What the McCain campaign doesn’t need
Rich Lowry at NRO believes John McCain needs a new advisor such as Bill Kristol to help him focus on the “big picture” and end his constant zig-zagging on issues.
With all due respect, adding another Beltway political strategist to the McCain camp isn’t going to fix an un-fixable the problem. It’s not fundamentally flawed messaging, it’s a fundamentally flawed candidate. The sooner Republicans reconcile themselves to that, the better.
***
Meanwhile, as Ed Driscoll notes, the endless series of unforced errors by the Obama gaffe machine is being squandered. A damned shame.
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On the contrary, I have seen some of the most vile, disrespectul name-calling and bullying imaginable from anti-McCain posters here.
I’m a military parent and I’ve been attacked and insulted over, and over, and over again for talking about my unique perspective on these issues. There are other members of military families here, and they have been treated the very same way for daring to offer even a modicum of support for the presumptive candidate.
Michelle does nothing to stop the abusive behavior and she never responds to direct questions like the ones that wise_man and I, and others, are asking.
So you’ll have to pardon us for being just a little bit confused about Ms. Malkins’ agenda.
Wow- many of you people sure don’t believe in the adage accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative. Hope you enjoy life under the Lightmaker Urkel. It sure seems like the media had much to do with selecting the respective presumptive nominees. Maybe Romney would have done better had some people not made his religion a big issue or if so many evangelicals had not supported Huckleberry Clown. Now I hear that same evengelicals are seriously looking at Obamanation. And ditto for so-called black republicans like JC Watts, Armstrong and Colin Powell- apparently ready to vote for “their” race, 1/16 black Barry Hussein..wtf?
If America allows the far left to bamboozle them into choosing the big N word Neophyte, then they will have to just suffer the consequences. With all his flaws, Juan McCain has to be better for nation than the marxist choice. I could even tolerate madame sHrillary much better over boo hoo Obama.
I see polls have McCain losing S. Fla. by 46-30 right now. Isn’t that special? I guess my congressscum Wexler is working his magic with the Jews. Maybe adding Charlie Crist as Veep will help? Not hardly, he sucks too. I guess a Sarah Palin isn’t far enough left for the dimbulbs running McCain campaign. So what bozo will remind us more of the dole-kemp fiasco? Oh yeah, Bob Barr helps so much in a few states that he might himself play Perot type spoiler with electoral college. What’s in it for him anyway- just personal aggrandizment?
Anyway we need Obama Potus if merely to ensure more left-wing whackjobs sitting at USSC to give the country away in euroweenie fashion. I have no clue why leftists want to emulate crappy European policies and laws. Oh, France makes good use of nuclear power, but that is still off limits to the jackasses here. Obama wants gas prices even higher so you sheep drive less while the elite flys those private jets without limit to push for AGW and more taxes, including UN taxes and bho’s own really big welfare show for Africa and the inner cities here. America needs more Michelle Obama’s getting fat paychecks to assist the “poor”.
Ummm… Presidents don’t care what we think. It’s also true for: Senators, Congressmen, Governors, State Legislator, Mayors, School Boards, Homeowner Association presidents, ummm… etc.
On June 24th, 2008 at 11:04 am, fourstringfuror said:
Been there, done that, many times.
Nothing but silence.
Michelle has no need to respond. Her position is firm and her writing very plain on her position. I agree on most her positions, McSame is a very poor representative of the Republican Party as I have know the party. I can not, and will not support him. I would rather the lefties have it all because I feel 2 years of them will open 2010 for a huge swing back to conservatives taking back congress. The 2008 election will give us a liberal president, no matter who wins. The republicans need to be taught they can not abandon the base, a lesson they did not learn in 2006.
JHSII
well said …
AJMontana #92
That’s what I asked - and I never got an answer…
I have one vote and one conscience. They cannot vote for McCain. McCain is no different than Obama. You cannot convince me otherwise. These are two liberals. You just expect me to be twisted into believing that McCain will some how be the best for this country, because Obama is oooohhh soooo bad. Well, I think that McCain is oooohhh soooo bad. I think that McCain is NOT the lesser of two evils. I think he is just as evil as Obama. I will stay to my principals and vote true conservative. The Constitutional Party, in California it is the American Constitutional Party. I can at least live with myself.
I have one conscience, and my consicence is what I have to live with. My conscience will not let me vote for McCain.
What has you all so po’d is that you know that McCain needs conservatives to win. Well, I am a conservative, but I am not a REPUBLICAN. PERIOD. I’ll vote for a true conservative.
McCain is either going to sink or swim by what he does and whom he chooses for a VP running mate.
Second that…Lot of times Mrs. Malkin is more interested in sensationalizing petty items rather than emphasizing/disuccing on thought provoking practical problems/resolutions.
Your opinion is not correct.
It is so not correct, it is without any merit whatsoever.
That’s funny you wrote that…Fred was the MOST reluctant of candidates.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it as I step into the polling booth…
to vote against Obama.
DRAFT FRED THOMPSON
Well, you forgot Micheal Yon. I’m on his mailing list, and received this from him.
So I guess you can add Yon to those people who are in bed with Osama Bin Laden.
Lets’s call a spade a spade here. There are some Republicans who do not want the Iraq war to end, even successfully.
You people, for different reasons, are as reluctant to hear good news from Iraq as the MSM are.
Right now the most important thing McCain can do is to put up and NOT shut up! The GOP for years has been lead with no lead horse, but instead a bunch of ponies pulling the carriage in all directions. Worst of all, we are inside asleep. Let’s hear more from our supposed leader! My dislike for McCain is known, but he also holds the fate of the most important part of the government,our Congress. We need our leaders in the Congress to be elected and this will happen only by national exposure of what the GOP can do and he leads the charge.
I am sick of empty political talk. McCain is a Senator and an elder one at that. The American people will vote for the man that actually does something and he can do it now, before the election, but it can’t just be talk.
We want to talk about nuclear power, we want to talk about drilling, we want to talk about renewed tax cuts, then do it NOW! Put up a bill will all of them in one. We don’t need great orators, we need great statesmen.
When the GOP does things in the Congress they get no press. McCain has the pulpit right now and can call attention to the ills of the liberals, but he has to step up and do something, not talk, but real actions through legislation. It may fail, but the failure will be the key to election success.
Being conservative is not an act it is an action and I will gladly stand in line behind McCain (and believe many other doubters will do the same) if he can lead the way with solutions.
Allow me to help you understand Mrs. Malkin’s agenda.
You seem like a nice lady, but it’s confusing to me that you would openly question the hostess’ intentions. She has always, always stood behind the troops, and has supported the war from Day 1. Your son has her support, as well as mine. I, too, have several family members either in Iraq or in the National Guard (currently working in IA, in fact).
Mr McCain seems to not have the remotest understanding of what made USA the great nation we are(were). Founded on Judeao-Christian values, capitalism, limited government and an un-wavering resolve to follow the constitution.
For the McCain apologists here - we’re sorry if we have to point out McCain’s inconsistencies on these things. Sometimes the truth hurts.
Further - for those who claim a non-McCain vote is a wasted vote: Please understand our electoral college process before spouting off such non-sense. I live in a state where Obama will still take all of our electoral votes even if he killed his wife and kids on live TV. My vote will not affect the presidential outcome one iota. HOWEVER - I will still vote as it registers in the so-called “mandate” considerations.
A partial list of folks who want “principled” conservatives to sit out the General Election:
Add flenser,the new troll
Yes, he did. You did not mention that it was because he supported a different tax cut plan with a different distribution of reductions and, most importantly, restrictions on spending.
These are policy issues on which principled people disagree.
There seem to be two distinct groups in this debate - the how we cans vs. the why we cant’s. It’s much easier to be a why we can’t, all that’s required is sitting back and tossing criticisms (principled or otherwise) at every proposal.
I have chosen to join the how we can faction. McCain is not perfect; Obama is far less so. I refuse to run and hide from a decision just because it’s difficult and there’s no ideal option.
Obama’s supporters would like nothing more than to see all the self-proclaimed True Conservatives sit out the election. They don’t care about your motivations, only your actions. Will you let them win?
I’m SICK of being told who to vote for! I’m SICK of being told that if I don’t vote for McCain that I’m voting for Obama!
In the days leading up to the SC primary, we were being bombarded by the media telling us that if we didn’t vote for McCain, then we were throwing our votes away. At that time, McCain had yet to win ANYTHING! But it worked. People believed it, and they voted for the worst of the candidates. And it happened again just a couple weeks ago when Lindsey Graham won the congressional primary. It sickens me!
The GOP has abandoned its principles and its people, and I will NOT be made to geel guilty for not voting for a weak Republican candidate. I will not vote for someone who’s principles I disagree with, simply because people say he’s the “lesser of two evils.” The “lesser of two evils” prase just goes to show that we can’t get get a real candidate - it’s shameful. Whichever candidate wins this election is going to put this once great nation in serious peril, and I for one won’t be one of the ones responsible for putting either of them in office.
Some food for thought:
Voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil. Juan McVain’s ego is so huge that he won’t realize people aren’t voting for him, but are voting against Obama. He would think he won because of his “moderate” views, and would be even more insufferable as a result.
It’s always darkest before dawn. We had to have a Jimmy Carter before we could get a Reagan. I hate Obama, but in the long run I think his presidency would finally get the Country Club Republicans to wake up, or at least energize the conservative base. If Obama wins, he will be such a disaster that he would be a one-term wonder; conservatives could take back Congress in the 2010 midterms and block anything B.O. could hope to accomplish.
I think we could also expect that an Obama presidency would also finally lance the boil of the “race” issue in the country, specifically reverse discrimination and affirmative action. Obama supporters will scream racism every time someone criticzes him, which will get really old, really fast. That might be enough to create a backlash and we could once and for all put that nonsense behind us and people would start getting ahead in life based on merit, not race quotas.
I will not vote for McCain. I cannot vote for Obama. I’ll either vote for the Libertarian Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin of the Constitutional Party.
The reason that we come here is that we love this site.
I have heard 5 months of why McCain is a man we should not support, and the election is 5 months away.
At this point I would like to hear some constructive comments as to what the plan is. Support him. Or don’t. For many here the plan seems to be to not support him, attempt to convince as many people as possible to not support him by any means neccessary, including making crap up about him such as that McCain and Obama will be exactly the same if they are president. Then, it seems, they want the US to go into 4 years of economic collapse and chaos, so that after the 4 years, a more conservative president will be elected.
A lot of what Ms Malkin writes seems to go along with a lot of the anti-McCain posters, even if we shouldn’t assume that she agrees or disagrees with anyone who comments here or lets comments stand.
I don’t blame her.
Are you trying to invoke ‘Moral Authority’ ?
Good One!
#82:
Another bullseye.
McCain fans are a thin-skinned as the candidate himself.
Who the f said Republicans and/or conservatives are not allowed to criticize their candidate?
And perhaps if you McCain fans (not to mention the candidate himself) would actually listen to some of the criticism, you might learn something. Those of you who think he’s above criticism and blind yourself to the reality that he’s a serioiusly flawed candidate who’s running a lousy campaign are in serious denial.
OK, so we all agree that McCain is a flawed candidate. Even me.
Most of us are still willing to support him, though, in spite of his flaws. Some people still aren’t, and some never will.
So here’s the question: since we only have two candidates and we establish here on a daily basis that Barack Obama is bad for the country and an administrative disaster waiting to happen, what is it going to take to get those of you who still can’t see past your noses to vote for the man to actually pull the lever in his favor? Anything?
How about a VP pick? If he chooses someone that you prefer for the VP slot, would that make you more inclined to vote (R)? Who would that person be, and why?
The election is only five months away, we need to dig out of this rut and start engaging in some forward thinking.
Those of you who will never, ever, EVER in a million years vote for THAT MAN… please sit this one out. We already know what you think.
Discuss.
Not true. McCain voted against the tax cuts because he thought they were tax cuts for the rich.
Sorry. It’s the truth.
I’m sorry that this makes you sick.
It’s basic math. Two people. No do-overs. Only one or the other. You are on a plane. They offer you beef or chicken, and you want the fish. You are going to hold your breath until you get what you want while everyone else in the plane has chosen beef or chicken and are beginning to eat as you get even more angry. The more you complain, the more the rest of the passengers are beginning to look around to see where all the noise id coming from. It’s coming from you.
While you aren’t voting for Obama by physically casting a vote, by not participating with everyone else who is voting for one of two choices, you are not preventing Obama from being the next president when your vote is absent fromall the ones voting for Obama or for McCain.
It’s very simple.
More intellectual dishonesty. My ballot contains more than two names.
Tennyson #118
Good post … Can we consider the “Why we can’t” types as equal to the Dem’s “Victim” class ???
Sometimes the truth hurts bigtime, does it not?
Wise_man: It’s going there, no matter who is in charge. We are way beyond the point of no return, and everything that is happening now is just to prolong the crash. The pain will be intense, and whichever president is in office will get the blame.
The plan is to dump McCain and nominate a decent candidate. Or even a candidate who does not totally suck.
Instead you could use your brain and do some thinking. Whats the alternative? Liberal Obama?
Do you really think we can get rid all illegals at once or within few years? More than illelgal, our private business lobby will be working against any such plan. At least McCain made an attempt at the problems unlike barking-dog Tancerdo or once-pro-amnesty-now-flip-flopper Romney. The mistake McCain made was to emphasize immigration bill before we have a border fence.
You need to think so hard & deep without producing milk or whatever else on these complex issues and not just accept whatever been fed into you before making fun of arguments which go against your blabber.
Why is it that when I hear someone tell me that I can’t understand how they feel because I don’t have any children in the military (and it was said to/about Michelle Malkin too - even though I have no children and Michelle’s children aren’t even 10 years old yet!!) that I sense Momma Moonbat?
Tennyson,
This is very interesting:
I would say the group that includes wise_man and other McCainaanites, and, presumably, yourself, would belong in the why we can’t group. As in…why we can’t vote for anyone other than McCain.
To me, those sticking with their principles, refusing to vote (R) just because it’s there, are looking at other alternatives. They are the why we can group. They are the ones making the decision; the ones voting for McCain because of (R) are not making a decision.
McCain was and still is the problem.
No, the mistake McCain made was to be a lefty in what is allegedly a right wing party. His amnesty plan was written by Ted Kennedy.
I have been battling wether to vote for McCain like many of the rest of you, and everytime I convince myself to hold my nose and vote for him, he opens his mouth, and reminds me how much he hates conservatives, and can’t wait to stick it to us again. So I have come to the conclusion that, we might as well let Obama have it. If he doesn’t win this time, he will come back even stronger in 4 years, and probably have even more media support. The next 4 years are going to be BAD! So we might as well let the Dems take the blame. We survived Carter( and yes Obama will be far worse), but I think there are just too many voters out there who don’t know history. Like the saying goes, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. We just need to focus on getting out and supporting Representatives and Senators, and then stock up, dig in, and wait out the Obamastorm!
thirteen28
I would not say I am a “thin-skinned” McCain fan … I live in AZ and I didn’t vote for him in the primary even though it was already a done deal when we got to vote here …
But things are what they are and I will not vote for turning my beloved country into the next socialist experiment no matter who I have to vote for or against …
The last time I checked no one on this earth was perfect … some less perfect than others … so folks just need to get over it and move forward …
I won’t fold my hand just because I didn’t get dealt the cards I would have preferred …
#134:
I laughed at your calling McCain a conservative. In fact, you said he’s “still a conservative”, implying that he was one before. Look, no one is going to buy that garbage.
Just because Mickey Mouse is also one of the choices does not mean that Mickey Mouse has any chance whatsoever in being elected.
Example: 2004 election results.
George W Bush, 62 million, 040,610 votes. 286 electoral votes. Winner.
John Kerry, 59 million, 028,444 votes. 251 electoral votes. Loser.
How many millions of votes did the third party and write in candidates get? In millions. How many electoral votes did they get?
“Who the f said Republicans and/or conservatives are not allowed to criticize their candidate?” thirteen28
Again, the best time to criticize McCain is during the primaries. What’s the difference between criticizing McCain now and the night before the election?
And again, I ask:
What - constructive - ideas are out there to deal with this flawed candidate.
So far, I’ve seen “He won’t get my vote.” okay. Any other bright ideas?
You’re stuck in la-la land, but who am I to tell you that you shouldn’t vote for Mickey Mouse or Popeye the Sailor?
I’m not going to try and talk you out of it.
It’s a free country… knock yourself out.
Bwahahahahaha, that’s good - I like that one a lot.
By the way, brad_sk…it’s good to see your support for open borders and “immigration reform”. I don’t know if you’ll find any like-minded people here, though.
Again with the ‘McCain is not conservative’ theme.
82% conservative, 18% liberal. So, is the American Conservative Union and/or Ed Morrissey a liar?
Good question Irish and a legitimate one. Let me begin by telling you what is NOT going to convince us. The likes of many people on here atheling and wise man and others who decide that the best way to convince is to condemn. Instead of trying some persuasion (probably because they don’t know how) they try beating it into people and trying ridicule and hate. Guess what? Not very persuasive. No doubt these people are egged on by those who only want confrontation as well and I don’t condone them either.
Now, what to do to “win” us over, and there is a way, is to do just what I have been saying, put up some action for us to see. Currently, talk isn’t going to work. If talk worked, I would vote for Obama because I would be stupid and mesmerized by a bunch of words. In addition, McCain has been all over the place on so many issues for so many years, without some action, we don’t know which McCain is talking and which McCain is serious.
Again, you want me to vote for McCain, then he needs to walk onto the Senate floor today (or this week or next, just before the election) and say, here is my bill with no strings attached, to cut the red tape keeping nuclear reactors from being built, to open drilling off our coasts and ANWR, to cut the red tape creating new refineries and to renew the tax cuts for all tax paying Americans forever.
He not only wins my vote, he wins in a landslide and never even has to mention Iraq.
Replace him with a better one. How hard is this?
Well, if the equivalence fits…
At this point I would like to hear some constructive comments as to what the plan is. Support him. Or don’t.
And how is that plan coming along so far?
#142:
Wow, Rose, that was almost eerie the way you and wise_man both came up with Mickey Mouse as an example to ridicule the point. Typical.
“replace him” … yeah, that is what worries me. Especially since a few of you people were commenting about how you should stock up on ammo just about a week ago.
I’m with ya, kiddo.
#9’s sarcasm is suicidal in the context of the current war/jihad.
#5 says McCain’s stance on illegal aliens/immigration (with which I strongly disagree) is unforgivable. Yet, what if it is being used cynically/politically (use of either depending on your location in the USA…heh!) until the election so that then, golly gee, Capitol Hill just won’t let him push it through.
The key for me is that, FIRST OF ALL, Americans have to put one of these two into office…and like it or not (ranting, whining, screaming about principle all one wishes)only one of - in all liklihood - these two candidates WILL get into office…therefore, WHICH OF THESE TWO is best suited to address AMERICA’s INTERESTS 2009-2012?
“Fundamentally flawed” or not, I say McCain rather than Obama.
Khan, good point. I am willing to think outside of the box and vote my true conservative conscience, and that does not include a vote for McCain. I am voting Dr. Baldwin, Constitutional Party. This is a true conservative party. Unlike the Republican Party, that is more liberal every day. McCain is not a conservative; and has been moving to the liberal left since 1993.
I am the ‘why we can vote’ for someone other than McCain: am voting Constitutional Party. I will not be bullied into voting for liberal lite as some would have me do, no I have one conscience and one vote. I am voting true conservative, Constitutional Party’s Dr. Baldwin. I refuse to be a victim of the Republican Party.
I am a conservative, not a Republican, and to me there is a large difference between the two. I will not be bullied. I will not be ashamed of maintaining my integrity.
My sentiments exactly.
More “wisdom” from wise_man? Last I checked my ballot is going to have more than 2 names to choose from come November. So much for the chicken or beef piss poor analogy.
oh..so you lie in addition to not using your brain?
I am not open borders person…but I don’t wait for perfect solution while we get few 25 million more illegals into our country during the wait.
What is it about those McCain supporters that appear to believe that attacking people who don’t support McCain will bring them to start supporting him?
Again, here is an example. The 2004 election results.
George W Bush, 62 million, 040,610 votes. 286 electoral votes. Winner.
John Kerry, 59 million, 028,444 votes. 251 electoral votes. Loser.
How many millions of votes did the third party and write in candidates get? In millions. How many electoral votes did these piss poor excuses for candidates get?
Don’t they teach civics in high school any more? Americans most emphatically DO NOT have to put on of these two men into office. This is not the Soviet Union.
Sure you’re not. Just like McCain isn’t, even though Juan Hernandez is an advisor, even though he hispanders to and courts La Raza.
The perfect solution, if you and McCain and all the other open border advocates would pull the cotton out of your ears, is to enforce existing law.
It really is that simple. And don’t tell me that America can’t deport the ones already here. This country can do anything if the will is there.
Umm. I said:
Was it my use of neutral, descriptive language (as opposed to standard left-wing “framing” slogans) that so confused you? Interesting…
That is a great choice Uhang and the one I feel comfortable doing as well. I hope more people will take a look at this party. If you believe in liberty a governmental pursuit of what our founders envisioned, I can not see any other choice than this one.
Is this thread destined to become yet another “I WILL NOT/CANNOT VOTE FOT THAT MAN!” thread?
Or are are we going to actually do some brainstorming here? Because I strongly suspect that Mr. McCains’ campaign is paying attention to this conversation.
If you have a productive suggestion for them that is grounded in REALITY, not fantasy, now would be the time to say so.
We are five months out of the election and a third candidate is simply not going to happen… sorry, but it’s not.
You have what you have, and you’re just going to have to get past that and move on.
You just described McCains attitude towards immigration. He’ll leave the border open until he gets his idea of a perfect solution. Fot him, it has to include US citizenship for tens of millions of new Democratic voters.
Well said, which is why people like wise_man refuse to answer if they would have voted for Hindenburg or Hitler (or stuck with their integrity and wrote in a real conservative who wasn’t senile like Hindenburg was at the time)if they had been a German citizen during that election. The lesser of two evils, heh.
Well sure it is, my ballot will have both Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin. They can’t win, granted, but the more votes they get, the bigger message it sends to the GOP. Big reason why I voted Paul in the primaries.
I think it’s pretty obvious that you place some pretty sharp limits on what “brainstorming” you consider permissable. For one thing, you take the nomination of McCain as not to be questioned.
I did not use “standard left-wing “framing” slogans”. I used John McCains own words. Follow the link and you’ll see that.
Of course, John McCains own words could reasonably be described as a left wing framing slogan. But the fault there is McCains, not mine. You are blaming me for McCains faults.
#168:
hear, hear.
I assume you left McCain off your list intentionally, but he should certainly be on it. If McCain wanted conservatives to support him he would’ve made an effort to earn their votes. The fact that he hasn’t done so clearly demonstrates either that he doesn’t want conservatives to vote for him or, at least, doesn’t much care whether or not they do.
The source of the problem McCain supporters are whining about doesn’t come from conservatives but from their own candidate. He is the disease; conservative dissatisfaction is only a symptom.
I am voting for McCain this year, not because I like him but because I despise Obama and his insane followers. McCain has fewer insane followers than Obama. I know, I know, LOTE should not be a reason for my vote, but this year it is.
Why would I offer productive suggestions to a candidate/campaign for which I have no intention of ever supporting? This is you stuck in (R) mode instead of principle mode.
McCain is surrounded by bad advisors..and of course he is just the typical Washington Politician.
Note a few examples:
Secret behind closed doors meeting with Chicago Latino Group.
Immigration (McCain-Kennedy)Deal worked out behind closed doors in the dead of night.
Gang of 14, sneeks into a broom closet to work out Judicial Nomination Agreement.
Is it just me or does he (McCain) seem to do a whole lot of his work in the shadows, behind closed doors, and away from the Scruitiny of the very American people he claims he supports??
Does anyone see a simularity of McCain-Obama and Hoover-Roosevelt?
There’s been a major national economic downturn, with a republican administration relying on business to correct itself. Add to that a discontented public opinion that feels the goverment isn’t doing enough, compounded with growing problems internationally.
Then you have a charismatic & socialistic democrat reformist candidate riding a vague message of hope & change, running against a republican candidate who has the support of the big-money party elete but not from the party rank & file.
This is 1932 presidental election.
Or is it today?
OK, look.
Some of us are actually interested in productive adult discussion here.
Unfortunately there are also those who are only here for the mobbing, posturing, mudslinging and the adrenaline rush of anonymous provocation.
Is this the type of discussion that you REALLY want to have on your blog, Michelle?
I’m asking this because I’m a fellow professional and it reflects poorly on your credibility as a professional journalist when you let kindergarteners run amok in the hallways. When you allow this, the conversation is anything but productive.
I’m not suggesting that anyone should be silenced, I’m only suggesting that the tone of the conversation here could be a lot more adult and a lot less juvenile.
This isn’t grade school, people.
I have a productive suggestion for McCain.
For the good of your country and the good of your party, retire. That would be the most patriotic thing you could do at this point.
Message to the GOP? If we’re being realistic here, I think they got the message loud and clear in the primaries. . .where not ONE clearly conservative candidate came anywhere close to tallying up as many delegates as McCain. Unfortunately for the hard-line conservatives here, I suspect THAT’S the message the GOP will be listening to for the time being.
For Ahh a Lion! and others who say their ballot will have Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin:
Are you sure? Have either of these parties met the threshold of voter share to get on the ballot? If not, then how are the petition drives going in your state to get them on the ballot? Just because they say they are running does NOT mean they will automatically be on the ballot. If they aren’t on the ballot then be prepared to write them in. Just make sure you know your state’s laws governing write-in candidates and what it will take to have those votes counted.
To flenser:
You have said here numerous times that the solution is to dump McCain and nominate a better candidate. Just how is that to be accomplished? Specifics please. I really am interested in how this can be accomplished, because his nomination as the Republican candidate seems to be assured. I may be wrong, but in order to dump McCain I think you are going to have to change the minds of enough party convention members to change their votes and go with somebody else. And then you’re going to have to marshall their support behind a single candidate who has a broad, nationwide appeal.
Brainstorming huh? … then consider this …
Name me one true conservative that would stand any chance at all of actually being elected in the current climate of the country … not just names … but someone that could actually get elected …
In fact McCain is probably the only (R) with a snowball’s chance in hell of attracting enough (D) and (I) voters right now for the very reasons we all would prefer someone else as the nominee …
I can assure you we are not the only ones that see through the Obama facade … even though the MSM would like us to think otherwise regarding the “unity” of the (D) voters …
A true conservative would result in a definite liberal landslide … which may occur regardless …
When McCain is zigging toward the center he is moving right.
Here are some, for starters:
1. ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
- Drill. Offshore, onshore, ANWR.
- Exploit shale, coal, natural gas and related resources. Free up the necessary land and water rights. No demagoguery about “profits.” Make it worth private enterprise’s efforts.
- Alternatives. Wind, solar, biofuels, batteries, everything. “Manhattan Project” for non-petroleum energy.
2. KEEP TAXES LOW
- No capital gains increase. Encourage not discourage investment.
- Spending and entitlements reform. Not just more taxes.
3. CONGRESSIONAL REFORM
- Congress is in the way of genuine progress on every front. Vow to work to get them out of the way.
4. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
- Seal the borders.
- Deport the illegal criminals.
- Merit-based work permits and/or path to citizenship.
McCain’s already on some of these. I will work to persuade him to improve on the others.
- DesertLover
Take it one step further! One that could actually get elected, who wasn’t already trounced in the primary by McCain.
I agree with you.
Here you go Wise_Man, here is my plan and my idea, which I have consistently stated from the beginning. I suggest if you are a true conservative, which I seriously doubt. I believe you are a Republican, which is a not being a conservative, this is being a tool for the two party system operatives that are destroying this country. Oh Irish Rose, it my benefit you to check this out as well. The Constitutional Party is the third largest party in the US, that means it is just behind the Republican Party. If enough smart conservatives were to realize the Republican Party does not represent them, the Republican party would no longer be #2, but #3.
You’re not wrong. I did not say it would be easy, only that it was neccesary.
There was a time when the Republican Party did not shrink from tasks simply because they were difficult. I can just imagine Reagan trying to face down communism in todays world.
“It’s too hard. Impossible, really. Besides, the Russians are Gods childen too. Let’s take the course of least resistance.”
#181 Tennyson
Thank you!
Amnesty.
Rob said (#81):
So true! You don’t have a main stream candidate representing your views because your views are out of the main stream.
Oh, and you’re not a nut. Your views would be main stream but for all those Mexicans (who work but can’t vote).
Ok, McCain peeps, here’s your chance:
Give your reason(s) why people should vote for McCain without using Obama as a reason.
I’m sorry uhangtight. . .but how does what you posted qualify as “a plan”? Do they have a candidate? Did they even qualify to be put on the ballot?
If not, switching to them is not a plan for anything except to marginalize your vote. “Just behind” the Republican party? Funny that I’ve never seen a (C) next to a senator, congressman, legislator, President, or ANYONE.
Don’t get me wrong. . .I think the two party system is bogus. However I don’t see how posting the platform of a party that won’t likely appear on the ballot is a “plan” for doing better than McCain.
I think it’s pretty clear that Yashmak and Desert lover both see “true conservative” as a term of contempt. When they say that a “true conservative” cannot win they are projecting their own prejudices onto the public.
In the public mind, “conservatism” is identical with “the policies of the Republican party”. They are against “conservatism” because they think conservatism has failed them. In reality the GOP has governed in a very liberal fashion these last eight years.
The public did not endorse McCain. They responded to the very postive image which his friends in the MSM painted of him.
The actual polices which the public are looking for are those of Duncan Hunter. They did not vote for him because they never heard of him.
We must have witnessed a different primary. I didn’t see McCain trounce anybody. It was only because conservatives split their votes between so many candidates that McCain was able to squeak by.
Then the plan would be to add your signature to get their names on the ballot. Step 1, you know.
WOW Me thinks I am glad I don’t have a dog in this fight!
Flenser, I can sense that you fashion yourself as some kind of grass-roots hero because you advocate for the Constitution party.
But the election is only five weeks away, and there is simply not. enough. time. If you wanted to push for a viable third party candidate the time to do that was months ago.
Try again next election cycle. It’s not that I necessarily disagree with you, I agree that the two-party system sucks. But it’s simply not a viable option, this late in the game.
We have to deal with what we have NOW. And what we have, are two candidates. Pick one. Or waste your vote, if that’s all you feel like you can do.
Your alternative here is to contribute to some constructive, reality-based brainstorming.
An Obama administration is simply NOT AN OPTION, as far as I’m concerned. The damage will be too far-reaching, too long-term, and too severe.
Who’s kidding who here? You don’t care if they are on the ballot or not, and you’re on board with McCain regardless of whether he’s running against the ghost of Reagan.
There is no plan which can be proposed to you which will not be met with derision. Getting McCain elected is your goal, not getting conservatives elected.
Yashmak … thanks …
Tennyson
Expanding yours with some of what I have posted before …
1.
- Eliminate all but the single most efficient level of emissions blend of gasoline and make that the only one produced. This means no shutdowns of refineries to retool in order change blends being produced … Anyone who has traveled abroad will tell you they do not get all those choices of different octanes and blends outside the USA …
- Temporarily reopen some of the refineries closed since 1982 for a 10 year period to increase the ability to refine more oil while new refineries are built …
- Build at least 2 nuclear power plants in every state …
- Offer 100% tax credit write offs for the installation of any form of alternative energy systems … at this time it is very expensive and this would prompt more people to invest the money in their homes and businesses …
2.
- Eliminate and reduce all of the poverty continuing programs that do not force a path to getting off of the public subsistence …
- Reduce spending and eliminate ALL pork …
3.
- Work for a Constitutional Amendment for Term Limits …
4.
- Enforce employer laws such as those in AZ to get rid of the “job magnet” that attracts illegals …
- Release Libby, Ramos and Compean now …
Gotta agree with that. I was only slightly aware of him before the campaign started. The more research I did on him, the more I liked him, and the more infuriated I became that no matter what he did, he couldn’t get any air time or press coverage - even from the so-called “conservative” Fox News.
You can have a ton of money to run a campaign, but unless you get the media “love” you’re going nowhere - fast.
I think the delegates to both political conventions need to say no thank you to their presumptive nominee. The primary system is broken. How else can you explain the outcome.
Look, you retard, stop lying through your teeth and expecting everyone else not to notice. We do not have two candidates.
That is not altered by your bizarre obsession with your kids going to Iraq.
Well, so much for civility *sigh*.
Moderator?