With Thompson out, Tom McClintock leans to Ron Paul

Los Angeles Times ^ | Jan 25, 2008 | Dan Morain

[CautiouslyHopeful]

With Fred Thompson out of the presidential race, who's a self-respecting conservative to go for? Could it be, maybe, perhaps, a certain Republican-libertarian from Texas?

That's one question perplexing California state Sen. Tom McClintock, possibly the second-most-famous California Republican currently in office after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

McClintock created a stir two months when he endorsed Thompson’s presidential candidacy. Having run for governor, lieutenant governor and state controller, McClintock has shown that while he has not won a statewide contest, he can win GOP primaries, which conservatives tend to dominate. So heading into the Feb. 5 primary, McClintock’s endorsement is seen as important in California.

[mnehring]

Sensible militarism in defense of US territory

Do you believe that also means putting the military and national guard on the border to help control illegal immigration?

[jmc813]

I had converted to the Ron Paul camp from the Thompson camp, and now my local-hero in CA politics is as well.

According to some Paul-bashers here, you're a liar if you claim to have supported Thompson before moving to Paul.

[mnehring]

by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

Interesting, care to give us some examples? ..and who is creating these 'hobgoblins'..

[CJ Wolf]

let freedom ping!

[rom]

The libertarian notion of Open Borders only works when you don’t have a welfare state supporting migrants. In fact, we used to have a fairly porous border with Mexico (even more porous, which is fairly shocking). But until they managed to get free healthcare, free childcare (aka “school”), etc... it wasn’t a big problem.

The rest of the candidates want to keep the welfare state going. Who amongst the rest of the remaining “Republicans” is planning on keeping illegals out these days?

[antinomian]

"Wars could also end with a loss."

There are two things to keep in mind about the Iraq war. First, it was an elective war. Second, it's almost over. I would not let opposition to the war based on conservative principles (as opposed to knee jerk anti-bushism) stand in the way of voting for the only small government, christian, anti-abortion, anti-socialist, free-trader left in the race.

[NormsRevenge]

Tom’s OK.. but like I used to say

never fall in love with a politician,

they’ll break yur heart in the end.

[nicmarlo]

bumping that!

[calcowgirl]

PING!

McClintock Ping List.
Please freepmail me if you want on or off this list

[jmc813]

I was looking through his blog and he has two references, in one he was listing the possible candidates in may and mentioned Paul, Tancredo, Hunter, and Thompson, then a few months ago he was praising Paul’s comments on the war.

I'm actually kinda surprised to hear that. I assumed McClintock was like me, in that he didn't like Paul's foreign policy, but his domestic agenda kicked enough a$$ to make up for it. Coool nontheless though. I'm almost afraid to go to some of the FR-offshoot sites and see what the Arnold Republicans have to say about this.

[darkmatter]

A candidate who wants to surrender in Iraq is NOT “conservative”. There is nothing conservative about the wholesale surrender and capitulation of the US to Al Quaeda!

Wake Up!

[Truthsearcher]

It is neither an elective war nor is it almost over.

Wrong on both counts.

[CautiouslyHopeful]

I think he’s talking about how statists tend to play on peoples’ fears (including LEGITIMATE fears) to grab more power for themselves. And whatever you think of Paul, he’s right about that. Just look at how the liberal Democrats use the specters of global warming, racism, old people and sick people being thrown into the street, etc.

[deport]

Golly by that logic you can say that the party is not going to vote for a conservative candidate for POTUS because Thompson never placed higher than 3rd!

---

I think you maybe on to something there...... Of the four top canidates remaining I’m not sure any are more conservative that Thompson. In any case I don’t look for the primary voters to settle on Paul. Text message polls and other straw polls don’t equate to real voters on election day as evidenced by the standings so far.

[Finny]

One of the few posts where the cleverness of the post is matched by the cleverness of the tagline! Tops!! Kudos!

Though again, for me, what McClintock is saying here tells me more about the candidates than anything else, and confirms my own take on the whole gig.

[jmc813]

Thompson, like Reagan, spoke not only for the mainstream of the Republican Party, but for the mainstream of America, who want to see a return to those fundamental American ideals of individual freedom and responsibility and limited government that built our nation. He was certainly the one candidate who had most consistently and articulately expressed those ideals.

John Greenleaf Whittier’s words seem most appropriate: “Of all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been.’”

What, are you trying to depress me this late on a Friday? :-(

[trisham]

There are two things to keep in mind about the Iraq war. First, it was an elective war. Second, it's almost over

*********************

The war in Iraq is only a part of the continuing war on terror. It also doesn't include any potential/future war with China or North Korea.

[Finny]

Weird? No, McClintock is just a bit HONEST.

[SoCalPol]

Ron Paul wants us out of Iraq now and is anti Israel.
His support runs from Far Left to NeoNazis.

I have talked to many of his supporters face to face and their arguments are no different than the Code Pinkos have have gone toe to toe on.

If Ron Paul is a Conservative then so is Obama

[Terrence DoGood]

Ron who?