What's a Fredhead to do??

1/20/2008 | Skully

[skully]

Fred Thompson's distant third in last night's South Carolina primary, has me re-thinking my support. I say this with disappointment, " I don't think Fred can win the nomination". Part of me wants to support him to the bitter end. Another part feels that in doing so I may only be helping McCain or Huckabee; my least 2 favorite candidates. I live in a Super Tuesday state, and my vote may actually matter this cycle, so I want to use it wisely. The only other candidates who seems like they can stop McCain or Huckabee is Romney or Rudy. If McCain wins in Florida, then he's in good shape to be the nominee. Polling analysis, done before Nevada and South Carolina primary; has him in the lead in Florida at around 23% about a 2 point lead over Rudy whose at 21-22%. Romney is around 18%, Hucakabee 15%, Fred 7%, and Paul 5%. Florida is a winner take all state, so whoever wins will have solid delegate count. Romney has the most delegate at this point, counts vary from source to source, but I put him at 72 to McCain's 38. So a win from Romney in Florida would give him a solid lead going into Super Tuesday. A win by Rudy would knock McCain into 3rd in the delegate count. So my quandry is do I continue to support Fred, or put my support behind a candidate who has a better chance of stopping McCain. In the end I will vote for the GOP nominee regardless. This is only because the troops are deployed, and they don't deserve a Commander-In-Chief from the party that tried to lose the war for them. So the primary is where my vote counts the most, and I want to put the "best man possible" for the job on the ticket. Unfortunately it dosen't look like the "best man" for the job will be at the top of that ticket, but there's is another spot on that ticket. Hey it might be wishful thinking, but what's a Fredhead to do??

[devere]

“God help us all if we elect a man who was raised by radical muslims.”

Obama has a lot to answer for, but he was raised primarily by his agnostic mother. He rejected his white half before whites could get any chance to possibly reject him. Now he wants our vote! According to Obama’s book “Dreams From My Father” the highest duty is racial loyalty. Sorry Barack, but I don’t agree. If Tiger Woods runs I’m voting for him.

[K-oneTexas]

Very good statement. Thank you.

I've had to do some re-thinking since yesterday. My candidate is/was Hunter. Now that he has removed himself from the race, I'd go to my second choice which is Thompson. But as we can see ... he is not in the top three thus far with five primaries/caucasus behind us. Maybe that will change over the next few weeks. Maybe.

If not, I really need to think about the 'field' as it appears to be shaping up. Looking at consistency among the voters around the country thus far. It's Romney ... his message seems to be heard by enough to continually place in among the top three in all states thus far. McCain has his same message as four years ago and a history to go with it now ... and two states believe him the top contender. Huckabee's message also is heard thus far as he two continues to garner delegates. Rudy thus far really unheard of except in the debates is pinning a run on Florida ... I just don't know if that will pay out for him.

Looking at the idea of conservatives, yes all three appear conservative in one way or another. I like Huckabee's idea of the FairTax, but then I am for major Tax Reform, and he is the only candidate offering real reform rather than tinkering and changing parts and pieces of what we have. (I would much rather pay a tax on what I buy than what I earn.) McCain is strong on foreign policy areas but his constant compromising over the last for years with the Dems has turned me away from him ... he shows a disregard for the wishes of American people. Rudy although appearing to be a strong conservative in foreign policy (though not the experience of McCain) is too liberal with his fiscal policy and far to much so in his social policy. Romney I believe, although I don't like all that he says, he comes closest or is on point on the most issues with me (though not all by a long shot).

I believe that country-wide the best chance against the Dems with what we've seen thus far, no telling what will happen over the summer, is Romney. McCain and Rudy offer us a 'Republican' title to old liberal Democrat policies. Huckabee is too much of a 'light-weight' for representing this country on a global scale and I think would acquiesce to foreign leaders much like Carter did and Kerry would have. Romney I think would hold closest to conservative values and would stand against the Dems and not cave to the point McCain already has. Rudy is a tough talker but I don't believe he even has the widest support of the Republicans in Congress.

If I had to rank them on a scale of staunch conservative to liberal conservative ...

it would be Romney -- Huckabee -- McCain/Rudy (possibly tied).

I'm not saying Romney is a staunch conservative, just saying I see more in him than the others. Still thinking ... but time will tell.

Of course another unknown at this time is the make-up of the next Congress and which party will be the majority in both Houses. If a Dem wins and it's a Republican Congress ... then maybe like the Clinton Administration numerous Executive Orders to get their policy enacted. If it's a Republican (McCain or Rudy) and a Dem Congress, Dem policies become law without veto (much like now) ... with Huckabee if any vetoes it would be on his evangelical background not sound policy grounds for the country. I think there is a better chance with Romney in the White House than the others regardless of the make-up of Congress ... and vetoes.

Just my thoughts and opinions at the state of the race thus far.

[Reno232]

You mean other than their differences on campaign finance reform, illegal imigration, tax cuts, executive leadership experience, huge success outside of politics, criminal miconduct (Keating 5), etc.........?

The differences are stark. I’m sure you were just kidding.

[Grunthor]

Soooo....just bend over and take it? Again and again?

[HIDEK6]

I think Fred is learning the lesson that Ronald Reagan learned in 1976.

Think he'll be too old in 2012?

[claudiustg]

If you are comfortable with McCain, you don’t need to do anything at all.

[HIDEK6]

Back Romney all the way from this point on.

Werd.

[Jackknife]

All I’ll say is Fred is my first choice. Romney is my second. If it’s close I’d pick the one who can defeat the rest.

This seems to be the way that I'm leaning. Romney is the only other sweepstakes participant I could support.

[slapshot]

Think also this way:

If the MSM/DNC candidate gets in we all know we are in for a repeat of the Carter years. That said, we focus and refine and come back as the majority in 2010 on the Federal and state (even odds in OH, PA, MI, IL change of governors)and beyond.

If a RINO with a hostile congress gets in, we will doom ourselves to a repeat of the Ford years. That said, 2010 results in a permanent R minority dur to a very hostile reapportion (assume militant D state govts in NY, IL,MI,OH, PA) A minimum of a 25 seat loss without voting

Two years of pain or twenty years of discomfort.

[slapshot]

Think also this way:

If the MSM/DNC candidate gets in we all know we are in for a repeat of the Carter years. That said, we focus and refine and come back as the majority in 2010 on the Federal and state (even odds in OH, PA, MI, IL change of governors)and beyond.

If a RINO with a hostile congress gets in, we will doom ourselves to a repeat of the Ford years. That said, 2010 results in a permanent R minority dur to a very hostile reapportion (assume militant D state govts in NY, IL,MI,OH, PA) A minimum of a 25 seat loss without voting

Two years of pain or twenty years of discomfort.

[Biblebelter]

What's a Fredhead to do??

I am an idiot. I voted for guys named George Bush on a national ticket, six times, the last four times after reflecting on the alternative. That means, a vote for Romney could be no worse than that. I WILL NOT vote for another ancient Republican senator as I did Bob Dole. I will not vote for a former slick Arkansas governor. I WILL NOT vote Democrat, but I will go half way, if Lou Dobbs runs third party he has my vote, because he is WAY to THE RIGHT of any of the serious remaining candidates of either party on ILLEGAL immigration.

[DouglasKC]

For crying out loud he finished 3rd in what, the 4th or 5th state to have a primary and everyone wants to give up?? And this despite having no media coverage, being totally ignored and marginalized?

[TennTuxedo]

If Fred pulls out, I’m throwing my support behind Mitt Romney. Theres no way that I can even hold my nose to vote for John McCain or Huckabee.

[claudiustg]

-—Educate me here. How is Romney less Liberal then McCain?-—

Immigration:

Tom Tancredo endorsed Romney, as did Sheriff Arpaio!

McCain-Kennedy is the name of the recent amnesty bill.

[avacado]

Well, then question you have to ask is: “Is McCain a Democrat?”

When it comes time for the general election that is not a question that needs to be asked. There are still damn good Conservatives fighting the good fight in both Houses and they need a Republican President no matter the type of Republican. To deliver them a Democrat is treason.

I will give my good Conservative Congressman, John Culberson, a vote for a Republican come the general election.

RUMSFELD: "You go to war with the army you have, not with the army you want..."

.

[EternalVigilance]

If you are comfortable with McCain, you don’t need to do anything at all.

Do you think you're dealing with kindergartners?

[o_zarkman44]

I am not stopping my support for Fred just because the MSM has declared Fred as dead. We are being hearded like sheeple by the MSM to follow their lead as to who they want to select as a candidate.
Fred has not padded the pockets of the MSM with million dollar ad campaigns. Fred didn’t enter the race when the MSM said GO! They kept speculating as to when he would enter. Then proceeded to tear him down because he was a late entry, had no momentuum blah blah blah.

The whole objective of politics and the MSM is to force us to lower our expectations. We are being told that McCain is a conservative. But his voting record for the most part is glaringly the opposite. The MSM is glossing over the opposite, liberal voting record of McCain and trying to re-define him as a conservative.

We are being flim flammed here. I, for one, am tired of being forced to settle for a second or third choice used car salesman when Fred has the only conservative model that will actually work the way a conservative is supposed to work. pseudo conservatives may appeal to the MSM in setting up a Presidential contest that will set records in spending( and padding their advertising pockets). But we are being sold down the tubes of more government and socialism.

I can understand why Fred and his supporters are discouraged. I too am discouraged. But we must encourage Fred to remain in the race because he has valid ideas that cannot be ignored. Those ideas must be brokered into the GOP Convention before any one candidate can stand above the others and be a viable candidate against the HillBama express.

Super Tuesday is coming up and I too am voting on that day. For Fred Supporters to give up now is just plain simply a travesty. TRUE Conservatives have to stand their ground or we will not be a force to be recconned with ever again. The Democrat Party knows well, and it is probably their strategy.....if they can successfully divide the GOP, and force us to support soft candidates, they have a much better chance of winning because there will be no comparison between a Republican and a Democrat.
And that pretty much takes away the incentive to even vote and be involved if there is nothing worth voting for.

[claudiustg]

What’s your plan EV?

[EternalVigilance]

Defeat liberals, same as it’s always been. And that most certainly includes Mitt Romney.

[o_zarkman44]

Maybe we should support Paul out of spite? Undoubtedly he is going to run as an independent. Although Bloomburg may upstage Paul if he does his own independent thing prior to the GOP Convention. Paul may steal more votes away from Obama Clintonista and actually help the GOP.
Paul has certainly been a thorn in the side of the GOP, especially for Fred.

I don’t think Romney can win in the South. Dropping Fred won’t help him anyhow.