Jan 14 2008
No HillaBee or ObaCain
Liberals must be ecstatic this year 5 Presidential candidates to chose from – for of the viable at this stage. Edwards, Clinton, Obama, McCain and Huckabee are candidates that lean way left on most issues. McCain and Huckabee have very few ties to conservative policies. When you look at them on policy-policy level they are shades Hillary and Obama.
In fact I am not sure if there is any significant distance on the four worth noting. Do we have to get someone strong on national defense and terrorism at the price of higher taxes, liberal news media control of political speech, etc? Looking across these four it is clear to me that when people think about HillaBee or ObaCain (or whoever they are) that they really don’t share a broad range of conservative views.
Now I have been for less hyper-partisanship overall. I am not ready for a Tancredo Presidency. Sometimes a person’s entire political balance is skewed by one issue – like immigration with Tancredo.
But that doesn’t mean the reverse is better, where one issue is all that holds someone inside a party. There is too far to the fringes and too far across the aisle. Too far across the aisle is another extreme which doesn’t make sense.
The GOP needs to get behind Rudy or Thompson or Romney and do it respectfully. They talking-head nags are not opening minds to possibilities, they are berating people for not being pure. I had not realized how bad it was until I realized McCain was winning in the opinion polls (I agree with Jay Cost at RCP it is because conservative voters are not strong ideologues) and Rudy and Thompson were not moving.
Can I support a President McCain – of course. At least he might have some ties to the GOP in Congress and maybe he won’t create embryo factories for spare parts – where corporations abort life for profit, not mothers for personal decisions. Yes, I can support him, I would rather not face that reality.
I find both so objectionable on so many levels if either were a candidate I think I would rather cast my vote for a black President.
Kathie,
I understand your objections to McCain. But, can a Dem socialist be better than a Repub socialist?
83% ACU rating not conservative enough for you AJ. You are quickly joining macranger on my insane list. Compare McCain’s votes to Hillary’s or Obama’s. Tell me where they are the same. Few places and if so, for dramatically different reasons. I like Rudy but he’s run a terrible campaign and is rightly being punished for it. Romney is a fraud and an electoral disaster. Thompson is playing the role of his life. He had a chance to seal it but waited too long.
BTW, there is a war going on. You must have forgotten. Remember, Dick Armey, Jack Kemp. Proceed in your dream world at your own (and the country’s) risk.
Rich,
Calling Romney a “fraud” is unsupportable and calls into question everything else you say.
McCain is conservative, but when he deviates, he does it in a big way.
Kathie,
How can a Dem socialist be better than an erratic Repub conservative.
I agree with AJ on this one. We need to get behind either Rudy or Romney. I don’t think Thompson stands a chance. I agree that Romney may have electability problems. But if he chooses the right VP candidate, one who is particularly strong on foreign policy, that could change.
Oh please. Really AJ. The GOP will make its decision. Fred might take off he can keep up the energy to bother to campaign. And Rudy messed up himself by not getting out there sooner.
Huckabee is pro life, he is a strong defender of both Israel and the second Amendment.
I prefer Rudy too, but I am not going to trash the other Republican candidates, pretend they are not real Republicans, insult their supporters by treating them like they are not real Republicans or conservatives for supporting them and on and on.
Right now the two top candidates for the Republican nomination are not Rudy or Fred, they are McCain and Huckabee and the biggest reason for that is that McCain and Huckabee have been out there working hard to get votes.
Now as for Obama, I would not vote for him. But a lot of people are drawn to this charismatic young man and see him in someone really different, really new. And for people wanting change he will most likely be their first choice.
And McCain has earned our respect if not our votes. He deserves better than some of the truly disrespectful crap so called Republicans throw at him. Hardliners can boo him on illegal immigration and people like Malkin can cheer them on, but if 6 years in a POW camp can not earn a man simple respect and courtesy from his critics, then to hell with them.
LOL! Terrye,
I simply pointed out they are very weak conservatives, tied to the movement by one or two issues, and more Democrat leaning on a lot of other issues.
How is noting their record an ‘insult’? How is noting their records OVERALL make them hard to separate from Obama and Clinton OVERALL.
GOP will make a decision, and if they go to far one way or the other then the voters will make their decisions. Remember, a GOP without support is nothing.
Rudy or Fred can win this. It is waaay too early to discount anyone. I prefer Rudy but will vote for whichever republican is nominated, excluding Paul. Too much rests on our survival as a country to let a global socialist democrat, bought and paid for by you know who, into OUR White House.
Why would I vote for Obama? Because it would be a history making event. McCain is a cheep-shop specialist who’s temperament is a huge question as Commander in Chief. And taking responsibility for the Surge, please. He could have gone to Bush anytime and discussed his points of views. No he would rather put it in the NYT. Screw Rummy for political gain, makes me sick. His stand on Israel…….send Baker. You don’t have to be a war hero, which he is, to win the war on terror. Just ask Bush. You need guts especially when there is the kind of opposition many have shown. McCain would blow a gasket before he would have put up with what Bush has. Tax cuts for the wealthy, he has no fundamental economic understanding.
Huckabee, he is a preacher who has learned to get people to listen.
At least voting for Obama would be a history making event, and I would pray for a Republican congress.
Rush today state Mac and Huck would move the party center right, take from that what you will.
Aj:
I was talking in general terms. And there is a difference between noting their records and giving your opinions of their records.
Huckabee is not a liberal, he is not a right wing GOP my way or the highway hardliners and he has been called all those things by people who seem to think they know his record better than he does. As for McCain, calling him a lefty {as I have seen people do} just because he does not always do what the self anointed base claims he should is not right either.
I would like to see more discussion about why I should vote for a certain candidate and less trashing of the candidates. If people want to get Obama elected, just keep the bloodletting on the Republican going.
Like I said I prefer Rudy, but I think other people have a right to support whoever they want to without me telling them their guy sucks.
And AJ, I have no problem telling the difference between Huckabee, McCain and Obama. If you can’t tell the difference, that is not my fault.
For one thing Obama is pro life, neither of them are. For another thing, Obama wants to talk to Iran, neither McCain or Huckabee has shown much inclination to chat with the mullahs. For another thing Obama wants to pull the troops out of Iraq, neither Huckabee or McCain want to do that. For another thing Obama is not a strong supporter of the second amendment, Huckabee certainly is and I know McCain is not like Obama on this issue.
Now those are just a few things to give you the idea of what I am talking about.
I should say Obama is pro CHOICE, neither Huckabee or McCain are.
Huckabee and McCain both support the surge and Obama does not. Huckabee thinks marriage is between a man and a woman, the same stance Bush has, Obama is more liberal on this as well.
The idea that there is no difference between Obama and Huckabee and McCAin is ridiculous.
I support Rudy, but I bet I could find social issues where Obama and he are not all that far apart.
I like Fred, but he has decided to run away from the fact that he and McCain have been joined at the hip for years, their voting records are practically identical. Fred was not even a little tough on issues like immigration when he was in the Senate.
Romney is an intelligent problem solver. His problem is that he worried too much about sucking up to all the groups who think they are the base. He would have been better off just being himself.
Listen to Huckabee…….you have to wonder why he is running on a Republican ticket, he’s a Democrat.
Why would I vote for Obama…….it would be an historical moment. Then pray for a rep congress.
It is a strange and frightening year, especially with leading Republicans sounding like Democrats. But I’m hopeful for two reasons. When Republicans are the only voters in Republican primaries, McCain and Huck should tank and either Romney , Rudy or Thompson (my choice) win the nomination, albeit after a messy convention fight. Second, Hilary and Obama give every sign of opening race and gender issues in a very nasty way and quite possibly destroying themselves as viable candidates. We can only hope.
I have listened to Huckabee and he sounds like a social conservative, there is nothing like a Democrat in him. In fact when it comes to economics he sounds more like a compassionate conservative than a free marketer. The truth is Huckabee sounds a lot like Bush did 8 years ago.
So what is he supposed to say to convince people that he is the real deal? That he thinks it is cool when people lose their jobs? That he could give a damn about regular people? That he only cares about getting the endorsement of the NRO and the Club for Growth?
What is McCain supposed to say? That it should be law to shoot a Mexican every day? Will that convince people that he is the real deal?
The point is there are 6 guys out there, only one of them can win. Maybe two if one is VP. If people decide they can only get behind their guy, then the Democrats win no matter who wins the nomination because of all these “real Republicans” out here who decided that the only guy they could vote for was the one who did not make it.
And that will be good news for Obama. And if that is what Republicans end up doing to themselves then they deserve to lose.
The point is this is the Republican nomination. Republicans are voting for McCain and Huckabee. Republicans are not voting in big numbers for Thompson and Rudy. Now what does that tell all the people who think that Huckabee and McCain are not real Republicans or real conservatives? Who is out of step?
If Rudy is the choice of most Republicans then he will start winning some primaries and the same is true of Thompson.
I intend to vote for the winner come November. I believe in the process whether my guy wins or not.
BTW, I have not really picked anyone yet, but if I had to, I would pick Rudy. But I am disappointed him.