Posted on 03/29/2007 9:21:46 AM PDT by gesully
In order for the Republicans to win the 2008 Presidential election we are going to have to get some crossover votes. The Evangelical Right is too immersed in the righteousness of social issues to deal with the hard facts of financial and international issues. In other words they will vote for a loser if he or she supports their social beliefs.
I like Newt Gingrich. I do not believe he is electable because of his baggage the media will use this baggage to destroy him. They did it before. He is liked by Conservatives but loathed by moderate Democrats and some moderate Republicans. He cannot covert blue states.
I like Mitt Romney. I do not believe he is electable because he is a suit. I dont believe he has the charisma to draw moderate Democrats and many Evangelicals will shun him because of his religion. He cannot convert blue states.
Fred Thompson, Duncan Hunter and the others are at noise level in the national polls. These people may be desirable because they are closer to being the Conservative we would like to have. But ask yourself. Can they win? Can they convert blue states? I dont think so. The previous two presidential elections were extraordinarily close. The entitlement crowd and blue urban states are becoming juggernauts. Remember, it is the electoral vote which decides elections. Not our favorite guy. We have to get someone who can convert a few blue states to red while holding the red states.
I like Rudy Giuliani. I believe he is electable. He is known. He is respected by many moderate Democrats. He has demonstrated political competency. The Evangelicals he loses will be more than made up for by crossover Democrats. He is weak on some social issues, notably abortion, guns and same sex marriage. These things dont bother me because they are decided in the courts, not in the White House and he has said he will nominate originalist judges. He has the potential to win some blue states. He is tough and ruthless. He is articulate. He knows how to maneuver politically. All of these are missing in President Bush. Enough of this compassionate conservative crap. We need a Pattenesque approach to politics and we want that person on our side.
We have to get real. As Conservatives we are at a genuine crisis point. If a Democrat is elected as President in 2008 and if the Democrat majorities hold in congress we have lost it all. We are getting a small taste of the future with the Democrat-controlled Senate and House which were lost by our people not showing up to vote. Look what that got us.
Having a Republican President is all that stands between us and a grim future. If we dont win the presidency (and the House and Senate remain Democrat) the Bush tax cuts will be rescinded, we will get real tax increases, nationalized health care (which once enacted will never be overturned because the dependencies created will make political suicide to deal with), we will lose in the Middle East, there will be an increased risk of terrorism on US soil because of our perceived weakness, open borders, amnesty for all illegal aliens, statehood for Washington, DC (another two Senate seats for Democrats), government spending beyond our imagination, and the list goes on.
Before you take your principled stance on abortion, gay rights and gun rights and flush the Country down the liberal toilet consider the future if we let principles blind us to reality. President Bush is a principled man but look what that has gotten us. He is neither tough enough, articulate enough nor is he politically savvy enough. Reagan isnt coming back. He died. Wake up. We have to hold the White House. Get real! Winning is what is important.
"Before you take your principled stance on abortion, gay rights and gun rights and flush the Country down the liberal toilet consider the future if we let principles blind us to reality"
Well, if you're suggesting that abortion, gay rights and gun rights should be waived issues, you've lost your marbles.
If you like Rudy, you aren't making some "pragmatic" decision to support him.
Don't ask anybody else to support a candidate they don't like.
"I like Rudy Giuliani."
So what. This conservative (and his family) will NEVER, EVER, vote for your pro-abortion candidate. See ya.
Worse, if Rudy loses, like I think he will, we will have thrown our principles down the toilet for nothing.
Like the cheezy shows where the criminal tells the good hero to put down his weapon or else he'll kill the hostages. So the hero does so, and then the criminal smiles and shoots the hostage anyway.
That's a fitting analogy.
And what does that tell you?
It tells me that the Republicans better stop running conservative lites and put up an actual conservative.
And no, George Bush never was an actual conservative.
We have to get someone who can convert a few blue states to red while holding the red states.
And then you say this:
The Evangelicals he loses will be more than made up for by crossover Democrats.
The two statements are direct contradictions.
Beyond that, ever hear of the term Reagan Democrat? Many were pulled over not by Reagan's pro-abort stance, but by his pro-life stance. Santorum won two Senate seats in a blue state until the Dems ran a pro-lifer. In addition, the further left you go in the electorate, the stronger the anti-war sentiment gets. Rudy simply will not be able to make much headway running leftwards.
The solution is to find someone at the center of the party to hold it together.
Now on to your next nonsense:
Fred Thompson, Duncan Hunter and the others are at noise level in the national polls
Fred Thompson polled 12 percent without even entering the race. Rudy plummeted 13 percent at the same time.
Methinks you tried to pull a fast one to sell your used car that has a bad alignement problem - it keeps veering leftward into oncoming Democrats.
The evangelical right backs horses like Ted Haggard and gave us Dubya, one of the weakest presidents of the modern era. We need to start looking past their better judgment.
Exactly right. If the choice is a liberal with a (D) or a liberal with an (R), the one with the (D) will win every time.
No, we should try to actually win the debate and convince people we are right.
Right now, I think the mainstream-liberal position on abortion, gay rights, and gun control is winning.
It doesn't matter how right we are if most people think we are wrong. Funny thing about politics.
I think Fred wants to be the VP in a ticket headed by Romney or Rudy.
Democrats can win without you. What makes you think Republicans can't win without you? Such strange ego.
Cavalierly speaking for others, huh? It's just this kind of talk that alienates people from aspects of your agenda.
Wow, conservatism in its extreme form is much like Dr Savage says liberalism is like in its extreme form.
No, my family has told me they would NEVER, EVER vote for him either. Is that OK with you?
Good analogy!
People often change their minds, you know.
Well, the ones that adapt and thrive do.
Math.
A pro-abortion "Republican" will alienate too much conservative base to win the White House.
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