Dissension In The Ranks

American News Reel ^ | 1/31/04 | Doug Thompson

[jimkress]

Had dinner with an old friend last night, a long-time Republican political operative who – in 1981 – talked me into taking a sabbatical from journalism and going to Washington as a press secretary to Congressman Paul Findley.

He’s been a Republican all his life. Grew up in a GOP family. Served more than one term as a county chairman as well as a Republican National Committeeman.

So it surprised me when he opened the dinner table conversation with: “I’m not going to vote for George W. Bush in November. I may vote for John Kerry if he’s the Democratic nominee.”

Strange things can happen in this world. Joe Gibbs can come out of retirement to coach the Washington Redskins one more time. Hell, the Carolina Panthers might even win the Super Bowl. But when a lifelong Republican tells me he might vote for John Kerry, I wait for a voice to start saying “you’re entering another dimension…next stop – The Twilight Zone.”

“I’m a Republican because I believe in less government, of letting states make the decisions that affect our lives,” he said. “I believe in a balanced budget. But my party no longer believes in any of these things. I can’t be a part of what I think is destroying this country.”

His comments echo what I have been hearing after three weeks on the campaign trail. Republicans are fed up with an administration that has created the largest federal bureaucracy ever, with record deficits and with increasing federal power and control over our lives.

But they’re not just fed up with George W. Bush, they’re fed up with a Republican-controlled Congress that passed the largest, most pork-laden transportation bill in history, that abandoned its promise to impose term limits and that broke most of the promises of the 1994 “Contract With America” that gave them control of Capitol Hill in the first place.

My friend’s theory: “You know the old bromide that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely? Well, my party has taken it step further. Absolute power leads to madness. It makes me, a Republican, long for Democrats back in control. That is pure madness but I can’t help it.”

I’ve been around politics as a journalist or an operative for nearly 40 years and the dissension within the GOP is the worst I’ve ever seen. At a Republican caucus earlier this week, California Republican Congressman Chris Cox headed a group of conservative members who told Speaker of the House Denny Hastert that a GOP Congress was being undermined by Bush's actions in the White House. One member reportedly said a GOP Congress could deal more effectively with a Democrat in the White House than they can with Bush.

“At least we know what to expect from a Democratic President,” he said.

[jpsb]

"truth"

Do your fingers burn when you type that word? Does your nose grow? It should.

[JackelopeBreeder]

Will someone, anyone who supports Dubya's 'Amnesty For Illegals' scheme please explain how and why this is good for the United States of America?

It certainly has sucked for those of us who live on the border.

[Happy2BMe]

I think you have focused in on a major blunder by both parties in their bungling to secure the Hispanic vote in 2004.

Namely they opened up Pandora's Box five to ten years earlier than they were originally going to because they smelled votes and (grossly) miscalculated just how deep into a coma John and Jane Doe had fallen into.

Forget the "War on Terror," we are being invaded by Mexico.

[antidisestablishment]

I once believed in Santa Claus, but then reality won out. A supermajority of these gelatinous slugs along with 50 consecutive administrations would not change cowards into heroes.

[MEG33]

You are correct.In addition,Kay says Iraq,in spite of not finding WMD, was more dangerous than we thought because it was in chaos and the scientists selling their expertise was likely.

[Grampa Dave]

Any phoney who cites anything the lying POS Doug Thompson says or writes is not a conservative. Like Thompson, they are poorly paid flacks who live their misserable lives to slander, lie about and to attack GW.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/942488/posts

Did Capitol Hill Blue Post An Article With Fabrications?
Me ^


Posted on 07/08/2003 1:32:03 PM PDT by William McKinley


In this article on Capitol Hill Blue, there are the following lines:

"The report had already been discredited," said Terrance J. Wilkinson, a CIA advisor present at two White House briefings. "This point was clearly made when the President was in the room during at least two of the briefings."

Bush's response was anger, Wilkinson said.

"He said that if the current operatives working for the CIA couldn't prove the story was true, then the agency had better find some who could," Wilkinson said. "He said he knew the story was true and so would the world after American troops secured the country."

Serious allegations. But I notice it is a single source. Being a conservative, I value the lessons of experience, and experience has told me that single sources are to be treated with skeptism. When I see one, I want to know more about the source quoted so as to establish if I should treat that source as credible.
So what about "Terrance J. Wilkinson"?

A Google search for "Terrance J. Wilkinson" found no results (which will change when Google picks up the Capitol Hill Blue article).

Google suggested that the name might be Terrence. But a Google search on "Terrence J. Wilkinson" also produced no hits.

Perhaps the middle initial is the problem. Alas, a Google search on "Terrence Wilkinson" CIA gave no hits, and a Google search on "Terrance Wilkinson" CIA also yielded no hits.

A Google news search on Terrence Wilkinson comes up with nothing relevant. So does a Google news search of Terrance Wilkinson.

A Google search on one of the phrases from one of the quotations comes up empty.

I would anticipate a 'CIA advisor' who attends the same briefings as the President to live somewhere near D.C. But there are no listings according to Anywho for a Terrance or Terrence Wilkinson in D.C., Maryland, or Virginia.

A Google search on "CIA Advisor" Wilkinson also comes up empty.

Perhaps Capitol Hill Blue would be better served by providing some more information about the person quoted so that others can judge his credibility. That is, if he exists.

Go to this thread and read about the great POS Thompson and how he erased lies on his server.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/942488/posts

[Zipporah]

"many good conservatives here on FR who may be discouraged by the Bushbot rage. I hope not.".. no.. doesn't discourage me... as a conservative, it makes me more sure of my position. Uncritical support of anyone: president, candidate, here or abroad or any country: the US or any other, is to be looked at as suspect.

[rintense]

Gosh, this Bush feller really sucks! *SIGH*

I have a feeling that picture is going to be used over and over and over again in the next 10 months.

[Beenliedto]

Those who are accuse Bush of lying to manipulate us into that war are the REAL liars.

I'm not sure it was Bush.

I'm not sure who it was.

But we didn't... and haven't... gotten the truth about our involvement in Iraq

So why are we there?

[Neets]

Yea, me too.

[xsmommy]

so then, you also realize that voting pie in the sky idealist 3d party is a waste of time?

[jpsb]

Cool, I am bringing my best shaving cream pie for some GOP RINO lacky.

[A Navy Vet]

I just did and found a representative in Orange County I will contact. I'd like to hear more about the meeting you went to. You can contact me at: rhunter@vetscor.org.

My political apathy has grown out of the socialist and pandering policies of the once conservative Republican party. All I heard for years was wait till we get both Houses and the WH. While I understand we can't turn the country around in 3 years, I would at least expect the growth of socialism not to accelerate.

Interestingly, Bush is now looking to hold down spending, now that many of his party have shown their distaste for his binge. I'll definitely be looking into the California Republican Assembly. They sound like they have the nerve to get in Bush's face and make a statement.

For all who minimize the "whiny" and "complaining" conservatives...remember, President Bush won by less than 600 votes in Florida. If you want to keep the "conservative base", I suggest you get on board and let Washington know we're not happy with his expansion of the fedgov or his irresponsible fiscal policies, not to mention unenforceable "guest" programs.

[Cacique]

Please spare me, we have a democrat in the White House, his name is Gorge W. Bush. The exception is he has a small r next to his name and that means he's a liberal on a budget.

[blackie]

POS Thompson ~ Bump!

[nopardons]

Much more so than YOU.

But, I'll take a look at what he has to say....I could use a few hearty laughs. :-)

[risk]

and bumping to your fifth column bump to his

[MEG33]

VOTE 3rd PARTY or for NO ONE AT ALL..VOTE YOUR "PRINCIPLES"

MAD AS HELL AND NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE??



.........ELECT A DEMOCRAT FOR PRESIDENT...............

[gunnedah]

You vote the Constitution Party and you put a Democrat in the White House. Any Democrat on the scene if elected will appoint a liberal to the Supreme Court and that is a fact.
I have gone down this road and voted for Perot and refuse to do it again. A liberal Republican is still at least a moderate Democrat and if the Democrats take the WhiteHouse and install a liberal justice you might as well have a dictatorship because we are already being ruled from the bench.
The Republican Party treats Conservatives the same way the Democrats treat African Americans and both are affraid not to support their party or the one that is closer to them.
Fact last time I voted for McCain and still think he would be better than Bush. The Democrats are under the influence of the very left liberals and regardless of who they put up they will march to the tune of the Kennedy's,Daschle and Pelosi.That may be how they think they can slide Hillary in there and portray her as a moderate.
We have problems but the Democrats are not the answer.

[nopardons]

Down boy...down I say.LOL
<~p>
If you'd post more often, you wouldn't get so excited by a response. :-)