Posted on 12/11/2005 7:09:15 PM PST by nj26
Jeanine Pirro is expected to quit her bid to unseat Sen. Hillary Clinton as early as tomorrow, prematurely ending what had been billed as one of the nation's marquee races. Just a few months ago, the smart, aggressive and charming Westchester district attorney was the darling of a Republican Party convinced she was the right candidate who - even if she couldn't beat Clinton - could at least slice into her high approval ratings.
But now, Pirro, 54, is being written off as the first political roadkill of the 2006 election season. And Clinton never even had to throw a punch.
What happened?
"She's been hurt by a lack of money and a campaign that from the beginning has been sputtering at best," said Marist College pollster Lee Miringoff.
Pirro, he said, also fell into the trap of making a central issue of her campaign that Clinton harbors presidential ambitions and won't finish a second term, a claim that, even if true, doesn't seem to matter much to most New Yorkers.
GOP insiders said they expect her to toss in the towel tomorrow when Republican leaders meet in Albany to gear up for next year's elections, which also feature races for governor, state attorney general, Congress and all 212 state lawmakers.
Officially, her campaign says Pirro has no plans to quit, but sources said she will be "drafted" to run for attorney general, a job for which many of her backers say she is well qualified given her background as a prosecutor and former judge.
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
Schwarzenegger and Arlen tought some important lessons for conservatives across the country. These RINOs will stab you in the back, and that's a guarantee. Not only that, these GOP'ers undermine the credibility of other conservative candidates, on the basis of "guilty by association."
BS. RINOs like Collins and Snowe and Spector cast plenty of votes for our side - we will get all three of those votes for Alito for example. can you same the same if those 3 seantors were Dems? don't tell me "RINOs are Dems", look at the voting records of these people.
many states are simply too demographically unbalanced to run your "real conservatives", and have a chance at winning. either you modify your political strategy in those locales, or you lose.
Also, weren't you one of those pro-Harriet freepers?
I must say, the epithet "ultra" makes you come across as a Leftie. You betray your prejudice.
You might be surprised how much CLOSER the race will be when people are offered a CHOICE and not an echo. If running candidates that are identical to the liberal 'Rats in every way except for the party label, there no longer needs a reason for the Republican Party to exist.
BTW, that's how the Whigs were done in, too.
the "Kennedy" name is not the "Clinton" name.
You don't get more "demographically unbalanced" (sic) than Rhode Island. Yet, lo and behold, they have a Conservative GOP Governor. How many times must we go over this with you people until it sinks in ?
Moot point. She's a New Yorker now.
no she isn't - that still is an effective campaign issue against her, especially in light of her moving onto a presidential bid.
"what for, so we can lose by 40 pts with dignity?"
To build up a credible alternative?
It'll take time, yes, but why shouldn't it?
If mean 'ol conservatism won't play in the NY senatorial race, then how about paring back on the conservatism, and not rejecting it completely? Guiliani has his liberal views, but he "focused like a laser beam" on at least one conservative issue - crime. If general social conservatism won't sell, then how about someone whose otherwise "moderate" but is, say, a staunch tax cut advocate? Or pro-tort reform, anti-Kelo decision? Being Hillary-like is no solution.
Pataki is the reason that the N.Y. state GOP is in such terrible shape. He's really run out of steam, ticked far too many people off, and no, he wouldn't have a chance.
"RINOs like Collins and Snowe and Spector cast plenty of votes for our side - we will get all three of those votes for Alito for example."
I wouldn't bet on ANY of those votes for Alito. Snowe has pledged to never vote for an anti-Roe justice to replace Sandra Day O'Connor.
What's Al DeMato up to these days?
With the right opponent ( which she won't have now ), Hillary would be beatable.
The fact she was not a New Yorker was an issue in 2000, it is a non-issue now. The issue that she isn't interested in completing a 2nd term in order to run for President, however, IS an effective campaign issue. Here's hoping Mayor Spencer will exploit it greatly and offer a clearly different vision for New Yorkers than Hillary or Pirro would offer.
And did you notice that it's the non-New Yorkers who don't know a thing about N.Y. politics, who have the biggest mouths?
You actually got one right for a change.
Exactly! You have nailed it but some folks on here cannot seem to get a clue. You are not going to elect conservatives in some states and the conservatives or nothing would rather see a liberal Dem get the position rather than vote for a moderate Republican.
Disgusting!
Bovine excrement !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
but abortion is always the #1 issue the conservatives line up with. don't line up as pro-life, you are instantly a RINO. its the defining issue for that classification. and add gay rights to that.
so take someone who had the other positions you mention - tax cuts, fiscal conservative, pro judicial reform, etc - add pro-choice and/or gay rights to that, and they are instantly branded a RINO. you know it as well as I do, so don't tell me we can define a non-RINO candidate based on "other issues", we can't, we are trapped behind those two issues. that may be OK in a presidential race, but in a state like NY, it doesn't play - there is no massive "silent vote" waiting out there over that.
More bovine excrement from the peanut gallery, I see.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.