What Other 2012 Candidates Will Stand With Conservatives?

By: Erick Erickson (Diary) | October 26th, 2009 at 03:24 PM |

RESIZE: AAA

There is still time for potential 2012 candidates to stand with Republican voters and the conservative base against the Inside the Beltway Establishment keen on abandoning principles for ACORN supported candidates.

Tim Pawlenty and Sarah Palin, both talked about as 2012 candidates, have stood with the base.

The Hill reports:

Other candidates, like former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), have said they will not get involved on either candidate’s behalf.

This is disappointing. At a time when the conservative brand is ascending and the Republican brand is still in the gutter, candidates like Romney and Huckabee have a chance to man up and stand with the base of the GOP — a base that is tired of TARP, No Child Left Behind, indictments, and out of control spending.

If candidates step up before noon Wednesday, we should applaud them for their help. An endorsement by that time can still have a meaningful, positive impact on Doug Hoffman’s candidacy.

But know this: waiting until after noon on Wednesday is a clear indication that the candidate is endorsing for show, and not really to help. We in the conservative movement want leaders who will stand with us, not suck up to us. Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty are breaking with the party at a key moment.

It’s not too late for other Republicans to join them. But by Thursday, we can legitimately conclude such efforts would be just for show by establishment followers, not party or movement leaders.

Tags: New York, NY-23

COMMENTS

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USNJIMRET

The GOP Establishment that has the money making/dispensing organization to help fund their next campaign.
Neither, IMO, is at all reflective of how I see things. And for ME, that’s what I look at.
http://online.logcabin.org/about/ suzieQ

Although my money is still on Palin winning the GOP nomination, and the general election.
http://www.theprecinctproject.wordpress.com ColdWarrior

You know, the guys with their wet index fingers in the air trying to figure out which way the wind’s blowing.

Help keep each of them away from the presidential nomination in 2012 — become a conservative Republican Party precinct committeeman now!

Toby, we need a cartoon!

Thank you,
ColdWarrior
www.theprecinctproject.wordpress.com
redneck_hippie

…Waterloo.

May I have dibs on Remember NY-23?

Whether Hoffman pulls it out or not, the non-endorsements will be on record. Non-endorsement of Hoffman is a bellweather.

Endorse Hoffman and I will not think you mercenary and a sell-out, Although in the case of HWSNBN, that probably wouldn’t do it.
Flagstaff

is confusing in itself.

Today, Mark Davis spent a good bit of time discussing NY-23. He seemed to be on the side of the angels, but didn’t seem to fully embrace his own position. You can imagine what he dithered about–will support for Hofman result in another Democrat in Congress.

My take is that there are three possible outcomes, the worst of which is if the “Republican” is elected. Shocking, eh?

If Dede wins, it means we are all wrong. There is no conservative groundswell, just a bunch of tea-partying loudmouths who got their just deserts. But there will not be an additional body tagging along behind Nancy, unless Dede pulls a switcheroo. How she might vote is another question.

If the Democrat wins, so what? He’s just another body in a sea of Liberals, anyway. His vote won’t make any difference, but his victory might wake up the New York Repub party that put a Liberal in Republican clothing up against him.

If Doug Hoffman wins, we are vindicated. A conservative will have beaten both parties. Even if he just beats Dede, we should win for the next election.

To Chris Wallace: This has nothing to do with any “ideological purity” nonsense. It has everything to do with getting the Republican Party back on the conservative track that can win elections for it, with meaningful results, and with defeating liberal Democrats for a long time, not just for one year.

My question to New York Republican party leaders: Why did you make such a stupid selectin in the first place?

To the Third-Party proponents: This isn’t a good strategy for national or Senate seat elections, but it’s perfect for isolated House contests where a loss is actually insignificant.
Cheryl

it puts in all in place and it should be the Redstate motto.
Achance
Cheryl

She’s not even a moderate by California standards. She is a liberal. Anytime we hear the Newts and Hucks calling her a moderate we should challenge them. That’s just crazy.

I think Mark Davis was pulling just a little for his friend Pete Sessions today. He did keep it objective, it was like he really struggled with it and then again didn’t.
Order and Chaos

If I were either Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee, I would hive an endorsement anyway due to the fact that it will be seen as opportunistic anyway regardless of what Erick would say on the matter. In addition, Mike Huckabee has a paid speaking engagement for the Conservative Party, so it would reflect a conflict of interest on his behalf.

But really, the real reason is because they don’t want to give legitimacy to a third-party candidate. Due to the political system in this country, third parties have a rough time making it anywhere, and only serve as spoilers. If Hoffman wins, might give an incentive to others to began running third parties against the GOP, and then we have a situation where the Democrats dominate everything, and the other half of the power is split between the GOP and a third party.
winghunter1

Mikey “The Huckster” Huckabee
http://mikeyhuckabee.blogspot.com/

Willard “Mitt” Romney
http://willardromney.blogspot.com/

John “Juan” McCain
http://juanmccain.blogspot.com/

Rudolph Guiliani
http://rudolphgiuliani.blogspot.com/
redneck_hippie

In fact, I applied it a while ago to the “health care debate.”

It is appropriate in both of these fights, for slightly different reasons. The health care debate is a hill to die on because not stopping it will increase the liklihood and rapidity of economic and societal collapse.

In the case of the NY-23 race, it applies eminently due to the fact that our party establishment is working against our grassroots movement and this too must not stand.
Return to Revolution

Maybe he isn’t doing it just for show but it sure is funny how the endorsement comes right after polling shows Hoffman ahead. Palin is still the only one I’ve seen who stuck her neck out.

All the better about Romney and Huck; I’d be holding my nose if I voted for them anyway.

Regardless, I don’t think the actions of these folks should be forgotten. Whenever we regain control of the government, whether 2012 or later, we are going to need someone who has the stomach and political will to REPEAL the God-awful nightmare that Obama WILL pass (the only question is the degree of nightmare that passes). If that means the president falls on his sword to do so, so be it – the alternative is generations of enslavement. Watching Pawlenty hold his finger in the air to make sure its safe to endorse Hoffman tells me that he is not the man to do the job of the next President.
Finrod

Bunker Hill and the Alamo were battles lost, but they became rallying cries that ended up with a lost battle but a won war.
Order and Chaos

It is way too late to endorse anybody anyways without it looking like opportunism.
Tbone

they could go down in history as the Adlai Stevenson of the Republican Party.
Illinicon

I think by now it would be obvious that the winds are blowing in a pro-Hoffman direction. I understand Mitt wanting to suck up to the GOP establishment/ Rockerfeller Republicans. Because he is one, from the right Northeast bloodlines with an Ivy League degree who believes in a big government safety net with liberal social views. What I do not get is why does Huck want to go along with the GOP establishment. There is no way the Beltway types would lend their support to a Prolife former bapist minster from Arkansas that they look down on and Rush nailed it in the primaries to what establishment support there is for him it is only to prop him up so they destroy social cons with his backwards statement about AIDS patients in that AP interview for his 90′s senate run and his sermons he refused to disclose during the primaries that would have came to light if he would have the nominee last year.
AceInTX

Pawlenty may be late to the table…and I think he did it to play catch up to Sarah…and because he got raked over the coals last week…but I want to welcome him to the table

as for the other crap weasels…it’s too late IMHO…they’re simply playing follow the leader.
Order and Chaos

Mike Huckabee’s motives lie outside of what you are thinking.
BlueLandRed

being undone in 2012. Remember, once it becomes law, it takes 60 votes in the Senate to overcome any Dem filibuster that they are sure to mount to protect their precious. They’ve been trying for over 70 years to achieve public health care, expect them to go to the mat on any attempt to undo whatever they wrought.

And there is the distinct possibility that once Obamacare gets rolling, the public which seems to be loath to roll back entitlement programs and fears change, might just decide they like it enough to keep it. Just look at Medicare and Social Security.
AceInTX

No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
jimc1969

I don’t know if hes running in ’12 But Fred Thompson was the first Big name I saw endorsing Hoffman !!!

No suprise about Huckabee, hes a Big govt lib. Hes only part of the GOP because hes against the liberal sacrament of Aborton…………
USNJIMRET

They, we, ME, want the Republican Party to return to Conservative roots nd values.
NOT just be slightly less liberal then the Democrats.
Just my opinion.
AceInTX

it’s the equivalent of calling someone Dumb, Stupid, or simple minded as if we’re to dumb to see what our betters are telliung us…I’m sick of it and I’m dying to see someone take it head on on one of these talking heads programs…Jeri Thompson did a pretty good job of it the other day…I can’t think what show she was on…maybe Cavuto…she left whoever the moderator was stuttering and looking for a place to go in his questions because it was obvious he/she wasn’t prepared for the answer Jeri gave.
AceInTX
AceInTX
Dr. Botkin

I notice the NRCC is promoting a petition to “fire Nancy Pelosi.” Probably the hucksters at the NRCC will fire off appeals to all signers for funds so that they can further squander even more than the $850,000 they have already reportedly wasted trying to elect a RINO Democrat in New York.
Cheryl

I 2nd that
Order and Chaos

when there is noway to implement them, due to the fact that the Democrat Party fundamentally changes America ?
Order and Chaos

A small question here. Don’t you think it is a tad arrogant to post an ultimatum like that on here ? Who decides when it is too late to endorse people ?
ceili_dancer

n/t
Achance
bs

But don’t you think it’s a tad arrogant for a 19-yr-old mush-brained college student who’s been here 10 days to question the motives of the editor of a web site that is one of the most influential conservative/GOP sites in the US? Someone who is a regular guest on several national TV and radio programs and whose opinions are valued by many on the right?

I thought so.
Dr. Botkin

I don’t know much of anything about Pswlenty, but give him a break in this case. It may be psychologically effective for additional supporters to come on board as election day approaches. It may be more adventageous for Hoffman to pick up additional endorsements on a daily basis leading to the knockoput punch, maybe from Jim DeMint or someone of like stature. Let’s count them up when it is over.
Order and Chaos

I am questioning the fact that he gave them till Wed. to comply. Had I pulled the same thing with my professors, I would be told off, and rightly so. This is his site, so he can do what he pleases. I just think he came off wrong by posting a ultimatum like that. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

P.S. I’m 23, not 19.
Achance
Order and Chaos

I suppose in your eyes it doesn’t.
Vegas_Rick

The saying is something like: What hill will you choose to die on? In other words, where will you make your last stand?
Achance

that an educated person would be interested in hearing or reading. Be glad to grade stuff for you though.

BTW, those are pretty much the exact words of my freshman English professor. You wrote in fountain pen on unlined paper. A misspelled word was a letter grade. A comma fault or sentence fragment was an F.
Order and Chaos

that is your own opinion. Plenty of educated people I know would disagree though.
janis

We’re talking not just about education, because, let’s face it, the education that most people get these days is so left-tilted that it’s the equivalent of a high school diploma from maybe 30 years ago.

Mostly what we consider educated these days, and in these parts, is real world education, the kind that teaches you that you graduate from college as dumb as a bowling ball. It takes years of living and paying attention to your elders to be fit to run with the big dogs.

Woof, woof, you little puppy.
Flagstaff

but I was just a bit dismayed by what seemed to be Davis’s lack of understanding of the nuanced difference between this election and the one in New Jersey. Dhorowitz covers it well here. I did catch the repeated references to his good friend, Pete Sessions, but if Mark wants to be in the big time, he has to be straight with his audience, friend of BROC or not.

I’ve always been a staunch supporter of the team concept, and completely against the idea of protest or “message” votes. Usually the message doesn’t get delivered. In this case (NY) however, it seems so simple that even Republicans should be able to understand it, unless Dede wins.
Flagstaff

I thought, “Democrat talking point. That’s what the ‘War on Fox’ is all about.”
Order and Chaos

sorry you think that way about my peer group. However, I wasn’t talking about my peer group persay, but more along the lines of elders as well. Regardless, I am still very sorry you think that way about me.
penguin2

for Hoffman and that will be a victory for us. You’re right about Mark Davis today. I was listening and he was struggling, it was clear he was ambivalent. But even as he spoke, he knew that the Conservative position was right. Mark kept going to the R number as regards Speaker P. but that really doesn’t wash with this one race. I could understand going for the “sure” R if control of the House was one seat difference, it obviously isn’t, so it isn’t going to matter right now. It is my understanding that Hoffman would caucus with the Republicans anyway.

I think Chris Wallace is a Dem. And the reason why I can’t tell for sure without looking it up, is the fact he seems pretty fair in his reporting and journalist behavior on FOX. But, no it is not about “ideological purity.” It is about being a party with a different set of beliefs and we choose Conservative, the Dems have chosen Liberalism.
Flagstaff
Achance
Achance
Order and Chaos

tell me, how so ?
Order and Chaos

is your perogative to do so.
janis

Now get your puppy snout out of the dog food and wait your turn.
Order and Chaos

said was arrogant, than please explain to me why I was wrong in my statement.
janis

anything! You’re going to find out very shortly that he doesn’t need it.
Order and Chaos

Its his perogative whether he wants to or not
janis

this site from your 23 year old platform of “I know better than you do.” You don’t. And I’m fairly certain, having raised a young man who just turned 25, that you are going to learn more in the next 10 years from life than you learned in 17 years of school.

That’s if you pay attention and keep your mouth shut when you should. You could learn a lot here by just reading and keeping that mouth shut until you’ve got something worthwhile to say. Until then, go pee on somebody else’s tires.
janis

you sure do make a lot of grammatical errors. I make mistakes as well, but then again, I don’t tout my education as my saving grace.

In the above comment, “its” should be “it’s.” And “persay” should be “per se”.
Order and Chaos

as my saving grace. Anyway, thank you for the correction.
JadedByPolitics

WE are the BASE the GRASSROOTS…..WE are the one’s who go door to door who make calls who donate monthly WE are the ones who will ENSURE that the Republican choice in NY will go home and either the Conservative candidate wins or the Democrat wins either way WE WIN!!!!

Perhaps you haven’t been here or alive long enough to know WHO decides so remember WE DECIDE!
blooch
penguin2

To question the editor of this site the way you did, is not something the rest of us do. Using the word arrogant in a question to him? Well it is just bad manners. If you think on it from that point of view, it will help you in life.
Order and Chaos

about what I thought the editor did wrong. The editor is well within his rights, as well as anybody else, to come and correct me on my mistake.

Anyway, in the end, the only thing worthwhile is your words. I will never grow as a person unless I interact, and I do want to grow.

Anyway, thank you for your interactions with me today. It will inevitably help me to become a better person.
Order and Chaos

It was pretty bad manners of me to do so, so I will apologize. I will endeavor to keep that in mind here.
Order and Chaos

you too.
rbdwiggins

The moral and ethical foundation of our constitutional republic is written in stone, and our inalienable rights are wholly dependent on their adherence.
janis

You can slobber on it while the bigger dogs talk amongst themselves. And it counts if what you said was sincere. That remains to be seen.
redneck_hippie

get after watching an episode of The Soupy Sales Show?
Order and Chaos

quit refering me as a dog.
janis

important truths. You’re one of the best dogs!
janis

choke chain in a twist.
janis
http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

You’re way too young to get that one.
Cheryl

referenced when discussing liberals? It’s only ever a talking point when discussing conservatives.

I expect better from Chris, regardless of his party.
penguin2

editor and leader here, Erick, but we do so in a way that gives him and the other contributors here a significant amount of respect. That’s why people jumped on you. If you read the site for awhile, you will see all kinds of heavy discussion, but remember these folks have been doing it for quite awhile and we sort of know each other. So being young and new, puts you at a disadvantage until you have proven yourself.
janis
janis
ceili_dancer

I don’t want to sound flippant, but a hill to die on sounds like just a place to die. The sense of sacrifice doesn’t convey with a place to die on. When you pledge your lives, fortunes and your sacred honor, that hill was worth dying for.
ceili_dancer

Lert the other S.O.B. die for his country.
penguin2

See how the MSM has influenced us to accept that kind of thing. They constantly come after our side as we are the ones in the wrong or messed up. Maybe this will be the beginning of our stopping the apologies and calling them on this kind of thing. I’m sick of them questioning our beliefs and ideas anyway. Who are they do to so? Have to take back that power from them.
Return to Revolution

… which means it may not matter if we do get a squish for president. If there is any chance of undoing, it will be that the reforms don’t kick in till after 2012 but will still take massive changes in 2010 and 2012.

Also, didn’t mean to exclude Fred, he’s legit.
mbauer

nt
bc3

Mike Wallace. Yes, Chris is a Dem.
bc3

Palin and Bachmann, taking on liberals, regardless of party, without waiting for poll results.
bc3

She has a major advantage: she’s Sarah Palin and he isn’t.
http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

He will have served two full terms as Governor, instead of quitting midway through one.
rbdwiggins

O and C’s sig line indicated a complete lack of historical perspective.

Said perspective is a prerequisite for understanding the conservative mind, and it’s critical to the longevity of our Republic.

Besides, the steady stream of grammatical errors had already been addressed.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/republican587/ Elizabeth Christian

Oh yeah and the NRCC stands for:

National
RINO
Congressional
Committee

NO more $$$ for anybody who funds ACORN – I don’t care if it is the GOP!!!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/republican587/ Elizabeth Christian

I liked Huckabee in 2008 – with that said he needs to stay on FOX because for me his 2012 stocks just crashed like an Obama economy.

One of his current supporters responded to the RT that I did when Erick posted his response to the news that Huckabee would not endorse the CONSERVATIVE candidate. The supporter said something like he had a pre-scheduled speech set up for the Conservative Party in NY and if he endorsed Hoffman it would look like a conflict of interest because he was getting paid to speak there.

PROBLEM SOLVED & very EASY solution – Huck keep your scheduled speaking engagement, ENDORSE Hoffman, AND do the speaking gig for FREE – no more conflict!!! Conservative who is passionate, has principles & stays true to them and doing what is right over politics or I have no use for the candidate if they cannot follow that!!!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/republican587/ Elizabeth Christian

Give the speech just don’t get paid for it, endorse Hoffman, no conflict I can see. It’s about our nation not about a paycheck – I don’t get paid for much of what I do for politics, actually can’t remember I time that I did get paid for politics, I do it because I love my country, I do it because Marxists running our country into the ground well the Marxists they suck!!!

Huckabee don’t sit on the fence or hide behind silly excuses that can be easily solved!!! For me even if all those who “will not get involved on either candidate?s behalf” have already lost respect from me. Personally Romney never had my respect and never will. Huckabee you are the loser in this scenario – sorry stick with FOX because 2012 will go to the best CONSERVATIVE person who had the guts to follow their heart and do what is right for our nation. And that goes for you also Newt!!!!

All I can say is –

Sarah Palin – 2012 – she is not afraid to stand up for what is right –
GOING ROGUE!!! Heck she is even going to take on Oprah – can’t wait to see that – GO SARAH!!!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/republican587/ Elizabeth Christian

Sarah Palin – President
Either – Michelle Bachman or Liz Cheney – Vice-President
(VP Cheney – that would drive the liberals crazy)

Oh and check this out – only one man in the administration – Rush Limbaugh
; ) Press Secretary – I think the whole press pool would have a seizure (minus Garrett & Tapper) ; )
Flagstaff

it really doesn’t matter what Chris Wallace is. He’s behaved pretty much straight down the middle with his performance on FNS. Fair questions, almost always.

The fact that he asked that particular question is more indicative of his background than of his conscious mindset. He is not the only Fox News person to put the question of “ideological purity” to a Republican/conservative guest. A lifetime of anti-Republican/conservative indoctrination is hard to overcome, even if one tries.
Flagstaff

doesn’t live in the district? True? If so, does it not matter in NY? After all, the Hillary didn’t live in NY either until she was elected to the Senate.
Flagstaff

delivered by a representative sample of RedState regulars.

That’s gotta smart. As Bill Clinton would say, “Put some ice on that.”
clement

I fail to see this as a real issue. People vote for senators that don’t live in their district. It is a federal office he is running for (and the questions I hear people think are important for federal legislatures underline how little people understand the role of the federal legislative body).

Besides from what I understand…he DID live in the district until it was redistricted and he was drawn out (by 10 mi I think it was) He does own businesses with offices across the district. Hardly a real outsider.

And since when did this become in issue to the GOP anyways? After the Tedisco campaign?
Cheryl

and I really don’t care what his political party is.
JSobieski

I thought this site was a “conservative and REPUBLICAN” website. I seem to recall a lot of comments being mnade during the last presidential primary that this site was both conservative and Republican, and that third party talk was not to be tolerated,

Glad to see that the site has come off that position, but I do see these blog as inconsistent with many of the comments that were made in 2008. Is this new openess to third parties generally applicable, or is it limited to the 23rd Congressional District in NY?
Richard Mullins

so that were we are on that. Other than that, no to third parties.
redneck_hippie
JSobieski

so I don’t see this as a distinguishing factor.

I understand that there was no primary in this case, so that is a viable basis of distinction, so the correct description for this site is really a “conservative and Republican site unless there is no primary in which case its a conservative site”

The problem is that in many circumstances when there is an incumbent, primaries are illusory.
Richard Mullins

in Republican clothing. That’s good way to say it.
JSobieski

and a current PA Senator who literally is a dem
Richard Mullins

and one that would run as a Republican but can’t in this special election.
bsquared

my sentiments exactly–all three of those bums need to be forgotten, and we need to look forward. SP 2012! Amen! (’bout time everybody figures out that everything she touches…hmm, yea, she’s the only one who can be trusted–she’s never turned!)
http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth

To do anything to reverse Obamacare in 2013, you’d need to flip 20 seats in the Senate in two election cycles (and elect replacements and still get 60 Republicans to sign on against bought out special interests) plus a House majority plus win the Presidency. Without the Presidency, there’s no way you could get 2/3rds in both houses to override a veto.

If you could get disciplined majorities and the Presidency, you might be able to do some push back with the budget, but not sure how much you could cut back – especially if the Dems pack the courts and the courts order Congress to fund various health programs. Already, the Federal courts have interfered in State budgets in that fashion, no reason they won’t go up against Congress.
JadedByPolitics

MAJOR LEAGUE SMACKDOWN!!!

I cannot work with people who just don’t understand where WE the base/grassroots stand and what a PRINCIPLE is. WE sucked it up for McCain and the SMACKDOWN WE took was the final straw in this abusive relationship. WE will be the ones who are catered to for a change and WE will be the ones who decide in elections and eventually the GOP with either get the message or they will DIE! either way WE cannot get any lower then WE are at this moment politically and IMO WE have no where to go but up
claims1

I could not agree more with USNJIMRET; It saddens me to think in terms of a Third party. However, I have to harken back to Newt Gingrich’s “Contract With America”. It may have had a lot of “idealism” written into it, but it did have numerous opportunities for the real Republican Party to say “This is where we take our stand; This is our Hill To Die For”. Instead, they rolled over and played “inside the beltway politics”.
I am disgusted, and I voted for Barry Goldwater(hows that for right wing?) If it takes a 3rd party movement to get the attention of those 535 homesteaders, and if it takes Tim Pawlenty and Sarah Palin to move us off dead center, I am moving into that arena. Otherwise, I see our present form of government as gone forever.
Maggie_in_Indiana

Good for you. ever notice how folks seem to attack their own when their leader is questioned,attacked,or even doubted? And yet they have taken their leader on at one time or another. 23 or 19 you did OK, kid. You are just what this site needs,because everyone here has been taken to the woodshed by the elder posters,whether they deserved it or not. Keep thinking for yourself and asking questions,status quo and not asking has gotten us no where.
Vegas_Rick

for a piece of ground.
Vegas_Rick

that didn’t come out quite right. Of course men and women have died defending a parcel of land.

Oh, never mind. Stayed at happy hour a couple too lonbg. Hic
Finrod

However, you can’t be afraid of losing a fight. Like the Klingons say, sometimes you have to be willing to say “Today is a good day to die”.
Flagstaff

In NY, anyway.

I asked for information purposes. The only mention I’ve heard of it was from Newt, as a reason for his support of Scozzafava.

OTOH, will it be an excuse for a challenge to the results when he wins?

RS

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