Posted on 09/03/2004 5:21:05 AM PDT by OESY
The common... "analysis" surrounding the Republican National Convention was that the president was showcasing moderates like Rudy Giuliani and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and a populist like John McCain.... [I]t wasn't that long ago when each of these men was horribly maligned by the same media that now holds them up approvingly as centrists: Mr. Giuliani as a heartless mayor hell-bent on cleaning up New York City's streets; Mr. Schwarzenegger as an Austrian immigrant with Third Reich sympathies; and John McCain, as one of the Keating Five.
...[They] told us that these men were given prominent roles to soften President George W. Bush's harsh, conservative image and help him appeal to the undecided and independent voters....
...[L]et me suggest that the media have it all wrong. They don't understand the Republican Party... [or]conservatism. And they don't understand President Bush.
There was one central theme in the Schwarzenegger, Giuliani and McCain speeches. And that theme was conservatism. They were all unabashed and unashamed advocates of conservative principles and policies. In fact, none of them mentioned any of the issues that supposedly define them as moderates.
Sen. McCain, the most liberal, spoke almost exclusively of the president's wartime leadership and the need for the nation to unite behind him....
Mr. Giuliani delivered a stirring and courageous speech on Tuesday. He defied Democrat politicians and media pundits who warned against mentioning 9/11 -- as if it's not the most important event of our time....
Gov. Schwarzenegger's speech was spellbinding. He spoke of the American Dream, and the opportunities it afforded him and millions like him. He lauded liberty and capitalism. No doubt to the consternation of his one-time media admirers.... And all three invoked numerous times the name of the most conservative president in our lifetime, if not in American history -- President Ronald Reagan....
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
And John Kerry "served" in Vietnam, in case you didn't know...
After McVain's comments this morning, I disagree about characterizing him as a conservative. I'm one of those people who parts company with the Senator over the need for government imposed "civility" via CFR. I'm an old-fashioned First Amendment champion. What Senator Miller or I say is NONE of McVain's business.
I'll read the whole thing later, but right off it strikes me that he says McCain is the most liberal. McCain, is in fact pro-life, is he not? Giuliani and Schwarzenegger are not. McCain, though while not voting for the recent Marriage Amendment, did and does support the Federal Defense of Marriage Act; does he not? I doubt it if Giuliani and Arnold would.
It seems to me that Arnold and Rudy are social liberals, not moderates and certainly not conservatives. On economics, national security, and crime related issues they may indeed be conservative.
All of them are worthless on immigration.
Oh Rush, even you have to spin it. We don't care what you say -- these men are not conservatives. The sad thing is , I doubt you even believe what you're saying
Of course Rush has been a hopeless tool of the Republicans for quite a while.
I'm sorry, but I will not believe anyone is conservative until they have as a minimum a "rape/incest/life of mother" pro-life position.
A conservative believes in life, liberty, pursuit of happiness. We can't be robbing people of LIFE and calling ourselves conservative. LIFE is the ultimate value.
I think you can become a conservative when you work towards smaller government...unlike Bush last night who wants government health centers everywhere.
"They were all unabashed and unashamed advocates of conservative principles and policies."
That is true.
But unfortunately "conservative principles and policies" do not include "conserving" the Bill of Rights.
McCain disparages and dismisses Amendment I.
Guiliani disparages and dismisses Amendment II, IV.
Limbaugh disparages and dismisses Amendment IX.
And all of them disparage or dismiss Amendment V (nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.)
Being a "conservative" implies "conserving" something. What are they conserving?
Rush has just earned his "wrong 1% of the time" number for this year...
Yeah right abortion and gun control are conservative principles
HINT
That is part of what cost the dems control of congrees in 94
They are all moderates. Reagan ws the last conservative
But let's not fool ourselves into thinking that any of them, on balance, are conservatives.
Has Rush gone nuts? Rudy and Arnold are liberals. Pro gun control, pro abortion, pro high taxes, pro govt control of businesses, etc. These guys positions are closer to Ted Kennedy than Ronald Reagan.
Rush lost his credibility along with his sense of humor several years ago.
That statement goes a lot farther than just the two out of three conservatives discussed in the WSJ article.
The current healthcare/insurance situation is broken. I'm not a socialized medicine advocate, but something needs to be done. I was let go from a Big5 consultancy in 2003 and my COBRA payments were more than my mortgage for a family of four.
Its broken.
Bingo! Give this man a cigar.
I agree it's broken. But government health centers sound like a terrible idea to me.
What he doesn't understand is that the Republican party is now made up of conservatives which identify with the Republic and liberals that identify with Democracy. The Democrat party is made up entirely of Socialists -- a 3rd and very distinct group. A long, long, time ago many of us here would be Democrats -- its unfortunate that the party was overrun by European socialists and this is what Zell finally caught on to when he went back to D.C. for Paul Coverdale and why the entire south has switched from the Democrat party to the Republican party.
It's all a matter of PERSPECTIVE.Consider this, from the perspective of someone like the grand Ayotala Sistani Rush Limbaugh is moderate or even liberal.Micheal Savage considers "W" to be a liberal while Al Franken would call him a far right zealot.To me Ws "compassionate conservatism" is just a fancy too long catch phrase for moderate.Which is not entirely a bad thing if you want to get elected.
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