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McCain, Graham warn of potential trouble for GOP next year
Dateline Alabama.com ^ | 11/21/05 | AP By BRUCE SMITH

Posted on 11/21/2005 11:57:23 AM PST by TexasCajun

With the war in Iraq, higher energy costs and breakneck government spending, the GOP faces a tough round of congressional elections in 2006 unless things change, two key Republican senators warned during a campaign appearance.

"I think if this were not an odd-numbered year, we would have great difficulties," said U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

McCain and fellow-Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina were interviewed by The Associated Press when they stopped here Sunday night to campaign for Republican state Attorney General Henry McMaster.

"But we can recover," McCain said. "Reagan recovered. Clinton recovered. We can recover."

The party must show "progress in Iraq, we need a comprehensive energy package and we need to stop this profligate spending," he warned.

"If the election were tomorrow, we'd be in trouble," agreed Graham, who said the party must work to cut spending.

"If we really want to do well in 2006, we need to have fiscal discipline like Republicans campaigned on," he said. "We have lost our way as a party. Our base is deflated and taxpayers don't see any difference between us and the Democrats."

Graham said the party has to again reach the voters.

"You don't have to stop being conservative, you got to start connecting," he said, adding "we need to adjust and if we don't adjust, we're going to be in trouble."

The party, he said, must be honest enough to admit that things aren't going as well as hoped in Iraq.

"Democrats who have this cut-and-run strategy - the public doesn't want to follow that. They want to follow Republicans who understand the war is not going as well as it should but who understand that our security is better off with a successful outcome in Iraq," he said.

The message in Iraq, McCain said, "is we are making progress, we have to make progress and we regret the loss of every single young American. But the benefits of success are enormous."

McCain has been mentioned as a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2008. He said he will not make a decision on a race until after next year's elections.

McCain, looking at Graham, told the crowd of about 100 people that "some people have said this might be a very attractive vice presidential candidate."

The crowd clapped and whistled. Graham simply smiled.


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; 2006; 3rdpartycandidate; amnestynut; armyofone; bushbasher; bushsfault; campaignfinquagmire; congpuppet; democratbuttkisser; dncplant; donthateme; donttortureme; fondafan; gangofidiots; gop; johnkerryfan; johnperot; legendinownmind; matthewsfantasy; mccainiac; mcvain; mecain; mediadarling; mediapony; mosttvshowsinaday; noteamplayer; paininthebush; partydivider; perotof2008; presidentialfantasy; rinos; rossfan; toomuchazsun; wendelwhiner; wheresthecamera; wrongwaymccain
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To: Cboldt

90 - 9 vote. Disgraceful...


41 posted on 11/21/2005 12:40:40 PM PST by DTogo (I haven't left the GOP, the GOP left me.)
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To: Obadiah

Clueless, or totally unconcerned. Take your pick.


42 posted on 11/21/2005 12:45:02 PM PST by clee1 (We use 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 2 to pull a trigger. I'm lazy and I'm tired of smiling.)
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To: ElPatriota

Hagel is the worst of the worst.
I'd vote for Hillary Clinton before I'd vote for Hagel. To me, he is a despicable sell-out who has no principles.
While McCain and Graham have their issues, at least sometimes they are on the right side, Hagel has no redeemable qualities...I hate to speak in this way about a man who served our country, but he is what he is.


43 posted on 11/21/2005 12:48:48 PM PST by threeleftsmakearight
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To: TexasCajun
(hands covering my ears)

Two Republican Senators talking? BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH I AM NOT LISTENING BLAH BLAH BLAH

44 posted on 11/21/2005 12:55:40 PM PST by manwiththehands
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To: DTogo
90 - 9 vote. Disgraceful...

That was one of the two - the other was passage on a voice vote, with a promise (threat) from McCain to attach the amendment(s) to every bill that passes through the Senate, until he gets his way.

45 posted on 11/21/2005 12:57:00 PM PST by Cboldt
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Comment #46 Removed by Moderator

To: A.Hun

"Good Lord help me and the rest of South Carolina figure out what to do with Lindsey Graham!"

In the Pink Panther movies, Peter Sellers disguised himself as a pirate with a rubber, blow-up parrot on his shoulder...

Clouseau - McCain

parrot - Graham


47 posted on 11/21/2005 12:58:04 PM PST by DawesRidesAgain (Know the press for the Fifth Columnists that they are!)
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To: digger48

You got it!


48 posted on 11/21/2005 1:00:49 PM PST by FerdieMurphy (For English press one. Only in America!)
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To: threeleftsmakearight

It says they drew an audience of 100 people. Whoopee! Bush has that many standing at the fence hoping to see him walk to his helicopter. The Press keeps arguing that
bush's low poll numbers are a problem for Congress, but I don't think it is that. The Media has 17% credibility, followed by Congress at 32, and Bush at 40. Isn't the media pulling everyone else down?


49 posted on 11/21/2005 1:05:15 PM PST by ClaireSolt (.)
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To: TexasCajun
The MSM is telling the people what they should be thinking again.

The American public couldn't care less about the current bickering in DC.They couldn't care less about memos and intel,yellow cake or aluminum tubes.We got hit and we hit back.That's something Americans care about.And they re-elected the president who hit back.I think that's plain enough.

Bush should just consider that case closed,and drive on with his domestic agenda to reform social security and the income tax.The democrats in congress have created all this noise,and hope to drown out the last two years of Bush 43.

Next November is still a long way off.But already there is wishful thinking among the lefties that the dems will pick up one of the houses of congress.Their cry will be the "culture of corruption".

50 posted on 11/21/2005 1:06:11 PM PST by hschliemann
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To: DawesRidesAgain

ROTFLMAO!

It sure does seem that way.

Lindsey "Parrot" Graham...I like it!


51 posted on 11/21/2005 1:08:25 PM PST by A.Hun (Flagellum Dei)
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To: TexasCajun

Memo to Graham:

Your loafers have been reported to be "light".

Memo to McCain:

Your cannon has been reported to be "loose".


52 posted on 11/21/2005 1:09:30 PM PST by alarm rider (Irritating leftists as often as is humanly possible....)
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To: threeleftsmakearight

Well, I just sent him an email, letting him know the way we feel about him and his actions as of late. Pandering to the Left media (MSM), etc. I doubt that it will change his mind in the least, but I had to try.


53 posted on 11/21/2005 1:36:38 PM PST by ElPatriota (Let's not forget we are all still friends despite our differences :))
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To: FlipWilson

"while the dems still offer, well, does anyone know because I sure as hell am unable to tell."

Howlin Howie claims he'll tell us the dems' big plan in 2006. I for one am looking forward to it.


54 posted on 11/21/2005 1:43:52 PM PST by hsalaw
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To: TexasCajun

Don't ya just get tired of the same jackasses spewing the same BS? I would really like these idiots to just shut up and crawl under the nearest rock. Amen.


55 posted on 11/21/2005 1:52:50 PM PST by gakrak ("A wise man's heart is his right hand, But a fool's heart is at his left" Eccl 10:2)
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To: TexasCajun

One is judged by his companions Lindsey. You're playing a dangerous game.


56 posted on 11/21/2005 1:53:41 PM PST by mrsmith
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To: A.Hun

I agree with you, and I was planning to move my family down there from Lib infested NY. Amen.


57 posted on 11/21/2005 1:53:45 PM PST by gakrak ("A wise man's heart is his right hand, But a fool's heart is at his left" Eccl 10:2)
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To: gakrak

You would love it here. Everyone does!

Everytime I want to flush him down the toilet, he says something great about the President, or takes a principled stand in a vote or something.

When I get feeling better about him, McCain shows up and ruins him.

Time will tell, but if he screws up, we will vote him out! You need to come on down and help!


58 posted on 11/21/2005 1:58:29 PM PST by A.Hun (Flagellum Dei)
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To: TexasCajun

Oh boy, then we should believe them. Especially Graham.


59 posted on 11/21/2005 2:03:08 PM PST by cubreporter (I trust Rush. He's done more for our country than we will ever know. He's the man!)
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To: TexasCajun

Two of the major problems the Repubs face are Quislings like McClown and Graham.


60 posted on 11/21/2005 2:04:07 PM PST by ZULU (Fear the government which fears your guns. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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