Posted on 10/05/2007 3:59:16 PM PDT by fifedom
If Rep. John Doolittle is the Republican nominee here in 2008, the seat is a certain loss for the GOP. ... Doolittle ... has pledged to fight plans to push him off the ballot in 2008. ... Charlie Brown, who nearly beat Doolittle in 2006, is back again. But given the Republican nature of this district, he needs Doolittle on the ballot to win.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.washingtonpost.com ...
Generally, I like the Republicans’ chances next year. There are a ton of Dems in Republican-leaning districts. If the Republicans can successfully tie this Congress to those Dems, they should be able to retake the House. It’s the Senate I’m worried about. Five retirements? Sheesh...
The left continues to go after Doolittle.
Let’s see how many freepers join in with innuendo.
Although the worries about Larry Craig having a bad effect are somewhat overstated, since we aren’t likely to lose his seat (since he has declared he is not running for reelection), conversely, it’s folks like Doolittle that are threatening any chances we have at retaking the House by needlessly jeopardizing solid Republican seats.
Although challenger Brown should’ve maxed out in ‘06, Doolittle has all but made it completely possible for Brown to oust him next year if he insists on staying. Trailing badly in fundraising with the general appearance of ethical impropriety, Doolittle thinks he’ll get by like a Democrat, and that’s not going to happen. We need to coalesce around one Conservative challenger to oust him, or we lost the seat, and it’s just that simple.
He’s toast and he’s not even taking his reelection seriously. We either recognize the reality and put up a solid Conservative challenger here, or kiss the seat goodbye.
Maybe he's "hanging on" because he did NOTHING wrong. Don't suppose that's a possibility is it?
I’m torn on why Doolittle is doing this. On one hand, Posting # 1 may be correct, that he simply is sticking around so he can milk full retiremene benefits from his job. But also, he may be motivated by a sense of entitlement, that his position of power justifies anything and everything he does and that no one has the right to question his actions or judgement.
Either way, he should go. Unfortunately, he faces a multi-candidate primary, which means that the anti-Doolittle primary vote will be split. If more shoes drop, he could still lose (like Mickey Edwards of Oklahoma did in 1992).
Loyalty Matters
Sacramento, California, Sep 3 -
Tim Leslie , Former State Senator and Assemblyman
As Benjamin Franklin said so well, so long ago, "a friend in need is a friend indeed". Our friend John Doolittle is under attack from the liberal left and now from those to whom he has shown true friendship.
In a startling and disappointing display of opportunism and self promotion, Ted Gaines has broken the faith not only with a true friend -- John Doolittle -- but with the cause for which John has born the standard for so many years. Of course, those of us who have fought in the arena beside John Doolittle know not only his actions, but over time, his character.
John has never wavered in defense of the unborn. He has never faltered in defense of the second amendment. He has never shirked the battle for freedom.
And yet, those who see an opportunity to advance themselves stand ready and willing to join the Sacramento Bee and their left wing minions in viciously attacking John Doolittle. Shame on these small men. I am calling on you to join me in rejecting the designs of the misguided few. Their faithless assault will only result in harming the conservative cause and the America we love.
America needs John Doolittle. He is our friend. Please join me in supporting him.
Whether we like it or not, the man isn’t taking his reelection seriously. Does he think he can get reelected with pocket change ? The district already views him in a negative light. Are we supposed to ignore all of this and pretend it isn’t so ? We do that and blindly support someone who isn’t even taking all of this a fraction as seriously as some of his stalwart defenders are on FR, and we’ll deserve the loss that we will get. He may be guilty and he may be innocent, but all of that is moot because of everything else.
Retire from an elected position? There's all the reason I need to donate to Eric Egland.
“John has never wavered in defense of the unborn. He has never faltered in defense of the second amendment. He has never shirked the battle for freedom.”
I have no problem with that, but he’s not the only Republican in the distrcit who has done this. I realize that he did some good back in the 1990’s. But the unfortunate fact is that John Doolittle is no longer the same man who came to Congress to do right by the country. Every action he has taken indicates this. He can still earn a good living in the private sector, and make the big money he so obviously covets. The United States won’t cease to exist without him in Congress.
The reason so many Freepers want him to retire is because we want the district to have conservative, pro-life, pro-second amendment representation. And that won’t happen if Doolittle is the nominee. He is not going to be reelected, regardless of what he does. So why not take one for the team? He’ll still have a life after leaving Congress.
Next we'll be hearing that the sky is falling from those who read it in the Bee.
I never expect positive pieces about Republicans from the media, but what I’ve been hearing about Doolittle in general for the past 2 years is troubling. He can retire gracefully and become a lobbyist or something and we can hold this seat with a non-tainted (and fully funded) Conservative Republican, or we can lose the seat to a rodent. Those are the choices.
“Retire from an elected position? There’s all the reason I need to donate to Eric Egland.”
You didn’t know Congressmen get retirement pay that depends on the number of terms they serve?
At this point, there is ZERO evidence that Doolittle has done anything illegal, yet people like Eric Egland, along with Arnie's old campaign manager Steve Schmidt, have been perfectly happy to lend their voice to the liberal media smearing the man as "ethically challenged" and the like. I wouldn't donate to the carpetbagger Eric Egland--he's already proven that he is willing to smear a man who served the district for almost 20 years and has not been found to have done ANYTHING wrong, despite years of investigators trying to take him down. People here call refer to Doolittle's "ilk" and want to strip him of his seniority. I ask: FOR WHAT????
For those who say "from what I hear," I must only ask if you are listening to anything other than Charlie Brown, the liberal media, or those who want to take Doolittle's seat and are offering slanderous self-serving comments to the media.
In America, people are innocent until proven guilty. I guess that isn't true in the Republican Party. It seems public lynching is the treatment-du-jour.
This thread makes me want to cry.
I'm logging out--have at it!
Doolittle is stone-walling the investigation into his ties to Abramoff and other shenanigans. People in his district know this and are sick of him. The district is overwhelmingly Republican and he nearly lost in 2006 to that phony Charlie Brown. Reason enough for him to retire and let new blood come in.
Sure I knew, I also know I’m completely against any publicly funded retirement packages for any elected official, I’m also against publicly funded retirement for most government workers as well, but elected, absolutely disagree with it.
“For those who say “from what I hear,”
And what weare hearing is that his own consitutents have given up on him. His biggest crime is that he is in the process of losing the seat and we just cannot have that. we lost 7 of these seats directly because of incumbent scandals. For the good of the party he needs to leave.
Tom Sullivan, who subs for Rush sometimes, has said he would run only if Doolittle does not. It’s a shame because Tom would win easily. He is well known and liked.
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.