Too liberal? The former NH senator had one of the most conservative records in the Senate. Personally, I can't blame Bob for being bitter. The Republican party and administration is nothing more than Democrat-lite these days. One new government program after another...prescription plans, education plans, CFR just to name a few items. Bush and company are NOT conservatives.
And supporting Kerry is going to bring more conservatism into the govt?? Ronald Reagan had large deficits during most of his tenure. Clinton did not (thanks to Newt). Does that make Clinton a Conservative and Reagan a liberal? Pull your head out. On social issues (embryonic stemm cells, abortion, poofer marriage, religious exclusion from public life, gun rights, school accountability) Bush is as conservative as RWR.
On fiscal matters, Bush knew, as did you, that a prescription drug benefit to seniors was inevitable, and therefore coerced a program through that is head and antlers better than what the Demwits were shooting for. His willingness to reform Social Security also shows he has a real pair of rocks.
Also, picking up the SDI ball that Reagan created and fighting the terror masters with courage and conviction puts him into pretty good conservative company. Unless your idea of conservatism is like Pat Buchanan's.
Some principles!
I agree with you, and don't know what most of these posters are thinking except for knee-jerk support of Bush. Bush started this by stabbing Smith in the back, not by only 'not supporting' Smith, but by actively supporting his opponent in the primary.
Think Arlen Specter, for comparison. Bush could have supported the conservative candidate for PA Sen., but instead he backed Specter, one of the most liberal GOP Sens.
BTW, there's plenty of 'nutcases' and loose cannons in the senate -- McCain, Chafee -- that Bush supports.
And BTW, the reason Hatfield and Sununu's father support Bush is because they are now lobbyists in DC and need to support him in order to earn a nice living. In contrast, Smith served in the senate trying to make a difference, and when his time was up he retired instead of living like a parasitic worm on the body politic.