I wrote this last November, but in light of current events (see e.g. McCain v. Hayworth) I think it is worth posting again.
We hear this all time — conservatives in the GOP have to play nice with the moderates.
We never hear the other, that moderates should play nice with conservatives. Why is that? Consider the facts:
In Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, conservative Tim Walberg challenged the very liberal Joe Schwartz in the 2006 Republican Primary and won. Walberg went on to win the general election.
In 2008, Schwartz endorsed Democrat Mark Schauer and Shauer used that endorsement to squeak out a win in this +2 Republican District.
In Maryland 1, conservative physician and state senator Andy Harris ran in the Republican Primary against Wayne Gilchrist. Harris defeated Gilchrist only to see Gilchrist throw his support to Democrat Frank Kratovil, who won with 49.12% of the vote.
In Arizona 5, conservative David Schweikert won the Republican nomination, but then lost to liberal Democrat Harry Mitchell. Why? Schweikert’s primary opponent refused to help him and sat on his hands rather than help Schweikert pick up his opponent’s primary support.
In Alabama 2, Jay Love beat Harri Anne Smith in the Republican Primary and ran against Bobby Bright in an R +16 district. Smith endorsed the Democrat and Bright went on to win 50.23% of the vote.
In New York 23, the liberal Dede Scozzafava drops out and instead of supporting the guy the GOP crawls on bended knee to, she endorses the Democrat.
All the time we hear “conservatives can’t win the general” and “conservatives should play nice with moderates.” The record shows that the moderates cannot take losing and conservatives don’t win the general because the moderate GOP stabs them in the back.
If we are a team, it can’t just be the conservative players in trouble for not passing the ball.
Moe Lane
Dan McLaughlin
Dan Spencer
Jeff Emanuel
Neil Stevens
This is the year the GOP will get stabbed in the back
peg_c (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 1:41PM EDT (link)BIGTIME, if they don’t get on board with US. Tea Partiers are ready to rumble and out for blood!
Government cannot be the solution when government is the problem.
Two word's for the TP movement . . .
RoscoeP Tuesday, February 16th at 4:11PM EDT (link)Ross Perot. Don’t stab the GOP in the back when a third party will give the ball to the donkey. Pat the GOP on the back, lead them to the trough and hold their trunks under water until they cry uncle.
5! Good way of putting it! nt
Brian Hibbert (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 4:29PM EDT (link)Candidate for Trustee of Illinois Central College
Socialism doesn’t work. It looks nice on paper, but it’s been tried and it’s failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering).
Proud member of the V.R.W.C.
Take back our party!
Check out Unified Patriots
Stabbing the GOP is the best possible help for
hunter (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 4:47PM EDT (link)the Obamanation.
Obama appreciates your thought, and is actually going to help at every opportunity to see that the Tea Party movement is as reactionary and angry and back stabbing as possible..
It was exactly this sort of ‘thinking’ that gave us Bill Clinton.
hunter
What does the Tea Partiers stand for?
SteveLA (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 7:53PM EDT (link)peg_c
I keep wondering and pondering this question, what do the Tea Party folks stand for? Is there a platform, is there a group of spokes persons who speak for the ideas of the party, what exactly is the objective of the Tea Parties?
Holding Washington accountable for all the crazy spending? I good with that.
Holding Washington accountable for stomping all over the US Constitution? I’m good with that too.
The Brither crud that was floating around the edges at the Nashville convention? No way, no how do I support that.
Rumble…maybe…a mob maybe too, without any focus or concrete points of view on real issues, who cares.
______________________________________
Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
Why Tea Parties are Hard To Understand
Bill from Katy Wednesday, February 17th at 5:42AM EDT (link)All of our lives we have been told to get involved in politics and that all politics are local. Most of the Tea Party movement does not want to be a third party but The Third Force. Commonality among Tea Parties are:
Support of the Constitution, Limited Government, Fiscal Responsibility and Support of Free Markets.
If some members of some Tea Parties are birthers, truthers, etc they are a small percentage and probably approximate the birthers and truthers of the Republican and Democratic Parties. Don’t forget that Tea Party Members are or once were members of the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Libertarian Party or True Independents.
THERE IS NO ONE WHO RUNS THE MOVEMENT. IT IS A STARFISH ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL MADE UP OF INDIVIDUAL GROUPS.
tea partiers are about
dudette Wednesday, February 17th at 8:42AM EDT (link)pullng their respective parties to the right, that means Dem Tea Partiers, must vote for the most conservative Dem or Repub, and conservative republican must trump a RINO candidate. That is the common denmoinator is all tea partiers want to pull the country to the right which is a good thing. I do not think they are stupid enough to go third party. Perot was not that long ago.That is about the only common denominator and that plus the desire to grab cotrol of corrupt local govt and find good candidates. All positive stuff—with Tea Party you gotta focus on the common ground and enact it.
Funny
jsanzone (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 1:49PM EDT (link)I happen to recall one John McCain who was quite keen on running a ‘clean campaign’ and not loading it with personal attacks, which is exactly what it seems he will be doing against his primary opponent this year.
http://www.2010blog.net
20/10 Blog
Quoting your opponent and citing his Congressional record
mbecker908 (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 6:08PM EDT (link)are not “personal attacks”.
JD Hayworth’s is not John McCain. It’s JD Hayworth.
I really wish somebody had been able to talk John Shadegg into running against McCain.
This guy
SteveLA (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 7:56PM EDT (link)Mr. Pander to the birther issue…nudge nudge wink wink I don’t really beleive this birth certificate issue, but you know there’s a lot of identity theft going on.
If JD is what it means to be a conservative, then I am very proud to be a RINO.
From CNN:
______________________________________
Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
Identity Theft? I think Mr Hayworth watched that video from KHOU
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 11:09AM EDT (link)on Identity theft and Sears/Target employee not asking for ID. I can’t believe that he wants to try deniable plausibility from past statement. Oh well, maybe McCain will not seek a re-election in 2016 and he’ll run his ditzy daughter for senate. I’m sure a ham sandwich could beat her.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
Proud Rino
GenEarly Wednesday, February 17th at 12:16PM EDT (link)Maybe I’m a wing nut but the Interview with JD Hayworth sounded reasonable and sane.
The record does show McCain sponsoring Amnesty for illegals, Curbing free speech prior to elections, and just recently sponsoring a bill to make vitamins a prescription only product.
He is a PROGRESSIVE! Run for the hills, he wants to micro-manage your life.
Does McCain support Global Warming Tax&Cap? Show & Tell in the military? I don’t know, but based on his past performance I do not trust him!
Quoting your opponent and citing his Congressional record
edintexas Wednesday, February 17th at 10:56AM EDT (link)I don’t really had a dog in this hunt. And I know that the job description for politician requires a certain distance from the truth. But when did calling someone a liar become quoting him, and citing his voting record?
Oh, wait. McCain didn’t do that, his campaign communication person did. Well, that’s better. I was wondering how Mr. Nice Guy from the fiasco of 2008 could possibly be cited as “taking a sledgehammer” to Hayworth. But it isn’t McCain, it’s his runaway staff. Too bad he didn’t have the same staff in 2008.
Moderate Republicans are not our allies
d_lamar Tuesday, February 16th at 1:49PM EDT (link)As I tried to argue in the topic “Yes, I do miss him”, the so-called moderate Republicans / Rinos are not on the conservative’s side. Not only do they have a history of backstabbing in the general election, they also backstab conservatives with their votes in Congress.
I would submit that the left’s agenda is advanced more at the hands of moderate republicans than by the radical libs. I’m hoping that the tea partiers will help in getting rid of these enemies to conservatism.
"Moderate" Republicans = dimocrap lite
america1st (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 7:20PM EDT (link)In large measure, they are, as Robert Frost noted most famously, typically “too broad-minded to take [their] own side in a quarrel.” Somewhere in their twisted little lives, they mistook principal (see, e.g., Abramoff) with principle and slunk off into the same fetid back alleys inhabited by the dimocraps. When the chips are down, they collaborate. They would have lined the streets in Paris waving white flags in 1940 along with the other Pétain quislings. They are as much our allies as Pétain or Chirac . . . . To roughly paraphrase George Patton: I’d rather have the Red Army in front of me than a division of moderates behind me.” To cite clear examples: jeffords, specter, snowe, collins, mccain.
Logic in the mind of a liberal is like a snowflake in the desert: lost, alone and soon destroyed by a hostile environment.
I could not agree more.
edwlstr Tuesday, February 23rd at 2:05AM EDT (link)Moderates like McCain do us no good when they run as conservatives and govern as liberals. Every name on McCain legislation was a leftist liberal. It is a matter of record: McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy, and there are more. I would like him to take a few days off and try to figure out just who he is. It’s embarrassing, normally we vets are a little more “congealed” in our political views, but there’s John, fluid, as ever, and ready to flow in some new direction we could not predict. Unpredictability is often a good trait for a pilot who engages other and enemy aircraft in air to air combat, not so a US Senator. Anyone thinking “loose cannon”?
I don't agree. Moderates CAN be our allies.
Brian Hibbert (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 7:55AM EDT (link)They just believe the stereotypes that the media and the Democrats have assigned to conservatives. The labels have become so muddled that they don’t have a clue what a conservative is. They get the idea that we are uneducated, racists, sexists, nuts who want to force Christian religion on the masses, keep women barefoot and pregnant, kill the Jews, kill the Moslems, take over the world with our military, anti-freedom, etc…
Of course we know that none of that is true, but it is the popular myth.
I’ve started a personal crusade to educate people, mostly in small groups. I encourage others to do the same. WE need to be talking to people and letting them know who we are and what we REALLY believe (start with Thomas Payne’s definition of the role of government), then talk about freedom, free markets, preventing state control of your lives, etc.
The amazing thing is how many people have attached a moderate or even liberal label to themselves when they really have beliefs that are nearly identical to the average conservative here.
Candidate for Trustee of Illinois Central College
Socialism doesn’t work. It looks nice on paper, but it’s been tried and it’s failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering).
Proud member of the V.R.W.C.
Take back our party!
Check out Unified Patriots
Absolutely Brian. And what most of these purity folk
mbecker908 (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 8:18AM EDT (link)don’t realize – but they will in a little while – is that Scott Brown is no conservative. I’m glad to have him, and he’s better than any D in MA (or anywhere else) but a conservative he won’t be. Think about Snowe or Collins but with real leadership abilities.
"educate people, mostly in small groups"
olsmithie (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 12:57PM EDT (link)Picture wide eyed students, studying the Constitution yesterday, when I whipped out my pocket Constitution to answer their question about Article 1.
“What is that, can I see it?” was the common question.
A few said “I want one.”
When I can get a case of these in, I will be “smuggling” them into the public school, as I continue to “poison” the minds of young people.
Regards
Prediction
Daniel Horowitz (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 1:51PM EDT (link)All of the viciousness and vociferous attacks that McCain held back on against Obama will come flying out full force against JD
Well said. Pettiness from conservatives, moderate or not only serves to help Democrats win elections. (nt)
kyoufuu (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 1:53PM EDT (link)“There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” — James Madison
“I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”
Huh?
edintexas Wednesday, February 17th at 11:03AM EDT (link)How can a “conservative” be a “moderate”? The terms are mutually exclusive. The point of the column was that often “moderates”, when defeated in Republican primaries by “conservatives”, will prefer to see the Democrat win rather than in any way help the Republican win. And in fact will sometimes help the Democrat in order to defeat the “conservative” Republican.
Moderate=Progressive
GenEarly Wednesday, February 17th at 12:23PM EDT (link)Progressives of both parties have more in common with each other than their primary (conservative) opponents. Democrats have been completely taken over by progressives,Republicans only partially, but substantially taken over.
Nope, Moderates usually aren't, really.
Brian Hibbert (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 12:38PM EDT (link)Many people who call themselves moderates are actually conservatives, they just don’t know it.
Others are truly progressives, but again don’t know it.
For the most part “moderates” just don’t want to offend people. Unfortunately, the vocal moderates tend to be almost as condescending as your typical liberal. They believe they’re “better” than either liberals or conservatives because they have an “open mind”.
There is a severe problem with labels that we attach to political groups in this country. They usually aren’t well defined and the definitions people accept don’t fit the actual beliefs of the groups in question.
Candidate for Trustee of Illinois Central College
Socialism doesn’t work. It looks nice on paper, but it’s been tried and it’s failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering).
Proud member of the V.R.W.C.
Take back our party!
Check out Unified Patriots
Since the political map really should have two axes...
kyoufuu (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 4:30PM EDT (link)One being social and the other being economic, it is indeed very hard to apply labels across the board using the dearth of terminology that exists.
“There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” — James Madison
“I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”
It's worse than that.
Brian Hibbert (Diary) Thursday, February 18th at 9:57AM EDT (link)Most people try to fit the traditional definitions (or worse the wiki definitions) onto the labels of conservative or liberal. For example, a self proclaimed moderate I encountered the other day thought that freedom was a “liberal” value.
Political maps don’t solve the problem either.
Candidate for Trustee of Illinois Central College
Socialism doesn’t work. It looks nice on paper, but it’s been tried and it’s failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering).
Proud member of the V.R.W.C.
Take back our party!
Check out Unified Patriots
Maybe they were referring to "Classical liberalism"...
kyoufuu (Diary) Thursday, February 18th at 11:18AM EDT (link)Or maybe they watch too much Olby and think that conservatives are fascists. Who knows.
The terms get so jumbled, especially by the pundits, that it’s impossible to to know if two people using the same word are meaning the same thing.
“There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” — James Madison
“I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”
Yes, classical liberalism includes freedom
Brian Hibbert (Diary) Thursday, February 18th at 2:51PM EDT (link)The problem is all the textbooks and internet definitions only give the classical definition of liberalism. The current groups that label themselves liberals don’t believe anything of the kind.
When people start trying to figure out who they agree with, they tend to look at the textbook definition and say “Oh liberals believe in individual liberty, me too! I must be a liberal. And since conservatives don’t agree with liberals, they must hate freedom..” The logic is OK, it’s just that their definitions are wrong.
Candidate for Trustee of Illinois Central College
Socialism doesn’t work. It looks nice on paper, but it’s been tried and it’s failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering).
Proud member of the V.R.W.C.
Take back our party!
Check out Unified Patriots
I understand what the point of the article was...
kyoufuu (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 4:28PM EDT (link)But it’s not like being a “conservative” means existing only to the extreme right of the political spectrum. Two conservatives can have differing opinions on certain issues. There would be a tendency to view one as “moderate” depending on the issues upon which they disagreed and who was doing the diagnosing.
Truthfully, I meant to right “Republican” but I think my point here is still valid.
“There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” — James Madison
“I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”
And it ain't over yet Erick
Dave Poff (haystack) (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 2:10PM EDT (link)Cornyn/NRSC v. DeVore in favor of Fiorina…learnable lessons squandered abound in the middle these days.
“It does not take a majority to prevail … but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.”
~Sam Adams
In addition to McCain running a horrendous campaign
Scope (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 2:16PM EDT (link)he also refused to go after Obama, and said, “he admired Obama’s achievements, and, that no one had anything to fear from an Obama presidency.” Needless to say THE ONE WON.
Now, from what I’m hearing, McCain is unleashing vicious attacks on Hayworth who just announced his candidacy yesterday. The old fart bag has a reputation of losing his temper, and losing it against those he doesn’t agree with. We know he was tightly controlled during the presidential run. Not so now. I hope and pray to God that his nasty attacks do him in. McDonnell, Christie and Brown all won by conducting civil, positive campaigns.
And McCain also went hard after
E Pluribus Unum (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 3:48PM EDT (link)any Republicans during his campaign that went hard after the Dems. Remember NCGOP.
Kill the Terrorists
Protect the Borders
Punch the Hippies h/t IMAO
I love this McCain vs Hayworth record
Scope (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 2:19PM EDT (link)http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/mccain_and_hayworth_tale_of_th.html
And, in this very big anti-incumbency year……
I read the article Scope
hickorystick (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 4:29PM EDT (link)interesting comparison. He made some good points. I would quibble with the Author over whether the 2006 elections were a referendum on Iraq. They may have pandered to the base on this, but in the general they ran on nothing, except to say the Republicans were corrupt, governed badly, and spent to much*. The Tea Partiers seem to be saying the Federal Government and national level Politicians are all doing the same thing, and the public minus the hardcore base of the Democrats, agree. I would guess Arizona voters will match up the two candidates and decide based on the three complaints of Dem’s in 2006, and do the same in the general. Both McCain and Hayworth have records, and it is an open question as to whether Primary voters will choose Hayworth’s ideology over McCain’s monetary concerns. Thanks for pointing out the article.
*Needless to say, Dems were proven total hypocrites in promising to be different.
hickorystick- Hayworth lost in 2006
Scope (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 7:09AM EDT (link)when the Republicans lost en masse. McCain, in his nastiness, said “the voters threw him out.” It was as though he was saying that Hayworth was the only R who lost in 2006.
In 2008 even more R’s got pitched to the curb, including McAss in his presidential bid. I still believe that the old gas bag reached across the aisle and purposely gave the presidency to Obama. In 2000 McCain was nasty when he ran against Bush in the primary, this year he is releasing all his pent up aggressive anger against Hayworth. In 2008 he wouldn’t even allow “Hussein” to be used in Obama’s name, or Palin to use the word “socialist.”
Beck has tagged McCain and his idiot daughter as Progressive Republicans. The only thing I disagree with there is including Republican.
In point of fact Hayworth lost in 2006
mbecker908 (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 7:55AM EDT (link)because the voters in his Congressional District were tired of listening to him. It’s a Republican leaning district and he should have carried it handily.
You seem to be part of the chorus whining that McCain is running a “nasty” campaign. All he’s doing is using Hayworth’s own statements and his records in ads. Which is exactly what JD is going to do against McCain.
McCain is not well liked – to put it mildly – by the base in Arizona. It’s not by any stretch of the imagination a RED state. We had a Dem governor prior to O taking her away from the heat and we could very well have a Dem governor elected this year. The demographics of the state are such that JD has to carry Maricopa County by huge margin to win. Which is his problem. The voters in Phoenix can’t stand the guy. He served six terms and has nothing but sun burns from TV lights to show for it.
The entire AZ Republican delegation – probably the most conservative group of House members in the Congress – will endorse McCain. So will Palin. So will Scott Brown. So far JD has Joe Arpaio whose strength is in the AZ retirement communities. They also happen to view McCain as “one of their own, an American Hero!” Joe’s endorsement will also hurt JD outside Maricopa County (which is really metro-Phoenix) because he couldn’t buy a vote in Tucson or the I-17 corridor up to Flagstaff. JD also got an endorsement from a CA House member. Worth zero votes.
I don’t like it, but reality is a hard handmaiden sometimes and this happens to be one of those times. If John Shadegg was running instead of Hayworth I be saying send money! He could likely beat McCain and he’s got no baggage and a solid conservative record to run on that would attract the big base of Rs in JD’s old district who will be voting for McCain in huge numbers. He’s do relatively well in Tucson as well, where JD will get buried – it’s a moderate area interspersed with a big Air Force base where McCain will do very well.
Again, as far as 2006 goes, JD got beat because the AZ Republic and all the media reminded people that he was a do-nothing whiner and his opponent was a pretty likable guy. McCain may not be the most likable guy in the world, but he’s a whole lot more so than JD and JD will remind people why they threw him out of office every time he opens his mouth. McCain’s no prize but JD is the wrong guy to beat him. It won’t be close.
McCain Not Liked
partyless1 Wednesday, February 17th at 12:06PM EDT (link)Having lived in AZ since the early 70′s, I can tell you that McCain is no friend of the people! JD was ousted in part due to a smear campaign that charges were proven false after the fact, a typical unethical and far too common political trick. McCain has been elected in large part because he has never had to deal with a serious contender, I suspect due in part to his large war chest and his POW history. McCain has pushed his incumbent protection plan, using the “Clean Campaign” as its label. The Arizona Republic is a left leaning media that endorses McCain just like all the other liberals, so you may want to find a source worth citing instead of using the worthless local so called news paper here.
Consider these items:
1) McCain has had recall’s attempted against him, since he has a track record of ignoring the will of the people!
2) McCain is pro-illegal, and he has been called Sen. Lettuce due to his anti-American, pro-illegal stances that destroy our wage base and job opportunities. He claimed no one would work for the offered wages to pick lettuce, he offered jobs at that wage and had lines of Americans outside his office ready to accept; Mc Cain just blew it off.
3) McCain has blocked our ability to drill for our own oil, another move that has reduced tax revenue and limited jobs for Americans.
4) McCain voted for TARP, a far greater waste of tax funds than what he is pointing fingers at JD Hayworth for. The unethical process of attaching items to bills that could not pass on their own merit, or attaching them to prevent bills with merit from passig, a process that should be illegal and results in people voting for or against things they would not have otherwise done so. This is how low McCain has stooped to make claims about his opponents spending.
5) McCain has worked with other RINO’s such as Graham (their destructive 5 team) to block conservative nominations.
6) McCain has supported the Cap & Trade, another waste of tax payer resources, and another job destroying governent expansionist agenda item.
7) McCain works closer with Democrats than he does Republicans, working with Kennedy on aiding and abetting illegal immigration, along with other numerous issues that have helped grow government and protect incumbents.
9) His military record may be honorable, but his political career has not maintained the same honor he displayed as a member of our armed forces. I thank God for all those who are willing to do what he did in the military, I also understand that being great in the military does not mean that you will be a political figure that should be looked up to. John Kerry and Murtha are classic examples of military men who have harmed our nation once they joined the political ranks.
10) If McCain was a strait shooter, he would eliminate himself from the issue on illegal aliens, since it is a conflict of interest for him to support it. His wife’s businss would profit from the suppressed wages that result from offering amnesty to illegals, but like so many others that have tied themseslves to their offices in Washington over their own state offices, he has lost sight of what is unethical, honest and in the best interest of those you are supposed to represent.
This is just a small fraction of the things that McCain has done that prove him to be the RINO that aids and abets the growth of government at the expense of the people. For me I am just glad we finally have someone that can oust the thorn in our side McCain. He has only had my votes in the past due to the lesser of the evils concept, never with the thought that he was good for our state or nation. I have compared the records between McCain and Hayworth, and I fail to see how anyone that claims to be a conservative could stand behind McCain!
I agree with most of your points.
mbecker908 (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 1:45PM EDT (link)I don’t like McCain and I’ve never voted for him in a statewide election.
I do have one small disagreement – your “clean campaign” comment. All McCain is going to do is flood the airwaves with JD’s own statements and his congressional record. It’s the same thing JD will do, except McCain will have about ten times the money.
You may live in Arizona, but you’ve got no clue as to the lay of the political land here. I’ve written extensively about this and I’m not going to repeat my comments now. The bottom line is that Hayworth is really disliked in Phoenix, Tuscon is moderate at best and will turn out against JD. Hayworth is his own worst enemy.
You also might want to keep in mind that our entire congressional delegation (Rs) are supporting McCain, last week 37 mayors endorsed him. Palin will be here next month to campaign and raise money for him and Scott Brown will show up at some point.
If lightening strikes and Hayworth beats McCain, it won’t take long for you realize that JD will be no better – overall – than McCain. If anything, he’ll be worse. The most dangerous place in Arizona is standing between JD and a TV camera.
Shadegg?
GenEarly Wednesday, February 17th at 12:31PM EDT (link)Where is he? Didn’t want to take on the “establishment”?
JD will vote against Amnesty,and Bail outs that McCain voted for. Isn’t that enough? If JD doesn’t measure up as a Senator throw him out in 6 years. McCain has FAILED miserably,over and over but somehow you want to keep him,Why?
I don't want to keep McCain.
mbecker908 (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 1:36PM EDT (link)But Hayworth is about the worst candidate around to challenge him. McCain will slaughter him.
I would agree Hayworth suffered
hickorystick (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 12:29PM EDT (link)from the national mood against Republicans in 2006. The ‘culture of corruption’ charge of Hillary Redstar Clinton. I don’t know the how much he suffered from self-inflicted wounds, not an Arizona voter. If he was in on the big spending of the R’s, he is going to have trouble.
Moderates don't want us on their "team"
TxCon (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 3:35PM EDT (link)and it shows me that they are really liberals who are afraid to admit it.
100% right!!
bobbymike (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 6:48PM EDT (link)A lot of these moderate Republicans are Democrats in Rebublican districts how else could you possibly endorse a D over and R?
Exactly, Tex. (-nt-)
america1st (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 7:22PM EDT (link)n/t
Logic in the mind of a liberal is like a snowflake in the desert: lost, alone and soon destroyed by a hostile environment.
Moderates don't want us on their "team"
TxCon (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 3:35PM EDT (link)and it shows me that they are really liberals who are afraid to admit it.
DING DING DING
conservnut Tuesday, February 16th at 4:59PM EDT (link)Give the man a cigar!
It also suggests there is a difference between "moderates"
Flagstaff (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 6:37PM EDT (link)and “independents.”
“Moderates” seem to be out for themselves only. But these examples are very disturbing.
Buffett Rule #1: “Tax rates don’t matter if you don’t pay your taxes”
– Unnamed tax adviser to Warren Buffett, Leavenworth, KS, 2011
Buffett Rule #2: “A parrot in every pot and two Volts in every garage”– Jimmy Buffett, at a seance in Margaritaville, 1977
Good reminder, EE
Vassar Bushmills (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 4:04PM EDT (link)But we do have to play. No tickee, no laundry.
We (Conservatives) need to find ways to extend the hand of partnership from our side…I’m about to suggest a way re: Abortion…next day or so…as well as develop grounds so that we can co-exist, and pursue mutual goals, via the Constitution, who, like Mother, everyone loves. Right?
If they reject (slap away) our hand, then we need to document the deed and the proffer, make sure everyone knows,…
…then hire thugs to slash their tires, pour white paint on their dog, and their Porsche, post doctored photos of them with a tame antelope, or Barney Frank, on YouTube, and get their country club membership cancelled because of a sexual harassment complaint from of the boys in the caddy shack.
Play nice, then play dirty…the Chicago way.
I see no distinction whatsoever
E Pluribus Unum (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 4:30PM EDT (link)between a tame antelope and Barney Frank.
Kill the Terrorists
Protect the Borders
Punch the Hippies h/t IMAO
5 nt
Aaron Gardner (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 4:33PM EDT (link)conform and celebrate diversity….or else!!!
“We’d be much better off if We The People had desired small government enough to keep it.” acat
Follow @Aaron_RS
Touche, EPU
Vassar Bushmills (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 4:34PM EDT (link)Cheers
Other than about 300 pounds of sweaty,unsightly fat.
nessa (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 4:50PM EDT (link)and glasses.
“If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams
Contributor to Unified Patriots
teh twitter
Oh Come On Guys, The Antelope is MUCH more Intelligent
Michael Dugas (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 5:05PM EDT (link)AND better looking. Even the southern end of a north bound antelope is better looking.
Intro to Federalist Papers; section 5;
paragraph 4.
“…dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the zeal for a firm and efficient government.”
Remember: A Citizen on the dole is a Liberal Vote at the Polls.
END ENTITLEMENTS!
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum !
the antelope has a better figure....
dudette Wednesday, February 17th at 8:47AM EDT (link)and no lisp
What's the "extended hand of partnership" gonna get you?
jayburd (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 5:27PM EDT (link)Another creampuff G.O.P. platform? There are many ‘documented deeds’ of handslapping. You would just give them one more chance at triangulation. McCain triangulates more than Clinton did. I don’t know why anyone in their right mind would consider McCain anything other than a statist liberal.
One of my heroes- Ralph Smeed’s blog- http://smeedonstate-ism.com/index.htm
“What’s the matter? Don’t you want to win the war?” – Capt. John Birch
“If the Nation can issue a dollar bond it can issue a dollar bill.
The element that makes the bond good makes the bill good also. The
difference between the bond and the bill is that the bond lets the
money broker collect twice the amount of the bond and an additional 20%.Whereas the currency, the honest sort provided by the Constitution pays nobody but those who contribute in some useful way. It is absurd to say our Country can issue bonds and cannot issue currency. Both are promises to pay, but one fattens the usurer and the other helps the People.” – Thomas A. Edison
And what do you think
conservnut Tuesday, February 16th at 4:53PM EDT (link)McCain will do if Hayworth beats him in the primary, back him in the general like a good little soldier? Not a chance in hell. The maverick will lash out at him and conservatives like he has done before and the press will fawn over his maverickness.
McCain is no conservative and cares not for what we stand for.
conservnut- McCain will then endorse the Democrat
Scope (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 2:03PM EDT (link)and transfer all his left over war chest to them.
No Scope, he'll do what Lieberman did to Lamont. nt
pilgrim (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 2:25PM EDT (link)You have to question someone
hickorystick (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 4:54PM EDT (link)who runs as a Republican in the primary, then endorses the Democrat, if they ever believed in Republican principles in the first place. Guess the Republican constituents found them out and decided the answer was No! All the more reason to do the vetting early in the primary, and pin them down on whether they will support another Republican candidate if they lose, and ask why. Ferret out the Weasels early! That way the number of supporters to convert later on will be smaller and less invested in the personality of the prospective nominee.
Exactly
huskerchuck (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 5:54PM EDT (link)You hit the nail on the head, HS. If they can’t see their way clear to endorse someone that beat them in the primary, were they really for the party or its ideals at all? And what amount of pettiness does that show when you do what you can to help the opposing party win election? o.O
On a side note, for those of you that might be into WoW (World of Warcraft), go to worldofwarcraft.com, go to their forums (general forum), and take a look at the topic ‘Stewart used the word eviscerate…’. It devolves into a discussion of the health care debate. Most amusing when done amongst gamers. I myself play, and I also own a business, married, with two kids, but so many in there have lost so much touch with reality… or consider themselves ‘educated’, then proceed to knock the US. Just thought folks might get a laugh. Sorry to derail the thread.
Husker Chuck
God Bless, and I’ll be back soon!
It shows it was all about themselves
hickorystick (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 6:36PM EDT (link)in the case of NY-23, how the local party bosses can see to replace someone who had gone on to head Army Affairs in the government, with a Dede S., I’ll never figure out. I do no Martin Knight is right about getting yourself or helping someone like yourself to get in as a PCO, so this doesn’t happen.
Definitely ....
BD57 (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 8:35PM EDT (link)Certain questions ought to be asked of every Republican candidate –
“Will you support ______ if he/she is the nominee instead of you?”
“Is _____________ superior to __________ [the Democrat nominee / candidate(s)]? Why or why not?”
Republican primary voters ought to know where the primary candidates stand.
No Surprise that Schwarz supported Schauer
Lords86 (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 6:33PM EDT (link)I have a little more knowledge about this dynamic than most. In 2000, Joe Schwarz served as my campaign co-chair when I ran against Congressman Schauer for his then 62nd District State Representative seat. I know both well and it was no surprise to me when former Congressman Schwarz endorsed then State Senator Schauer in his race against Congressman Walberg. Joe had been very upset with Club for Growth’s 2006 ad supporting Walberg in his primary run against Schwarz. Joe tends to be fiscally conservative and much more socially liberal in votes and thought that Club for Growth’s criticism of his record was misplaced. When given an opportunity to put it back on Walberg in 2008, he seized the opportunity to support Schauer.
One other bit of anecdotal tie in with the Hayworth/McCain battle – who was John McCain’s Michigan Campaign Chair in 2000 when he upset George W. Bush in the Republican primary? That’s right, Joe Schwarz. Joe Schwarz and John McCain are very close friends.
I like Joe very much – he grew up with my father in Battle Creek, Michigan and he has always been very kind to me and to my family, but our politics are different. As to Joe, Schauer and McCain . . . you just have to remember, that even birds of a political feather flock together.
Please...
lasvegasconservative Tuesday, February 16th at 8:21PM EDT (link)I beg everyone that reads this to beleive that this Tea Party is NOT the fault of the Republicans of this state. With such a fine fair chance to rid of us Reid ( and his carbon copy boy Rory; that scarecrow is running for governor!) no way in the world would we shoot ourselves in the foot so.
The Tea Partiers are, as seen, just folks. Not any sign of being politcal operatives, nor the astroturf the Statists accuse them of being.
If they have been infiltrated by the Statists, or are (in this state at least) a false front creation of the Statists.. i dunno. What I DO know is effort will be made, I feel sure to employ Thompson’s Magnet and pull them in with us. WE GOPs that are NOT ‘can’t risk the moderates’ whiners WANT Dingy Harry gone for good, we want Dina Titus gone, and Barkley too.
And for the weaklings alleging to be GOP…
“If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams
(borrowed that so worthy quote from someone’s tagline; my apologies but it seemed germain here)
LVC
GOP Contributions ?
tenndon Tuesday, February 16th at 9:03PM EDT (link)Send this post along with a plea for donations to the GOP.
I know it won’t do any good but if enough of us do so, we may get their attention.
McCain VS a conservative
snowshooze (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 9:06PM EDT (link)Ok…
I cannot speak for Hayworth, I just haven’t spent the time to find out who he is…BUT…
McCain refused to brace Obama in the last election.
He completely chickened out.
But he is running a completely bloodthirsty campaign against a conservative. There is no gentleman’s rules here now that it is inside the fold.
McCain is now very obviously and prominently voicing extreme criticism against a republican challenger, the type of criticism which should have been utilized against a liberal Democrat.
Why???
I can only wonder.
And McCain is beyond reproach or any question of integrity due to his service and record of sacrifice to his country to anyone.
Except me.
McCain passed on at least a dozen clear and obvious shots at Obama, and played the part of the high road.
Why???
He is no coward.
I will tell you why, he WANTED Obama to win.
Was he paid off? I doubt it. I don’t think John is for sale.
I think John McCain is a total rank and file liberal who endorses every policy that Obama has. I think he is a BELIEVER!!!
He did, in fact, seriousl;y consider crossing over to become a Democrat.
I believe he made the decision to act as a double agent and attempt to subvert us all
Whoever Hayworth is, he has to be an improvement.
McCain, the sellout, has seen his day and needs to be sent packing.
snowshooze- I agree
Scope (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 2:10PM EDT (link)I too believe that McCain wanted Obama to win. He couldn’t have done any thing more to help him.
ps- He almost screwed up his own plan
Scope (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 2:15PM EDT (link)when he picked Palin as the VP candidate. I don’t think he ever dreamed that she would bring so many votes to his sorry sick campaign.
Something similar happened in AZ 8th in 2006
smagar (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 9:42PM EDT (link)Randy Graf, a Minuteman type of Republican (as opposed to an establishment Republican) won the GOP primary to replace the retiring Jim Kolbe.
The very next day, Kolbe announced he wouldn’t endorse Graf.
End of Graf’s chances for winning. To be honest, they were pretty slim anyway, but Kolbe finished them off. At least Kolbe was gracious enough to terminate Graf quickly.
Result: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
When I read what Kolbe did, I asked myself what the point was of getting really invovled in that election as a party foot soldier. Answer: there wasn’t one.
To be sure, Graf had his warts as a candidate. Toward the end of his campaign, he ran a TV commercial that portrayed sinister illegal aliens crossing the border and breaking into homes. At the end of the commercial, a pregnant mom grasps her enlarged belly and says “Vote for Randy Graf.”
Yeah….
Neverthless, you don’t shoot your own party’s nominee in the back, Kolbe did just that.
I don’t blame conservative Republicans for being peeved with moderates. Way too often, they walk away when they don’t get their way.
“Who will stand/On either hand/And guard this bridge with me?” (Macaulay)
Graf was pretty blatantly terrible as a candidate
aesthete (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 11:16PM EDT (link)I don’t even think that it was his position on the issues as much as his presentation of the same (though he got hammered on illegal immigration). Mostly, people in the district thought that Giffords looked like a safe choice, thought Randy was a nut (somewhat unfairly, but given the way he ran his candidacy, completely understandable), and had no reason to vote Republican. Thus was a Republican district won. Personally, I don’t think that Kolbe had an enormous impact on the race one way or another, though it definitely revealed his low character when he wouldn’t endorse Graf.
“It is a popular delusion that the government wastes vast amounts of money through inefficiency and sloth. Enormous effort and elaborate planning are required to waste this much money.”
-P.J. O’Rourke
I agree with you, pretty much all around
smagar (Diary) Tuesday, February 16th at 11:36PM EDT (link)Graf wasn’t a good candidate, and Kolbe did him no favors.
“Who will stand/On either hand/And guard this bridge with me?” (Macaulay)
Schweikert
mnexpatriate Wednesday, February 17th at 12:53AM EDT (link)“In Arizona 5, conservative David Schweikert won the Republican nomination, but then lost to liberal Democrat Harry Mitchell. Why? Schweikert’s primary opponent refused to help him and sat on his hands rather than help Schweikert pick up his opponent’s primary support.”
I agree with your post in principle, but David Schweikert didn’t lose the AZ 5th because of his primary opponents – he lost it because he was a weak candidate with a bad message that could not connect with voters. That’s why the CD5 voters have rejected him over and over again.Unfortunately he doesn’t seem to get the message, and he’s running (and losing) again.
Just being conservative isn’t enough. You have to be able to win too.
Didn't they also
Adjoran (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 3:37AM EDT (link)have a very bitter primary fight?
When deciding how far you will go to win the primary, the endorsement of your opponent after it’s over should be a factor.
yet
proudgop (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 7:57AM EDT (link)why aren’t more candidates lining up to take on Mitchells then? It looks like he will be the GOP nominee once again
The AZ GOP has not been affective in getting top candidates against him or Fitzpatrick yet. Giffords seems to have several good challehngers
Schweikert will most likely oust Mitchell this year.
mbecker908 (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 8:12AM EDT (link)I’m assuming he’s going to tie him to Harry/Nancy/O and the general state of the economy – which in Arizona is radioactive. In the general, we most likely will pick up three House seats and McCain will win in a walk – probably 75%+ over the unknown Democrat with no money.
The only wild card is the AZ governor’s race. Our current governor, who was Secty of State and replaced Janet (we don’t have a LGov), is Crist in drag. She’s in farther over her head than O is over his. She’s being primaried by the state treasurer and if he wins he’s got a pretty good shot at beating the Dem nominee who will be Terry Goddard the AG. Goddard has been around forever, is very well known and will tout his “law&order” record as AG. If he runs against CristLight and wins he might have some coat tails in this race.
Hayworth is a nut case
Adjoran (Diary) Wednesday, February 17th at 3:36AM EDT (link)He’s liable to say anything at any given moment.
You can have him, and Ron Paul, too.
Nut Case?
GenEarly Wednesday, February 17th at 12:44PM EDT (link)Obama will say anything at any given moment. Try to focus on the opponent and elect senators who will say NO! Do you really trust McCain to say no? I don’t.
So Who Can You Support?
partyless1 Wednesday, February 17th at 1:35PM EDT (link)McCain and his tantrums are well known, along with his anti-Arizona stances such as working to give illegal aliens amnesty. He also has stood against our troops when he condemned water boarding. He has been kinder to liberals and democrats than conservatives. He has been fiscally irresponsible by preventing us from drilling for our own oil, favoring cap and trade and numerous other job and economy harming concepts and bills. McCain is tied closer to Washington and his political career, than he is to the people of Arizona. He has been fortunate that the liberal media does not report his antics, since is is a so called progressive that is kinder to the left than the right.
If your criteria is that he is liable to say anything at any given moment, then you must also include McCain in your list.! I have seen McCain run amok many a time over the years, and he has done so without appology!
Try looking at voting records and stances, rather than personal whims about individuals. One reason we have such poor representation today, is that most people do not do their homework before voting! When you see individuals asking if there is a box to vote all one party, or hear them saying they like the way they look, or they have charisma, or any other attribute such as gender or race, the concept of the best candidate for the job becomes a matter of luck rather than design. Having worked elections before, I can honestly say “I am not against the right of an individual to vote, so long as they take the responsibility serious enough to research and comprehend their votes. The problem far too many voters have not even taken the time to identify their correct polling place, let alone research candidates and propositions that they are more than willing to vote on anyway.” We have far too many sound bite voters, allowing themselves to be told how to vote, the effort required to be a responsible voter seems to be far too great for most.