Great Nation.
Don’t you mean Satans Great Grandfather, Satans Grandson, and Persephone?
I agree Regulus…I consider myself a moderate conservative. I know quite a
few purists and they think I am a dem. I keep telling them that the party is made up of various degrees of conservatives and one of them said that was like
being a little bit pregnant. You can’t be conservative, more conservative, most
conservative….well, I disagree. Just as there is Joe Lieberman and then there
are even more liberal dimms and then there are radical dimms. You get my
drift. Not every conservative GOP canidate is going to be to every conservatives liking. Personally, I don’t like what I know of McCain. Huckabee
makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end and to me, he is absolutely frightening in his ambition and his say anything to get elected
speeches. He reminds me of a religious Slick Willy. Am I going to sit out the election? No. So many, many people died so that I might walk through
the door of the polling place and cast my ballot that I would have to be in a
coma before I would not vote.
Not correct, Reg, that’s pure fantasy. The oddities of a few primaries is only reason McCain is where he is. The split conservative votes put him where he is. His current desperate appeal for conservative votes underlines that fact.
This actually put the conservatives – by the way I’d drop the silly “purists” attacks, unless you like the appellation of “lunatic-fringe-leftwing conservative” – in the driver’s seat. They can demand he act, rather than just talk, if he wants their support.
For example, right now in the Senate he can introduce legislatoion that requires immediate deportation of criminal illegal aliens in America. This would include those who have commited ID theft and Social Security number theft/fraud. If he does not, he can kiss the grassroots/base vote goodbye. Make it McCain’s litmus test.
What you are saying PurplePeep is why I keep thinking that there could be some very, very interesting conventions. Then, when we get to the national,
well, it could be something to watch, for a change. I was hoping that it would
come down to a Romney/McCain showdown but yesterday killed that.
BTW, when I renewed my drivers license today, I had to do it in person, with
my SSCard in my hand. This is happening because TX has stopped giving
illegals drivers licenses by not asking for papers, even from people that cannot
speak one word of English.
OT, let this be a lesson to all of you.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,330108,00.html
Give a hoot, don’t pollute.
Commenter # 35…nice use of Hitler.
How utterly disgusting.
Yeah yeah, it was only an analogy…spare me.
I don’t care.
Hitler tried to kill my dad. McCain did not. Period.
eric aka the Tygrrrr Express