10 posts tagged “gop”
The word is that Giuliani’s horrendous third place finish will lead to an exit as a Candidate and an endorsement of the Florida Primary victor John McCain.
David Frum explains the reality, necessity and the danger America faces with an unstable Pakistan. An awesome insight!
JRH 1/1/08
Remember to vote for Fred in ’08. That being said and knowing the current polls in Iowa seem to favor Huckabee, Romney and McCain and not my man Fred; I have to talk about the political war between Romney and Huckabee.
Do you recall at the end of one the Republican Debates Huckabee came up to Romney to apologize about an interview that would appear in the NYT Magazine that be construed as publicly criticizing Mormonism yet that was not the intent? And that Romney accepted that apology with a brandishment that one’s religion should not be an issue among legitimate issues in the electoral process.
Now Huckabee is saying that Romney owes him an apology for the negative campaign ads that blatantly are lying about Huckabee and making claims for Romney that are outrageously untrue.
JRH 12/31/07
My man Fred Thompson is the best man to lead America in the next Administration. As a Republican, Fred does have some baggage; however way less than any other candidate that is electable except John McCain. On McCain, I think he would be a great leader in war (that the Democrats are trying to lose); however I believe McCain’s Conservative bona fides is unpredictable. I sense McCain would sacrifice social issues in compromise to push an agenda through to his liking. McCain may line with the Democratic Party Christophobes to move things along in a McCain Administration. I do not like that thought.
I really like Huckabee’s stand to vocally utilize Christianity as a political forum. Way too many Republicans are too concerned about being Politically Correct in addressing Christian Conservative social issues. On the other hand is Huckabee stumping for votes that he may later abandon due to the pressures of Presidential politics? Huckabee’s history makes him a Conservative gamble in trustworthiness; however fighting for Christian Conservative social issues is something I believe could reverse the moral darkness that the moral relativity of Secular Humanism (err … Democratic Party) has infected America’s culture.
Here is the latest update email I have received from the Fred Thompson’s Fred08 Blog:
Great news this morning from the Iowa bus tour. An important Iowa newspaper endorses Fred for President!
"Thompson is unapologetic on his views and is a straight-shooter," writes the Ottumwa Courier. Read why this Iowa newspaper say Thompson is the best man to lead America... http://www.ottumwacourier.com/opinion/local_story_360221446.html?keyword=secondarystory
· "...Thompson believes work must continue in Iraq despite growing concerns American troops should return home. We have to 'finish what we're doing,' he said, adding the United States must continue the fight there and in Afghanistan."
· "On economic issues, Thompson is blunt. The time is now to reform the American economy. He says the country needs 'market-based approaches to reform that guarantee benefits for those who need them and embrace personal responsibility and cost-effectiveness without raising taxes.'"
· "Thompson said 'it is a moral imperative that requires action now' and he wants a full account of the government's fiscal books for 'all to see and understand.'"
· "The man from Tennessee is no-nonsense, speaks plainly and believes action is needed now, not later.... Fred Thompson will do just that."
Fred is back in Iowa this week, where he continues the final push to the caucus on January 3rd. And he has a terrific new TV spot. You can see it now at Fred08.com. Take a look, and forward this message on to 10 of your friends.
Fred needs your help to put it on the air. We need to put $248,846 in the bank before 6 PM EST on Friday, December 28th to do it.
As of this morning, we've raised more than $70,000. With your help, we can reach our goal for Fred! You can be part of the momentum by making a contribution today.
In 1996, more than 40% of Republican caucus voters said they made their decision of who to vote for in the final week. Click here to watch video of a couple from Creston, IA. 5 Republican presidential candidates have come through their town, but after hearing Fred last night, they believe he's the right man to lead America and take the GOP to victory in 2008! Together, we can move votes to Fred if we get his TV ad on the air!
Show your support today by donating or signing up to make phone calls into Iowa to encourage people to vote for Fred on January 3rd.
The part you should notice is the insightful endorsement of Fred Thompson for President by the Ottumwa Courier. If you are convinced Fred is the man as I am you may wish to consider to help in some way with the links for donations or leg work.
Huckabee’s defense of his Merry Christmas ads in a Church Sermon is the kind of thing that will endear him to the Christian Right.
It is a huge step for a politician to do something so Politically Incorrect in this election’s atmosphere. Huckabee has a dump truck load political dirt from his past to overcome; however putting the Christ back into Christmas is a blinder that devout Christian voters might look askew to the dirt and see a social Conservative light that has been dimming over the years.
It is a smart move by Huckabee. Romney could not dare to inject such Christian symbolism into his campaign for it would re-awaken Mormon theological doubts by Christian big dog supporters who lined up behind him.
For my man Fred to get his poll numbers up, he will have to roll some dice on some sensitive political issues.
Let’s face it, although the Paleocons in the Republican may deplore the actual influence of mobilized Christian Right voters, they are still the king makers in the Republican Party. For a GOP nominee to win, he is going to have to sway a chunk of those Christian Right voters to their side. Now it might be a little different in the big dog November 2008 election in which the Christian becomes a faction of American voters, but even then the Christian Right’s ability to get people out to vote is remarkable if the Christian Right operates on inspiration rather than disappointment.
Ouch! Not to be accused of political illusions of my support for Fred Thompson, I read an American Thinker article that support’s McCain while simultaneously smashing my man Fred down the mud slide as a soon to be irrelevant Candidate.
To be honest I do not dislike McCain, I just do not feel the alignment with his independent thinking. McCain could simultaneously support something I find vital for America and something I find deplorable for America. I would rather have a Candidate that comes as closest to the same issues I feel aligned with.
I got to tell you for me that is still Fred Thompson.
Political pundits that are aligned with other Republican Candidates are trying to disparage my man Fred with an accusation of laziness. You know what? The President that terminated Soviet Communist militarism without firing a shot (and yet voted by the MSM most likely to push THE NUCLEAR BUTTON) was also accused of laziness. Success though tends to render reevaluation of criticism. Reagan buried the Soviet Communists by outspending them in a military buildup. The Great Communicator successfully managed the Executive Branch of Government not by laziness, but by timely delegated authority.
According to what I have read at the non-judgmental website OnTheIssues.org Fred Thompson lines up with a majority of issues I support. Of course there are some things that I might scratch my head about; nonetheless on what I consider the majors (Pro-Life, Pro-Victory, Pro-Conservative, allowing States to decide social issues (Federalism), illegal aliens and taxes); Fred is the man for 2008.
Here are some not nice words from a conservative periodical about Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee. Jonah Goldberg lays it heavy on Huckabee.
I have to tell you though; Goldberg’s criticism of Huckabee is something that will endure him to social conservatives rather than alienate him. The real mud on Huckabee has to do with political ethics and taxes while Governor of Arkansas.
Fred Thompson is my man but if he falters through some gaffe, Huckabee will my next choice.
JRH 11/24/07
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Don’t Be Scared
Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee
By Jonah Goldberg
November 21, 2007, 0:00 a.m.
As the hopeless but energetic presidential campaign of Rep. Ron Paul (R., Tex.) builds momentum in name recognition, fundraising and cross-ideology appeal, some conservatives are beginning to attack him in earnest. A GOP consultant condemns Paul’s “increasingly leftish” positions. Syndicated columnist Mona Charen calls Paul “too cozy with kooks and conspiracy theorists.” Film critic and talk-radio host Michael Medved looks over Paul’s supporters and finds “an imposing collection of neo-Nazis, white supremacists, Holocaust deniers, 9/11 ‘truthers’ and other paranoid and discredited conspiracists.”
For the most part, these allegations strike me as overblown and unfair. But, for argument’s sake, let’s say they’re not. Let’s even say that Paul has the passionate support of the Legion of Doom, that his campaign lunchroom looks like the Star Wars cantina, and that his top advisers have hooves instead of feet.
Well, I would still find him less scary than Mike Huckabee.
While many are marveling at Paul’s success at breaking out of the tinfoil-hat ghetto, Huckabee’s story is even more remarkable. The former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister is polling in second place in Iowa and could conceivably win there. He’s still a long shot to take the nomination and a pipe dream to take the presidency, but Huckabee matters in a way that Paul still doesn’t. One small indicator of Huckabee’s relevance: His presidential opponents are attacking Huckabee while ignoring Paul like he’s an eccentric sitting too close to you on the bus.
What’s so scary about Huckabee? Personally, nothing. He seems a charming, decent, friendly, pious man.
What’s troubling about The Man From Hope 2.0 is what he represents. Huckabee represents compassionate conservatism on steroids. A devout social conservative on issues such as abortion, school prayer, homosexuality and evolution, Huckabee’s a populist on economics, a fad-follower on the environment and an all-around do-gooder who believes that the biblical obligation to do “good works” extends to using government — and your tax dollars — to bring us closer to the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
For example, Huckabee would support a nationwide ban on public smoking. Why? Because he’s on a health kick, thinks smoking is bad and believes the government should do the right thing.
And therein lies the chief difference between Paul and Huckabee. One is a culturally conservative libertarian. The other is a right-wing progressive.
Whatever shortcomings Paul and his friends might have, Paul’s dogma generally renders those shortcomings irrelevant. He is a true ideologue in that his personal preferences are secondary to his philosophical principles. When asked what his position is, he generally responds that his position can be deduced from the text of the Constitution. Of course, that’s not as dispositive as he thinks it is. But you get the point.
As for Huckabee — as with most politicians, alas — his personal preferences matter enormously because, ultimately, they’re the only things that can be relied on to constrain him.
In this respect, Huckabee’s philosophy is conventionally liberal, or progressive. What he wants government to do certainly differs in important respects from what Hillary Clinton wants, but the limits he would place on governmental do-goodery are primarily tactical or practical, not philosophical or constitutional. This isn’t to say he — or Hillary — is a would-be tyrant, but simply to note that the progressive notion of the state as a loving, caring parent is becoming a bipartisan affair.
Indeed, Huckabee represents the latest attempt to make conservatism more popular. Contrary to the conventional belief that Republicans need to drop their opposition to abortion, gay marriage and the like in order to be popular, Huckabee understands that the unpopular stuff is the economic libertarianism: free trade and smaller government. That’s why we’re seeing a rise in economic populism on the right married to a culturally conservative populism. Huckabee is the bastard child of Lou Dobbs and Pat Robertson.
Historically, the conservative movement benefited from the tension between libertarianism and cultural traditionalism. This tension — and the effort to reconcile it under the name “fusionism” — has been mischaracterized as a battle between right-wing factions when it’s really a conflict that runs through the heart of every conservative. We all have little Mike Huckabees and Ron Pauls sitting on our shoulders. Neither is always right, but both should be listened to.
I would not vote for Paul mostly because I think his foreign policy would be disastrous (Also, he’d lose in a rout not seen since Bambi versus Godzilla). But there’s something weird going on when Paul, the small-government constitutionalist, is considered the extremist in the Republican party, while Huckabee, the statist, is the lovable underdog. It’s even weirder because it’s probably true: Huckabee is much closer to the mainstream. And that’s what scares me about Huckabee and the mainstream alike.
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Jonah Goldberg is editor-at-large of National Review Online.
© 2007 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
Rasmussen has published the numbers within the GOP about which candidate is viewed as the most conservative to date.
My Thompson has lost ground and is at a 40% perception as a Conservative. You Thompson supporters had better start reading and sharing why Thompson would make a good President. Have an answer for a couple of black marks:
1. Thompson supported McCain/Feingold, which was a bi-partisan attempt at campaign reform. Unfortunately the reform favored Leftists more than the Slanted Right because the Right dominates grass roots campaigning via Blogs and Talk Radio. The Left controls the Mainstream Media. McCain/Feingold was not good legislation and might even be unconstitutional.
2. When Thompson revamped his staff in preparation for bigger scale Administration and planning for his campaign, he had image problems. At first he hired Spencer Abraham as the Campaign Manager. Oops Abraham is known as Jihad Spence among the Slanted Right anti-Jihadist pundits in America for his support of Arabs in his lobbying days. Thompson moved quickly to diffuse the backlash and Abraham was demoted to third on his Campaign leadership with Bill Lacy becoming the new Campaign Manager.
3. Another campaign “oops” was having friend Phil Martin involved in the campaign. Martin is a guy that has changed his life around and has become a respected businessman; however Martin has a past with drugs and a felony conviction. Once the good ole’ Mainstream Media pointed out that Thompson’s friend was a felon; Martin resigned to prevent mudslinging toward Thompson.
Amazingly Mitt Romney has a 46% rating as a perceived Conservative. Certainly Romney is a Conservative; however from a Christian Right perspective Romney’s faith as a Mormon comes into play. Most on the Christian Right view Mormonism as a cult based on Christianity yet not part of Christianity as say Roman Catholics or Eastern Orthodox are viewed as Christians.
Mormonism itself has all the moral values of Christianity (except the rogue spin-off Mormons that push polygamy); however the theology is definitely different placing more emphasis on the Book of Mormon rather than the Bible as the Word of God.
Romney as a former Governor of Massachusetts has social Conservative issues that he supported in the past but has changed his line in the present to boost a potential attraction to the Christian Right. The attraction seems to be scoring points for some on the Christian Right are beginning to endorse Romney, most significantly Weyrich and Jones.
Robertson is endorsing Giuliani to win the GOP nomination. Robertson’s endorsement could split the cohesion of the Christian Right because Giuliani is openly pro-abortion, pro-homosexual rights and made New York City a sanctuary city for illegal aliens. Zero of those aspects are amenable to the Christian Right. In fact there are those on the Christian Right which feel vehemently that Robertson and Weyrich are playing the role of Judas in the Republican Candidate selection.
My man Thompson is receiving a Christian Right organization’s endorsement allegedly in the very near future. Unnamed Republican sources are claiming the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) will announce their endorsement for Thompson tomorrow. We will see if that pans out. If indeed that happens that will be nearly as huge an endorsement for a Candidate as Robertson’s endorsement for Giuliani.
The GOP selection process is splintering the group that is responsible for electing President Bush to two terms of Office. My wonder is this: can the Christian Right re-unite when the GOP candidate is crowned as the Republican nominee for the Office of President of the United States? A disunited Christian Right could give a PR election advantage to the evil moral relativism of the Democratic Party which definitely stands for everything the Christian Right despises.
Apparently Newt Gingrich gave a dismal assessment of the GOP if voter association remains with George W. Bush during the 2008 elections. The meaning of course that the Republicans will not only have lost both Houses of Congress but would lose the White House as well.
Gingrich has accused Bush of screwing the Republican Conservative revolution initiated by President Ronald Reagan.
I agree with Gingrich on the Bush debacle. The early years of his Administration the agenda (at least in the First Administration) had spot on goals. The problem became dismal choices in the decisions to find a path to the goals. Once it became apparent that the execution of Executive decisions was faulty, the Bush Administration kept looking for paths leading away from the debilitating quick sand it always seemed to step into. Anti-Bush bureaucrats in government (Democratic and Republican appointees past and present) and fringe Leftist Democrats made sure the Bush Administration kept finding the quick sand via lies and half-truths and rarely (if ever) the whole truth.
After Congress left the Executive Branch/Legislative Branch alliance by the defeat of the Republican majority, the Bush Administration became an absolute lame duck. The only political leverage the Bush Administration retained was the “veto” and negotiated comprise with Leftists.
Thus early bad decisions on how to reach goals has led to a disastrous Presidency.
Gingrich is correct partly in his assessment of distancing Republicans from George W. Bush, yet not totally. The early aim of fighting terrorism on wherever it may lead is a good thing. The War on Terror must not be given up, rather the War has to be fought smarter and with the aggressive means to discover the path to victory. A few civilians may die but that is the casualty of a war that Middle Eastern Muslims and global Islamist civilians support (America is viewed as Christian Crusaders). The victory over Nazi Germany and Imperialist Japan in WWII was won with huge enemy civilian causalities. These civilians absolutely supported their government's war goals. Why would anyone expect a difference in the War on Terror? The terrorists (Palestinian and global Islamists) certainly expect that the death of civilians will force Western oriented nations to offer defeat, and the West should respond in kind.
Anyway that is my passionate belief about the current War. Newt Gingrich addresses other political issues in his GOP assessment.
You can watch the speech given to an American Enterprise Institute location HERE (I am unsure how long that link will be available). You can read the report provided by Fox News/AP HERE.
Murtha’s “Slow Bleed Strategy” is aimed at stopping the Troop Surge, however what it really does is exact a demeanor of defeat and places the Troops in Iraq in harms way by holding back funds that provide equipment that protect our soldiers.
Does anyone see the irony? Not too long ago the Democrats were castigating President Bush for not planning well enough for soldiers to have the proper equipment for protection of our soldiers, now Murtha is attempting to make soldier safety an uncertainty in his crusade to administer a defeat for America in Iraq.
JRH
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Stop the Pelosi-Murtha 'Slow Bleed' Today
Republican National Committee
E-Newsletter 8:32 AM 2/22/07
Mike Duncan, Chairman Republican National Committee
Last week, I wrote to you about the Democrat 'slow bleed' strategy for Iraq. Proposed by John Murtha, 'slow bleed' would do exactly what it sounds like: gradually take away the resources our men and women need to fight the terrorists in Iraq. It would limit reinforcements, and possibly even close the bases that offer support and shelter for our troops. The Democrats had hoped to keep the 'slow bleed' plan under the radar by adding it onto other bills, but now even the liberal press are reporting on the story.
A Washington Post editorial last Saturday described the Murtha 'slow bleed' plan as "crudely hamstringing the ability of military commanders to deploy troops" and went on to say this: "Mr. Murtha's cynicism is matched by an alarming ignorance about conditions in Iraq. He continues to insist that Iraq 'would be more stable with us out of there,' in spite of the consensus of U.S. intelligence agencies that early withdrawal would produce 'massive civilian casualties.' He says he wants to force the administration to 'bulldoze' the Abu Ghraib prison, even though it was emptied of prisoners and turned over to the Iraqi government last year. He wants to 'get our troops out of the Green Zone' because 'they are living in Saddam Hussein's palace'; could he be unaware that the zone's primary occupants are the Iraqi government and the U.S. Embassy? It would be nice to believe that Mr. Murtha does not represent the mainstream of the Democratic Party or the thinking of its leadership. Yet when asked about Mr. Murtha's remarks Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) offered her support."
Even the liberal columnist E.J. Dionne criticized the Murtha 'slow bleed' plan, saying that "the sense that the proposal has been crafted in part for reasons of political convenience and the intricate restrictions it would place on the military are precisely what could doom it."
Those are exactly the reasons 'slow bleed' should be doomed, and we need your help to do it:
· Write a letter to your editor or call in to talk radio today condemning the Democrat 'slow bleed' strategy.
· And then call your Congressman or Senator and tell them not to support a plan that would leave our brave men and women in harm's way without adequate resources to protect themselves.
The Murtha 'slow bleed' strategy is a dishonest and dangerous response to the challenges we face in Iraq. Together, we can and we must stop Congress from passing the Murtha plan.
Sincerely,
Mike Duncan
Chairman, Republican National Committee
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