Democrats say McCain nearly abandoned GOP

The Hill ^ | 03/28/2007 | Bob Cusack

[Hoodat]

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was close to leaving the Republican Party in 2001, weeks before then-Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) famously announced his decision to become an Independent, according to former Democratic lawmakers who say they were involved in the discussions.

In interviews with The Hill this month, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and ex-Rep. Tom Downey (D-N.Y.) said there were nearly two months of talks with the maverick lawmaker following an approach by John Weaver, McCain’s chief political strategist.

Democrats had contacted Jeffords and then-Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.) in the early months of 2001 about switching parties, but in McCain’s case, they said, it was McCain’s top strategist who came to them.

At the end of their March 31, 2001 lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Bethesda, Md., Downey said Weaver asked why Democrats hadn’t asked McCain to switch parties.

Downey, a well-connected lobbyist, said he was stunned.

“You’re really wondering?” Downey said he told Weaver. “What do you mean you’re wondering?”

“Well, if the right people asked him,” Weaver said, according to Downey, adding that he responded, “The calls will be made. Who do you want?” Weaver this week said he did have lunch with Downey that spring, pointing out that he and Downey “are very good friends.”

[STARWISE]

He disdains and almost mocks Romney’s money (which he earned) and being a businessman, but, his (her) wealth is surely not chopped chicken liver ..

~~~~

http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/30119.html

McCain, the ‘common’ man, criticizes Mitt Romney for having money, a cynical maneuver on his part. Mr. McCain’s considerable wealth can be attributed to his second wife Cindy who runs an investment portfolio worth an estimated $36.6 to $53.4 million and chairs the third largest distributor of Anheuser-Busch, Hensley, according, to Tim Middleton of TheStreet.com.

According to Nat Worden, also of TheStreet.com, John McCain is the 7th richest Senator in the United States Senate. Mr. McCain married Ms. Anheuser-Busch. His thirty to forty page financial report makes for an interesting read. Yeah, he’s one of us. Now let me sell you some swamp land.

~~~~~

http://tinyurl.com/33mcbo

McCain’s wife controls family’s riches

The candidate’s spouse runs an investment portfolio of an estimated $36.6 million to $53.4 million and chairs one of the nation’s largest beer distributorships.

[no dems]

Democrats say McCain nearly abandoned GOP

I wish to goodness he would have; we wouldn't have to worry about him being the Standard Bearer of the Party this year.

He will get his butt kicked in November.

[PhilDragoo]

Why Families Say Kerry Betrayed POWs and MIAs

[True-Stu]

Me thinks that you are such a disgruntled Fredhead ( I liked him too) that you can no longer see the forest for the trees.

As for your Mauck family comment rendering Romney indecent...hmmm lets see, Romney appoints a Superior Court judge named Kathe M. Tuttman, who independently decides to allow the release this guy named Tavares whho had completed his 16 year sentence for murder and was elligible for release, despite the prosecutors wanting to hold him without bail for an alleged assault that occurred while he was still in prison. So Tavares skips on his parole officer, leaves Massachusetts and kills the Mauck couple in the state of Washington and Mitt Romney is to blame despite his having nothing to do with the judges decision and his public statement that it was a wrong decision and she should resign.

Yep, that makes Romney indecent in my book, lets boil him in oil and all vote for Benedict McQueeg instead.

[no dems]

A good butt kicking in ‘08, following the one we took in ‘06, might just be the only thing to cause us to rebuild the GOP or organize THE AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

[television is just wrong]

nearly? how about abandoned.

[PhilDragoo]

Thus one of the dirtiest secrets of the Vietnam era - that the US government knowingly abandoned some 300 American POWs to the Laotian communists - was allowed to slip into the record with little to no national fuss.

This is the issue that has angered veterans who are aware of it, and one way or another, John McCain is going to have to face these allegations head on. He of course was in no position to know what transpired between negotiators in Paris and Washington in 1972 and 1973, but he certainly was in a position to take a strong stand on resolving the issue when he joined the POW-MIA select committee in 1991.

Were his actions above board and simply the result of hard cold facts about the war in Indochina? Or was there a "move ahead" mentality driven by a desire after the Russians left Vietnam to regain use of the ports we had constructed at Da Nang and Cam Ranh Bay?

The "Other" 300; US Vietnam War POWs - Discarded, Disregarded, Abandoned and Betrayed! Will Hillary Use Them Against McCain?

[RegT]

By all means. I understand that Drudge is trying to compensate for the free pass that McCain gets from the media. This story is fair game, although common knowledge to anyone who follows the news.

The Gook comment “flashback” from earlier, though, was preposterous. I mean let’s pick our fights wisely, right?

[Moral Hazard]

“Their love affair with Rudy made it impossible for them to openly support the only two conservative candidates in the race - Thompson and Hunter.”

Hunter is no conservative, he’s a “fair-trader.”

[TBP]

He should hvae done it. it would have been the only honest thing he has done in his entire political career.

[supercat]

You’re probably right. But I guarantee you as bad as McCain is, we already know Romney is worse.

Is Romney as mentally unstable as McCain? If not, he's better.

[PosterQue]

I don't know why the Democrats would be trying to undermine McCain at this stage of the game. It makes no sense. Not to say they wouldn't do it anyway...

Maybe they think that they would have an easier time beating Romney.

I think it's time all the conservatives left the GOP. They don't want us, they don't think they need us (except for our ca$h), and we have no place in the party any more.

I can't vote for McCain, even to prevent a Hitlery or Osamabama, because I CANNOT SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO ME.

As someone else stated on this or another thread, at least Hillary stabs you in the front when you can see it coming. God knows what kind of dung McCain will start throwing around if he gets the office.

[potlatch]

Good post Phil.

[potlatch]

Bumparoooo

[EEDUDE]

BUMP!!!

BUMP!!!

BUMP!!

I don’t know WHY Americans cannot see this. It would be a f**king economic DISASTER.

[Sudetenland]

Ah someone with the intellect of a five year-old speaks...

"Way too many perverts and degenerates fell in love with Rudy Giuliani and either openly supported him (e.g., Ted Olsen, Steve Forbes) or climbed into the closet with him (e.g., Rush Limbaugh, Club for Growth, Sean Hannity and the others at Fox News)."

Now let me get this straight...anyone who supported Rudy is a pervert and degenerate...interesting statement. So...how long have you been off your medication?

[Sudetenland]

I don’t believe anyone here (or at least very many here) believes that Mitt Romney “is the Second Comint,” more like the best...or only...of a bad lot.

[Sudetenland]

Yea well if Fred had gotten up off of his lazy A$$ and run a competitive campaign, he would have been the nominee in a cakewalk. But he was on some sort of ego trip and thought he was smarter than all of those who entered the fray early. Then he allowed rumors that he would enter in July the 4th to go unanswered. Had he entered into the race at that time and run a good campaign, we would not be here arguing over Romney and McCain.

Thompson didn't even put in any effort at all until South Carolina. Oh, wait...that's right...he charged into Iowa well after it was too late and put on the full court press long after it was useful.

Fred Thompson acted like he was royalty...someone who merely had to raise his head and he would be annointed the nominee. Sorry...we don't have royalty in our country.

In South Caronlina, where Fred apparently thought he was "the Second Coming," he put in one appearance a day for every 3-4 that McCain[e] put in. You make a half-a$$ed effort, you get a half-a$$ed result.

Fred made some very poor decisions at a very critical time. He doesn't deserve any sympathy or loyalty. He failed us, we didn't fail him.

[Mr. Brightside]

What has Romney done for us?

What entitlement program are you on?

Let me clarify. What has Romney done for us conservatives?

Take as many posts as you need to list everything Mitt has accomplished for the conservative movement.

(....crickets.....)

[Sudetenland]

Well...why don’t we start with building a business and creating hundreds of jobs for the American people. That’s pretty much the most Conservative thing a person can do. How many jobs have you created?