GOP Likes Chafee As Best Chance in R.I.

AP ^ | 11/15/5 | M.L. JOHNSON

[SmithL]

Warwick, R.I. -- Liberal Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee refused to support President Bush in the last election, opposed the GOP tax cuts and was the only Republican to vote against the use of military force in Iraq, a war he has likened to Vietnam.

So why, a year before the election, is the GOP embracing Chafee and spending close to $200,000 on television ads aimed at undercutting his conservative rival in the Republican primary, Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey?

Like him or not, Republicans consider Chafee their best chance to win in heavily Democratic Rhode Island.

[G.Mason]

What you say has much merit.

The facts are that the voting public is split 50 - 50 on Presidential elections. This means that 50 % seem to desire world peace at any price, anything goes morality, the goverment to provide everything for them here at home and to not only be more like, but to play kissy face with the Euro-weenies.

The other half wish to be more self sufficient, pay less taxes, be more nationalistic and lead the world in the direction our Founding Fathers envisioned.

I would suggest that we are losing the battle and retaining those RINO's that give aid and succor to the enemy Dems is both obscene and delusional. It is also a disease that is spreading.

For crying out loud, just look at the Senate action today! They defeated a Dem proposal that would have mandated when we get out of Iraq and then ... come back with one that demands the President advise them, routinely of how the war is going. That, instead of shutting their yaps and recognizing that there are three branches of government, not two.

This President, for all intents and purposes has allowed the crew to head the ship of state into a field of icebergs. The only question is will he go down with the ship, or give an order to place the mutineers in the brig and steer towards warmer water.

[mewzilla]

The ONLY value that Chaffee serves, is that he helps give the GOP a majority.

Which is worse than useless when the party's overrun with RINOs. IMHO :)

[Zack Attack]

Why bother spending the $200,000 on Chafee anyway? It's not like a conservative is actually going to beat him out in RI for the Repub nomination.

Oh. I get it. The money and ads are just goodwill gestures to insure he is "loyal". Hahahaha.

[FreeReign]

They defeated a Dem proposal that would have mandated when we get out of Iraq and then ... come back with one that demands the President advise them, routinely of how the war is going.

The administration already briefs the senators about the. Rumsfeld said today that they've done this 99 times during the Iraq war.

Yawn.

[kittymyrib]

Why in the world do we need chairmanships when we put doofuses like Specter in the Judiciary Com. post? I think all RINOs should be turned out of office. It would be the best thing for the others in the party and might give them a much-needed wake-up call. The President is getting none of his programs through the Senate anyway, so we wouldn't notice the difference if it were under the Dem's control.

[plain talk]

Dems and liberals can't keep winning RI forever. Sooner or later the dam is going to break, and electing a true conservative is the only choice who'll give them the straight dope

Based on what? Hope? You left out RINOs. Its dems, liberals and RINOs. Many who lean conservative in those areas want a good mushy RINO to hide behind. They elect people they can identify with and who they will not be embarrassed about in front of their friends. Pathetic but true. I don't agree that sooner or later the dam will break etc. I think our hope is in finding articulate candidates that can persuade the people to stand up for conservatism. Until we have good candidates we will face this problem. And we may always have to deal with RINOs in the N.E.

[G.Mason]

"Yawn."

I take it you understand the point I was making.

[Night Hides Not]

Oh. I get it. The money and ads are just goodwill gestures to insure he is "loyal". Hahahaha.

The stage was set when the Pubbies gave "Scottish Law" Specter the keys to Judiciary Committee.

A clear message could have been sent to all RINOs (Democrats, too) in Congress had Cornyn or another conservative Senator been named Chairman.

Looking back on it, a clear message was sent by the Republican leadership, and it was clearly the wrong message.

[Political Junkie Too]

As much as I can't bear Chafee, the seat helps hold the majority and keep committee chairmanships.

Only when the difference is by 1, as it was when Jeffords flipped. Wasn't Chafee at the top of everyone's list as the next to flip if Republicans took back the Senate by one seat?

-PJ

[rhombus]

Arg, ice bergs ahoy! Could be thar be ice bergs ahead me buck, but I'd be a sailor not a boat rocker. You speak strategic and I'm speaking tactical. Both are needed and both have consequences.

Yeah the tactical story today is the RINOs appeasing a Democrat hissy fit. How else would the MSM report it? The Dems want to talk about the war - bring it on. What the Senate also did is reject "cut and run" by a large margin in exchange for a regular report of "good news from the front"... something Bush Admin should have done on a regular basis for a long time.

Here's another tactical issue. This one I think is a little more important...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1522665/posts

[FreeReign]

Yawn. The administration already briefs the senators about the war. Rumsfeld said today that they've done this 99 times during the war.

I take it you understand the point I was making.

I've made my point. You're free to clarify your point.

[FreeReign]

What the Senate also did is reject "cut and run" by a large margin in exchange for a regular report of "good news from the front"... something Bush Admin should have done on a regular basis for a long time.

Yep.

[LibertarianInExile]

"For what does it profit a party to win an election but lose its soul?"

Great quote, even if derivative. May I post it on my freeper homepage?

[LibertarianInExile]

"Am I mistaken or didn't the Republican party not too long ago have a policy of not messing in Republican primaries? At least not OPENLY like they have been doing recently."

I was wondering the same thing. WTF? I thought primaries were supposed to be untouched by the national folks!

[Clintonfatigued]

I can understand the NRSC going through the motions of supporting an incumbent. In a liberal state like Rhode Island, I can even see them supporting a lame-brain RINO like Chafee.

But there is no excuse for the negative ads that the NRSC has been running against Stephen Laffey. Especially in that Laffey is not a doctrinaire conservative himself.

[zbigreddogz]

I agree. It's crap, and we should demand it stop.

And this is coming from someone who (grugingly) supported Arlen Specter in 2004 over Toomey.

Chafee is an absolute joke. He's with us on NO major issue. Specter is with us on about half of them.

[Clintonfatigued]

That's a good point. But it's a mistake to assume that Stephen Laffey can't be elected. He has been elected Mayor in a heavily Democrat city, and compiled a record of distinction in the process. Also, though he's pro-life and pro-gun, he is not a hard-line conservative on everything. On some economic issues (like wages, workplace safety, trade, & business regulations), he would probably cross party lines and support the other side.

Don't write off Laffey until you have all the facts.

[NYC Republican]

I agree with you, rhombus. We need to be pragmatic about this. Someone who votes conservative 46% of the time is better than almost any Dem, by far. Plus, your point is a good one (committee chairs).

[mulligan]

They are stuck on stupid!

[Plutarch]

Like him or not, Republicans consider Chafee their best chance to win in heavily Democratic Rhode Island.