I don’t see it as voting for a Republican. I see it as voting for the lesser of two Democrats. And the Democrats saddled us with McCain in 2008 as well.
With no Democrat challenger, we again got Democrat crossover voters mucking about with the process of REPUBLICANS determining their candidate.
I live in Texas where the past umpteen election cycles have provided me only Democrat and undeclared Democrat candidates for Governor (or “former” Democrats who were Dem through the years of Reagan and Bush).
I absolutely will vote against Obama in 2012.
I would prefer a demon in the White House to a Judas.
And Dole in 1996. After a year and a half of an endless press campaign of vilification of congressional Republicans, Jonathan Alter, in August 1995, told any Republican who'd listen, via his Newsweek column, that the GOP had lost "relevance" and "respect" because of the "extreme" conservatism of Congress. (Which was his way of drawing GOPers' attention to the fact that Media could go on hurting them as long as Media liked, as long as the GOP continued to write conservative legislation, such as welfare reform.)
It was time, Alter lied, for the Big Dog Republicans, keepers of their party's reputation, to Act. To rebuild the Party's good name. To reclaim Republican gravitas, by nominating a man of gravitas. A man like Bob Dole.
It was all lies. Clinton and Dick Morris had already focus-grouped and forum-tested all the potential Republican challengers, and their field testing showed that Bob Dole was the best matchup -- the weakest GOP candidate, the man who offered Clinton his most complimentary antagonist, who practically guaranteed Clinton's then-doubtful (even with his pockets bulging with Chinese intelligence-service reptile money) re-election. And Alter had to know about it.
Alter lied. He always lies. The Media people always lie.
Just keep that in mind. Anything they tell you, is calculated to manipulate you to hurt yourself, your family, and your country.
The GOP RiNO's did what Alter told them to. They nominated Dole, and Dole lost in a humiliating defeat that opened the door for Monica, and impeachment.
Alter's been laughing all the way to the men's room ever since.