My piece about Hunter ending his candidacy (Vanity)

[counterpunch]

You know Hunter is not going to be swept into the White House on a grassroots write-in capaign, right?
I mean, really, you do know that, don't you??
You Hunterites are so off in your own world that a basic reality check like that is actually in order...

So anyways, assuming you are at least somewhat lucid and do recognize that Hunter is finished, I have to wonder why you still continue attacking the most conservative candidate left in the race, and why you seem bent on helping the Democrats win.
Because that's basically what it is. You would rather have Hillary in the White House than your fringe candidate.
If you can't have your guy, then you'll do what you can to bring about America's complete destruction the fastest way you can.
And the sad thing is you know what a Clinton presidency would look like.
You lived through one for 8 years.
And now you're racing to get back to it.
Truly pathetic.
Perhaps you've got some motives of your own you're hiding.
 

[counterpunch]

Yeah, but that's got nothing to do with Duncan Hunter not winning.
 

[luvadavi]

I want to ask one thing: last summer or whenever you were first aware of Rep Hunter in the race, did you stop to check him out, go over his record—the border fence, the stand against NAFTA,CAFTA,GATT & globalization? His support for the unborn? His A+ rating with GOA & NRA? Combat in *Nam also chairmn Armed Svcs, a great + for a CinC? If you read his history and present work, then if you are on the Right, didn*t you say, This is a guy who could win, who could be every bit as great as RR? Well—if not, then what was it about Hunter that turned you off? Just curious.

[counterpunch]

I’m not against NAFTA or CAFTA.

[Candor7]

Yeah, but that's got nothing to do with Duncan Hunter not winning.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Interesting that YOU should bring that up.

Duncan was the proverbial miner's canary in a cage.

All that conservative Republicans have feared will now come to pass.Electing conservative Republicans to office in 2004 was NOT enough.

Coming: Bilingual State services in the South, massive amnesty program, multicultural approaches to Hispanic resettlement of the South West, as well as the multicultural approach to pacifying Islamofascists, doomed to failure. Exorbitantly High taxes and Wall street trembling in fear of a Democrat president. The continued devolution of US indusry and the exodus of jobs overseas.

America is now on the wane.

Betrayed by cowardly prigs who thought the Gang of 14 saved the nation in a paroxysm of "bipartisanship?"

Nobody knows the troubles we will have seen by 2012.

We are in for a very, very nasty period in America.

The Republican Party is no more.

Its death is not a pretty thing.

But like a horse with a broken leg, it would be better to put it out of its misery swiftly and mercifully.

And that is what is about to happen.

A NEW AGE of Liberal Socialist Fascism.

[luvadavi]

Thanks for at least your honesty. Now we know where we stand because this kind of opposition may be rampant amongst Republicans and that is why we may lose. NAFTA,CAFTA & GATT WILL KILL OUR COUNTRY.

[counterpunch]

You know who’s against NAFTA and CAFTA?
The far left. The populists. The protectionists and isolationists.
But not mainstream conservatives.

Perhaps Hunterites should switch over to the Democrat party and vote for John Edwards if this is your issue.

[healy61]

I liked Hunter since I first read about him. I am saddened that he withdrew, but a race can not maintain so many candidates. Some need to withdraw. I will still vote R in the booth. One question, how many proclaiming the end of the republican party attend their precinct or county meetings? How about the local convections at the county party level. Probably not many.

[Candor7]

I participated in My local republican COunty Caucus. I am a card carrying member of the Republican Party. Until Monday, when I return it, along with a letter of resignation.

Then I will register as an independent.

Gloves are off. If the local Dem candidate sounds better than the Republican. They get my vote.

[AmericanInTokyo]

The future of FREE REPUBLIC will be very interesting.

These facts now are foregone conclusions:

The Democrats will nominate a Socialist Liberal.

The Republicans will nominate a Moderate/Centrist Ripon Society Republican.

There will more than likely be no TRADITIONAL CONSERVATIVE in the mold of Ronald Reagan at the top of either Major Party's ticket.

A traditional conservative may be put on the GOP ticket as VP, with little power, just to appease The Base.

Then, what will Free Republic by and large do? After nine years here myself, I am now wondering.

Some of it will be Mr. Robinson's call.

It will be interesting to see if he backs the Republican nominee or not.

After that, in great measure, Free Republic will follow.

If there is a legitimate Independent Conservative choice embodied in a seasoned leader with credentials and an alternative who has ballot access nationwide who can lead such a grassroots effort, it will confuse things even more.

Will FR "settle", "rationalize" and go for the "Lesser of Two Evils"?

Will Free Republic stand true to its name as an Independent Conservative Forum and support such a candidate in the General Election? (again, if there even IS one--if not, what a disaster!)

Will Free Republic just "sit it out" if there is no such choice.

Things are going to get mighty interesting! Keep your options open and your powder dry, folks.

[Allegra]

Well, I'm not giving up the fight.

As long as I have the strength, I'll do anythnig I can to keep our country free.

I've said this about other things and I've been right. I'll say it again:

It ain't over. It has just hit a speedbump.

[Allegra]

“anythnig” = “anything”

[Candor7]

I truly , truly hope you are right.

[bcsco]

You have a rather myopic view of the Presidential campaign to blame FReepers for the failure of your candidate. Had everyone on this forum jumped on the Hunter band wagon it would have made little difference.

There’s a whole big World out there that doesn’t know FR exists. No, Hunter didn’t gain widespread support here, he polled about as much as other candidates; maybe a little less. But Hunter had to campaign in the real World; not just here on FR.

Stop. Take a deep breath. Have a drink. Then stop blaming others for your candidate’s failings.

[bushfamfan]

Very well stated. WHEN Hunter was actually discovered by people, notice how there was 99.9% of praise. Duncan Hunter had the record, had the personal story and ability to communicate, was a proven LEADER who would not be intimidated by political grandstanding. Yet, he lacked the ‘name recognition’. He never really was given the mention with the other candidates, the media time, barely 5 minutes in 90 minute debates and when people did actually discover him, he was hit with people being manipulated to not vote for him even when they PREFERRED him and said he was the BEST!! You know, ‘he can’t win’ because he doesn’t have ‘name recognition’. And then they deliberately banned him from the debates before the important votes! It was so obvious, but there is a lot of hypocrisy from people you thought would know better. But here we are and it’s not going to be good. The GOP really is the stupid party and is dead as far as I’m concerned.

[bushfamfan]

LMAO. “There you go again!” Yes, good old Fred who never wanted us to have Reagan to begin with(he supported Ford and then Baker) had to face REALITY and actually EARN the vote. You know, people actually WANTING to vote FOR you!! But, after all the hoopla and the GIVEN ‘frontrunner’ status, it wasn’t a coronation after all. And all thanks to Fred himself! People actually SAW him and realized that ‘electable’ wasn’t going to cut it. Fred was NOWHERE near Hunter as a MAN or CANDIDATE, so you take a hike off a cliff.

[cgbg]

See my tagline.

[bushfamfan]

You and your smarmy posts. Let me tell you, as far as ‘electable’ is concerned FRED NEVER HAD IT!! The MAJOR reason for people to rally behind him was due to him being on LAW AND ORDER. A TV SHOW!! And then you all somehow explained Fred’s RED FLAGS away in your desperation to try to sell him as Mr. ‘Conservative’. Well, too damn bad. He never was anything in the Senate and NO THANK YOU for his campaign finance reform, most favored nation status to China, indifference and condonement for illegal immigration, making himself part of the ‘Centrist Coalition’ and you have the audacity to attempt to preach to Hunter supporters!! You did just as much to dissuade people from supporting Hunter when they actually got past the deliberate media censorship all in the holiness of you precious polls. Well, WHAT GOOD ARE THE POLLS FOR FRED NOW??? YOU ought to be ashamed.

[Man50D]

I guess the country will just have to go four years without a president, then.

Whoever becomes President won't be putting American first. He or she will be to busy selling out Americans for so called "free trade" and globalist thinking. All of you who failed to support Duncan Hunter, the last Conservative in the race, just sealed your fate to more incremental socialism.

[bushfamfan]

**Oh, shut up. Most Thompson supporters equally like Hunter, but Hunter never amounted to a few percentage points in poll impact at any given time.
We need a conservative in the White House. Thompson, between Hunter and Thompson, was the only one with a larger-scale pull from the public. A large part of that was name and face recognition. Hunter was just not known by anyone. People have seen Thompson on television for years, and most good conservatives saw The Hunt For Red October in prior years. Thompson was a rational, practical choice for conservatism.

I really liked Hunter and would prefer him, but he had no chance compared with the others the public might actually recognize.**

You might want to shut up yourself. You just PROVED my point in that people actually PREFERRED Hunter when given the opportunity to actually KNOW about the candidates(past the media censorship). And, OF COURSE, it’s all about the NAME with you. UNLIKE HUNTER, Fred has squandered it ALL ON HIS OWN and that is the biggest indictment of a candidate’s ‘electability’ as there ever was.