SubscribeMitt Romney Leaves Race For Party, Country
From a victorious Associated Press:
McCain Seals GOP Nod As Romney Suspends
By LIZ SIDOTI
February 7, 2008WASHINGTON (AP) — John McCain effectively sealed the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday as chief rival Mitt Romney suspended his faltering presidential campaign. ”I must now stand aside, for our party and our country,” Romney prepared to tell conservatives.
”If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror,” Romney will say at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.
”This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters… many of you right here in this room… have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming President. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America.” …
And with him goes the conservative movement in the United States, such as it is, at least on the national level.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
McVain or Schmuckabee…that’s no choice, it’s two sides of the same counterfeit coin.
What have we sunk to? A blue blood who hates Conservatives or Elmer Gantry…gad. And the other side has two socialists…
This country is in for some harsh times.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
SR: History repeats itself. Remember Reagan 1976 gracefully acquiescing to Gerald Ford. Romney at this time reminds me of where we were with Reagan at that time. He will return. I just hope we’re all around to see it.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Well, that’s it, I officially vote for no one for President.
I’ll live with President Clinton or Obama; I could never live with myself if I voted for President McCain.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Please do not attack McCain or Huckabee or play with their names. They are not perfect candidates but they are better than Hillary, who is evil and corrupt, and Barack Hussein Obama, who is the most leftwing member of the Senate, whose minister hates white people, and who is STUPID to boot. He is the Oprahfication of American culture. Romney is a class act - he will be back. If people such as Rush or Sean Hannity hated McCain/Huckabee so much, they should have backed Romney from the beginning. Sean shot his credibility by backing pro abortion Rudy who backed out in 2000 against Hillary and now in 2008! He should have run for governor against Spitzer or run against Schumer for senate.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Do people want Barack Hussein Obama or HIllary Clinton choosing Supreme Court judges?
February 7th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
JulieJ, McCain is evil and corrupt as well.
Look at his record. Look at his dirty tricks in West Virginia. Look at his willingness to lie, cheat and generally do everything we always complain the Clintons do.
As far as Rush, Rush never backs a primary candidate.
No, it’s Republican voters who blew it. They wanted the liberal, now they’ve got him.
Too bad conservatives will stay home and “independents” will simply vote for either of the real liberals.
As far as judges, McCain didn’t like Alito - too conservative.
So tell me how any judges that McCain nominates that need to get through a Democratic Senate will, in fact, be any less liberal than those Clinton or Obama would nominate?
The fun part is the targeted anti-McCain ads from the Democrats can now begin.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The only saving grace to that putz McVAIN is that he’d actually leave office at the end of his term. Hitlery would never willingly surrender power. If she gets elected it will likely be the LAST election we’d see in a VERY long time.
Now as for that twit Huckabee, we’ve already had one Arkansas governor as president, and look where it for us! I truly hope the American people aren’t brain dead enough to repeat that mistake…and yes, I DO think he’s a schmuck, hence the term Schmuckabee.
What I refer to those two piles of rotting garbage as isn’t a means of making fun of their names, it’s a means of accurately describing them. McCain’s vanity is what propels him, and it leads him into shafting his own party and into his disdain for Conservatives. Huckabee is just a snake oil salesman who’s managed to buffalo Evangelicals into voting for him because he’s a preacher…Huckabee is as deep as the sheen on a road after a light drizzle, and as slick as an eel in a barrel of snot.
RB, I hope you’re right…if we survive the next four years, we need someone with class, courage and vision to lead this country. If who I fear gets in is in, we may well be braying to Mecca five times a day before then.
God help the USA…
February 7th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I don’t think that McCain, in his wildest imagination, could nominate somebody as awful as Ruth Bader Ginsberg - who may retire soon. If we end up with 60 Democratic Senators, however, it is over. And if we lose many more seats in the House, it will be very bad also. We can’t let the Demos - and there are very few “moderate” Demos - they have become radicals - control Congress, the White House and the courts - not to mention the universities and the public schools. You have to deal with the hand that you are dealt. I think a lot of the problem could be laid at President Bush’s feet for not having vetoed some of the spending bills and for not having gotten rid of Rumsfeld sooner. Losing in 2006 was bad - 2008 could be even more damaging. I am not trying to intellectualize about what is happening - I am trying to be rational.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
This is a SAD day for the Republic! But, I will remain an optimist, nevertheless and pray for a miracle? Long live Conservatism!
I agree Sharps, God help the USA!
February 7th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
No, McVain would saddle us with another Souter or O’Connor…just what his Dhimmi buddies would want.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Unfortunately, Ronald Reagan, my idol, gave us Sandra Day O’Connor.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
And Reagan was pressured to pick her to make nice with the ‘rats. She was the biggest mistake he ever made. The lesson: NEVER try to be nice to the ‘rats…they are THE ENEMY and should be treated as such. And those who collaborate with them are traitors and also should be handled accordingly.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
So when will SG allow us to view this in Spanish?
McInsane will make it so.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Whaaaa!! Whaaaa!! I didn’t get my way! I’m gonna take my ball and go home! Whaaaa!!…. That’s your response? Is it really? Are you sure you are a Republican? Hell, are you sure you’re even an American? Do you people realize that you CAN vote for somebody other than the Democrat or Republican nominees? You can write-in a name. Write-in whoever you think the best canidate would be. It could be Romney. It could be Rush Limbaugh. It could even be Reagan. (Note - None a terribly good choices in my opinion.) But sitting it out is irresponsible. Voting is your right and duty as a citizen. Or maybe you’re just being a “conscientious objector”? Oh bravo for you! Great conservative you turned out to be.
Second thing is, do you people realize Romney isn’t a conservative? Never was. Your hatred for McCain is clouding your judgement. Romeny is the same guy that claimed he was more pro gay rights than Kennedy. The man tried to out-liberal the liberal poster child. Did you forget this? Did you overlook his time in Massachusetts? Romney is a chameleon. His leaving the race is the best thing that could have happened for you rabid frothing-mouth conservatives. If Romney had made it to POTUS (he never would), you would have felt just a wee bit betrayed in the end. Just a wee tiny bit. /sarcasm.. It’s fascinating (and frankly more than a little frightening) that you couldn’t see this. Leopards don’t change their spots, no matter what they tell you.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
We are so screwed. Perhaps Ann is right.
First Thompson leaves me, now Romney.
How the hell did we get such a sorry ass bunch of candidates that our choices are McCain, Hillary or Obama?!? And that of the whole bunch we had to begin with a few deserving of holding the office of POTUS has dropped out? The minority of us out there who don’t want to see any of the three choices hold this office and absolutely destroy what’s left of our country are soooo screwed!
February 7th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Unfortunately, I was tossed off another website a couple of months ago for defending Mitt Romney! Who’d have thunk it? Those geniuses should have realized that Fred Thompson was asleep at the switch!
February 7th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
We’ve only had one conservative Republican president since World War II and we sure as hell aren’t going to have another one anytime soon. It’s a disappointment because we all know what’s at stake. Nixon and George W. had some conservative instints; Ike and George H.W. were basically eastern establishment types. But we were better off with them than we would have been with McGovern or Dukakis, for God’s sake. Let’s do what we have to do but, at the same time, remain true to our beliefs. We didn’t have the right person at the right time.
At the same time, may I simply say, may God have mercy on us.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
“How the hell did we get such a sorry ass bunch of candidates that our choices are McCain, Hillary or Obama?!?”
Umm… Because you didn’t bother to run for President? Or maybe because nobody put much effort into researching and promoting a candidate of their choice in the beginning? How many people were actively looking for candidates back in 2005 or 2006? Or were they just expecting the Grand Ole Party to take care of them? Golly, sitting around expecting to be taken care of… Sounds like another politcal party I know of….
February 7th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Erik Baker; “Leopards don’t change their spots, no matter what they tell you.”
You’ve just unwittingly described McCain and his most recent campaign strategy…lurch to the right, run to the left.
Alas, I don’t think any of us are going to “get our way” in view of the choices with which we are left. You may be pleased with the current turn of events, but many others are not. And, to take issue with some of your comments, being able to voice one’s feelings/disappointments/whatever IS as American as it gets. You’ve just done so. Aren’t others here entitled to the same?
As far as betrayal is concerned, you’re right. We didn’t have to wait until the end to see it. McCain has shown it from the get-go.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
“You’ve just unwittingly described McCain and his most recent campaign strategy…lurch to the right, run to the left.”
Nope. Not unwittingly at all. He is going to… oh how did he say it before?… “Compromise his principles” again. Basically, he’s gonna tell conservatives what they want to hear. Depending on what conservatives want to focus on, they will either see the conservative points he has always had or his liberal ones. They get to decide - Is it the glass half-empty or half-full?
February 7th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Erik, it seems like you are for McShame hard core. Let me reply to you in the way he likes.
McCain es una opción apesadumbrada de un hombre aún menos un presidente. Él venderá la nación a México. Eres loco.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Oh, and for the record, unlike 1st, I don’t think you should stock up on ammo…..stock up on Quantas stock. Gonna be alot of flights to Australia me thinks.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Erik Baker; “Compromise his principles”
What?? If McCain panders to the conservative base in a quest for support and votes, when he knows full well that he has no intention of legislating or governing that way, then indeed, he is morally bankrupt. If he wishes to compromise HIS principles that’s his business, but he should pay a price if he endeavors to compromise mine. I KNEW who and what McCain was/is from the start. I do my research and feel I’m well informed, so he is no surprise to me. But this judas-goat should think carefully before leading an unsuspecting horde down the path.
John McCain is not a conservative (even comparatively) when measuerd agains either of the presumptive opponents.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Maybe now that he’s the top dog in the GOP, he’ll fully embrace conservatism. Nonetheless, it’s up to the GOP leadership in the House and the Senate to keep him in line. He cannot, nor will he be allowed to, take conservatives for granted.
With respect to judicial appointments, we’re a lot better off with McCain than Clinton or Obama. At least we conservatives can hold Mac accountible — we’d have no voice in Dem controlled White House.
Romney, Ridge, Sanford, or Allen would all make good VP candidates, although I’d love to see Peter Pace.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
How did this happen? Because George Allen lost his race! And so did Rick Santorum! Unfortunately, the country has lurched to the left and W. did not help by signing the prescription drug bill and No Child Left Behind Act. He should have vetoed some of the spending bills. However, on the courts, he has basically done the right thing and that is important. Republicans have to act like Republicans. I was not a McCain supporter but he is much better than Hillary “I will leave Iraq in 60 days” Clinton and Barack “let’s smooch with the Iranians” Obama. They will immediately pull out of Iraq because the Demo congress will DEMAND it.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
“I’d love to see Peter Pace.”
OOORAH!!
Pete Pace is too principled to put his stamp on McCain’s policies…stem cells, etc. Remember, he forfeited a second term as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs because of his principled statement and refusal to cow tow to the P.C. Police.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Quote From JulieJ: “Do people want Barack Hussein Obama or HIllary Clinton choosing Supreme Court judges?”
The post above is the greatest reason I can think of for NOT voting democrapic. The Judges ages below is why I won’t.
___________
Stevens - 87
Ginsburg - 74
Souter - 68
Kennedy - 71
Breyer - 69
February 7th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
JulieJ- I understand your points about the many areas where Bush fell short, but it was an “establishment status quo” GOP Congress that totally lost touch with conservative ideals that led us down this path. Tom Delay is to blame as well as all those waffling Republican Senators, who for example, didn’t fully back the president when things looked bleak in Iraq and never fully embraced Social Security reform.
To his credit, McCain was supportive, although I completely disagree with his criticism of Rumsfeld.
He now has his shot. He’s no longer on the outside. McCain will roll in the general election. He can move to the Left, but he’ll never get anything done without the Right, which might not be such a bad thing. I’d much perfer tax cuts to deficit reduction, which I don’t believe are mutually exclusive. He needs to bring a supply-sider mentality to policy…I thought I saw Jack Kemp lurking around the other day….as long as he listens to Kemp on the economy and Ted Olsen on judicial appointments, he’ll be OK by me, although I swore the other day I’d never vote for him.
February 7th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Geez, you leave the news alone for half a day and look what happens…..
February 7th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
McCain did vote for Alito and Roberts. You know that Hillary and Barack Hussein Obama will try to put another Ruth Buzzy Ginzburg on the court - they have both taken the pro abortion pledge of allegiance. We have to put more conservatives in the senate where they vote on those appointments.
February 7th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
“How did this happen? Because George Allen lost his race! And so did Rick Santorum!”
And Pat Toomey.
February 7th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
NOOOOO!!!
February 7th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
“How did this happen?”
I think it happened, ironically, because of Hillary. She had the primaries moved up and compressed to help her, since she thought by this time should would be the only person with the money and name recognition to run a nationwide campaign.
Well, it may have backfired for her. Time will tell. But the GOP (aka the “Stupid Party”) for some unknown reason felt obligated to copy the Dem schedule — and look what we got.
We got the man who has been running the longest, the pal of the mainstream media.
Maybe the Republican “fathers” wanted it this way. Probably they did. But it sure has been a cruel blow to the GOP base.
February 7th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I already have Clinton fatigue! The Northeast rigged it with “winner takes all” in the hope that Rudy would win and that GOP candidate would do well with Rudy at the top of the ticket. Some of them even did polling which agreed with that. The irony of course, is that McCain would have had fewer delegates had they just gone by e.d. elections as the Dems did.
February 7th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Somebody mentioned Pat Toomey - yes, Santorum, Bush and the Establishment backed that dummie known as Arlen Specter and then Rick lost his election. The Establishment also backed the horrible LINCOLN CHAFFEE, who had a conservative challenger. The Establishment had better start to realize who votes and why. I would never, ever, have voted for the treacherous Lincoln Chaffee. However, when Rick was in trouble, McCain did go to PA to campaign for him. He did not want SAM BROWNBACK to come, because PA has gone to the left!
February 7th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
SG:
As long as the GOP insist on nominating whomever they think can beat the other party’s nominee instead if nominating someone that represents the conscience of the party this will be the result.
February 7th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
If we republicans want our best candidate to be nominated, we had better stop allowing independants (aka democrats) to vote in our primaries. If they were democrats trying to skew our results for their most acceptable man, they succeeded. If they were really independants and they can’t take a stance on a few key issues and register as a dmeocrat or republican, they’re not informed enough to be voting anyway.
Another word of advice to republicans, don’t let someone’s religion make you blind to what a good candidate they are. The other side has NO religion, so how bad could a Mormon be? This can be the ONLY reason Romney didn’t get the nomination, considering all that he has done and all that the others have not done.
As for McCain’s appeal to conservatives now, since he has never shown any interest in what we thought, why shouldn’t we reciprocate?
February 7th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
JulieJ, Robert Novak recently confirmed what John Fund had published in the Wall Street Journal Online just before Florida voted:
February 7th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
“No matter how much lipstick you put on a pig, it’s still a pig”
You play the hand that’s dealt ya’ but ya’ don’t have to like the cards you were dealt.
February 7th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
And to wrap things up…..
Mexican President: Illegals Rescued by Elections
Thursday, February 7, 2008 12:10 PM
By: Newsmax Staff
Eying the results so far in the U.S. presidential primary race, Mexican President Felipe Calderon said he is hopeful that the next administration in Washington will usher in reforms that would legalize the status of Mexican immigrants.
“It seems to me that the most radical and anti-immigrant candidates have been left behind and have been put in their place by their own electorate,” Calderon told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday, the day after the Super Tuesday primaries.
“My hope is that whoever the next president is, and whoever is in the new Congress, will have a broader and more comprehensive view” of the immigration problem.
Calderon said he took heart from the Super Tuesday results, but did not mention specific candidates, the Times reported.
Calderon is about to embark on a 5-day U.S. trip that will end in California, where he is scheduled to meet with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and migrant groups.
Calderon said one goal of his U.S. trip would be to generate support for immigration reform that would permit millions of Mexican to work in the U.S.
He also told the Times that Americans would “sooner or later” come to understand that the health of the American economy is linked to integration with Mexico and “greater freedom in labor markets.”
February 7th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
What’s his face on Tucker just quoted Rush out of context regarding Hukabe as VP.
February 7th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Full Text of Romney’s Speech
I want to begin by saying thank you. It’s great to be with you again. And I look forward to joining with you many more times in the future.
Last year, CPAC gave me the sendoff I needed. I was in single digits in the polls and I was facing household Republican names. As of today, more than 4 million people have given me their vote for president, less than Senator McCain’s 4.7 million, but quite a statement nonetheless. 11 states have given me their nod, compared to his 13. Of course, because size does matter, he’s doing quite a bit better with his number of delegates.
To all of you, thank you for caring enough about the future of America to show up, stand up and speak up for conservative principles.
As I said to you last year, conservative principles are needed now more than ever. We face a new generation of challenges, challenges which threaten our prosperity, our security and our future. I am convinced that unless America changes course, we will become the France of the 21st century—still a great nation, but no longer the leader of the world, no longer the superpower. And to me, that is unthinkable. Simon Peres, in a visit to Boston, was asked what he thought about the war in Iraq. “First,” he said, “I must put something in context. America is unique in the history of the world. In the history of the world, whenever there has been conflict, the nation that wins takes land from the nation that loses. One nation in history, and this during the last century, laid down hundreds of thousands of lives and took no land. No land from Germany, no land from Japan, no land from Korea. America is unique in the sacrifice it has made for liberty, for itself and for freedom loving people around the world.” The best ally peace has ever known, and will ever know, is a strong America!
And that is why we must rise to the occasion, as we have always done before, to confront the challenges ahead. Perhaps the most fundamental of these is the attack on the American culture.
Over the years, my business has taken me to many countries. I have been struck by the enormous differences in the wealth and well-being of people of different nations. I have read a number of scholarly explanations for the disparities. I found the most convincing was that written by David Landes, a professor emeritus from Harvard University. I presume he’s a liberal–I guess that’s redundant. His work traces the coming and going of great civilizations throughout history. After hundreds of pages of analysis, he concludes with this:
If we learn anything from the history of economic development, it is that culture makes all the difference. Culture makes all the difference.
What is it about American culture that has led us to become the most powerful nation in the history of the world? We believe in hard work and education. We love opportunity: almost all of us are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who came here for opportunity—opportunity is in our DNA. Americans love God, and those who don’t have faith, typically believe in something greater than themselves—a “Purpose Driven Life.” And we sacrifice everything we have, even our lives, for our families, our freedoms and our country. The values and beliefs of the free American people are the source of our nation’s strength and they always will be!
The threat to our culture comes from within. The 1960’s welfare programs created a culture of poverty. Some think we won that battle when we reformed welfare, but the liberals haven’t given up. At every turn, they try to substitute government largesse for individual responsibility. They fight to strip work requirements from welfare, to put more people on Medicaid, and to remove more and more people from having to pay any income tax whatsoever. Dependency is death to initiative, risk-taking and opportunity. Dependency is a culture-killing drug—we have got to fight it like the poison it is!
The attack on faith and religion is no less relentless. And tolerance for pornography—even celebration of it—and sexual promiscuity, combined with the twisted incentives of government welfare programs have led to today’s grim realities: 68% of African American children are born out-of-wedlock, 45% of Hispanic children, and 25% of White children. How much harder it is for these children to succeed in school—and in life. A nation built on the principles of the founding fathers cannot long stand when its children are raised without fathers in the home.
The development of a child is enhanced by having a mother and father. Such a family is the ideal for the future of the child and for the strength of a nation. I wonder how it is that unelected judges, like some in my state of Massachusetts, are so unaware of this reality, so oblivious to the millennia of recorded history. It is time for the people of America to fortify marriage through constitutional amendment, so that liberal judges cannot continue to attack it!
Europe is facing a demographic disaster. That is the inevitable product of weakened faith in the Creator, failed families, disrespect for the sanctity of human life and eroded morality. Some reason that culture is merely an accessory to America’s vitality; we know that it is the source of our strength. And we are not dissuaded by the snickers and knowing glances when we stand up for family values, and morality, and culture. We will always be honored to stand on principle and to stand for principle.
The attack on our culture is not our sole challenge. We face economic competition unlike anything we have ever known before. China and Asia are emerging from centuries of poverty. Their people are plentiful, innovative, and ambitious. If we do not change course, Asia or China will pass us by as the economic superpower, just as we passed England and France during the last century. The prosperity and security of our children and grandchildren depend on us.
Our prosperity and security also depend on finally acting to become energy secure. Oil producing states like Russia and Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Iran are siphoning over $400 billion per year from our economy—that’s almost what we spend annually for defense. It is past time for us to invest in energy technology, nuclear power, clean coal, liquid coal, renewable sources and energy efficiency. America must never be held hostage by the likes of Putin, Chavez, and Ahmendinejad.
And our economy is also burdened by the inexorable ramping of government spending. Don’t focus on the pork alone—even though it is indeed irritating and shameful. Look at the entitlements. `They make up 60% of federal spending today. By the end of the next President’s second term, they will total 70%. Any conservative plan for the future has to include entitlement reform that solves the problem, not just acknowledges it.
Most politicians don’t seem to understand the connection between our ability to compete and our national wealth, and the wealth of our families. They act as if money just happens–that it’s just there. But every dollar represents a good or service produced in the private sector. Depress the private sector and you depress the well-being of Americans.
That’s exactly what happens with high taxes, over-regulation, tort windfalls, mandates, and overfed, over-spending government. Did you see that today, government workers make more money than people who work in the private sector. Can you imagine what happens to an economy where the best opportunities are for bureaucrats?
It’s high time to lower taxes, including corporate taxes, to take a weed-whacker to government regulations, to reform entitlements, and to stand up to the increasingly voracious appetite of the unions in our government!
And finally, let’s consider the greatest challenge facing America—and facing the entire civilized world: the threat of violent, radical Jihad. In one wing of the world of Islam, there is a conviction that all governments should be destroyed and replaced by a religious caliphate. These Jihadists will battle any form of democracy—to them, democracy is blasphemous for it says that citizens, not God shape the law. They find the idea of human equality to be offensive. They hate everything we believe about freedom just as we hate everything they believe about radical Jihad.
To battle this threat, we have sent the most courageous and brave soldiers in the world. But their numbers have been depleted by the Clinton years when troops were reduced by 500,000, when 80 ships were retired from the Navy, and when our human intelligence was slashed by 25%. We were told that we were getting a peace dividend. We got the dividend, but we didn’t get the peace. In the face of evil in radical Jihad and given the inevitable military ambitions of China, we must act to rebuild our military might. Raise military spending to 4% of our GDP, purchase the most modern armament, re-shape our fighting forces for the asymmetric demands we now face, and give the veterans the care they deserve!
Soon, the face of liberalism in America will have a new name. Whether it is Barack or Hillary, the result would be the same if they were to win the Presidency. The opponents of American culture would push the throttle, devising new justifications for judges to depart from the constitution. Economic neophytes would layer heavier and heavier burdens on employers and families, slowing our economy and opening the way for foreign competition to further erode our lead.
Even though we face an uphill fight, I know that many in this room are fully behind my campaign.” You are with me all the way to the convention. Fight on, just like Ronald Reagan did in 1976. But there is an important difference from 1976: today… we are a nation at war.
And Barack and Hillary have made their intentions clear regarding Iraq and the war on terror. They would retreat and declare defeat. And the consequence of that would be devastating. It would mean attacks on America, launched from safe havens that make Afghanistan under the Taliban look like child’s play. About this, I have no doubt.
I disagree with Senator McCain on a number of issues, as you know. But I agree with him on doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, on finding and executing Osama bin Laden, and on eliminating Al Qaeda and terror. If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.
This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters… many of you right here in this room… have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming President. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country.
I will continue to stand for conservative principles; I will fight alongside you for all the things we believe in. And one of those things is that we cannot allow the next President of the United States to retreat in the face evil extremism!!
It is the common task of each generation—and the burden of liberty—to preserve this country, expand its freedoms and renew its spirit so that its noble past is prologue to its glorious future.
To this task… accepting this burden… we are all dedicated, and I firmly believe, by the providence of the Almighty, that we will succeed beyond our fondest hope. America must remain, as it has always been, the hope of the earth.
Thank you, and God bless America.
February 7th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
These should work just as will when voting for McCain.
http://www.thepeoplescube.com/.....php?t=1726
I really dread having to do it.
February 7th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Let’s clear up one little matter; when Reagan had discussions with O’Conner before he nominated her for SCOTUS, she guaranteed him that she would be a strick Constitutional constructionist. In other words, she would stick to the intent of the founding fathers, not what she thought they [just might have] meant.
She turned AFTER her confirmation. She stabbed Reagan in the back, to get the appointment.
Today, I listened to McCain said that he understood that American’s want the rule of law when it comes to immigration. He promised to secure the border FIRST. And then what? He never said and he never will because if you were to understand that while he may secure the border, he still believes that illegals have a right to a path to citizenship, Social Security benefits from stolen SS numbers they have been using, and a strong chain-migration system. So that 20 million illegals can turn into 60 million new citizens, all on the lowest rung of the economic ladder and all eligible for social welfare.
McCain has not changed. Only his rhetoric has changed because he understand that without the core conservative base, he will be reduced to the loser he really is. Mark my prediction here and today; if at the end of the campaign road, McCain is elected, he will make a hard left.
He has not changed. He still wants to destroy the party that rejected him in Nov. 2000. It is even reported that his wife, who stole drugs from the charity she worked for, has a “enemies” list. Research the Reform Institute. See who was originally on the board, if it has not been deleted. How much conservatism do you think Adrianna Huffington brought to the Reform Institute?
Is it time for me to remind you of my old woman and the snake story again?
February 7th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
A question keeps rolling around in my old empty head, what the hell just happened? I feel like I’ve been conned but I’m not sure. I think this election cycle has been engineered and the voters used, abused and manipulated. Hey, I like to read a good conspiracy theory every now and then but again I ask, what the hell just happened?
Tom
February 7th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Calderon said one goal of his U.S. trip would be to generate support for immigration reform that would permit millions of Mexican to work in the U.S.
Yo, Senor Calderon, there ARE millions of Mexicans working here, albeit without permission.
Does your country suck that much?
And what do you get out of this? Oh, right…we already pay for ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT health care (which I’ve personally seen in hospitals in Chicago, including that of their new American-born offspring); we deal with the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT criminals you export; and you wait for the Western Union money transfers to flow back into your economy so you can tax it.
I know some ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS and they’re hard working, family types, trying to learn English and live the American Dream.
However, I’ve also read about some brand-new American CITIZENS who were sworn in because they’ve worn the uniforms of our nation’s armed forces (and some who have died and have been granted posthumous citizenship).
Want to venture a wager for whom I have more respect?
BTW, I’ve been to your fair nation and I know a little bit of Spanish (but didn’t know how to say “Regular” or “Extra Crispy” at the KFC in Morelia) but I got a lot of stares from the locals–I’m the original white boy, so maybe they thought National Geographic was in town shooting a documentary–but at least I didn’t stay there and be a drain on your economy.
And I probably couldn’t have: your country would have kicked me out.
/threadjack
February 7th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
navycopjoe: “Erik, it seems like you are for McShame hard core. Let me reply to you in the way he likes. - McCain es una opción apesadumbrada de un hombre aún menos un presidente. Él venderá la nación a México. Eres loco.”
Oh? I wan’t aware that McCain spoke Spanish fluently. I thought that Romney was the only Republican candidate this year that did… Oh wait! You’re pulling my leg and making an off-color joke about immigration. You card you!
***
JohnMG:”John McCain is not a conservative (even comparatively) when measuerd agains either of the presumptive opponents.”
Granted, McCain may not fall under your personal definition of “conservative”. (And before we go there, Webster is not the final arbitrator on what a conservative is. It’s one of those rather emotionally laden terms that varies from person to person.) To say that McCain is not even “comparatively” conservative when measured against the likes of Obama is certainly a rather exacting definition. But for many people in the GOP (and independents who will ultimately decide the general election), McCain is conservative enough and apparently he is indeed acceptable. If he’s not acceptable to you, don’t vote for him. Simple as that. Start your own party. Do a write-in. Do something. Anything. But at least try to do something productive by promoting a solution, rather than just trying to tear something down.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I may be off topic her but what really pisses me off about McCain is his constant use of the term “compassion” when he refers to illegal aliens. In the context of his speeches one can only interpret his “compassion” is code for AMNESTY.
He has used the term “hiding in the shadows” on many occasions when referring to illegal aliens. Well I live in Los Angeles and NO ONE here is hiding in the shadows. The day-labor hiring places have literaly hundreds of illegals every morning on PCH and Normandy. I know because I have occasionally gotten piece-work from this place. By trade I am a heavy-line mechanic. To those that don’t “habla” that means I rebuild, swap, and replace engines, transmission, differentials ect…
Most of the employees in the last three shops I worked in were illegal. No drivers licenses either. I had to do most of the test driving for these guys since they had no licenses. I realize my evidence is anecdotal but IMHO these guys are driving pay rates into the basement. I was making $16.00 per hour in 1981 which at that time was a decent wage in L.A. By the late nineties the average shop flat rate was around $60.00 and hour and the mechanics were averaging around 10.00 per hour.
Anyone who is from L.A. can walk into any body shop or repair center and I will guarantee you the techs are nearly all hispanic and mostly undocumented. My beef is not with the hispanics. I have worked with Cubans, Salvadorians, Mexicans, Hondurans, Puerto Ricans, Domincans and almost to the man they are all decent hard working people. My anger is directed to the Employers who constantly hire these guys and pay them jack wages. Everyone suffers because of this situation. The jerks in Congress passed the Immigration bill in 1986 but never enforced it. Why in the hell should we believe they will do it if they pass another.
John McCain may be a war hero and a decent man but I don’t care. He has shown in the past he will not respect the borders of our Country when it comes to immigration and illegals. He may get my vote simply because I can’t stand the alternatives. However, I will never trust this man on immigration.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Erik Baker; “do something productive by promoting a solution, rather than just trying to tear something down.”
As you are so obviously doing??
Si, se puede….yo quiro Taco Bell….tu madre es puta….blah, blah, blah…
You know nothing about me, about what I have done in the past, what I am presently doing, nor what I will do in the future. Further, you totally lack any ability toward civil discourse. Your intollerance and arrogance is showing, and in a few sentences you have disclosed a great deal of your personal character.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Erik, no one is trying to tear something (I assume you mean McCain) down. McCain’s own record does that quite well, thank you.
I don’t know where you live but 2 will get you 10 that it is not in a border state. But I live in a border state and I can tell you, illegal immigration is the one biggest threat to our security. Do you think that the Jolly Jihadists are the only ones that create terror in the citizens of the nation?
Take a look at who was at CPAC today with McCain. Lieberman and Lindsey Graham who said that we, who took offense at them trying to shove their backroom deal called Shamnesty down our throats, were racists for not wanting to allow millions of law breakers to stay in our nation.
I have resented the hell out of how this primary season has determined who will be our nominee. My first choice was Thompson, but after just five states, he was out. Now Romney drops after Super Tuesday. Our state primary is still almost a month away. How is this system fair to the states who have late primaries? It is not fair. So now we Texans are stuck with a liberal in a Republican suit or Elmer Gantry.
What we have seen is McCain’s ability to split the party. Core conservatives against those who are really left of center who became Republicans as our party elite, more and more, became like the left side of the aisle.
Why did we lose so big in 2006? Because the Republicans had become just as “tax and spend” as the Democrats. Because they had become snug and secure in their offices and decided that they no longer owned an explaination to those who elected them. Now, we see another Bob Dole. And he will lose just as big.
February 7th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Retire05…You better believe we are going to lose BIG, we won the last 2 pres. elections by ONE state in each election…Fla. in 00 and Ohio in 04…this with a candidate that the party supported and rallied around. McCain is drawing a lot of support from states he will certainly lose in the general and losing in states that are a MUST. The McCain supporters can spin all they want but it isn`t going to change the fact that it dosen`t look good, it looks a lot like 96`.
February 7th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
retire05; You said you were originally from St. Louis. Where did you go to High School and when did you move to Tejas (as we’ll soon have to call it)?
February 7th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
but again I ask, what the hell just happened?>> Lets see….what just happened is the media has eliminated anyone from running for president except who they deem necessary for a good race, lots of coverage, and yes, dollars. Those campaign ads are revenue, and the longer and more vociferous they maintain their coverage, the more of those contributions come into THEIR coffers.
They have hijacked the entire election….and are in bed with both political parties….and we have zero choice in who we get to vote for, unless it is the groomed and primped special children offered up by people who feel that power and control trump our security and economy. I hate this entire election crap…I am sick of it….I would rather administer a colonoscopy to myself with a firehose than endure any more of this.
I agree….what the hell just happened.??? We are being conned.
February 7th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
JohnMG, I was a southsider. Kingshighway and Chippewa area when it was still a great neighborhood. I started at Southwest (no longer there) and then on to Roosevelt, arch enemy of Cleveland. Some of my friends still live in the Gravois-Kingshighway area although they are just holding on. The neighborhood is getting really, really bad. Bosnian gangs are everywhere in the Bevo area and it is bleeding over.
I lived between Texas and St. Louis most of my life. Texas was my choice as St. Louis became another New Orleans and the “white flight” occured. Neighborhoods where you knew everyone and it was a real community within a city became dangerous places where you had bars on your windows and doors. Add to that the taxes and I decided it was time to leave for good. And for some reason, I just relate to being a Texan more than being a St. Louisan.
But Ragassi’s (sp?) on the Hill is still my favorite place to eat in the whole world, with Ted Drews afterward. Quick food? Steak N’ Shake.
February 7th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
retire05: I know the area(s) well as I worked in the city (construction) quite a bit over the last 45 years or so. We (my ageing wife and I) ride motorcycles to Ted Drewes to meet up with a group of friends on occasion. Most of the old “scrubby Dutch” neighborhoods are crumbling now as you have mentioned, and the residents just voted to add another 1/2 cent to the sales tax on Tuesday past. It’s a real shame. I live about 50 miles down and 10 miles north of the I-44 corridor from St. Louis. My construction business does alright locally now, thus no need to hoof it to the “city”. I was the first full graduating class out of Vianney. That was “forever” ago.
February 7th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
JohnMG: “You know nothing about me, about what I have done in the past, what I am presently doing, nor what I will do in the future. Further, you totally lack any ability toward civil discourse. Your intollerance and arrogance is showing, and in a few sentences you have disclosed a great deal of your personal character.”
Well John, everything I know about you I know from these forums. I wouldn’t presume to form an opinion about you as a person based solely on that, since people say alot of things on the internet that wouldn’t say in person. In any case, what you’ve been posting lately has been alot of negative character references about McCain, and not alot of promotion for a candidate you do support. I think that’s somewhat unfortunate as you do seem like a reasonably intelligent person. Perhaps you could share with us your preferred candidate? Who will you write-in, or form a new party to support? I believe my posts generally do suggest that people should vote for who they believe in. Not quite sure how that translates into intolerance, but you are entitled to your opinion.
As for civil discourse I think any reasonable person would say that I have been extremely civil. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about you. You posted “tu madre es puta”. That is really uncalled for. Regardless of whether it’s directed at me, or is just being used as a random Spanish, it’s not terribly appropriate. I’m hoping you are simply unaware of what it means.
***
retire05: “I don’t know where you live but 2 will get you 10 that it is not in a border state. But I live in a border state and I can tell you, illegal immigration is the one biggest threat to our security. Do you think that the Jolly Jihadists are the only ones that create terror in the citizens of the nation?”
Unfortunately if you had bet money on that you would have lost. I am indeed residing and have spent the majority of my life in a border state. Southern California to be exact. So yes, we do get our own share of illegal immigration. Though somewhat different from Texas I’m guessing, since I haven’t seen very many Central American terrorists active here. Nor even Asian or Canadian for that matter. Or perhaps you were using “terror” somewhat loosely and implying an economic, social, and cultural terrorism?
As greasywrench pointed out above, illegals are here and they are working. And they push down wage rate because they are illegals. They can’t exactly fight for higher pay. That can be solved by making them citizens. Close the border. If the illegals here want to stay they can learn English and pay their back taxes, or get the hell out. Pretty simple. What the US gets out of it is documentation of who is here, more tax money from our newly documented citizens, and an economy that doesn’t rely on a modern-day slave labor force. It’d be nice if they could reduce welfare along with it, but it’s not terribly likely. Downside is that prices for a large number of things will increase due to the higher wages. It’s the so-called “Shamnesty” in a nutshell. In my opinion, a much better choice than simple deportation. Because mass deportation is gonna have some rather significant effects on the economy. And not just in the border states.
February 7th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
JohnMG, I wanted to go to Bishop Du Bourg, but my family just couldn’t swing the tuition. So it was off to Southwest.
After highschool, and one baby, I moved out I-55, first to Arnold, then on to High Ridge. Ah, yes, Jefferson County, the most corrupt county in the whole state, if not the nation. But I had a chance to transfer to Houston with my company and I took it as I learned to love it when I was a kid. And have never regretted it. I love Texas; the people, the food, the open spaces. And I have to tell you, friendlier people you will never meet.
Here is a funny story for you: when my mother died, I found a diary she had kept during the war. She talked about taking a train from Union Station to Houston and she also talked about my dad taking a job (he was an essential worker) in Texas and how she love the town they were in and how friendly the people were. My dad worked in the same damn town I live in now and I moved there BEFORE I found the diary. How’s that for going full circle?
February 7th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
retire05; I have a friend who was a classmate in highschool. His avowed ambition was to become a podiatrist. He worked one summer as a laborer for my dad, mostly carrying Symons forms and 2×12’s and I think that helped make up his mind. I lost track of him for over 40 years. A mutual acquaintance found his e-mail address and I contacted him. He’s been living in Houston since he got back home from ‘Nam. Has his own construction business down there. Go figure.
February 7th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
JohnMG, Houston during the boom, was a city for all. It was young, fast, booming and fun. Anyone who couldn’t make a living there was just too damn lazy to work. And had the most beautiful women you have ever seen in one city.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Thanks SG, for posting Gov. Romney’s speech. It’s a beautiful, Conservative speech.
marinetbryant & sheehanjihad , I concur…. what the hell just happened.??? I didn’t see that coming!
retire05, “How’s that for going full circle?” I love stories like that. It’s odd sometimes, what a small world we live in. No coincidence, just fate.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Erik Baker; “tu madre es puta”
Wasn’t directed at you. That was the line before. The paragraph WAS directed toward you. And yes, I know what that, and much, much, more just like that means. I learned it the hard way, from a bunch of Hispanics in my platoon both stateside and in ‘Nam. Rest assured there is nothing I’ve said on this forum that I wouldn’t say to your face. Don’t flatter yourself.
As to my preferred candidate, he’s no longer in the running, so I won’t waste a vote on a write-in. I’ll probably vote for McCain–but I won’t like it. You see, I’ve been to the big city and I’ve seen the elephant, and I’ve been kicking around long enough to know that sometimes you just have to make the best of a bad situation.
But this is civility?? “Whaaaa!! Whaaaa!! I didn’t get my way! I’m gonna take my ball and go home! Whaaaa!!….”, “Are you sure you are a Republican? Hell, are you sure you’re even an American?”…,”Or maybe you’re just being a “conscientious objector”? Oh bravo for you!…”, “His leaving the race is the best thing that could have happened for you rabid frothing-mouth conservatives…”, “Because you didn’t bother to run for President?”…, “do something productive by promoting a solution, rather than just trying to tear something down.”… all your own words.
I, and many others here have tolerated your snide condescension yet I’m still being civil toward you. But I’m beginning to think you came here with an attitude of superiority. I’ve sat through many a boring sermon and I’ve learned to………zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
February 7th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
retire05; “And had the most beautiful women you have ever seen in one city.”
Must be true…He’s on his second bride.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Welcome back to the bad old days, 21st Century style.
I will be voting for Mocaine (and his squirrel-munching VP Hucksterbee, if it should be) solely because I still believe the Dhimmicrats are the party most sympathetic to Rev. “Sharia” Rowan across the pond.
And I therefore reserve the right to mock their names with reckless abandon.
February 8th, 2008 at 3:48 am
Nimblicity, if there was any reason to believe McCain would be any less likely to give in to Sharia law than the Democrats, I might believe you.
But given anything the man has said equates to a political calculus, I just don’t see evidence of it.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:49 am
Oh no!!! Now we have a candidate who could actually win the election! Oh no!!! Not that - anything but that!!!
This is the worst day in the history of the world!!! This is an unparallelled disaster!!! I’d rather have eight years of Hillbama, I’d rather pluck out my own eyes with a hot spoon and eat them, I’d rather be eaten alive by rabid wolves in the frozen wastes of Siberia, I’d rather be thrown in the murky waters of the Amazon to be devoured by piranhas, I’d rather shove my fingers into an electric pencil sharpener until nothing remained but ten jagged stumps, I’d raher sacrifice my family to the fiery jaws of Moloch, I’d rather be Eleanor Clift’s love slave, than compromise my PRECIOUS CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES and vote for McCain.
Where were my PRECIOUS CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES when Bush was signing No Child Left Behind and every pork barrel bill that crossed his desk and creating the Department of Homeland Security and Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham, ‘Trent’ Lott and every other worthless GOP big shot were shoving their snouts in the public trough for the last eight years? Gee, they must’ve fallen down behind the sofa or something. Anyway, the most important things in the world to me are my PRECIOUS CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES and if leaving them untarnished means that the rest of you people have to accept losing another war or learn to live under the Democrats for the next hundred years, well, tough noogies.There’s no way I’d ever go against my PRECIOUS CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES and vote for that unclean instrument, John McCain. So there.
February 8th, 2008 at 8:50 am
The sad thing is, Mexico has a lot going for it. They’ve got oil, they’ve got gold and silver and iron and coal, they’ve got a large population, fertile farmland, and a range of scenery ranging from ocean to jungle to mountain to Mayan ruins that a lot of people would pay money to see.
Mexico could easily be an economic superpower, except for the corrupt government–and instead of telling them to get up off their butts, we’re helpin Calderon cover up his government’s ineptitude.
It’s long past time to take our tit back, folks.
February 8th, 2008 at 9:01 am
BillK: the bottom line is McCain did vote for Alito and Roberts. And we will need more justices like them because several of the justices look like they are ready to die. We also must try to elect more conservative GOP senators and congressmen. Pollsters have us losing more seats in November!
February 8th, 2008 at 9:16 am
I realize that Mitt actually carried Massachusetts, which is where I live and vote, but I was amazed to hear so many of my “left-leaning”, registered Independent friends and family tell me that they voted Republican just so they could support McCain. They made it clear that they would be voting for the Democrat’s candidate in the general election. Despite my best efforts, I could not convince them that they were toying with the whole democratic process of allowing each party to choose its own candidate. They thought it was clever that they were trying to pull a fast one on the “enemy.” They may not have been the reason Mitt lost, but I still find it wildly frustrating and juvenile.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:04 am
JulieJ; “McCain did vote for Alito and Roberts”
Agreed, yet he privately expressed reservations about Alito. Nonetheless, we did get two fine justices seated.
Also, I agree with a lot of his positions (national security, spending, budgetary restraint, etc.) yet disagree with him on others (immigration, 2nd amendment, McCain/Feingold) to name a few. I could point to Lieberman and say the same thing, and he (Lieberman) wouldn’t be my first choice to be president either.
If McCain is the nominee, and he probably will be, I’ll vote for him as I feel he is several degrees better for the country than either of the opposition candidates, but I don’t relish being put in the spot we all seem to be in. And I won’t embrace all of his positions and initiatives when I feel he is wrong. There should be room for more than one maverick on the political landscape.
When he said yesterday in his speech that, and I paraphrase, …I will listen to different opinions and if you can persuade me I will change…makes me wonder just what it would take to convince him change his mind.
I’ve been called hard-headed but, John McCain makes me look bush-league. :-)
February 8th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Maybe if Romney had spent more time in California instead of W. Virginia, this might not have happened. But it did.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Artboy - I believe you live Europe. Do you believe that relaxing our CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES and letting McCain lead us down the path to Western European style ’socialism light’ with open borders is a good thing? Once we become like Western Europe, who will protect us?
I believe CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES are based in the founding documents of our country. McCain’s centerpieces of legislation; McCain-Feingold, McCain-Lieberman, and McCain-Kennedy all take direct aim at our countries founding documents. If he is willing to view our Constitution as a living and breathing document like liberals do, why are we so convinced he will appoint strict constructionist judges (which is the latest rationale for supporting McCain).
Seems to me expressing passion for CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES is a good thing, even if doing so shines an unfavorable light on the GOP nominee. When the passion is gone, the liberals will have won. The last sound you’ll hear is our founding fathers turning in their graves.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:21 am
JulieJ; “spent more time in California instead of W. Virginia”
Yes, that could be debated. But collusion between the McCain/Huckabee supporters (and Ron Paul’s, to a lesser degree) defeated Romney in W.V. on the second ballot Also it could be said that Romney’s campaign strategy seemed to focus too much on caucus states, so that’s also open to discussion. And like it or not, the MSM does wield a considerable influence. My real sympathy goes out to people like retire05 in Texas who have had the issue settled before they’ve even had an opportunity to weigh in. Those folks have effectively been excluded from the debate. Maybe a national primary election isn’t such a bad idea after all
February 8th, 2008 at 10:22 am
I’ll not lie about it but I do have that “vomitty” taste in my mouth knowing that my choice has been made for me, and who that choice is. I have to rationalize that I’ll vote for McCain by thinking that his nominees for the Supreme Court, and there will be some, will be less odorous than Clinton or Obama nominees. I’m not going to “waste” my vote by writing-in someone with no chance, thereby facilitating a Clinton/Obama, Obama/Clinton victory. I hate, absolutely HATE, that this is where we are but I’ll just have to deal with it and try to salvage some possible good from this travesty. It’s time to start working on getting back the House and Senate. That will be key to the path this country takes.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:28 am
BigOil; “…expressing passion for CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES is a good thing,”
AMEN!! Being forced to select from the “lesser of the two evils” is no arguement for surrendering one’s principles. It’s more like damage control.
February 8th, 2008 at 11:18 am
JohnMG, you are soooo right. We Texans, and other states, have just been told to “suck it up”. You have McCain, learn to like it. We, the elite states have decided who is best for this nation and you, just some southwest state bearing the brunt of the illegal immigration problem, really don’t count.
Hell, North Carolina doesn’t have it’s primary until June.
I wonder if it ever occured to McCain when he was in the closet with Russ Feingold that this system of primaries was disenfranchising have of American voters? Maybe he could have put a clause in there that no one could campaign until two months before the primary. But that would not have favored McCain who has been virtually campaigning for this election through his Reform Institute since 2001.
The disgust I feel right now is unmeasurable. I have seen both my choices laid by the wayside and there is nothing I can do about it. I read that voters in California were turned away from the Republican primaries because they were told they were registed as “no particular party” and not Republicans. How’s the number 750,000 sit with you? When I worked the polls, people were to be offered the choice of a provisional ballat. The Dem poll worker would not to that and I had to step in. She said if they wanted one, they should ask for it. How many voters, thinking they are registered R would know to ask for a provisional ballot?
February 8th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
McCain doesn’t represent the values of the conservatives he insist must vote for him now. He’s not only been politically liberal but has expressed his dislike for conservatives. After all, those of us who want to protect our borders and place American’s rights above foreign invaders are just nativist/racist. He has stuck it to conservatives time after time and pointing out a few votes that were agreeable doesn’t make up for that. He may make a better commander-in–chief than Hillary or Hussien but how much is that actually saying? He voted against our drilling in Anwar despite how dangerous it for us to be dependant on mid-east oil. Also, the dems just needed the presidency to bring back the Fairness Doctrine. Not anymore. This is just the sort of thing McCain likes to side with them on and he can’t wait to shut us up.
I’m not really worried about a McCain presidency because he doesn’t have a chance of winning. Vote however you like and never apologize for it. But I plead with you to remember that these rat eating politicians are supposed to work for us and not the other way around. One way or another we have to reestablish that in this country because it’s obvious our self promoting governors won’t. This is a democracy and the quality of it is equal to the quality of its citizens. Maybe in two years we can take back congress but I believe we have to make more fundamental changes than that. Don’t let your neighborhood go the way mine did. Comprende?
“A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency or simply to swell its numbers.” ~ Ronald Reagan, 1975
“Don’t give up your ideals, don’t compromise, don’t turn to expediency – and don’t, for heaven’s sake, having seen the inner workings of the watch – don’t get cynical.” ~ Ronald Reagan, 1976
February 8th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I am not here to defend McCain - I did not vote for him in the primary. However, I still think he is better than Ms. Clinton, who is evil and devious, and Obama, who is stupid, naive, and just plain dumb - in addition to being a hardened leftist who thinks that he can have tea with the Iranian dictator and wants to invite people from Moslem countries so that they can explain to him “why they don’t like us”! The election of either of these two would put us in danger and depress troop morale. Look at the big picture. We cannot turn into a nation of pacifists.
February 8th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
“We cannot turn into a nation of pacifists.”
Roger, that!!
February 8th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
“There are Two Americas.”
And John McCain will not get elected in either.
Here is a candidate who has lost his base not by disagreement, but by deceit (reference last year’s ramrod attempt to push the immigration bill through Congress, his alignment with the ACLU on national security, his class warfare, pro stance on Congressional blocks on judicial & cabinet appointments, to name a few) all while hurling insults & threats.
And now, here he is; in the middle between the two Americas. Any attempt to move to the left will further infuriate his right. Any placation towards his right will cause his left to howl “Hypocrite.”
Senator McCain seems all the smaller when ever he compares himself to President Reagan. For anyone who read his diaries, the man was beyond comparison. Compassionate, shrewd & steadfast in his convictions. And today, as the moderate Republicans squeal in glee that the Reagan Revolution is dead (while their candidates all fall over themselves comparing themselves to him), I am reminded of the August 16, 1993 issue of Time Magazine that proclaimed “Overturning The Reagan Era”. Coincidentally, the moderate Republican candidate, George Bush, was replaced by the young governor from Arkansas that same year. And, because the ideals & character of Reagan are universal, I have my copy of this issue hanging, appropriately, upside down in my office.
Those were interesting times. We will undoubtedly repeat them again this year. God Help Us.
February 8th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
*Warning* excessive verbosity ahead. Best just skip over this post.
It is interesting to go back and read the “Swarm -who’s your fave candidate and why?”. That was posted on January 3. Those who haven’t already done so, really should go back and have a boo at it again.
Even back then, there were a few people who stated emphatically that they would either not vote, or would vote for Hilary, if McCain got the nomination. This started a number of debates (some quite heated) over the next few weeks, including:
- is it acceptable to not vote ? Or to spoil your ballot ?
- is it acceptable to not vote for McCain and therefore cede the election to the Democrats ?
- is McCain better or worse than Hilary/Obama ?
- is McCain better or worse than Hitler/Stalin/Vader/the Anti-Christ/whomever ?
- is Romney really as conservative as he’s suddenly being made out to be ?
- is McCain better or worse than Romney ? (this came very late in the game)
- is Brittany really pregnant again ? (we banned that idiot)
Unfortunately, at the end of the day, all these different debates seem to have boiled down to a grudge fight between “principled conservatives” and “McCain supporters.”
So you won’t vote for McCain because of your conservative principles. Fair enough. Then those who happen to believe that Clinton/Obama would be far worse -and will therefore vote accordingly -are they now unprincipled, somehow lesser conservatives ?
But I never said that !
No, you didn’t. But it’s still hanging in the air between us like a noxious fart, now isn’t it ?
There is much to dislike about McCain. Nobody -absolutely nobody has ever argued otherwise.
But if you read back over the past month’s posts, you’re going to find some seriously ridiculous things written about McCain.
Anyone who reads and participates in this site for any length of time very quickly gets a graduate degree in spotting bullshit. We’ve had some real masters here as teachers.
And if you are still lucid enough to read the previous months posts objectively, you’ll find some real howlers there. Lots of them. Things like “I wouldn’t put it past him” being presented as solid facts. Don’t take my word for it -go back and read things over. Objectively. Pretend you’re the Devil’s advocate.
No, I’m not going to go dig any of them up -it’ll just result in a chorus of
What I MEANT was… possibly followed by Are you too stupid to see that ?
Call me names if you like, but I never saw where it was acceptable -or necessary- for a conservative to feed people horseshit in order to make a point.
And I never saw it acceptable or necessary for a conservative to allow him or her self to be fed horseshit.
Those posts are out there. Posted by a lot of different people. And the hell of it is -it’s so unnecessary because the exact same people have made perfectly valid, factual arguments against McCain.
(everybody please reread the previous sentence. again. once more. OK -got it ?)
A little ways back, I referred to “at the end of the day”. Let’s make that the thread where Ann Coulter strapped on her water skis and jumped the shark -towing this site along with her.
Sorry SG, Ms Coulter and any other conservative luminaries who’ve managed to read this far -but when what you’re saying is making Alan Colmes happy -maybe you oughtta give some thought to where you’re headed.
Look at the McCain threads around that time. By that point they’d become little more than an echo-chamber for the “McCain’s evil -AMEN!” crowd. Anyone who dared to differ was slapped down like the McCain supporting unprincipled unconservatives that they are.
And that leads us to this positively AMAZING statement:
You have to forgive those who back McCain. They are the uninformed who don’t bother to look past the pretty wrappings to see what is really in the box.
You have to wonder if America really gets the leadership it deserves when so many voters don’t bother to check someone’s history/record and just vote on “feel good” emotions.
OK, everybody got that now ? We’ve already determined that the primaries have been hijacked by Dem supporters. Haven’t we ? So who was that little gem aimed at ? Well that only leaves the people who don’t want to see Clinton/Obama in the WH and will therefore -however reluctantly- support McCain.
You therefore are: unprincipled, not a real conservative, stupid, uninformed and shallow.
In short -a liberal.
But I didn’t MEAN that !
Balls.
It -along with a lot of other nonsense posted by a lot of different people went unchallenged, uncensored and unretracted because by that point, nobody was even bothering to disagree. There was no sense doing so. Ditto for SG’s pearl about McCain and drivers licences for illegals. It sat for 30 hours before someone finally called BS. Do you really think noone in this bunch didn’t catch that earlier ? Hell, I saw it right away and I’m far from the sharpest implement in the S&L toolbox.
I generally find it galling when some American conservative calls me a liberal because I happen to be Canadian. I’ll resort to fisticuffs rather than allow a slur like that to go unchallenged.
But to be called a liberal because I don’t want to see Hilary Clinton in the White House ???
I can’t even be pissed off about that. Blinding logic like that just makes my head spin.
But McCain will destroy the Republican Party !
Which has been perking along just nicely so far. Right ? I remember all the cordial thoughts posted about the Republican Party and POTUS just after the mid-term election.
Oh yeah, and remember that resolution congress came up with last year -to acknowledge the contribution of Islam to the United States ?
How’d the GOP do on voting against that ? Nobody voted against it ? (nobody did). Sorry, but I’d say that the Republican Party is already pre-damaged (for your convenience).
So who’s going to kill the conservative movement ?
Conservatives are. Ann Coulter was right when she said that 2 conservatives cannot order lunch without it turning into a vicious argument.
I’ve just been quietly reading and rereading for the last week. I see some holes where there used to be people posting regularly. Most notably Warmonger Infidel.
But he was mean ! Yep. Imagine that - a retired senior NCO who can be less than diplomatic when he’s calling bullshit.
There are some others missing as well. Maybe they’re just too busy to post. Maybe.
Or maybe they don’t want to be part of an Amen chorus. Or maybe they just don’t like being called a lesser form of conservative (not to mention stupid, uninformed and shallow) -again -because they don’t want to see Clinton or Obama in power. So maybe they are, in fact, gone.
Is that a good thing ?
I’m not telling anyone to rethink their position on John McCain. I think he’s an asshole too -though you can count me as a McCain supporter if it means keeping you-know-who out of the WH.
(and yes, I know I’m not an American, spare me the no-dog-in-this-hunt bullshit -y’all should have thought about that before youse went off and became the world’s only superpower)
Likewise, I’m not telling anyone how to vote or even if they should vote.
But when you’re admiring your principled conservative selves in the mirror and wondering where the hell everyone went - don’t get too horny about blaming everybody else.
Well it seems I’ve packed one hell of a lot of bloviating into the proverbial “2 cents worth”. Sorry for the length of the post -you were warned after all. If it needs to be said, this is not aimed at any one person.
Hack away at me if you wish. I’ve said my say.
February 8th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
JulieJ - McCain found Alito to be too conservative.
That means he voted for him, but he wouldn’t be caught dead nominating anyone like him.
‘Nuff said.
DW, I can appreciate your wanting to keep Hillary out of the WH, but what if the nominee’s Obama?
I wish I can say McCain would be better for the country than Hillary or Obama would be, and I have no doubt that in some ways that might be true.
But overall? I don’t really think so. Not a man for whom “reaching across the aisle” means “sometimes agreeing with Republicans.”
February 8th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
DW, it’s just venting and passionately believing in your core political beliefs. As you so eloquently demonstrated in your soliloguy. (Great diatribe, by the way.) It’s too bad it rose to such an angry level as this is “sweetness an light”. Sarcasm = good, agreeing to disagree = good, off beat humor= good, teasing= good but, when we attack each other on a personal level = bad. “Life is too short to be small”.
David Limbaugh had a good article today: http://www.townhall.com/Column.....ould_chill
So did Hugh Hewitt:
http://www.townhall.com/column.....xaggerated
As far as I am concerned, there will be no “hacking away” either because I think only virtual tatersticks are allowed on this site. :-)
February 8th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
DW, if you are going to quote me, the least you can do is provide the fact that I made that quote BEFORE Super Tuesday. And I stand by the quote. Americans do seem to vote according to the “feel good” meter. Otherwise, how would you explain the Obamania? An empty suit with no record of acheivement in the Senate and his Illinois records were “conveniently” not keep and/or lost.
And no, you, as a Canadian, don’t have a dog in this hunt unless you are a naturalize American citizen. At least for now. But perhaps if you would like to sneak across the border, go to South Carolina and get a driver’s license, you can also register to vote using the MotorVoter Act given to us by Bubba Clinton. Or maybe you could concentrate on the goings on in your own nation with the Canadian government charging Mark Styne with a hate crime because he spoke the truth on radical Islam.
Perhaps we should try to influence the Canadian elections. How would that be? We could take out ads and billboards pandering for one candidate or another? I am sure that would go over big in Montreal.
And if I chose to dislike McCain because of the further damage his immigration policies would inflict on this nation, that is my right at a citizen of the United States.
I resent the fact that the media, and a few states, seem to have chosen the Republican candidate. After the primaries of just six states, my guy was out. Then, after Super Tuesday, my second choice was out. So by the time my state’s primary comes around, there will only be one man left standing. How can anyone consider that not disenfranchisement of a good portion of American voters? Basically, states like Texas, with it’s 140 delegates, are being told that the choice has already been made for them.
I truely see no difference in McCain and Hillary. Obama is a socialist (something Canadians are quite used to) and if it is Obama/McCain then I hope McCain wins. But none the less, it is a loss either way for true conservatives.
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmsp.....0002666802
February 8th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Bill, I did use “Clinton/Obama” quite a bit (granted, that was a hell of a lot of loquacity to paw through to find them).
Frankly, I think Obama’d be even worse still than Clinton.
My main point though, was that driving conservatives away and forcing them to form the “Coalition of Unprincipled, Lesser Conservatives against Clinton/Obama” is not going to do a whole lot for the conservative movement. And that’s where we’re headed if we don’t all switch to decaf for a while.
Again, been there done that. We, up here, could afford that because we always had the US watching our backs. Who’s going to be watching your backs ?
(besides me, of course :-)
February 8th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
DW; lets all take a deep breath here. Your frustration seems to mirror a lot of others’ here and I could point to some of what you’ve just posted that contributes to the conflagration. You said you’re not telling anyone to re-think their position on John McCain but in essence that is EXACTLY what you ARE doing. And that’s OK. I posted here earlier today on a different thread that I’ll vote for him if, as presumed, he is the nominee. I won’t like it, but I’ll do it as a form of damage controll. I’ll be EXTREMELY unhappy with the choices available to me though.
…
“a retired senior NCO who can be less than diplomatic when he’s calling bullshit.”
I’m a Marine. I’m used to senior NCOs sounding off. I’ve often heard them “sounding off when they were calling bullshit”. Just as often I’ve heard them “bullshitting when they were sounding off”. I followed the posts here for about two months before I managed to get registered (some kind of glitch in my e-mail wouldn’t receive my password) so I was familiar with a lot of people who were and are here, and I was impressed with what I saw. Significantly, WI could be deliberately abrasive and came across as though no one else was entitled to an opinion if it was contrary to his own. Most of the time I agreed with him and even cheered him on. But sometimes he was over the top, too. Even though I wasn’t posting at the time, I felt as if he was talking down to me when he voiced an opinion contrary to my own.
Since I was in VietNam in 1968 I voted absentee for president. I remember many a spirited discussion concerning the merits of Humphry vs Nixon, and after one such session I remember a Master Gunnery Sergeant saying to me, “Corporal, opinions are just like assholes. Everybody’s got one, and they all stink.” And then he smiled and winked.
That’s what we have here. I read the post from WI when he said he was leaving, and I wish he hadn’t gone. But no one ran him off…I doubt that was possible. He got disgusted and left, and if that’s what he and some others opted to do, they did it of their own volition. But consider that the same emotions that drove his decision to leave could also drive others to feel deeply betrayed by an outcome that saddles them with no acceptable options, and soon you sense everyones angst. Impugning someone who is being asked compromise their principles is a personal affront. Whatever that pe