GOP hopefuls for '08 breaking from Bush

The Washington Times ^ | 26 August 2005 | Bill Sammon

[Aussie Dasher]

Republican senators with White House ambitions have begun to break with President Bush on a variety of issues to prove their independence from the second-term president.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee staked out his own ground on the issue of stem-cell research. Sen. George Allen of Virginia publicly disagreed with Mr. Bush's refusal to meet a second time with anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan.

Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska compared the war in Iraq to the Vietnam War, an analogy that is anathema to Mr. Bush. Sen. John McCain of Arizona has long disagreed with the president's tax cuts and confidence in Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

"As the incumbent president gets into his second term, a lot of people who lust after his job are trying to differentiate themselves -- not so much from him as from each other," said David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union.

[nonliberal]

Sen. George Allen of Virginia publicly disagreed with Mr. Bush's refusal to meet a second time with anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan.

Allen lost my vote.

Pence 08!

[adam_az]

"My pick broke with President Bush also. But that is a good thing. J.D Hayworth broke on border security. J.D. and Condi '08"

We know nothing of her politics, other than her tendency to kiss Islamic ass just like Powell did.

[JohnnyZ]

This current field for '08 is acting more like Bill Clinton. Checking their focus polling for every position and every word. Choosing to take a stand against the President only on issues the MSM will support and the base does not

You do realize you're repeating the MSM line on those items.

[JohnnyZ]

Nobody mentioned Mitt Romney... I'm really not sure of his ideas, but he hasn't said or done anything against Bush.

Welcome to FR. Romney and Rudy started out disagreeing with Bush on a whole range of topics. I'm not sure how much further away from him they could get.

[Stellar Dendrite]

we need another reagan. no rinos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Owen]

We will not win with a Senator in 2008. If Hillary is the nominee, we need a Republican Governor from a Kerry state with balanced books to beat her.

It's always about electoral votes. The states that were close are the ones at risk. So when I say Kerry state I mean slightly Kerry.

There are not many choices. Pawlenty of Minnesota would be a delightful peeling off of 10 EVs. If we held onto NM, IA and NV, Hillary could have Ohio (where you can bet she'll campaign nonstop) and still lose.

I think Paktaki of NY is probably too moderate on abortion to energize our base, and he's probably also not guaranteed to bring NY's EVs to the table vs Hillary, so maybe not him.

Romney in Massachussetts is a pipe dream. No way MA will give its EVs to the GOP. Ditto Erlich in MD.

We have a GOP woman governor in Hawaii. That would be interesting. She is a fiscal conservative. Don't know if she's pro Life.

And there is always Condi.

But the point is, as has always been true, Senators have too extensive a voting record for the opposition to mine and find embarrassing positions.

[Corin Stormhands]

Sen. George Allen of Virginia publicly disagreed with Mr. Bush's refusal to meet a second time with anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan.

He DID NOT disagree with the President.

He merely said HE would have met with her before she began her media circus. AND he said that he wouldn't meet with her NOW because it would be pointless.

[COEXERJ145]

Go consult a dictionary before calling someone a socialist. You obviously don't have a clue as to what a socialist really is.

[manwiththehands]

" ... moth-eaten ass."?

Nasty ... LMAO ... she really does have some problems, doesn't she?

[RedEyeJack]

Hillery, like Bill before her, will tell you and everyone else exactly what you (they) want to hear. Be careful and don't be "seduced" by her promises... She is a "Bill" in "Hill" clothing, you can count on it.

[Happy2BMe]

BTTT

[ConservativeDude]

Good grief....I was hoping that this was going to talk about how they were breaking to the right, not to the left.

[jaydubya2]

"Sen. John McCain of Arizona has long disagreed with the president's tax cuts..."

Get a clue John, The tax cut have been one of Bush's most successful proposals!

[Wolfstar]

...my only concern is if McCain and Hagel team up on an Independent Ticket.

With their egos, they'd be at each other's throats deciding who gets to be top of the ticket and who gets to be VP. Neither one of them have even the most remote chance of getting the GOP nomination. The wonder is that both of them are so out of touch with the base of the party that they really think they have a chance at it.

I've liked George Allen from his early days in politics. Just think he made a strategic mistake in deciding to run for relection to the senate next year instead of leaving to run for president from outside Washington.

[Gipper08]

The current crop of candidates surely are lacking in many areas especially when it comes to true limited government ideas and proposals.Luckily we have time to lay the ground work for a real conservative in 2008.All of the special interest groups are dissatisfied with the current group,all of them love Mike Pence.Bottom line,they WILL stick their neck out for a "mere" congressman if we lay the ground work and get grassroots support.Can you imagine Phyllis Schlafly,The Club for Growth,NTU,Family Research Council,etc,etc,all behind the same candidate?
It would be a real shame if the "Christian Right" gets behind behind one guy and the fiscal right gets behind another,all the while McCain or Giuliani wins the nomination.Conservatism is how we win.Politics as usual is flirting with disaster and Hillary as POTUS.

[Gipper08]

What is your take on Pawlenty? All my Minnesota friends swear by Brian Sullivan and claim that Pawlenty is NOT the real deal.Does Pawlenty have the support of Conservatives in Minnesota?

[MNJohnnie]

All my Minnesota friends swear by Brian Sullivan and claim that Pawlenty is NOT the real deal.Does Pawlenty have the support of Conservatives in Minnesota?


I personally like Pawlenty but he is too willing to cut deals. I suspect he would be a Bush type and have EVERYONE mad at him. Given how strident our politics has gotten, I suspect the next Pres is going to have to be an ideologue of one stripe or another. The next Pres is probably going to have to be a Democrat pretending to be a moderate Republican (AKA Bill Clinton style) or a hard corp Barry Goldwater style Republican. Given the political environment, I do not think a Moveon.org Dim or a Moderate Republican (Pawlenty) can win.

[Gipper08]

"Never. The way to victory is always to stand for conservative principals. Republicans never get elected by morphing into RINOS."

Well said.Have you ever heard of Mike Pence?

[NJ_gent]

"Give me someone tough on Illegals and willing to veto an overly bloated spending bill and he/she has my vote. And this person DOES NOT have to be a Republocrat."

At this point, I'd vote for a hamster if I knew it'd actually deliver those two things.

[Erik Latranyi]

McCain and Hagel running as Independents would be Hillary's perfect storm.

You know, after 2000 and 2004, I'm getting kinda sick and tired of hearing how McCain is going to run as an independent or as VP for the Dem Candidate.

He won't. Drop the conspiracy here and now.