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.

[commish]

Let me guess...his friend is named "Terrance Wilkinson".

Ooo thats gonna leave a mark LOL

[Howlin]

I guess everyone goes through a "purist" phase at some time in their political life.

It's not very pretty to watch, is it?

[cake_crumb]

"In a word, yes."

I'm fine with all of our foreign policy. In fact, I'm fine with most of GW's domestic policy.

[F16Fighter]

"And now we can see what Doug Thomspn's motives are, and it isn't pretty, is it?...I am NOT going to leave this forum and let it be run over by faux conservatives and democrats!!"

All I know is NO true "conservative" President would even suggest awarding Amnesty to illegal aliens; bloating (NOT reducing) federal spending like a drunken sailor on leave (with all due respect to drunks AND sailors); standing idly by as CFR is shoved down our throats; And IGNORING the predictable fall-out and repercussions from his constituency for proposing such ridiculous policies and "plans"...

If you are honest with yourself, you'll re-assess and thus re-define the political term "conservative."

[arete]

so please, vote for someone who can never win in a million years and feel superior that you did the RIGHT and PRINCIPLED THING. and please don't give a moments thought to the fact that you would help guarantee a leftist Supreme Court for eons. no. it is more important that you feel GOOD about voting your

You forgot to try to scare him with yelling Hillary a lot. Isn't that what you bots do -- vote Bush or HILLARY HILLARY HILLARY! You guys need some new scare material. The terrorist, supreme court, Hillary thing is getting really old.

Richard W.

[onyx]

He talks like Howie Dean. The 5th columnist is back, pushing for us to Perot Bush and get another Clinton in the WH.

Exactly right. Dougie has been exposed as a liar and a fraud here, so many times (countless times) that I am shocked (but giggling) that JimKress posted this crap.

[xsmommy]

and don't people usually grow out of that purist phase at some point?

[Miss Marple]

Ah, I see you, too have picked up the DNC talking points which first surfaced this morning on the news shows! Good job!

Gridlock will be attained when we have John F'in Kerry as president.

We also will get to wave goodbye to Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney, and hello to Kofi Annan who Kerry will suck up to on every occasion.

Did you know that Kerry grew up in Europe? Do you know that his wife is embarassed because her European friends are upset at the USA? Do you want a guy as president who trashed the reputation of the entire American military in front of Congress?

Some patriot you are!

[xsmommy]

no, please, vote your ideals. i am not attempting to scare you. i know your ideals are paramount.

[cyncooper]

LOL

I just posted right after reading this "article" that I'm guessing his "friend" is Wilkinson.

Doug Thompson lost all credibility and my respect when he ran that Wilkinson scam. And by the way...how DOES that tie up to Joe Wilson? I'm hoping that little angle isn't missed by the investigation.

[Beenliedto]

so please, vote for someone who can never win in a million years and feel superior that you did the RIGHT and PRINCIPLED THING. and please don't give a moments thought to the fact that you would help guarantee a leftist Supreme Court for eons. no. it is more important that you feel GOOD about voting your IDEALS>

That attitude permits this $h!t in Washington to continue.

[onyx]

Vote for gridlock? How, by voting for democrats?

I'll not ever vote for a democrat. I work to elect Republicans -- our majority in the Senate is too damn marginal to stop the democrat fillibusters.

[Miss Marple]

Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see Doug Thompson embroiled in that investigation along with Joe Wilson. Orange jump suits for the both of them, I say!

[F16Fighter]

"If John Kerry wins, I'm buying lots of ammo and some guns, since I'm not sure this country can survive a John Kerry, and that's just on his DOMESTIC POLICY alone, let alone his foreign policy."

Stock up IN ANY CASE Dan.

With the RINOs at the operating table, the hemmhoraging is just a bit slower.

[tet68]

We are only going to see more of this as the election nears.

The constant drumbeat of Republicans split! Democrats Unite!
is all we will hear.

All these so called principled folks have a right to vote as they please, which they probably did when they voted for
Perot too.

I have my issues with President Bush, but he has shown the leadership we need in this WAR. Make no mistake, it hasn't
fairly begun yet and we will find ourselves in a perilous postion in 2008 having to have a change of government with the conflict still going on, much less having to deal with
the re-election of another incompetent democrat.

[xsmommy]

and your attitude elected Bill Clinton. congrats.

[Howlin]

Some of them don't; Bill Clinton, Pat Buchanan, Michael Jackson, Scott Peterson haven't.

They all think they are smarter than anybody else and can get away with anything.

And when they don't get their way, the usually end up on the receiving end of public scorn, not to mention legal papers.

[cake_crumb]

President Bush cut a lot of regulations for business and has been taking a lot of flak for it...you know, our pay will be cut, he's poisoning our air and drinking water.... I know you've heard the anger over his CUTTING REGULATIONS and his PRO BUSINESS AGENDA on the news. I could care less if you don't like him, but don't offend our intelligence by lying about him.

[cyncooper]

If FR had been around during the Reagan era you would have been complaining about him, too.

You are missing the fact that Bush is a leader on par with Reagan. In my opinion he surpasses RR. So be of good cheer. The USA has in fact, produced another leader of that order.

[tet68]

. The terrorist, supreme court, Hillary thing is getting really old.

Not nearly as old as it will feel after another democrat
regime has four years to work it's magic.