77 Comments

1. ic:

If he polls behind his GOP challenger, McCain will do a Spectre to stay in Congress.

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:36 am 2. fauxscot:

McCain is on the right track, if you’ll pardon the pun.

To participate, you’ll have to join the center, and abandon the fringe. It is by definition, the margin. If you want marginal, then by all means, appeal to the fringe. If you want to be mainstream, you’ve got to join in with the needs of the nation.

Texas Instruments used to be criticize by engineers as saying “No, you don’t want chocolate, you want vanilla and here’s why…”. Lately, they’ve started offering better hardware that appeals to the real world and they have benefitted. The right can take a lesson from this, and that is that it’s harder to swim upstream while crossing a river. You can still get to the other side if you go with the flow. Moderation makes you more acceptable, not less.

A two party system is a good thing. One of them can’t be insane, though, so please come back to the world where the rest of us live. Listen to McCain and get moderate.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:14 am 3. Francis W. Porretto:

And it’s perhaps a testimony to McCain’s political skills that he’s maneuvered so well back into the top-tier of campaign politics.

No, it’s rather a testimony to the love of power and its perquisites, and to long-established logrolling relationships.

Members of Congress — both houses thereof — aren’t there for our sake, but for their own. A member won’t endanger his high salary, the prestige and perquisites of office, or the prospects for an agreeable post-officialdom career as a lobbyist for any reason short of death. Those members who persist in office longest accumulate the greatest heap of negotiable favors, and the greatest skill at “working the system.” Members of lesser seniority will strive to emulate them, just as soon as all that nasty idealism has worn from their souls.

John McCain isn’t one of the most powerful Republican members of Congress because of special skills or insights. His elevation stems from seniority, his willingness to logroll with both caucuses, and his absolute lack of fidelity to any principle that might hamper him. He became the GOP’s 2008 presidential nominee despite his weak campaign because the Old Media promoted him (“the least objectionable Republican”), and because the other aspirants ran even worse campaigns than his. Any particular adroitness on McCain’s part in parlaying his nomination into increased post-campaign influence is secondary, perhaps even tertiary, compared to the institutional dynamics of a body that exists to wield power over others — and to sell its fruits to the highest bidders.

The Republican Party, despite its more palatable platform, is no more trustworthy than the Democrats. Go by performance, not promises. No organization erected specifically to enable and promote the pursuit of power over others should ever receive our trust.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:45 am 4. actor Prof:

John, just go away….

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:55 am 5. Phil Byler:

Politico had a story along this line based not on what John McCain has done, but on what some self-promoting advisor (Schmidt) is saying. Only this article then jumps to saying that McCain is the enemy of the grass roots. BALONEY. Look at what John McCain himself has done.

First, John McCain’s voting record this year is conservative and as good as any. McCain voted AGAINST every Obama bailout bill. McCain voted AGAINST every Obama deficit spending bill, denouncing the multi-trillion dollar deficit spending as “generational theft,” a phrase thereafter used by Sean Hannity and more recently by Rush Limbaugh. McCain voted AGAINST the confirmations of tax cheat Geithner, radical pro-abortion advocate Sebellius, leftist Kagan and transnational legal theorist Koh to their respective positions in the Obama Administration. McCain voted AGAINST the confirmation of Sotomayer to the U.S. Supreme Court. McCain has announced he is AGAINST Obama’s cap and trade bill and AGAINST ObamaCare.

Second, McCain is talking sense on foreign policy, such as supporting McChrystal’s request for troops in Afghanistan and supporting the Iranian dissidents. In this connection, let’s not forget that McCain was right about Iraq, calling for more troops for years before the surge was implemented.

I really think that some conservatives need to get off attacking John McCain, as their antipathy is not based on anything that relates to present issues. We need to be pulling together in fighting Obama socialism at home and appeasement abroad. In that fight, John McCain is fully on our side.

Also, McCain’s experience and knowledge with respect to foreign policy, military matters and national security are heads above any other major figure in the GOP and would have made an excellent Commander in Chief. Instead, we have a dangerous incompetent in Obama in that role. With respect to foreign policy, military matters and national security, McCain can be a strong voice. He is a patriot war hero, a living contrast to the cowardly degeneracy of Obama and the Democrats.

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:59 am 6. Phil Byler:

No, ic, McCain will always be a Republican. There is no place for a foreign policy hawk, pro-life fiscal conservative in the Democrat Party. You might want to check McCain’s voting record.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:01 am 7. Rick Greenville,SC:

A resounding “NO!!!” to the likes of McCain and Lapdog Lindsey!! They and their ilk are the reason I am no longer a Republican. Why have a Party that claims to be conservative when you must give up conservative ideals to make the party grow? It is no longer conservative when that occurs! The current Repub party is demoncrat lite-good for nothing but “principled compromise”-what a load of horsesh## !!

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:02 am 8. Mary Grabar:

What we need to do to attract those younger voters is to present a vision that is different from Milquetoast McCain and company’s “moderate” stance. I think few of those who voted for Obama knew what his policies entailed. They were attracted, rather, to the vision, the ideas (not recognizing, however, how empty these ideas were). What Republicans need to do is to communicate that exciting message that entails such concepts as freedom, self-determination, and integrity. Graham and McCain certainly don’t have that vision, nor the ability to communicate it.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:13 am 9. Tolbert:

McCain is a Republican, not a conservative, as if anybody outside the corridors of Washington needed reminding.

John McCain will be the end of the Republican Party and deservedly so.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:47 am 10. steve:

#6

Mary,

Thank you for posting. I love you columns.

Steve

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:16 am 11. Old Soldier:

fauxscot: Perfect advise for another spectacular Republican loss. Dem-lite worked so well for Republicans over the past few election cycles.

We need a moderate like Reagan.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:33 am 12. james:

Will no one rid us of this tiresome hack? He makes Rockefeller Rebpublicans look like Burkeans. And if he doesn’t wipe that smug, self-satisfied, superior-to-you smile off his face I think I’ll go insane.
Sen. McCain: here’s a rule. If liberals like you, and you’re a republican, it means they know you’re a loser.
Please, just let us ‘move on.’ I’m begging you.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:36 am 13. g kerr:

John Boy is a straight up centrist politician.

He panders to the mainstream middle at crunch time for that is where his center truly lies.

He is poison to those who wish to be governed as close to home and as far away from D.C. as possible. He is politically weak because he doesn’t seem to stand for much but what makes John McCain look good to the MSM while feeling good about himself.

In short he is a political bloviator disguised as a conservative. Just go away John, pack up your knives and go.

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:44 am 14. vonschtead:

Why should McCain STFU?

a) McCain-Feingold (Limiting free speech)
b) His position on illegal immigration (Amnesty)
c) His membership in the “Gang of 14″

‘Nuff said

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:50 am 15. David P:

Dude, sorry, but Palin’s a mess, she does not belong in the spotlight as our figurehead, get away from the idea, she’s right where she should be, ‘going rogue’ let her be. If we expect to be taken seriously in the future then we must put forth our best and brightest, not our most controversial.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:06 am 16. UsaBruce:

For all of the talk about McCain and all other entrenched politicos of both Partys, the unprecedented awakening of the “silent majority” is the 800 lb gorilla in the room. #2, Fauxscot, I suspect that 2010 will show all what America really wants, because we are going to hear America speak then. The argument that we must compromise principles to get in lockstep with the glorious Socialist march into the future, is, and will be repudiated. How about this, Fauxscot, you abandon your beliefs and join us, after all, this is what you ask of us. No, that won’t happen, so we’ll just agree to a knock down, drag out. Let’s see how that goes, because that is what’s coming in 2010.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:13 am 17. TOhio:

The Republican Party needs to go back to its roots in fiscal conservatism. Anyone who runs as a Republican but isn’t fiscally conservative needs to be OUSTED.

The problem with the Republican Party are the RINOs – most notably, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins – who are the the ones who voted for the Porkulus bill. (Arlen Specter is already gone – thank goodness!)

I believe that the 2010 elections are going to show that voters want fiscal conservatism and the next President in 2012 will win with this as the cornerstone to their campaign.

If any Republican, including John McCain, votes for ANY form of ObamaCare, they need to be REMOVED FROM THE PARTY. John McCain usually gets himself in the middle of these things and if he offers a compromise in this situation, then he is a RINO and it’s time to vote him out, too.

True fiscal conservatives will not vote in any way, shape or form for ObamaCare. RINOs will. (It doesn’t matter how you dress it up, it’s still ugly and disastrous for our country.)

I’ve had enough! I’m absolutely disgusted. And I don’t think I’m alone.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:54 am 18. Bilgeman:

Sorry, Mr. NcCain, maybe your hearing isn’t what it used to be when you were a younger man, so I will repeat what Conservative voters told you last November.

“Nope…not YOU!”

Your record of compromising on Constitutionally protected freedoms with the Statists on the Left is long and well established, and the electorate wants no part of your philosophy.

You may be popular with your fellow senators and a few Leftist Op-Ed writers and their bosses, but they aren’t the ones who elect the President…or even determine the nominee.

I would hope that the GOP would have learned that last year.

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:58 am 19. Rashputin:

McCain is like the eighty year old guy who buys a sports car to try and relive “the good old days”. If he scares enough fellow republicans and charms enough democrats, he might be able to hang around with his media pals again and even do the Sunday shows like he used to. Besides, he has to think, “WTF?” every time Obama opens his mouth and then figure that the best revenge is to help make sure people get everything Obama wants them to have.

Regards

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:01 am 20. paul_unalaska:

McCain needs to go away..

vonschtead’s #14 comment hit on why..

Though not perfect, I believe JC Watts has more pull for Republican, Independent and blue dog Democrat voters than RINO McCain.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:22 am 21. Dan Rampage:

McCain and everyone associated with him are losers. They should all just fade away and let the real party get on with it’s business.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:46 am 22. Saltherring:

fauxcot @ 2 says, “A two party system is a good thing. One of them can’t be insane, though, so please come back to the world where the rest of us live.”

One of them IS insane…they are called Democrats but Communists would be more accurate. So go peddle your milquetoast gibberish elsewhere.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:48 am 23. Brian Richard Allen:

In his post # 11, Old Soldier suggests we need a moderate like former President and Armed-forces Commander-In-Chief, Ronald Wilson Reagan.

In this post, I remind him that Mr Reagan’s son, Michael Reagan, not long ago wrote of a recently-arrived-on-the-national-scene Ronald Reagan-on-steroids:

“I’ve been trying to convince my fellow conservatives that they have been wasting their time in a fruitless quest for a new Ronald Reagan to emerge and lead our party and our nation. I insisted that we’d never see his like again because he was one of a kind.

“I was wrong!

“Wednesday night I watched the Republican National Convention on television and there, before my very eyes, I saw my Dad reborn; only this time he’s a she.

“And what a she!

“In one blockbuster of a speech, Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, resurrected my Dad’s indomitable spirit and sent it soaring above the convention center, shooting shock waves through the cynical media’s assigned spaces and electrifying the huge audience with the kind of inspiring rhetoric we haven’t heard since my Dad left the scene ….

“…. Welcome back, Dad, even if you’re wearing a dress and bearing children this time around.”

Original here: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/welcome_back_dad.html

Meanwhile let’s please get behind the execrable McRainman’s every conservative challenger and get the weird, infantile, sniveling little creep the Hell away from our senate.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:00 am 24. Wolla Dalbo:

For the last several generations members of my family have almost always voted Republican and I voted for McCain/Palin this past election, preferring experience and relatively conservative positions over what I correctly saw as the Socialism/Fascism/Marxism that the woefully unqualified demagogue Obama and his pestilential crew planned to frog march us towards and which, every day since his Inauguration, Obama & Co.–with the help of the Democrats in Congress, aided by many Republican’s acquiescence and facilitation–are feverishly working to bring into being.

It is obvious to me that the Republican party, particularly as it is represented on Capital Hill, no longer holds to and has—one by one—shed the bedrock conservative positions that I believe in–among them limited government, fiscal conservatism and low taxes, states rights, adherence to and strict construction of the Constitution, adherence to the law, cultural conservatism, and a strong national defense—Republicans desperately want to be loved, to get on the gravy train, to be included in the club–and have become the “rollover party” of almost silent acquiescence, ineffective and weak resistance, compromise and “bipartisanship,” and no longer represent me in any way.

In contrast to John McCain, Sarah Palin, from both her statements and demeanor, seems to represent the values I believe in, and does so in a distinctive, full-throated, unapologetic, and unafraid way. She should not be dismissed, and may be the only national figure who might be able to go up against Obama—ACORN/SEIU corruption and all—and win come 2012.

The major problem I see is that we need to find hundreds of strongly conservative candidates to run against all of the Democrats who might be vulnerable, and also against the vast majority of Republicans currently holding seats in Congress, and I am not aware of any such throng of strongly conservative alternatives to the current bunch of livin’ large dolts, compromisers and slimy used car salesmen that are in power.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:13 am 25. Bryan:

I agree with David #15… for the love of God, Palin is not the answer. McCain lost by a significant margin, but I fear Palin would guarantee Mondale numbers in 2012. Its nice that she energizes the base. Let her help our candidate on the campaign trail via appearances and speeches. Quitting Alaska will bury her. As will her disastrous interviews in ‘08. Why should she be the answer? We are currently seeing what having little experience means in the Oval Office. She may have had as much experience as Obama, but that isn’t saying too much.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:14 am 26. johnt:

fauxscot #2, The US dollar is on the verge of being renounced as THE reserve currency, the yearly deficit has been quadrupled. [oh the children], the Dems are looking at, among many other things, a national VAT, millions of people who don’t want it are about to be dragged into national health care[ & being called racist and nazi in the bargain], and you use the word “insane”? “Moderate”? “the rest of us live”?

Get some rest.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:19 am 27. biblio44:

Ah, how the Right turns on its own if they don’t stick to the party line.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:22 am 28. Bryan:

I don’t care what Michael Reagan said. Palin may be a rising star as Reagan was in 1964! Reagan then went out and gained the experience he needed to be POTUS. Palin has accomplished absolutely nothing. Why is she ready to be president?

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:32 am 29. tanstaafl:

Or perhaps it’s also a glimpse of the media’s love affair with the moderate Republican “maverick” who will again be expected to rein in the right’s alleged “noise-machine extremists.”

The word is (on some level) that the media chose McC as the Republican candidate, with full knowledge and intent that he was the republican candidate whose a$$ was whippable.

Therefore, you might assume that the Moronically Stagnant Media would continue to have the same ideas about how McC could be useful to them.

The risk to the GOP is that a strong 2010 showing based on a conservative appeal to apprehensive older whites…

The GOP will lose if it adopts the Left’s stratagem of identity politics (e.g. appeal to seniors, appeal to Hispanics, whatever, ad infinitum)

The universal and simple message (the only one a successful contender for office will need in 2010 or 2012)is that growth of federal government, continuing constraints placed around citizens’ natural liberties and a trashing of Constitutional principles must be reversed if the Republic is to survive.

You’re welcome for the only political advice any potential GOP contender should be heeding.

5¢ please

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:35 am 30. Anna:

I will donate money to whoever challenges John McCain in the Arizona Republican primary. I voted for him for president, but only because he’s a less bad alternative to Obama’s obvious incompetence and inexperience (which are sadly more evident now than last year).

Sarah Palin was a good shot in the arm for the party in 2008, but she has been reduced to a caricature which will be difficult to overcome. She’ll have to do something really significant to change the narrative and get a chance at winning the presidency. Otherwise, we’re better off looking somewhere else.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:52 am 31. Anneke:

“Therefore, you might assume that the Moronically Stagnant Media would continue to have the same ideas about how McC could be useful to them.”

This occurred to me as well, especially after seeing MSM reports hyping Schwarzeneggar’s support for Obamacare and that GOP Senators are about to cave-in on a government health plan option. After the shameless lying and pandering the MSM has exhibitied over the past year, there’s no way that I trust anything the MSM says. And when the MSM begins to hype John McCain, I know immediately that they have an agenda: in this case, they’re trying to deflate the base after the success of the Tea Party and Townhall movements.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:05 am 32. kdell:

I hope SOMEONE from the McCain camp reads this. John, I know a LOT of GOP folks and NOT ONE of them voted for you. We ALL voted for Sarah Palin. John, you served your country admirably, in the military. As a politician you are an embarassment to us. PLEASE! Go away. And take your buddy from South Carolina with you.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:09 am 33. tommyd:

well first there are some of the facts :

#5 Phil points out some very good points.

#14 vonschtead points out some bad.

One of the BIG problems with McCain is you never know which McCain will show up. Who the hell is he this week? the well thought out conservative? or the lame assed RHINO?? you just never know which he is playing today.
(a trait that makes him unsuitable for the position of POTUS.)

John is to be respected for his service to our country no doubt about that, (unlike the self engrossed John Kerry who served all of 4 months 12 days in Viet Nam, what a lying sack of sh*t that guy is, who got sent home under very dubious conditions at best, the guy is a lair.)
John McCain’s war record is authentic.

Gee imagine that Lindsay Lameass Graham is supporting McCain, birds of a feather you know. I was impressed with Graham during the Clinton impeachment but he has been on a trend line straight down since then.

If the GOP allows McCain to be the elephant in the room they will lose huge numbers of younger supporters.
His message does not connect, what is his message anyway?
He blew that chance during the 2008 run when he was to much the RHINO to stand his ground over immigration and spending. All he had to do was say NO to the bailout and he just might have won. But nope Johm McCain the RINO just could not make that stand.
he is too willing to compromise for the sake of getting along with the other side, where is the lefts compromise? Can’t find it cause it ain’t there..

Had Mac not picked Sarah Palin it would not have even been close.

This pathetic Schmidt is nothing but the new Bob Beckel of the right.
A loser trying to hang on to a job and make himself appear relevant.

If the GOP does not recognize what is happening NOW they will lose a big chunk of supporters to a third conservative party.
McCain represents the prior generation, that is over, That generation of GOP’ers failed to live up to their rhetoric, they became their own worst enemy, they fell prey to the dark side of greed and corruption and their own self interest and betrayed conservative values.

Sarah Palin is NOT the enemy of conservatives. She is a living example of courage and common sense and independence. Traits our founding fathers would admire.
The Tea Party crowd is an expression of common sense values.

If the GOP alienates these two groups they can kiss 2012 goodbye.

I am betting they will accomplish just that very thing.

Why? Because they just cannot get over themselves.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:16 am 34. johnt:

biblio 44, right on, what’s this crap about disagreement with a party leader anyway? What do we think we have, free speech?
Of course if there isn’t debate within the party then we will be accused of marching in the dreaded “lock step” a phenomenon never mentioned by the media regarding the statists you support in the other party. You can’t have it both ways.
Your not very bright post, mercifully brief, says quite about yourself and the ugly group of power grubbers you support.
Be careful what you give away and remember, “dissent is patriotic”, at least it was up to January ‘09.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:26 am 35. Chuck Pelto:

TO: All
RE: 2012??!?!?!

If the GOP alienates these two groups they can kiss 2012 goodbye. — tommyd

Hell….

….they can kiss 2010 ‘goodbye’. Indeed, by 2012, the GOP will go the way of the Whigs. And good riddance, too.

RE: McCain

In my considered—27 years in the infantry and a commissioned officer—and honest opinion, McCain is an oath-breaker and a traitor to his country. Vis-a-vis McCain-Feingold and it’s blatant attack on the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

Any party that supports such a ‘traitor’ doesn’t deserve ANYONE’s support.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[You cannot keep the big principles if you can't keep the smaller ones.]

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:39 am 36. Booker T. Gain:

I copied this from Gateway Pundit

——-
Obama’s Regulatory Czar Cass Sustein says that America is too racist for socialism and defends communism.
World Net Daily reported, via FOX Nation:

The U.S. should move in the direction of socialism but the country’s “white majority” opposes welfare since such programs largely would benefit minorities, especially blacks and Hispanics, argued President Obama’s newly confirmed regulatory czar, Cass Sunstein.

“The absence of a European-style social welfare state is certainly connected with the widespread perception among the white majority that the relevant programs would disproportionately benefit African Americans (and more recently Hispanics),” wrote Sunstein.

The Obama czar’s controversial comments were made in his 2004 book “The Second Bill of Rights,” which was obtained and reviewed by WND. In the book, Sunstein openly argues for bringing socialism to the U.S. and even lends support to communism.

In the book, Sunstein openly argues for bringing socialism to the U.S. and even lends support to communism.

—–

Any Republican who thinks the road to power is to moderate the message rather than relentllessly attack the far left Obama administation is a cowardly loon.

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:42 am 37. Poor Citizen:

I say let the right have what they want:

Palin/Coulter ‘12

I would buy a newspaper to keep an eye on those two anytime.

John McCain? he was too smart, too experienced and too old for em. I liked him.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:01 am 38. Hey Nonny Mouse:

What kdell (#32) said.

Maybe if Palin and Huckabee and Ron Paul and others would work together we could have a resuscitated Republican Party. Of all the conservatives, I’m most impressed with Mike Huckabee’s 2010-focused HuckPAC for supporting sound conservative candidates.

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:27 am 39. Eric:

John McCain is what’s wrong with the GOP. He capitulates and caves to the Democrats on almost every issue. There is no “opposition” in any of his positions. He is Democrat “lite”. Whereas the Left is for BIG GOVERNMENT, John McCain and his fellow RINO’s are merely for big government.

I don’t understand the “demographic” problems with a conservative message of fiscal and personal responsibility, smaller government, and firm family values. How does this not transcend race/ethnicity?

These people believe it does:
Marco Rubio (R-FL)
Michael Williams (R-TX) http://www.williamsfortexas.com/
Ryan Frazier (R-CO) http://www.frazierforcolorado.com/

Oct 8, 2009 - 10:30 am 40. Valerie:

The Republican willingness to “eat their own” continues to amaze me. Those who insist on throwing out everyone who isn’t their idea of a perfect Republican have gotten exactly what they wished for: a much smaller party. In a democracy, that’s a recipe for political isolation and ineffectiveness. Oh, yes, and losing elections.

Would it really be so damn hard to praise the candidates’ and politicians’ good points?

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:01 am 41. Ruebacca:

I want a real conservative who will go out and make a case for conservative ideas and a conservative vision of America.

I don’t want some hand-wring moderate worrying about the lactating single mother Latina demographic. To win latina lactating single mothers we need show her how conservative America will be best for her and her kid. And we share all her hopes and dreams of a better life.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:01 am 42. billslayer:

Frankly I think that Palin did a better job in the debate against Biden than McCain did against Obama. That said I think that Palin is not the saviour that many on the Right are seeking. What we need is an advocate who can go on the offensive for our beliefs. If this advocate cannot win the battles of wits that will be required, then we will lose the center.
There is nothing about our beliefs that we need to change, what we need is the level of articulation that is worthy of it.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:28 am 43. Mark:

Republicans need to win the Congress in 2010 to get the President under control. Once that is acomplished, we can afford to let him occupy the White House a’ la Clinton. There, but without any real power. Let McCain run again in 2012 while the real challengers wait for 2016. If McCain manages to win, fine, if not, also fine. As long as Congress is under control, it really doesn’t matter who live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:37 am 44. texexpatriate:

McCain is a dinosaur and jackass, Romney can’t win a national election because he is a Morman, and Huckabee is not a genuine conservative. Mrs. Palin is a genuine conservative and has the cojones of Godzilla.

Oct 8, 2009 - 11:41 am 45. Joe:

We have some brilliant young Republicans, new faces, who are fiscally conservative, articulate and definitely electable. The last election was a catastrophe, we don’t need anyone on the ticket to remind us of that trainwreck.
I hope some of the people who jumped out in front and endorsed McCain will stop and think this time. They led us down a path which is costing this country a lot. And we sure don’t need to start off with a controversial candidate!

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:17 pm 46. Scott:

The Republican willingness to “eat their own” continues to amaze me. Those who insist on throwing out everyone who isn’t their idea of a perfect Republican have gotten exactly what they wished for: a much smaller party. In a democracy, that’s a recipe for political isolation and ineffectiveness. Oh, yes, and losing elections.

Would it really be so damn hard to praise the candidates’ and politicians’ good points?

John McCain did get praised for his “good points” but it was his bad ones that lost him the election. His choice of Sarah Palin was actually a shot in the arm to his campaign which would have probably lost with Mondale like numbers had he not picked her.

Republicans who accused Democrats of being “tax & spend” instead became “borrow & spend” and abandoned the idea of a smaller Federal Government. Not to be outdone Obama decided to take the Democrats into the realm of “borrow, tax, and spend”.

John McCain has abandoned the core conservative/Republican principles in the McCain-Feigold Act, Amnesty, and TARP.

What you see as “eating their own” I’d argue as holding people up to standards, something the Democrats don’t care about at all as long as you help them hold the reigns of power. While some may have different “standards”, such as the social conservatives and the socially moderate conservatives for one to abandon the other usually ends up being a case of cutting one’s nose off to spite their own face. Many “independents” and socially liberal/moderate Republicans voted for Obummer and now they get to reap what they’ve sown because they abandoned other conservatives and Republicans because of the Fossil Media and a few far right nut-jobs who sound more like the totalitarian Left than the actual Right. You swallowed the Fossil Media’s bait hook line & sinker. They show a few nut-jobs who want to impose “Christian Values” on everyone and you ignore the real Jackass in the room who is going to impose Socialist values on you, take more of your income, leverage your children into financial slavery, and alienate all of our traditional allies.

Did you get the “Hope & Change” you wanted?

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:32 pm 47. Sebastian Shaw:

Senator John McCain is desperately out of touch with reality; as the grassroots swell thanks to the Fascist in Washington DC with their unconstitutional power grabs, the meek John McCain is trying to expand his power by remaking the Republican Party in his centrist image. However, the Congressional Republicans already are centrist types & have been picked off in the 2006 & 2008 elections. The real power comes from the growing conservative movement coalescing in power & strength in the Tea Parties.

Let the feckless McCain attempt to remake the Republican Party. He will fail. He needs to be picked off in his primary. Given the anger from the public & his own incompetent 2008 Presidential Campaign, this is possible.

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:36 pm 48. Don Rodrigo:

#2 fauxscot:

“”"” A two party system is a good thing. One of them can’t be insane, though, so please come back to the world where the rest of us live. Listen to McCain and get moderate. “”"”

The problem with that advice is twofold:

1) What is ‘moderate’ these days? If it means promoting rational policies based on common sense and fiscal sanity and an appreciation for how human nature works, then that would be great. But that is not what ‘moderate’ is in the contemporary ideological climate. ‘Moderate’ nowadays means ‘taking the worst ideas from both right and left and watering them down.’ THAT is what kind of ‘moderate’ McCain is.

2) America is at a crossroads where both major parties are stuck on stupid, and moderate versions of their stupidity are insufficient for getting us back on track. 3rd and even 4th parties may be needed to break that philosophical logjam. That is not likely to happen, so instead we’ll stupidly blunder forward, alternating between Twiddledee and Twidledumber.

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:47 pm 49. Marina:

Why all these folks keep counting votes for Sarah NOW? SHE HASN’S EVEN STARTED!!!!! Just wait! First, her book will do greatly. Second, many independents who stopped relying on the MSM will start to ask questions: “Is she really as stupid as CNN wants us to think? Why are they scared of her so much then? Let’s read her book”. And when the libtards will start to burn her book (and they will, sooner or later, ’cause they are the new nazis anyway), it’ll be the best advertizing for her. There are ca. 3.5 years till the next election. Just wait. Quick superhypes die quickly, just ask Obama. Slow motion is hardly revertable.

Oct 8, 2009 - 12:52 pm 50. tanstaafl:

As long as Congress is under control, it really doesn’t matter who live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

I beg to differ. The power of the Executive branch has become unilateral and lopsided. Even some democrat congresscritters have recently been complaining that congressional “oversight” of the executive branch has shot craps.

Right now, as we speak, many out-of-sorts soldiers and a few apparently disgruntled generals are waiting for one individual’s assessment and decision on the future of the military campaign in Afghanistan.

An individual who delighted in politicizing foreign policy during the campaign, who preened and pontificated about the good war (versus the bad war), an individual with no particular experience or background who is naive enough to, just today, state his new strategy as maybe kind of putting up with Taliban rising (again) in Afghanistan, an individual who doesn’t understand the simple notion that a Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan is tantamount to a repeat of the Al Qaeda takeover of, first, the Taliban and, next, Afghanistan in the 1990’s…

I’ll bet you that Obama’s brand new big strategy will give General McChrystal half of what the general has asked for that is necessary, in the General’s opinion, to secure something resembling a “win” in Afghanistan.

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:02 pm 51. Exactly!:

McCain’s smug, silly daughter has ruined him. When I think McCain I think “My friends, my friends, my friends …” Some form of dementia.

How about a bright, articulate, physically attractive younger candidate who cherishes individual freedoms and believes in the power of self-sufficiency. Enough of these old coots … McCain, Kerry, Boxer, Pelosi, etc. who married money.

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:08 pm 52. karlinsync:

Totally agree that McCain is GOP’s worst enemy. Might as well put Lindsey in that group also. Your points are well taken.

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:11 pm 53. twoninerkilo:

I can’t believe some of you here admitted voting for the smarmy, little open borders prick, last election. Neither one of the commie bastards was worth my time to go to the polls.
If you keep voting for the lesser of two evils, that’s all you’re ever going to get

Oct 8, 2009 - 1:42 pm 54. Happyin az:

McCain is my Senator and we are delighted with him. He will easily win re-ection. I’m weary of the right “fringe” that takes a position that it’s “their-way” or the “highway”. Reagan was the great negotiator…he didn’t get everything we wanted and often compromised to get the best he could. McCain is no different.

The McCain haters can’t see the forest for the trees. It is the “independents” that make or break elections and catering to the far-far-far right doesn’t win them. Moderation and calm experienced leadership wins the race.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:33 pm 55. Conservative:

This exemplifies what is wrong with “Republicans”. I say that tongue in cheek as I believe the party is so fragmented and a shell of its former self. If you are not extremely passionate against gay marriage, or believe in a womans right to chose (i.e. her liberties vs that of an unborn fetus), there is no place for you as these have become the banners of the party (because we do a much better job of telling you how to live than the Dems do). Long gone are the days of fiscal responsiblity, strong defense, limited government, et al.

So what happens when a “moderate” such as McCain runs is that those on the far right WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM. So you tell me who is more responsible for the mess we have now, those who voted for Obama, or those that refused to vote for McCain?

I see both parties ultimately imploding under their own self-righteousness, which probably cannot happen soon enough.

Oct 8, 2009 - 2:55 pm 56. Bilgeman:

#40 Valerie:
“The Republican willingness to “eat their own” continues to amaze me. Those who insist on throwing out everyone who isn’t their idea of a perfect Republican have gotten exactly what they wished for: a much smaller party.”

Maybe you’re not up on Mr. McCain’s record in his tenure as Senator. He co-authored as blatant a piece of civil rights infringement against the First Amendment, (McCain-Feingold), as has ever been seen on the Hill this side of FDR.
He also has been notoriously accommodating on the issue of “gun control”…sorry, but I don’t cotton to someopne who is willing to “compromise” away MY civil rights in order to remain popular.
Lastly, his absence in the Immigration Reform/ Homeland Security arena has been absolutely deafening, especially when you consider that his own state, Arizona, is one of the most negatively affected by illegal immigration across our southern border.

“In a democracy, that’s a recipe for political isolation and ineffectiveness. Oh, yes, and losing elections.”

With the likes of Mr. McCain in the Big Chair, we wouldn’t have a democracy for all THAT long.
But HE’D be popular with the kind of people who consider average Americans to be total boobs incapable of self-government.

“Would it really be so damn hard to praise the candidates’ and politicians’ good points?”

Okay…here goes.

For his age, McCain has GREAT hair.
And his wife is attractive also.

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:24 pm 57. Rancher:

Can we run on who we are rather than on who we want too woo?

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:42 pm 58. Laurent:

Barack (Barack the jobs-killer) Obama is the best thing going for the Republican party right now! All he has to do is keep on his incompetant domestic policy and his bowing down to all left wing and fascist dictators foreign policy, and he will clear the way for a whole new generation of Republicans. John McCain is an honest conservative by his voting record, despite those who hate him for intetrfering with their 10 percent rakeoffs of soft money contributions.

Oct 8, 2009 - 3:56 pm 59. steveg:

#53…I can still remember McCain last year starting a speech with, “I’m a proud liberal republican”, and then quickly correcting himself.

For the first time in 35 years I stayed away from the polls, and I know of others that did the same. McCain is as big a republican fraudster as his daughter.

Oct 8, 2009 - 4:23 pm 60. Maria:

Is it perhaps time for a serious, conservatively-principled 3rd party??
If I added together everyone I’ve heard say that they voted, “for the lesser of two evils”, everyone who has simply left the Republican Party to be princpled Independents, everyone who has said that they only remain registered as Republicans so they can particpate in primaries, everyone who’s voted 3rd party before… and we all decided to ignore the naysayers and really ACT upon our convictions and DO something about the problem, there may be enough combined power and the time might finally be right for a genuine third party. Three full years until the next Presidential election…
In the frequently used words of the popular Mr.Beck, “I’m just sayin’…”

Oct 8, 2009 - 6:38 pm 61. Rich Casebolt:

“If we expect to be taken seriously in the future then we must put forth our best and brightest, not our most controversial.”

Even if wisdom is “controversial”?

Don’t make the mistake of our opponents, and conflate educational/professional credentials and erudition ability with the wisdom necessary to apply such knowledge … either from within, or from colleagues … to produce/maintain good governance.

Gov. Palin, like Mr. Reagan, has that wisdom … most notably, a foundation of simple, immutable, historically-validated first principles that serve as a benchmark for the policies they implement … a benchmark not subject to revisions derived from political expediency, intellectual navel-gazing, or the need to prove that they are open-minded.

The conflict has shifted … from (D) vs. (R), to (US) vs. (DIM). Going back to the Dim Lite of the GOP to be our standard bearer, virtually assures that the intellectual self-worship of the Dim Bulbs in DC will continue to drag this nation down.

A return to wisdom as a leadership attribute … not the pontifications of a Dim Lite … is what this nation needs today.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:48 pm 62. jw:

The McCain-Feingold Act which he cosponsored is an unconstitutional violation of Freedom of Speech. That said, I worked in the McCain for President Campaign because he was much better than Barack Obama. The campaign was weak and badly underfinanced. I had worked in the Adlai Stevenson campaign in 1956 in the Washington, D.C. office. The Stevenson headquarters had the whole of the floor of an office building with many workers.
The 2008 McCain campaign had no headquarters in Washington, D.C. The headquarters in Montgomery County, Maryland (a suburb of the D.C.) had only a small apartment in an apartment building, difficult to find, and only two workers. Another headquarters in Maryland was the office of a lawyer who had donated it for weekends, when he did not need it for work; two workers, plus a fourteen-year old girl.
In addition to a badly-underfinanced campaign, McCain himself did not campaign vigorously, attacking Obama with all his weaknesses – his associates and lack of experience. McCain is doing better as a Senator.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:50 pm 63. mbunaz:

Bush was the last time I vote for a Republican. McCain the last time I vote for a Democrat.

Oct 8, 2009 - 7:54 pm 64. JL:

In my opinion, the number one thing, a candidate needs to know, is that the media is not his friend. What the media says is not what average Americans think. You really can’t stress enough, how important this is. The media is an echo chamber of progressive liberal values and therefore gives a false impression of what Americans really think. A candidate needs to be able to use the media to his advantage without being sidetracked by it. He should conduct his own independent polls on all major issues before making any assumptions and tactical decisions. To believe what the media says is a trap and almost all politicians fall into it. The only person I can remember who instinctively knew this and stood firm on his principles was Ronald Reagan. If there ever was a trait from Reagan a candidate needs to emulate, this is it. You really need to remind yourself at all times that the media does not give a correct snapshot of the public opinion. Being conservative is not fringe or extreme. It really is the media that is fringe and out of step.

Oct 8, 2009 - 8:31 pm 65. Marc Malone:

#2 fauxscot – Sure, let’s run another McCain… ’cause the last attempt worked out so well for us!

Fringes? We’re Conservatives! We stand for traditional values, limited government, and the Constitution! That’s not fringe. That’s mainstream. EVERYONE ELSE are the fringes. The Far-Left are the radicals who want to remake the country away from the way it was envisioned.

To the other guy: we do not make people toe the party-line. Look at the field of candidates in the last election. The Dems were cookie-cutter candidates, except for Richards a little bit. I couldn’t tell them apart. They were Far-Left and Far-Lefter! Not a moderate amongst them. The Pubs had a candidate for every kind of Pub voter. We even had Ron Paul, fer Chrissakes! A Libertarian!

For the rest of you, RINO’s are Democrats. they became Pubs, because the Far-Left (Statist scum)has hijacked the Dem party. Where else can they go? The Conservatives are the Republicans!

McCain is a conservative… Democrat. They are patriotic. They believe in fiscal responsibility and family values. It’s just in the role of government they leave the reservation, a la McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy, etc….

One of the reasons McCain lost was because of McCain-Feingold. It was a trap for stupid Pubs. The Dems never intended to go along with it. So, in the last month of the campaign, when McCain needed to turn a Blue State Red, he was on defense in the Red States, because they were outspending him 4:1. McCain was hoisted on his own petard.

For Palin to win, we have to get people to reject the inital bad outing with the hostile media, a position she should never have been in. No one mentions that she did many, many interviews after that first couple, and she did fine. Biden never did any. We must not let the MSM define the debate nor the candidate.

No to McCain. Yes to Palin. No pale pastels; only bold colors.

As to the rest of the potential candidates… Seriously? Romney, the apprentice Conservative. Pawlenty and Jindal are good guys, but they are pencil-necks, dweebie, and uninspiring. Palin could whip them both in a fistfight. Sheesh! Huckabee? He’s a third term of Bush. I couldn’t tell them apart.

I choose Palin. She kills her own food!

Oct 8, 2009 - 9:20 pm 66. stuart williamson:

The title Palin has selected,”Going Rogue”, taken straight from Schmidt’s dismissive description, is a clear statement that she is going after the sclerotic, gutless GOP and the RNC, that threw her off the end of the dock, and later savaged her almost as nastily as the Democrats.

McCain threw away the election by failing to attack Axelrod’s campaign where it was weakest: Obama’s long deep identification with Socialism and the corrupt Chicago Daley Machine, which the Democrat’s and the MSM were going to extreme lengths to avoid. You don’t win elections or wars by “rapid response”. You hit where they are must vulnerable. “Mr. Obama, weren’t you paiid, as a Community Organizer, by a Socialist orgnization?”; “Mr. Obama, was not William Ayers, a dedicated Communist, not one of your major sponsors? ”

Some savvy fighter! Mcain and Mr. Schmidt never once put the Obama team on the defensive, put them off-balance, never once created doubt or misgiving in the minds of Democrats or independents.

McCain has lost the fighting instincts of his military past and and become just another sinecure lapdog Senator, and deserves to be tossed into the dustheap of “what might have been”.

Oct 9, 2009 - 12:56 am 67. Lazar:

But it’s ideology more than age when we really get down to basics [...] And John McCain, amid efforts to rescue the party, may indeed be finally put out to ideological pasture.

Only idiots follow ideology. The problem is corruption. The Republican Party hate McCain for not joining them in selling America and the world to fossil fuel interests. Ideology is promoted to useful fools to loudly excuse and obfuscate corruption.

Grassroots are, by and large, not ideologues.

“Sending the MSM down the river” has disappeared from PJM.

It’s like the ending to Animal Farm.

Oct 9, 2009 - 5:35 am 68. Jettboy:

As I have said before, I would rather die with my principles than live without any. Let the Republican Party pass to insignificants if that is what it takes for true Conservative values to make a resurgence. I don’t want a party of moderation, I want one of Conservatism in the truest sense of the word. I refuse to give in to the idea that I have to give up things I believe to allow a Party to keep power. If that Party doesn’t represent me then I won’t help it win elections. All you RINO loving McCain-ites can continue supporting him, but if you will vote Democrat were you ever really a Republican? I say this because if the moderates kick us Conservatives out because we want to stand our ground, then the Republican Party is not going to be in any better position to win.

Oct 9, 2009 - 8:44 am 69. tom:

As David Frum said recently, the GOP has become the party of old white men and angry uneducated young white men. A Palin nomination would be a disaster but ultimately the party would hit rock bottom with her nomination. Then the rebound could start.

Oct 9, 2009 - 9:35 am 70. Olga Centura:

The DNC is filling not only its ranks, but seeding the ranks of the GOP with ACORN-branded on their butts weak moderates. Underestimate average Americans all you want — in case you missed it over 2.3 million just stomped down Pennsylvania 9.12.09 and told Bambi and his supporters to stick his socialist deathcare agenda up his rear-end. That was the number that was allowed in before they shut down the beltway. And for every one there how many at home and across America that day in Tea Parties were there in spirit? The resurgence of the conservative center will come from the bottom up (grassroots), not by top down, by over-fed, over buttoned, over-perked royalty squatting in our Congress. That sucking sound you hear as McCain clomps building his palace is the middle class going down the shitter. Godzilla 2010.

Oct 9, 2009 - 10:23 am 71. Scott:

As David Frum said recently, the GOP has become the party of wise old men and angry un-indoctrinated young white men.

Fixed that for you tom.

How can one claim to be “educated” when they lack a foundation of history, basic economics (no such thing as a free lunch), philosophy, and literature? That piece of paper they’re giving most disciplines these days has all the real value of a REALLY expensive and uncomfortable square of toilet paper. Even the Fossil Media admits that too many college graduates are unqualified to work in their field of study.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/24/AR2005122400701.html

Personally I think we need a party that adheres to fiscally conservative principles of smaller and limited government, low taxes, strong national defense, and adherence to the Constitution.

Oct 9, 2009 - 10:24 am 72. Gary Ogletree:

A year from now few will credit the smear campaign of ‘08 as having damaged the Thrilla from Wasilla. Thanks to President Wee Wee and the most corrupt and demented Democratic Congress evah, conservatives, independents and common sense Democrats are getting organized to select candidates to challenge liberals of all political factions in both primaries and general elections. John McCain and the GOP beltway are already has beens. Sarah is free to back any honest conservative who is up to snuff and SarahPAC will be getting the bucks the beltway GOP used to rely on. Stock up on popcorn. And pardon me, it’s time for Tea. Party on!

Oct 9, 2009 - 10:32 am 73. arthur:

If Palin is the future of the party then the party is in very bad shape

Oct 9, 2009 - 11:57 am 74. dck:

The grand OLD party is caught up in nostalgia for a bygone era, an imagined, pre-Reagan, Golden Age when the country was well-run (they believe) by the professional political class via “deals” made by the Grand Bulls of the parties and the People waved a few candidate signs, paid their taxes, and didn’t disrupt the flow of Great Events.

The reason these Old Bulls dislike the grassroots of the Party (that would be us) is that the grassroots ARE the People, not the better breed of Men that GOP bronze busts like McCain,Dole,and Howard Baker think are the real movers and shakers of the Country.

That is why Palin was “vulgar” to them. In Latin, “Vulgar” means “of the People.” To this crowd and their supporters, people like David Brooks, “moderation” means a return to the soft dictates of consensus rule among political professionals, and the People are polite and stay out of it.

Nostalgia at this level of grand delusion and pomposity is like alcoholism: They will have to hit bottom. If these “moderates” in fact prevail, the Party will die alone and unloved in the political gutter (unless the Dems keep them alive on life-support for the pretense of a two-party system). The only question is when and at what cost to the country.

The Old Republican Party, no longer Grand, is moving into its final stage with the appearance of the McCain/Dole death rattle. It may take only one more election disaster.

“Nadyezhda yaest,” as a Russian policeman told CNN after the collapse of the old Soviet Union: “There is Hope” wherever so much deadwood is swept away suddenly.

Oct 9, 2009 - 7:57 pm 75. myth buster:

If you can’t tell the difference between Huckabee and Bush, you haven’t been paying attention. Huckabee is a lot more aggressive than Bush is, and he’s smarter and more lucid as well. Huckabee said no bailouts, no stimulus spending, save for legitimate infrastructure projects.

Oct 10, 2009 - 4:58 pm 76. Phil Byler:

I think that the posters here attacking McCain and calling him a RINO need to get real and educate themselves about McCain’s conservative voting record and McCain’s hawkish foreign voice based on his unrivaled expertise and experience. I wrote about that in post #5 above, and I further wrote that the animosities that some conservatives had were based on old issues and did not relate to current issues. McCain, a patriot war hero, is one of the most knowledgeable people around as to foreign policy, military matters and national security; he is pushing to support General McChrystal in Afghanistan and the Iranian dissidents; but what are too many posters here doing? Trashing McCain. STUPID.

What McCain stood for in 2008, in his old fashioned way was American military power ensuring peace, fiscal conservatism and appointment of strict constructionsist judges ot the federal bench. Would you not all love to have that platform implemented now instead of Obama’s socialism, appeasement-minded foreign policy that includes a weak America apologizing and appointment of left wingers to the federal bench?

Sure enough, one response of a subsequent poster cited some of the old issues, one being the “Gang of 14″ back in 2005. So let’s take the Gang of 14, and examine it. I say that those who throw that at McCain are badly mistaken and should further be embarrassed by still relying on it.

Please recall that back in 2005, there was a Schumer led Democrat filibuster of Bush judicial nominees. While it was said that the fillibuster had not been invoked historically with respect to judicial nominations, that was because judicial nominations were once not political. They are now, because of the Democrats, and Schumer intended to block conservative nominees.

There was under consideration a so-called “constitutional option” of changing the filibuster rules so that they could not be invoked as to judicial nominees. The problems with that “option” were: (i) that it was not known whether it would have been passed — many Senators were quietly leery of changing filibuster rules, which had not been done before; and (ii) if it did pass, if there were a Democrat Congress with the White House in Democrat hands, the road would be open to appoint left wingers to the U.S. Supreme Court and to the U.S. Courts of Appeals. We of course have had a Democrat Congress as a result of the 2006 and 2008 elections and have a Barack Obama Presidency as a result of the 2008 election. Also, had the constitutional option not been passed, it would have meant a blockage of all or almost all of Bush’s judicial nominees.

What the “Gang of 14″ refers to was a compromise brokered by a group of Republican and Democrat Senators to allow Bush nominees to be voted on and thus approved unless there be extraordinary circumstances. That way, the Bush nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court and most of the Bush nominees to the U.S. Courts of Appeals could be confirmed without changing fillibuster rules or running the risk of having a complete blockage on conservative confirmations. In fact, John Roberts and Sam Alito were confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court and a great number of Bush nominees to the U.S. Courts of Appeals were confirmed. As a result, Chuckie Schumer complained that the Democrats were snookered. Yet, McCain has been pilloried because of the Senate compromise that can fairly be said to have snookered Chuckie. Wrong.

We have our hands full in fighting Obama and the socialist appeasement-minded Democrats. McCain’s voting record and voice on foreign policy issues place him on our side. Spending time attacking McCain today is STUPIDLY counterproductive.

May I suggest that the socialists ar quite aware of where McCain stands. The New York Times is now attacking McCain for being a “dangerous” “bomb thrower” with respect to health care. (McCain had the most conservative, free market health care approach of any candidate in 2008.) The New York Times also had made its displeasure known with repsect to McCain’s support of an Afghan “surge.”

Oct 10, 2009 - 5:54 pm 77. Now and Then:

72. Gary Ogletree:
“Sarah is free to back any honest conservative who is up to snuff and SarahPAC will be getting the bucks the beltway GOP used to rely on.”

And conservative candidates are free to ask fro her help, but none of them are. Know why? For the same reason people aren’t booking her speeches . . . she’s a “blithering idiot.” There’s a reason she won’t answer any questions, and it’s not because she loves Alaska.

Yet without her, where are you, what becomes of your movement, who do you have? I’m afraid you’ve hitched your wagon to dead horse. You’ve whined yourselves into a corner and you think Palin and Beck will save you when in fact they are the cause of you being marginalized. It is not your beliefs that defeat you, it is your extremism.

Your heroes are shills not for any movement but for themselves. Their reward is not tied to philosophy but to profit via ratings. And so they will continue to stoke your rage. They don’t want conservatives to win. They don’t want Republicans to win. They make more money when they’re attacking rather than defending. The crazier they make you look, the more money they make . . . birthers, killing grandma, You lie!, rooting against America, agreeing with al Qaeda . . . and you go along like cows to the slaughter in your three-cornered hats and your arbitrary patriotism.

All fine with me, by the way. I’m loving it. Hail Rush! Go Sarah!

Oct 11, 2009 - 6:45 am