Senior McCain aide: The GOP is a 'shrinking entity' [praises Zero, says Palin token conservative]

CNN - Political Ticker ^ | 2009-04-23

[rabscuttle385]

(CNN) — John McCain’s general election campaign began as “the strategic equivalent of throwing a football through a tire at 50 yards” – and was doomed weeks before Election Day, his former chief strategist said Thursday.

“We were running a campaign under extra difficult circumstances — the state of the Republican Party, the president’s unpopularity, the economy — a lot of issues that were not John McCain’s fault, but were John McCain’s problem in this race,” Schmidt told an audience at the University of Delaware, according to Politico. “When Lehman Brothers collapsed in the fall I knew pretty much right away that … from an electoral strategy perspective, the campaign was finished.”

[rabscuttle385]

The Juan McCain Truth File. "I have great respect for Al Gore." —John McCain, October 2, 2008 FR Keywords: mccaintruthfile, mcqueeg, mcbama Please tag all relevant threads with the aforementioned keywords. This can be a very high-volume ping list at times. To join the ping list: FReepmail rabscuttle385 with the subject line add  mccaintruthfile. (Stop getting pings by sending the subject line drop mccaintruthfile.)   Republican Commissar’s Warning: By joining this ping list, you may be subjected to the delusional rants and ramblings of McCainiacs, of "moderate" Republicans, of pragmatic conservatives resigned to voting for the lesser of two Democrats, and of countless RNC shills who simply want to meet a new overlord.

[Leisler]

It wasn’t McCain, it wasn’t him, it wasn’t RINOism, it was us.

Yeah. Right.

[nobama08]

His campaign was doomed when he was nominated. If it hadn’t been for Palin, it would have been a landslide.

[scooby321]

before Palin he had 2,000 people at his rallies and was broke.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

McCain(and his allies) are *****STILL***** attacking Sarah Palin?!?!?!?

[Mr. Mojo]

Senior McCain aide: The GOP is a 'shrinking entity'

That's because the party is thoroughly infested with RINOs like your boss.

[EyeGuy]

Steve Schmidt emerges more and more every day as a major self-serving, cynical political operative asswipe.

[Frantzie]

Schmidt is a moron and a quitter. When Lehman collapsed...he knew it was over? This guy would go broke running a brewery in the desert with thousands of thirsty oil workers. What a moron.

[cripplecreek]

I’m thinking there has been some serious Soros infiltration of the GOP and it started with McQueeg and his main street republicans.

[Kimberly GG]

Sarah Palin is pro-amnesty, just like McCain.

[Loyal Buckeye]

This guy is an idiot. No wonder McCain lost.

[Mr. Jazzy]

Mr. Schmitt gives bald assholes a bad name.

Mr. S, just dry up and blow away like the dried up turd you are.

[redk]

So I take it Schmidt, like Nicole Wallace can't get any work in politics. People who build their house on sand....

[Cboldt]

-- it started with McQueeg and his main street republicans. --

I dunno if McCain was in the vanguard, but the Republican Main Street Partnership is an essentially "statist" and "top-down" operation that is void of social-conservative values.

In other words, the RMSP is the face of the GOP.

[Charles Martel]

“We were running a campaign under extra difficult circumstances — the state of the Republican Party, the president’s unpopularity, the economy — a lot of issues that were not John McCain’s fault, but were John McCain’s problem in this race,” Schmidt told an audience...

Sure. Blame everything and everybody but the lame-o candidate. Tell us another bedtime story, Schmidt. Ooh, I know - how about the one where the tanned John McCain - always ready with an easy, reassuring smile (complete with Lyle Waggoner sparkle) - was the darling of the grassroots Republicans who donated and donated until their pockets were practically empty (until that Sarah Palin came along and killed all the enthusiasm). Tell us that one, Schmidt.

[repentant_pundit]

His campaign was doomed when he was nominated. If it hadn’t been for Palin, it would have been a landslide.

Right on. I'm glad Chris Simcox is challenging McJerk in the GOP Primary for Senate this time around.....

.

[ScottinVA]

McCain, please go away and take your attention-starved daughter with you.

[cripplecreek]

All I know is that the GOP is growing increasingly hostile toward conservatives and can’t realistically think they’ll win in future elections.

[RRismyhero]

Can the AZ freepers PLEASE find a true Republican to run against this man? He needs to GO and take Megan with him.

[rabscuttle385]

Can the AZ freepers PLEASE find a true Republican to run against this man?

Chris Simcox is running.

[Marysecretary]

With aides like that, McCain didn’t need any enemies. Cheez.

[Onelifetogive]

I propose we temporarily suspend all rules relating to profanity, personal attacks and threats of violence for this one thread...

[ken21]

mccain’s an ass.

he should retire and let new blood into the senate.

[KarenMarie]

“Senior McCain aide: The GOP is a ‘shrinking entity’...”

Well, according to the McCain definition of GOP... I suppose it is.

but GOP /= Conservative and we are just beginning to fight.

[nickcarraway]

So was Reagan, for that matter.

[skeeter]

How about a name? I wanna know who each of my enemies are.

[skeeter]

Schmidt. Gotta remember to read the article before posting.

[softengine]

RINOs and neo-cons....They’ve sacrificed conservative values on the alter of “Go Team!”....and ruined the party.

[Fred]

Oh yeah, Everyone else is to blame for Juanito's historically gigantic arse whipping...

His lamo campaign dudes should never work on any race ever again, unless it is for Dims.

[cripplecreek]

Reagan supported a limited amnesty without lots of weasel words.

[Wuli]

“John McCain’s general election campaign began as “the strategic equivalent of throwing a football through a tire at 50 yards” – and was doomed weeks before Election Day, his former chief strategist said Thursday”

When Obama went around the battleground states, especially in places like Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and even in California, proposing to tax and spend our way out of our problems, while blaming it all on Bush, McCain had no come-backs, on the economy - or to put it correctly, McCain offered no comebacks to Obama on the economy; when he could have said: “My opponent is offering for the government to tax and spend us out of the current problems. So, ask your self, here in xxxxxxxxxx (Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and yes even California), hows that been working for you recently??”

Instead McCain's only economic ploy was his same “bash the greedy” populist sentiments, which impressed no one.

McCain lost, because he was never expected or entitled to win - he was a nice guy, a war hero, a “maverick” populist, without a plan, an agenda or an idea of his own, beyond the insipid celebration of who he is. He insulted the GOP base, for years, tried to play nice with conservatives in the short period leading to the primaries, went to the largest conservative PAC gathering and told them, in the politest of terms, he respectfully was not one of them; built no major grass-roots get out the vote organization (from what), picked Palin to account for his own conservative weakness, and then, and now blames her for not making up for all his deficits. Ego.; Ego; Ego.

[cripplecreek]

he was a nice guy

McQueeg was never a "nice guy". Nice guys don't openly insult their constituents.

[Iron Munro]

Senior McCain aide: The GOP Is A 'Shrinking Entity'

Let's fix that title:

Senior McCain aide: The GOP Is A 'Shrinking Entity' Thanks To RINOs Like John McCain

[skeeter]

Reagan supported a limited amnesty without lots of weasel words.

Reagan trusted the democrats to hold up their end of the deal - put teeth in border enforcement and no more amnesties.

Trusting democrats to be as good as their word turned out to be a major mistake.

[Wuli]

I meant to put that term in quotes, for the media impression it represents; missed them when my fingers went faster than my brain.

[Sarah Barracuda]

Geez with friends like these who needs enemies. Nicole Wallace and Schmidt are both bastards. Let’s face facts, John McCain NEVER wanted to become President. If he did he would have tried just a wee bit harder actually FIGHTING to win. No, instead he bends over and kissed Obama’s ass whenever he had the chance. From saying “Don’t be afraid of Obama, he would make a great President” comment, to going to Washington to vote for a bailout that NO ONE wanted, to those boring as hell debates that he had with Obama that I could have literally kicked Obama’s ass on without any preparation time. He chose Sarah so that he would have someone to blame for the loss. He never expected to win and he never really wanted to win. He became jealous after seeing Sarah get all of the spotlight and all of the support. I watched the majority of the rallies that McCain and Palin had and I would see after Sarah would be finished talking people would actually leave when John came to the podium to talk. They didn’t give a damn about him, they came to see HER and that ate him alive. I am sick of these Beltway Republicans talking trash about a human being who busted her ass to get Yosemite Sam into the White House. They don’t appreciate the time and effort she gave on getting his stupid ass elected. They are worse then scum

[cripplecreek]

No harm no foul.

[campaignPete R-CT]

I am waiting for someone to say:

“We don’t need any advice from the losers!”

[chiefqc]

And McCain hung her out to dry when he got a better deal from the empty suit.

[cripplecreek]

Reagan wouldn’t try to feed us the 12 million line knowing full well that it was 30 million or more and he sure as heck wouldn’t tell us that dumping them on our failing economy was the cure for all that ails us.

[grey_whiskers]

Ego.; Ego; Ego.

Ego sinus super , proinde ego perdo.

Cheers!

[SeafoodGumbo]

I thought that if Obama won, we'd at least get one benefit - not hearing from McCain or any of his idiot crew - but it seems like there's another story every day from McNasty, his crew, or his idiot pig daughter.

[skeeter]

Just for perspective's sake, Reagan's amnesty - initially guessed to include about 1.5 million illegals - thru chain migration ended up changing the demographic and political landscape of California forever.

Just imagine what 20 or 30 million will do to the country.

[blake6900]

The behavior of the McCain campaign before the election was as absymal as its' behavior after the campaign. First they came off looking like like the gang that couldn't shoot straight. Then they started the blame game and put the failure squarely on Gov. Palin. And it looks like they still haven't taken responsibility for that failure.

Memo to other GOP candidates: If you want to win your election, take note of who worked for the McCain campaign and avoid them like the plague.

[Gator113]

I second that motion.

[mimaw]

He should pal around with Bob Schrum. They have a lot in common.

[Cboldt]

-- All I know is that the GOP is growing increasingly hostile toward conservatives and can't realistically think they'll win in future elections. --

But the GOP is perfectly willing to browbeat voters for its own failure. Go figure! My take is that the GOP is a statist/liberal operation, at heart.

[mickie]

And don't forget that it was McCain who wouldn't hear of anyone referring to BHO by his middle name Hussain.

McCain was put in the race by the MSM because they knew that he could be beat by BHO.

[GrouchoTex]

Truer words, my friend, truer words.....