Lindsey Graham warns GOP against going too far right [defends Fiorina, attacks DeMint, Hoffman]

Politico ^ | 2009-11-04 | Manu Raju

[rabscuttle385]

The morning after Republicans lost an upstate New York House seat, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned that conservative activists will bring destruction to the Republican Party if they drive out moderate candidates across the country.

“To those people who are pursuing purity, you’ll become a club not a party,” Graham told POLITICO in the Capitol Wednesday. “Those people who are trying to embrace conservatism in a thoughtful way that fits the region and the state and the district are going to do well. Conservativism is an asset. Blind ideology is not.”

Graham, who has sparred with his party’s right wing on issues ranging from climate change to Guantanamo Bay to Sonia Sotomayor’s Supreme Court nomination, warned that those concerned about the state of the GOP should help find candidates who are electable — not ones who adhere to a particular type of ideology. And he said that both the GOP nominee, Dede Scozzafava and the conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman were both out of the mainstream of the upstate New York district – which lead to the victory of Democrat Bill Owens Tuesday night.

[rabscuttle385]

[Doohickey]

This clown is the Republican Al Franken.

[BornToBeAmerican]

Lindsay, as if we really care what you think. For you are very much on our radar

[Loud Mime]

Graham focuses on politics while forgetting the constitution.

[SandRat]

[rabscuttle385]

Oh holy sugar.

[RowdyFFC]

Graham’s just another democrat hiding behind an (R). He needs to be voted out! He’s been in DC since 1995, he’s one of the dead stumps we need to get rid of!

[Jemian]

LINDSEY GRAHAM: GET OUT. GO. LEAVE NOW. MAKE IT OFFICIAL. YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT. SO GO BE ONE.

[omega4179]

How do we get rid of him? vote for the dem?

[wolfcreek]

OK, SC. Who you got to oust this MoFo?

[HerrBlucher]

FULG

[a fool in paradise]

If the moderate RINOs go BACK into the Democrat Party, then we can move the DNC away from the Socialist infused party that drives their agenda these days. AND the GOP becomes more conservative.

When a Republican drops out and endorses the Democrat candidate, it makes me suspect that they would switch teams after election to keep the Democrats in charge of Congress.

[tobyhill]

The GOP has taken Conservatives for granted for far too long and then they expect us to just jump to their demands but I'm for the scorch earth policy at this point.

[hope]

After seeing how RINO’S lead, what have we got to lose?

[taildragger]

How do you purge a giant Rino? Exlax? right now we are on the receiving end of this excrement, and we need to purge the every darn one of them!!!

[DirtyHarryY2K]

NO MORE RINOs

The RINO Party Alert. Just say no to liberals, turncoats, and traitors! FR Keywords: rinoparty, rinoalert, rino Please tag all relevant threads with the aforementioned keywords. To join the ping list: FReepmail DirtyHarryY2K with the subject line add rinoalert. (Stop getting pings by sending the subject line drop rinoalert.)

[Dawgreg]

Hey Twinkle Toes........YOU and your ilk are whats wrong with the Republican Party! Conservatives will make it their life’s work to unseat you in the next election! You are a boor!

[rabscuttle385]

OK, SC. Who you got to oust this MoFo?

How do we get rid of him? vote for the dem?

You can neuter Lindsey (until his removal in 2014) by purging his mentor, Juan...in next year's Arizona Senate election.

[TheConservativeParty]

Like the RNC, little Lindsey doesn’t get it, never will.

[tobyhill]

***”those concerned about the state of the GOP should help find candidates who are electable — not ones who adhere to a particular type of ideology”***

In other words,”throw away your principles and just vote for who we give you”.

[caver]

Lindsey Grahamnesty, you are in the wrong party. Get out now!

[longhorn too]

If I am not mistaken he has four more years before he comes up for election again!

[DemforBush]

"And he said that both the GOP nominee, Dede Scozzafava and the conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman were both out of the mainstream of the upstate New York district – which lead to the victory of Democrat Bill Owens Tuesday night."

Way to CYA there, Lindsay.

[fieldmarshaldj]

He’s just throwing a hissy since gay marriage failed in Maine.

[libbylu]

You might as well. I would.

[Glenn]

Faggo is unable to analyze things, I see.

[popdonnelly]

The Republican Party would be stupid to ignore what’s going on in the country. The public doesn’t seem to want, or need, half a Democratic program in place of a whole Democratic program. They want a government that’s under control. They don’t want a government that’s chosen on the basis of how much money it’s willing to give away.

[paul51]

they drive out moderate candidates across the country

If we could just drive him out, I'd settle for that

[cripplecreek]

Then Michigans newest republican state senator is right up his alley.

http://www.seiu517m.org/politicscope/SEIU_Endorses_Nofs_for_19th_Senate_Seat.aspx

sigh. the stupidity of my fellow Michiganders never ceases to astound me.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

My goodness, for a man who doesn’t like “Angry White Men” showing up at his town halls ... he sure is going to see a lot more of them.

[trickyricky]

"Thtop that, you nathty perthon."
(picture Percy Dovetonsils)

[Secret Agent Man]

For the whole series of

Zero dollar bills, go here:

"Flickr Archive of Zero Bills"

[MamaDearest]

This clown is the Republican Al Franken.

Lindsay Graham is RINO deluxe. He should just switch parties NOW and be done with it.

[Beelzebubba]

All the RINOs have is straw-man rhetoric, pretending we are insisting on perfect purity, as opposed to solid conservative principles, and some backbone.

[TruthHound]

3 times daily, guys with names like Achmed and Habib kneel facing east and praise Allah for Americans like Graham, McCain and Dedebitch.

[montag813]

Conservativism is an asset.

In other words, a prop to use in order to re-elect oneself.

[Mr. K]

I think McLame should be our #1 GOP RINO targetted for removal- that is an EXCELLENT analysis

[1776 Reborn]

Hear, Hear!

[eclecticEel]

Graham never misses a beat.

[cripplecreek]

All the RINOs have is straw-man rhetoric, pretending we are insisting on perfect purity, as opposed to solid conservative principles, and some backbone.

I had a few fairly large differences with my chosen presidential candidate but I went with him in the primary because in my opinion he most closely represented my conservative views.

In the general election.....well there was McCain.

[Rocky]

I love the smell of burning RINO in the morning.

[markomalley]

He needs to go. Not sure, but I think Fritz Hollings was more of a conservative than Grahamnesty.

[Psalm 144]

I don’t think Wee Little Lindsey actually exists. That persona is a scam - an utterly ficticious construct.

I think the individual alleged to be one “Lindsey Olin Graham” of South Carolina is in fact one James Earl Carter of Georgia, in drag, pumped with botox and masquerading as an elected Republican while wreaking havoc from within the GOP.

Such an angry little man. Both of him

[thecraw]

[GeronL]

defends Fiorina from what? From someone supporting and endorsing someone else?

Are they no longer to endorse in the primary? Isn’t that what primaries are for?

[bruinbirdman]

Gramnesty was quite the conservative in the Contract With America years. No?

Looks like Senate ambitions got to him?

yitbos

[snippy_about_it]

I think at our next 9/12 meeting down here I’ll suggest a recall of Graham.

[Steelfish]

Agree. Every single effort should be made to have a true conservative run and win against Lindsey Graham next time he is up for election. It cannot come a day sooner.

[RonnieFan]

Graham is right and wrong. He is right that conservatism needs to “fits the region and the state and the district.” He is wrong in that he doesn’t admit that he represents a conservative stronghold, resign and a let a conservative that better fits his state have his seat. Come on Lindsay lead by example.

I can stomach a RINO in California, New York or New Jersey, where the likely alternatives are named Barbara, Hillary or Jon; but a RINO in South Carolina is wholly unacceptable.