| ILLINOIS LEADERSHIP TEAM U.S. Congressional Representatives Rep. Mark Kirk Rep. Ray LaHood Rep. Peter Roskam Rep. John Schimkus Former U.S. Senator Sen. Peter Fitzgerald Former Governor Governor Jim Edgar State Senators Sen. Dan Cronin Sen. Kirk Dillard Sen. John Jones Sen. Dave Luechtefeld Sen. John Millner Sen. Dale Risinger Sen. Frank Watson State Representatives Rep. Dan Brady Rep. Jim Durkin Rep. Mike Fortner Rep. Sid Mathias Rep. Mike McAuliffe Rep. Jim Meyer Rep. Rosemary Mulligan Rep. JoAnn Osmond Rep. Raymond Poe Rep. Randy Ramey Rep. Jim Sacia Rep. Jil Tracy Rep. Jim Watson Republican National Committeewoman Mary Jo Arndt Major General John Borling, USAF (Ret). Former Ambassador and Former Illinois Republican Party Chair Rich Williamson |
ILLINOIS DELEGATES Gregg Abbott Helen Albert Mike Amrozowicz Mayor Jim Ardis John Atchley Kirby Ballard Joe Bartolomucci Tony Becker Harry Bond Maj. Gen. John Borling Scott Boukal Rep. Daniel P. Brady Julie Brady Kevin Brady Mary Jane Brady Will Callard Dean A. Casper, Jr. Mayor Thomas Tolbert Chisum Vincent P. Churak Robert Cook Michael Corrigan James L. Coxworth Sen. Dan Cronin Larry DeYoung Sen. Kirk Dillard Richard E. Diller Mary Pat Dixon William Durkin Rep. Jim Durkin Barbara Dwyer Deb Detmers Fansler Bobby Vaughan Ferguson Joann Finger John Fogarty, Jr. Rep. Mike Fortner Jim Fuchs Susan Gere Kimberly Pate Godden Gustavo Gonzalez Joyce Gooding Thomas Gooding William S. Graham Kent Gray Mike Hagerty Donald B. Hall J. Sue Hamilton John Harty Thomas Hayes Sean Healy William L. Henniger Herbert Hentschel Roy Hertel Nora Kathleen Hickey Stephanie Hitt Damon Hofstrand Mark Hosty Robert Hudon Bill Jacklin David A. Kelm Virginia Kenney Pam Kinsey U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood Nadja Lalvani Prem Lalvani Pastor Ceasar LeFlore Stephen Liehr Cindy Limbach Andrew Loveday Alex Martella Rilio Mastrantonio Rep. Sidney Mathias Karen Matjasko Matthew Mau John McCrory Tom McRae Margaret McSweeney Ann Melichar Rep. James Meyer Mary Jo Mikottis Jack Murphy Tim O'Neill Rep. Joann Osmond Ray Pawlak Nick Peric Rep. Raymond Poe Dennis Presley William Read Nate Rice James A. Riemer, Jr. Wayne Rosenthal Carlos Saucedo Lisa Schumacher John Scully William G. Shepherd Det. Larry Shepherd U.S. Rep. John M. Shimkus Karen Slattery Michael Sneed Jason Speer David Stanton Nina Stephenson Eugene Syring Steven Tomaszewski Mayor Bruce Tossell Rep. Jil Tracy Mayor Henry Vicenik Charlie Watts Becky Weber Mary A. Welling Ambassador Rich Williamson Alderman Elmo R. Younger, Veteran of WWII |
The way I see it, one goes a little left, the other goes pinko commie!
John McCain is going to win Illinois easily. I’m not a big McCain cheerleader. I don’t like the politically expedient types whether they are called “mavericks” or not but I still see him as the most conservative individual left in the race. He also has more credibility. He may be a thorn but he is the thorn I know and provided he picks a conservative running mate I will support him in the general election.
Welcome to FreeRepublic.com.
There’s no such thing as “moderate conservative.”
That is like saying one can be a “little pregnant.”
Either you’re conservative or you’re not conservative.
Sometimes, it’s just that simple.
This is one of those times.
1. Wanted to be John F’n Kerry’s running mate....
2. Was a corrupt member of the “Keating Five”....
3. Has been duped by the Euro-socialist “global warming” alarmists....
4. Wants to roll out the red carpet for the illegal alien hordes....
5. Was one of two senators (along with the ignoble Lincoln Chafee) who originally joined the Democrats in voting against the Bush tax cuts....
6. Proudly put his name to the most dangerous assault on free speech (McCain-Feingold) in the nation’s history....
7. Opposes the effective interrogation technique known as “waterboarding”, and wants to close Gitmo so he can bring captured terrorists to the United States where he can "lawyer them up" and give them access to the courts....
8. Joins the environmental extremists in opposing drilling for oil in a relatively miniscule section of the frozen, barren, wasteland known as ANWR....
9. Is older than Bob Dole was when Dole ran for President in 1996, and who would be the oldest man in history to try to win the Presidency as a major party candidate....
10. Impeded conservative initiatives in the Senate at nearly every opportunity, according to a genuine conservative, former Senator Rick Santorum (R - PA).
The problem with McCain’s National Security message is his Open Borders message.
Is there any truth to the rumor that McCain has asked John Kerry to run as his VP??
You would have this piece of garbage "McCain" run the party?
We need a song based on "Next Time ... He'll Think Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood , " about McCain.
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity & Colmes," January 31, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. [ 5 minutes 32 seconds ]
SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: And Senator John McCain is gaining momentum, but not all conservatives are jumping for joy.
Senator McCain is a polarizing candidate for many. And critics point to his stance on immigration, his work with Russ Feingold.
But with a potential Hillary Clinton candidacy on the Democratic side of the aisle, will true conservatives eventually fall in line and support the Arizona senator?
Joining us now, author of the "New York Times" best seller, "If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd be Republicans," our friend Ann Coulter.
How are you?
ANN COULTER, AUTHOR, "IF DEMOCRATS HAD ANY BRAINS": Fine, thank you.
HANNITY: Your thoughts about -
Look I'm standing on substance here.
COULTER: Yes.
HANNITY: It's immigration.
It's limits on free speech.
It's not supporting tax cuts.
COULTER: It's Anwar. It's torture at Guantanamo.
HANNITY: Class warfare rhetoric. It's interrogations. It's Guantanamo. It's Anwar.
These are not small issues to conservatives.
COULTER: No, and if you're looking at substance rather than whether it's an R or D after his name, manifestly,
if he's our candidate, then Hillary's going to be our girl, Sean,
because she's more conservative than he is. I think she would be stronger on the war on terrorism.
I absolutely believe that.
HANNITY: That's the one area I disagree with you.
COULTER: No, yes, we're going to sign up together. Let me explain that point on terrorism.
HANNITY: You'd vote for Hillary —
COULTER: Yes. I will campaign for her if it's McCain.
HANNITY: If Hillary is watching tonight, you just got an endorsement —
COLMES: I just heard the word no.
COULTER: I was touched when she cried.
That part isn't true.
But the rest of it is true.
He has led the fight against
— well, as you say, interrogations. I say torture at Guantanamo.
She hasn't done that. She hasn't taken a position in front.
HANNITY: Without interrupting you, let me give you one distinction
— that's what liberals do to you. Let me give you one distinction, he did support the war —
COULTER: So did Hillary.
HANNITY: But he stayed with it. He supported the surge.
I didn't like his criticisms of Rumsfeld, but he was right —
COULTER: OK, let's get to him supporting the surge.
He keeps going on and on about how he was the only Republican who supported the surge and other Republicans attacked him.
It was so awful how he was attacked. It was worse than being held in a tiger cage.
Okay, well I looked up the record.
Republicans all supported the surge. He's not only not the only one who supported the surge,
I promise you no Republican attacked him for this. And you know why he's saying that, Sean,
because he keeps saying it at every debate, I'm the only one. I was attacked by Republicans.
He's confusing Republicans with his liberal friends.
They're the ones who attacked him for it, his real friends.
HANNITY: Hillary Clinton, if she gets her way, will nationalize health care.
She's going to pull the troops out of Iraq.
COULTER: I don't think she will.
HANNITY: That's what she's saying she's going to do.
COULTER: Compared to John McCain, she will do better.
HANNITY: She says in a hundred days she's immediately going to begin to pull out.
(CROSS TALK)
COULTER: Look, she's running in a Democratic primary. He's running in the Republican primary, and their positions are about that far apart.
When George Bush said at the State of the Union Address that the surge is working in Iraq,
Obama sat on his hands,
Kennedy sat on his hands,
Hillary leapt up and applauded that we are winning in the surge and that the surge is working in Iraq.
She gave much better answers in those debates when Democrats like Obama and Biden were saying what do we do? What do we do if three cities are attacked. She said, I will find who did it and I will go after them.
HANNITY: You want to sit back.
ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: Can I just say something — Ann -
Coulter: I would trust any republican - any republican - but John McCain - more than Hillary Clinton
.HANNITY:)Hey, you want to sit back -
COULTER: - Because with John McCain - Hillary is absolutely more conservative.
Moreover -
(CROSS TALK)
COLMES: My work is done. My work is done.
COULTER: Moreover, she lies less than John McCain.
I'm a Hillary girl now.
She lies less than John McCain.
She's smarter than John McCain,
so that when she's caught shamelessly lying, at least the Clintons know they've been caught lying.
McCain is so stupid, he doesn't even know he's been caught.
COLMES: Go.
In fact, could you fill in for me next week?
COULTER: If it's McCain, I will.
COLMES: Let me get this straight, would you vote for Hillary Clinton?
COULTER: Yes.
COLMES: You would actually go in a voting booth —
COULTER: If it's close and the candidate is John McCain, because John McCain is not only bad for Republicanism,
which he definitely is. He is bad for for the country —
He is very very bad for the country.
(CROSS TALK)
COLMES: Can I tell you the last thing that Hillary Clinton wants? Ann Coulter's endorsement.
COULTER: He will not give up on amnesty.
He will not give up on amnesty. Now -
Even now he's running as a Republican, he won't give up on amnesty. I'm at that debate the other night, he's coming in attacking profits, capitalism -
(CROSS TALK)
COULTER: I'm serious.
COLMES: I know, but let me get serious for a second, because so far I haven't been.
Look, are you telling me —
look at all the people endorsing McCain.
I'm not talking about Johnny come lately Republicans.
Nancy Reagan is wrong?
Rick Perry is wrong?
Arnold is wrong?
Charlie Crist is wrong?
COULTER: Okay, other than Nancy Reagan —
(CROSS TALK)
COULTER: No. I will explain. It's not that they're wrong other than Nancy Reagan. And by the way
we loved Nancy Reagan for loving Ron Reagan. We didn't love her for her political positions.
Who wants embryonic stem-cell research? And I'm moving Nancy reagan to the -
(CROSS TALK)
COLMES: Hello. Hello. Are all of these people are off the beat.
COULTER: I'm trying to answer the question. Stop talking.
I'm moving Nancy Reagan to the side, and I'm saying all the rest of these political endorsements mean one thing;
they think he's the front runner. They want a job in his administration.
Nothing means less than an endorsement from someone who wants a position.
COLMES: They're all hoes just looking for a job?
COULTER: No,
but they all do want jobs.
COLMES: I'm giving her the opportunity —
COULTER: They do all want jobs. What they want -
It's good to be friends with the king.
Some people - like me -
HANNITY: Will you be careful.
COULTER: Some people don't care about being the king.
Read Mark Levin
I don't think most conservatives are interested in McCain’s class ranking at Annapolis or how many planes he was nearly killed in. There have been a few posts here mentioning it.
And I appreciate all the references to Reagan's efforts to advance his agenda, which did involve making compromises with a Democrat House and, throughout most of his presidency, a Democrat Congress.
And if John McCain showed this kind of temperament and vision in his political career, I don't think most who object to his candidacy during the primaries would be objecting to it today. I think we would be enthusiastically supporting him.
Painting Reagan as a tax-and-spend Republican, who basically went along with Washington and appointed a bunch of moderates to the Supreme Court, in an apparent attempt to build up McCain's conservative and leadership credentials and mollify his critics, has the opposite effect mostly because it is inaccurate. It reminds me of Bill Clinton's supporters using Thomas Jefferson's alleged adultery to explain the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
Reagan challenged his party from the Right. He sought the Republican nomination in 1968 against Richard Nixon and lost. He sought the nomination against Gerald Ford in 1976 and lost. He fought the Republican establishment in 1980 as well, including Bob Dole, Howard Baker, and George H. W. Bush, and won.
McCain has challenged his party from the Left. I don't know how many more times I and others have to lay out his record to prove the point.
To put a fine point on it, when he had to, Reagan sought compromise from a different set of beliefs and principles than McCain. It does a great disservice to historical accuracy and the current debate to continue to urge otherwise.
Let me be more specific, rather than spar in generalities. Reagan would never have used the phrase "manage for profit" as a zinger to put down a Republican opponent. Reagan believed in managing for profit because he believed in free enterprise. That doesn't mean he didn't agree to certain tax increases (after fighting for and winning the most massive tax cuts in modern American history), which were incidentally to be accompanied by even greater spending cuts.
McCain believes the oil companies are evil, and said it during one of the debates.
Among his first acts as president, Reagan decontrolled the prices of natural gas and crude oil with the stroke of his pen because, as he understood, profit funds research and exploration. Reagan had a respect for and comprehension of private property rights and markets that McCain does not. There never would have been a Reagan-Lieberman bill, in which the federal government's power over the private sector would have trumped the New Deal.
Reagan opposed limits on political speech.
The Reagan administration ended the Fairness Doctrine and the media ownership rules, which helped create the alternative media that McCain despises. Reagan's reverence for the Constitution would never have allowed him to support, let alone add his name to, something like McCain-Feingold.
As for Reagan's Supreme Court appointments, it is wholly misleading to simply list those who turned out to be disappointing as evidence of Reagan's willingness to compromise on judicial appointments or appoint moderates, or whatever the point was.
In Sandra Day O'Connor's case, he was assured by Barry Goldwater and Ken Starr that she was an originalist. While on the Court, she started out on fairly sound footing, and then lurched toward the Left, something Reagan could not foresee or control.
Yes, Reagan appointed Anthony Kennedy to the Court, but only after:
Reagan sought to abolish all kinds of federal programs and agencies — from the Department of Education to the Action Agency/VISTA — and the list goes on and on.
I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult for someone with the time and inclination, such as a think-tank scholar, to go back and examine the early budgets that Reagan sent to Congress. Am I the only one who remembers all the horror stories in the media portraying Reagan's budgets
The one area Reagan drastically increased spending was defense.
And while McCain is said to be among the most capable of hawks, he used little of his political capital and media savvy to oppose the Clinton cuts — or to warn the nation about the rising threat from al-Qaeda, for that matter. He did not call for the resignation of his good friend Bill Cohen, who was a terrible defense secretary. McCain was not alone, of course. But a more fulsome examination of McCain's senatorial record relating to defense, intelligence, and law enforcement is met mostly with silence or admonitions to avert our eyes.
Reagan would not have led efforts to grant the enemy constitutional and international rights, as McCain has. I believe he would have sided with President Bush. After all, as president, Reagan rejected efforts to expand the Geneva Conventions to cover terrorists.
This is a key area of departure for McCain not only from Bush but most national security advocates. But, alas, we must avert our eyes, again.
As for the 1986 Reagan amnesty for illegal aliens, we've been down this road time and again.
The bill was carefully reviewed within the Reagan administration, including at the Justice Department (at the time, the INS reported to the attorney general). Reagan agreed that amnesty would be conferred on 2-3 million illegal aliens as a one-time event in exchange for adequate funding for border security. The bill passed in 1987. The border security part of the deal was never enforced.
To say that Reagan supported amnesty and no more is to rewrite history. There would have been no Reagan-Kennedy bill, written largely by LULAC and LaRaza.
But we must rewrite history
if we are to make the case that McCain is no different from Reagan,
Reagan is no different from his predecessors,
and Reagan's speeches weren't all that revolutionary.
And if we object to such characterizations, then the argument shifts to Reagan wasn't perfect,
the Reagan era is dead,
these are different times, etc. Then, if we criticize McCain's record we are told
Look, I do not believe that McCain is a principled conservative.
I believe he is a populist hawk in the tradition of a Scoop Jackson. This isn't a perfect comparison, of course, but nothing is ever perfect, is it?
In my view, this is why the hawks will support McCain regardless of his record in virtually every other respect. Moreover, they see McCain as the only Republican who has the will or ability or whatever to fight terrorism. I don't.
But please, can we at least agree, on National Review's website of all places, to stop dumbing down or dismissing the Reagan record. If you are going to use it, at least be accurate about it. It isn't perfect, but it is far superior to the backhand it received earlier.
02/02 12:52 PM
Mark Levin isn't called the GREAT ONE for no reason.
A very glowing endorsement. I’d like Mr. McCain to read this:
What Americans Want on Immigration:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1964492/posts
His campaign bank account empty, forced to lay off staff and dismissed as a viable contender, McCain soldiered on against the odds and now appears poised to capture the party’s nomination.
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Everyone says romney knows how to pull things off with his vast business experience. Yet, Mccain managed to turn a big win with very little money and Romney blew millions on the campaign and lost. So yes, McCain does have skills :)
The mere fact that he has lied about seeking and then dropping a bid to switch parties and run as John Kerry’s running mate in 2004 destroys any credibility or aura of integrity and honor that he might have had. Nothing can change this fact, and nothing is what I expect from an unprincipled political opportunist like John McCain.
I am sorrry, but if MCLAIM is the choice of my party, I will either sit this one out, or (I can’t believe I am touching these keys), I will vote for the RAT.
from the Sun-Times endorsement of Johnny: “experienced player in the U.S. Senate and Washington politics,”
Dear McCain operative,
Experienced “player” is what makes me sick McCain. I’m sick of the politics of Washington. McCain is the worst of it.
Did you all see the video of the woman who gets kicked out of an Arizona town meeting by McCain’s aids for wanting him answer a question on the illegal immigration crime problem in her town? He’s dispicable.
Piss on John McCain. Unless he was on fire, in which case I wouldn’t bother.
Welcome. McCain and his name dropping team disgust me.
I do not like him and will not be voting for him.
That's the ticket... McCain: The diveristy candidate!
Or was that adversity?
My principles are not for sale.