Posted on 01/31/2007 8:46:24 AM PST by Antoninus
Fanaticism Uber Alles is the slogan of the Implacables.
Well my first choice was Jeb Bush but W has destroyed the Bush name. Then Allen until he macaca'd himself out of existence. Now, I lean towards either Romney or Giuliani. I could live with McCain. All three could win the general election. Hunter as no more chance than Dennis Kucinich. If Hunter gets to 25% in the polls, then maybe youve got a one in a lifetime deal. But when you are one percent in the polls, if that, dont tell me the media and Dems are very afraid. It just undercuts your argument.
And dont assume that being Committee Chairman gives you brownie points with the public. Committee chairmen, especially those with R's behind their names are not in very good esteem among the public. They are viewed as synonomous with the failed Republican congress that just got the boot.
I hate to let history intrude into your rant, but the GOP wins by attracting centrists, not by chasing leftward after them.
Reagan won by giving centrist Dems a reason not to vote for Democrats. Likewise Newt did the same in 1994.
When pubbies shift from Reagan's positions, they lose. In 1992, and in 2006, to be exact.
But yet you tell us to take another run at that football being held by that black-haired chick?
Limbaugh says "moderates" are liberals. I agree with him. [Limbaugh thinks Mannheim Steamroller is the height of musical perfection too. He is wrong about a lot of things but don't confuse his rhetoric with reality. A LOT of moderates have been voting GOP and keeping the Nutcases out of the White House.]
Giuliani would not get my vote in the general election. [Of course you wouldn't no one expects any sense out of you.] McCain would not. [You won't have to make that sacrifice.] No Democrat would. [You prefer to elect them indirectly and then piously claim "it wasn't my fault."] (I would consider Zell Miller if I knew his NRA rating. [Hilarious Zell was a standard liberal except for his defense policy. Apparantly you have not read his autobiography.])
Hey anything to use to defeat the evil GOP.
I am as avid a reader of FR as there is and it is UNDENIABLE that there was very little notice of Hunter even here the hot house of conservativism.
Hunter's been known [to whom?] for his outspokenness while other Republicans sit back and let the madness go on. [This ridiculous claim makes the case for Hunter even MORE difficult to make. If he REALLY is known then his miserable poll numbers make it even less likely he will win.]
BTW, if you're so confident why is it only $10?! [I already support FR monthly and still have a son whom I must occasionally finance. Will it EVER end?]
One can certainly be confused about the differences between attracting and chasing, but it is certainly easy to see the divide between attracting and dismissing.
The centrist middle swung to the democrats in the last election, and it was most notable in the South, where the GOP had established a power base.
In my own State. The GOP was decimated. This in spite of straight ticket voters like myself. This process has been going on since 2000, and it culminated in a complete rout last November. We elected no Republicans to any important office and we lost the few we had.
This is not a anomaly, and I see nothing being done to stop it.
My guess is that the GOP understands the situation and will be very cautious in this cycle so that it retains some funds, and does not over extend in a climate where more losses are inevitable.
The reason why, is this screwed up base, that you contend is in the process of getting better as it pursues a more conservative agenda.
In reality, it is this very mindset that is destroying the future political prospects of the party.
But carry on.....The death of the party is not very far off, and when it comes, the rebuilding will begin. Some believe the sooner the better.
I would be inclined to agree with them. We don't want to leave the Dem's in charge, any longer than necessary, and it will take a bit of time for the public to see the truth about the false perceptions they have created. All this must occur before any opportunity will emerge for the GOP, and the interim chaos will not change the timetable a bit. I'm guessin 2014 will be the first opportunity to come.
What is happening now is very much like the final panic of a heard of cattle before they all jump off the cliff together.
I plan to watch it with some amusement. But it has all happened before, and will happen again as history repeats and repeats, and repeats......
I wish things were different, but I have accepted the reality of the moment. I will continue to try to mitigate the damages, but i suspect all attempts will certainly fail miserably.
This Duncan Hunter knee jerk is just one more nail in the coffin as we play the game that the Dem's have skillfully led us into.
The very idea that moving further right will insure a national election win for a president is just about the most idiotic assertion that one can make with todays political dynamics.
But.......so the cookie crumbles....
Your post spoke for itself but I guess you are trying to weasel out of it. You asked for more than a handful of threads prior to Nov. on Duncan Hunter because you say that he is a nobody and was not known whatsoever. Well, I provide you with evidence and you have nothing to say for your ignorance. The man has been on shows, been in an important committee chairmanship, has been a vocal critic of the media and Demonrat shenanigans as shown in those threads. Why were there even threads, ANYTHING written about Duncan Hunter if he was really just a nobody?? As for the $10, that just shows how unconfident you were in your claims. YOU are the one who chose to make such a wager and the one who put yourself in this place by your ignorant post. Like I say, you have no idea of what you speak.
Ha! Just as you can expect, look at thread 367. And they're the one who put themselves in this predicament!
Oh, for cryin' out loud, grow some thicker skin. This is primary season, which on FR is a full-contact sport - it was just this way in 1999. Both sides are throwing shots, and both will shrug it off just like rugby players knock each other silly and then go out for a beer after the game.
The reason so many on the right are making a lot of noise is that they see Rudy as the near-absolute worst choice to win in 2008 (with McVain slightly worse).
You don't hold the party together from the far left of such, and you don't draw Reagan Democrats by making yourself indistinguishable from the Dem for issues that drew them in the past, such as abortion.
The GOP moderates, having spent the party out of power, seem to think that doing more of what failed (moving leftward) is the solution to what has been failing. That, quite frankly, is the liberal mindset personified (with publik skools being the prime example).
And there is an even more problematic factor rushing headfirst at the party for 2008. The Dems are now preparing to draft immigration "reform" legislation that will be appalling. And Bush will most likely sign it. That will infuriate a lot of conservatives.
And if a pro-amnesty pubbie like Rudy or McVain is nominated, many of them will just leave, because the party no longer represents their views on too many key issues.
That is why Duncan Hunter is doing well now on the right - he is pro-defense, pro-WOT and anti-amnesty. I'd rather get a more marquee name in place, but he's the only pony running right now on the right that is right about most of the issues.
Funny, I recall the East Coast GOP establishment saying that in 1980. And 1992.
Yes, it's much better for the GOP to bend over with the new tone, isn't it? Which only proves you have no clue what we are up against this next election.
Well, that settles it! I'm changing my tagline!
Change the subject, LOL. If he's so electable why didn't Rudy take on the chance to go after Hillary both times? Hmmm? I'm from NY and I'll tell you he wouldn't have beaten her in this cesspool. He won't win the 'blue' states that are so reliably Demonrat and we'll be lucky if he is able to hang onto the 'red' states that will be crucial due to his splitting the GOP vote. Guns, abortion, etc. will play a major factor because they are very important issues to many and Rudy would need EVERY vote he could get. Not a good bet. And you really haven't answered who was the last President to only hold the office of mayor. Fact is, it's none. At least one can cite James Garfield as a Congressman elected President while you have NO history to back you up.
So we need to draft Paris Hilton for 2008! She's got the best name recognition going! So what if she did a sex video - values don't matter any more!
"I dont see threads for those longshots but I do see Duncan Hunter is scaring the MSM and the Dems bullshit. We need to get busy and get someone who can actualy defeat the evil Dems. The Dems will be able to do a lot of damage in a short time with House, Senate and the Presidency."
Thank you for your post in assuring us that Hunter does in fact scare you! So much for he hasn't a chance in hell, LOL. Hunter's going to catch on with a lot of people whether you like it or not. It only gets better after people discover the man and you obviously know that.
GOPUSA POLL
Sam Brownback
-- 6%
Bill Frist
-- 0%
Newt Gingrich
-- 19%
Rudy Giuliani
-- 9%
Chuck Hagel
-- 0%
Mike Huckabee
-- 1%
Duncan Hunter
-- 16%
John McCain
-- 6%
George Pataki
-- 0%
Condoleezza Rice
-- 5%
Mitt Romney
-- 11%
Tom Tancredo
-- 9%
Other
-- 11%
Total Votes: 10648
Being a vet carries A LOT of weight with the public. Notice how the Demonrats parade Webb out all the time! And Kerry tried to play the 'hero' role until his treason was exposed by the Swift Vets. And Hunter's chairmanship will show that he was MORE than a 'backbencher' in Congress. He is in a leadership role and especially on defense issues. Hunter is also an outstanding communicator.
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