[wk4bush2004]

They’re finally beginning to wake up and smell the coffee???

NO MORE RINOs!!!!

GO DOUG HOFFMAN!!!!!!

[TravisBickle]

Hoffman might want to steer clear of those losers. The GOP is a sinking ship.

[Mr. Peabody]

The GOP must be reformed. If this is true it is a good sign.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Guess they do read FreeRepublic after all.

[GLDNGUN]

It looks like the GOP is seeing the writing on the wall. Their first tactic was to create the impression that Hoffman was a spoiler who had no chance to win. The implication that a vote for him was a vote for a democrat, and that Hoffman and those who vote for him would be responsible for handing a safe GOP seat to Pelosi and the democrats. Their plan was to hammer him so hard (instead of the democrat) that he would have no credibility and be a non-factor.

Well, something funny happened on the way to market. When word got out about just how liberal the (R) candidate was, that the Tea Partiers were backing Hoffman, and that most national conservatives, including a certain former governor of Alaska, were backing Hoffman, a tidal wave of support went in Hoffman's direction. Most of that support came at Scuzzafava's expense. She had the lead and now is #3. This really is a 2-MAN race now and the GOP knows it. Even their candidate knows it. I just watched the debate and brief interviews with each candidate. Scuzzafava had absolutely NO CONFIDENCE in what she was saying as she talked about her "confidence" of "doing well" on Tuesday. Her campaign is toast and she knows it.

So what is the GOP to do? No, they aren't going to throw Scuzzy off the ship before the election, but they ARE backing off the attacks on Hoffman, because they now realize that HE is their best hope to keep the seat out of the democrats hands. So, now the GOP is trying to walk a fine line. They can't make a public re-nouncement of their own candidate, but now that they see Hoffman has a great chance of pulling it off, they want to jump on the band wagon. They just can't make it obvious.

The idiocy of the GOP is mind-boggling. If they had simply nominated a CONSERVATIVE, jeez, even a moderate, it would be a 2-person race and the GOP candidate would have enjoyed a comfy lead from start to finish.

Having said that, I think if Hoffman wins (and I do think he will by a surprising margin) it will send a message to the GOP. NO RINOS! And this message HAS to be received LOUD AND CLEAR before 2010. It's good we have this battle with the GOP NOW, rather than next year with so much at stake. The GOP HAS to learn their lesson NOW. One way or another they ARE going to lose NY23 next week. Their candidate IS going to finish a distant 3rd, and again, this is the BEST THING that could happen. It's telling the GOP that if they run more RINOs, they can expect many more 3rd-place finishes.

Thank GOD they are being handed this lesson on a silver platter (assuming Hoffman wins) with the 2010 elections a year out.

[ChessExpert]

This is good news. Is there really a compelling reason why conservatives should support liberal Republicans?

Consider the Presidency. Yes, I realize that Americans may lose all freedom with left-wing Democrats controlling Congress and the White House. But if McCain were President, we'd have to put on our smiling faces and watch him do many of the same things as Obama - with Republicans getting the blame. I voted for McCain, but it may be a blessing he lost.

[rockinqsranch]

It’s really a wait and see if the GOP has really awakened, or if they see an avenue towards reacquainting themselves with our wallets. For all intensive purposes this party is over no matter who wins, so it doesn’t matter at this point if they switch hit with Hoffman instead of Scuzzywhatsa.

I call BS on any suggestion the RINO leadership of the GOP is turning a new leaf.

Expose the RINO’s, and make them run for cover like the cockroaches they are.

[P-Marlowe]

The Grass roots are sprouting!

No more RINOS!

Let the Tea Parties begin!

[ntnychik]

“the Conservative Party nominee whose candidacy has divided the party.”

Actually, I’d say that Dede’s progressive candidacy has divided the party.

[Kevmo]

Come on, admit it, you wrote this article as well. If not, it looks like reality is moving faster than you can parody it.

[bestintxas]

This is the reason I never give to the National GOP.

I give to candidates only.

I am first a consersative and second a Republican.

Let RINOS die off.

[kidd]

Meaningless, until they actually endore Hoffman and ask Scozzafava to drop out.

Unless they do this, they are splitting the vote in favor of Owens.