[Jim Robinson]

Sorry, but your end game is decidedly short sighted. The end game has nothing whatsoever to do with Hillary/Obama/Edwards per se. The end game worth fighting for in the very least has to include securing and preserving the rights to life and liberty for ourselves and our posterity. Once you give up either, you never get them back.

If the Republican party writes off the pro life, pro liberty planks, it loses its standing as a great conservative party. From that point forward it doesn't matter which liberal wins or loses. Our freedoms will continue to be eroded away by big government liberals to greater and greater degrees.

But should this happen, I do believe the more determined among us will continue the fight against liberalism/socialism, etc. It just may be in different venue.

Long live the Republic!

[fatima]

Thanks Jim.

[PhiKapMom]

Sir, do I take it to mean from your statements that if Rudy gets the nomination, you will be taking Free Republic 3rd Party?

[Melas]

Jim with all due respect, those of us who are supporting Rudy are every bit as much a part of the Republican base as you are. I've voted for a Republican in every presidential election since I cast my first vote for Reagan in his second term. The GOP never fails to ask me for money, and they haven't returned one of my checks yet.

With all due respect Jim, if you want to see those who truly AREN'T a part of the Republican base, turn your eyes to the petulant few who're forever threatening to hold their breath and turn blue should they lose a primary fair and square. As a part of the true Republican base, I can assure you that I'm voting for the GOP candidate whether it turns out to be Rudy, Hunter, or even (shudder) McCain.

We hold different views on who should be the nominee, but in my book, that's ok. That's what primaries are all about. We're going to select one man/woman out of a field of many. It doesn't bother me at all that others support a different guy.