GOP senators back centrism with Crist [McCain, Snowe, Collins, other RINOs chime in]

The Hill, Washington, DC ^ | 2009-05-13 | J. Taylor Rushing

[rabscuttle385]

This week’s endorsement of Florida Gov. Charlie Crist by senior Senate Republicans is being cheered by GOP senators as a move toward the middle.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (Texas) endorsed Crist over former state House Speaker Marco Rubio, a protégé of former Gov. Jeb Bush and a more conservative candidate.

The decision by McConnell and Cornyn was the first such choice since last month’s defection of Arlen Specter to the Senate’s Democratic conference. Moderate GOP senators like Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine used that opportunity to publicly warn the party to be more inclusive towards centrist voices like Crist.

Collins on Wednesday praised the choice of Crist as proof that party leaders were paying attention.

“I think it’s a great sign that the party took a pragmatic approach, recognizing that he’s going to be the strongest candidate,” she said.

. . . . .

Should Crist win, he is likely to be an independent member of the party in the mold of Collins or Snowe. But Cornyn and others said it is more important to win enough seats so that they have 40 votes to block the Democratic agenda.

“It’s more a recognition of the popularity and support that Charlie Crist has,” said John McCain (Ariz.), the 2008 GOP presidential nominee who considered Crist as his running mate. “He’s a guy who really has broad support all over the state.”

[rabscuttle385]

(shakes head)

[rabscuttle385]

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[rabscuttle385]

The GOP leadership apparently still believes that it can win without conservatives.

[JaneNC]

FORGET ABOUT IT

[Secret Agent Man]

Again, my friends this is a good thing.

We’ve got RINOs voluntarily putting themselves on a list of people we need to either ask to leave or force out of the Republican party. We cannot count on these people anyway. They are more hostage takers than anything else for us.

[Ingtar]

Freakin’ idiots. McCain WAS the middle.

(well, what they call the middle - more to the Left)

[Tzimisce]

*pounds head on desk*

[rabscuttle385]

One would think that Cornyn would have the mental capacity to learn from the Specter incident.

[JSDude1]

They’re what made us loose..! Are the Deaf, are they Dumb??..come one you’ll kick the Repubican Party into obscurity, RINOS..

[NordP]

Yes, they certainly seem to be "outing" themselves when they stick together like this....thanks for letting us know who NOT to vote for people.

News Flash: Don't line up behind Snow, Collins, SpectRE and Crist....or we'll KNOW WHO YOU REALLY ARE ;-)

[headstamp 2]

“Should Crist win, he is likely to be an independent member of the party in the mold of Collins or Snowe.”

In others words, he can be counted on to be totally useless when the rubber meets the road on an important, make or break issue or vote.

“But Cornyn and others said it is more important to win enough seats so that they have 40 votes to block the Democratic agenda.”

See my above comment, John. It’s not rocket science.

[WHBates]

I sure hope Rubio cleans his (Crist) clock in the primary, well he has my vote anyway. Crist is a joke.

[4rcane]

Someone needs to remind these idiots. Obama is from the MIDDLE. The media keep telling us Obama is a centrist

So what Mccain and co really wants is for us to be more like Obama

[unkus]

I had a call tonight from the RNC.

I told the girl to call back when they got rid of the RINO’s.

[grey_whiskers]

Suck the Fenate. /sarc>

Cheers!

[dalereed]

Kick every one of them out of the party and make them register as democrats or communists!

[Semper Mark]

“I told the girl to call back when they got rid of the RINO’s.”

Call ‘em back and tell ‘em that we'll get rid of the RINO’s ourselves! :-~ 2010

[wafflehouse]

you think this is bad.. wait til California Charlie runs for president

[plsjr]

The answer is FLUSH WASHINGTON DC and establish term limits.

Moderates (RINOs)(select one or more of the following):
> support the murder of unborn children
> support the GAYstapo
> consider Christians an embarrassment
> vote for bigger government and more intrusion
> won't stand against the continued push left by leftists
(I'm sure this list is not exhaustive.)

In other words, they are the left, they're just looking to further compromise what was the United States of American from within the least left party of the two party system.

Voting for a RINO merely moves us towards national social fascism at a slower rate.

[Daaave]

If there's any choice in the republican primary, I won't vote for Crist. I don't like him. I know almost nothing about Mr. Rubio, but I'd vote for him over Crist.

Should Crist win, he is likely to be an independent member of the party in the mold of Collins or Snowe. Cornyn and others said it is more important to win enough seats so that they have 40 votes to block the Democratic agenda.

Don't these senators frequently vote with the democrats? Didn't they just vote with the democrats to pass Obama's stimulus bill?