Obama wins Hawaii caucuses

Chicago Tribune ^ | 20 Feb 2008 | Jason George

[Alter Kaker]

Maybe they should've called it " Hawaii 10-0," as Sen. Barack Obama now has ten straight wins after besting Sen. Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's Hawaii caucuses.

Neither Obama nor Clinton campaigned in person for Hawaii's 20 delegate votes, but both recently had surrogates in the 50th state -- Clinton employed daughter Chelsea and Obama had half-sister Maya Soetero-Ng appear on his behalf. Obama, who was born and spent part of his youth on Hawaii, ran radio ads in recent weeks stressing his "native son" credentials.

On Tuesday night, in an e-mail to his supporters before the Hawaii victory was announced, Obama said winning there could foretell future successes: "If we win in Hawaii, it will be ten straight victories -- a streak no one thought possible, and the best position we can be in when Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont vote on March 4th."

[katiedidit1]

2012? surely you jest! after 4 yrs of Obama it may be too late. I find such rationalization to be inane and insulting to many conservatives that will vote for McCain.
McCain is the right man for the times and I am fed up with the faux purist conservatives claiming its their way or the highway ...the highway to nowhere with Obama thanks to the real rinos.

[nicmarlo]

image credit to phildragoo

Each republican candidate for president in the last six presidential elections (including this one) has been less a ‘republican’ than the one who preceded him. George Bush is less a Constitutional scholar, and reveres the Constitution and the sovereignty of America, less than did his father. George senior was less of a Constitutional scholar, and revered the Constitution and the sovereignty of America, exponentially less than did Ronald Reagan. And John McCain doesn’t know the meaning of reverence for the Constitution, or allegiance to protecting America’s sovereignty.

Each time we genuine conservatives support one of these turncoats, we define-down the republican party. It has now reached a point at which I no longer even recognize the party in which I have been registered for forty years. It has become a party that shares more with the democrats than it does with those courageous anti-slavery activists who painstakingly laid the party’s sublime foundation in an act of defiance against a tyrannical federal government more than a century and a half ago.

The only genuine republicans I can name today who are either currently serving in Washington, are serving as voices of conservatism in academia or the media, or who have been participants in this primary election cycle (James Inhofe, Rick Santorum, Duncan Hunter, Fred Thompson, Thomas Sowell, J.C. Watts, Alan Keyes, and John Bolton, among them) represent a dying breed. They are throwbacks to what conservatism used to represent, and, as such, they are no longer welcome as leaders in today’s republican party. Their voices are stifled by their ‘fellow republicans’, and they are perceived as part of a ‘fringe element’. As things stand now, none of them would anymore stand a snowball’s chance in hell of gaining powerful political office, let alone the presidency.

What does that say about the republican party of 2008? It says that, over the past two decades, we registered republicans have allowed our party to incrementally exclude true conservatives for consideration to hold the highest offices in the land. And how have we done that? We have ‘gone along to get along’. We have held our collective noses and agreed to put in office men who are less and less like genuine American patriots, and more and more like leftist democrats, with each election cycle. And the phony republicans we have put in office have consistently worked with the democrats to stifle any efforts made by genuine conservatives to re-ignite the conservative voice in Washington. And the Constitution and America’s sovereignty be damned.

When Rick Santorum was the third most powerful man in the senate, John McCain invariably sided with the democrats every time Santorum or another conservative attempted to bring legislation to the floor that would steer this republic back in the right direction. McCain often wouldn’t allow conservative legislation to even see the light of day on the senate floor. For that reason, Santorum despises McCain, and has stated that he will never vote for him, commenting that McCain has been as much an enemy of conservative, pro-American thought as most democrats on the Hill.

My husband, who is every bit as conservative as I, plans to vote for Hillary in November. He is going to do so because, should McCain win the election, the mainstream media will continuously paint him as a ‘conservative’ (just as they are now), and, when he makes toxic mistakes (most likely in decisions regarding illegal immigration, abortion, stem cell research, tax increases, global warming legislation, granting due-process rights to terrorists, and the like), those mistakes will be portrayed as having been committed by a ‘conservative’ president. After which, you can count on the fact that no genuine conservative will occupy the White House again in our lifetimes.

Whether Clinton or McCain occupies the White House for the next four years, America is in for a rude awakening. I would prefer that a liberal democrat/avowed socialist be blamed for the geopolitical/economic earthquakes that are looming over the horizon. At least that way we will have the whisper of a hope that a genuine conservative may be able to eventually take the reins and pick up the pieces.

I could not, in good conscience, cast a vote for Hillary (my voting finger would spontaneously combust for sure). But neither will I continue to vote for leftists-in-conservative-clothing. Such imposters have succeeded in re-defining my party, handcuffing their genuine republican counterparts, and corrupting my government beyond recognition. And if an avowed anti-American leftist must damage our beloved republic for four years in order for the republican party to recognize that it had better return to its roots, then that may well be the terrible price we must pay in order to embark on that long-overdue journey.

I’ll be sitting out the election in November, at least where the presidential ballot is concerned, for the first time since I became eligible to vote – forty years ago. I will no longer play an active role in the hi-jacking of the republican party … or the suicide of our beloved republic.

~ joanie

[nicmarlo]

If you want the Republicans to lose

Which Republicans would that be? The ones in name only? Or real ones, like Senator Sessions? The RINO's.....good riddance. But I'll vote for conservatives any day of the week. Heck, Zell's a better conservative than McShamnesty.

[NittanyLion]

If you and a friend of yours go and vote for some third party loser, how does the effect of that differ than if one of you went out and voted directly for the Democrat instead of McCain? Do you think anybody is going to listen to your little "message"?

I'm voting third party, and quite frankly I couldn't care whether anyone listens to my message. It will be done for personal reasons, not to make a statement.

[gridlock]

Really, why bother? Who cares?

Vote the races down the ticket, if any of those candidates happen to meet with your exacting personal standards, of course. But why even bother to vote for somebody who is going to get less than a half a percent?

But if you really want McCain to lose, you are going about it all wrong. You should be voting for Hillary Clinton and donating to her campaign if you want McCain to lose.

[NittanyLion]

Really, why bother? Who cares?

I do, of course. And it's my vote after all - not the party's.

But why even bother to vote for somebody who is going to get less than a half a percent?

Because I intend to vote for the most conservative candidate on the ballot. You know, principles and all that.

[WOSG]

“Because I intend to vote for the most conservative candidate on the ballot. You know, principles and all that.”
|
What is conservative about the ‘principle’ that Obama, the most leftwing member of the US Senate, should be President,
or that we should *not* vote for the most conservative of the viable candidates (said 2 candidates being McCain and Obama)?

I intend to vote for the most conservative viable candidate on the ballot - between McCain and Obama, that’s McCain.

[satan]

They just don’t understand that we’re tired of voting for losers.

[nicmarlo]

Exactly.

[PhilDragoo]

Obama eclipses Clinton as the likely opponent of McCain. McCain claims to have realized the importance of border security but cannot then rationalize Juan Hernandez as his point man on Mexico.

McCain admits he lacks economics understanding and has a record opposing the tax cuts which are the primary economic stimulant.

McCain promises to impose a crushing regulatory burden in service to the obscene fraud of "global warming".

Most significantly for the current electorate, McCain is a career Washington insider from the minority party who appears old and inarticulate opposite the young and charismatic "outsider".

That Obama is a stealth Muslim, Alinsky acolyte, who associates with the likes of Wright, who sends his Brzezinski to Damascus to suck up to the murderous Assad will be lost on most--and McCain will not broach any but the most Marquess of Queensbury matters.

McCain will lose handily no matter what individuals of conscience may do.

The situation might be ameliorated with a vice president of the caliber of Bobby Jindal, not those mentioned thus far, e.g., the mannikin in the closet with the tan from the bottle, or Lindsey of the Ultralight Loafers.

There will be a conservative president at some point with a congress more concerned with the constitution than the climate or the welfare of the criminal invaders and terrorist detainees.

Accounts will be settled.

[devere]

“We are witnessing the end of the Clinton Machine. This is a very, very good thing.”

We are witnessing the beginning of the Obama machine. This is a very very bad thing.

[MeekOneGOP]

bump !!!

[nicmarlo]

McCain will lose handily no matter what individuals of conscience may do.

I believe you are correct.

The situation might be ameliorated with a vice president of the caliber of Bobby Jindal, not those mentioned thus far, e.g., the mannikin in the closet with the tan from the bottle, or Lindsey of the Ultralight Loafers.

lol!

There will be a conservative president at some point with a congress more concerned with the constitution than the climate or the welfare of the criminal invaders and terrorist detainees.

I can only pray to God that that comes true. Looking into the future........well, it sure looks pretty dim. But, there is always hope

Accounts will be settled.

Boy howdy, will there ever be!

[calcowgirl]

Great post. Pretty well sums it up.

[gridlock]

We are witnessing the beginning of the Obama machine. This is a very very bad thing.

One dragon at a time, please. They can't both lose.

[gridlock]

They just don’t understand that we’re tired of voting for losers.

Feeeeelings!
Whoa-wo-wo Feeeelings!
Whoa-wo-wo Feeeeelings,
These feelings of love!

[NittanyLion]

I intend to vote for the most conservative viable candidate on the ballot - between McCain and Obama, that’s McCain.

That's certainly your choice. That said, continue to take that action and the only incentive for a GOP candidate is to be a shade right of the Democrat candidate. Only when GOP pols understand that they risk losing the conservative vote will they act in a conservative fashion.

[katiedidit1]

You made my point..YOUR husband is a conservative voting for hillary? ha ha ha NO true conservative would ever vote for hildebeast and while you are digging up everything you can about McCain; why dont you spend equal time showing Hillary’s record and also, her universal healthcare fiasco of a proposal? Vince Foster? Whitewater? Fbi Files? voting record? etc..your husband surely is no conservative and the msm is not cramming anyone down our throats; that is insulting to voters and inferring they do not think for themselves.

[nicmarlo]

You made my point..YOUR husband is a conservative voting for hillary? ha ha ha NO true conservative would ever vote for hildebeast and while you are digging up everything you can about McCain; why dont you spend equal time showing Hillary’s record and also, her universal healthcare fiasco of a proposal? Vince Foster? Whitewater? Fbi Files? voting record? etc..your husband surely is no conservative and the msm is not cramming anyone down our throats; that is insulting to voters and inferring they do not think for themselves.

As this was a post from joanie (it so stated at the bottom therein), you likely need to ask joanie these questions. Nevertheless, I agree with EVERYTHING that joanie stated, as they are true. I will NEVER, EVER support such a person as McCain. Ever.

[WOSG]

“That said, continue to take that action and the only incentive for a GOP candidate is to be a shade right of the Democrat candidate.”

This is problem that we should solve in the GOP primaries. We should vote for the strongest conservative candidate we can. I seem to recall we were on the same side when it was Romney v McCain in the primary. Romney was the better choice for conservatives. But some conservatives felt Romney wasnt ‘perfect enough for them’ so they split off, and the conservatives never rallied around a unifying conservative alternative. Hence McCain.

I see the same effect here again. McCain’s is far better than Obama, but some conservatives are doing the cut off the nose to spite the face thing, sowing seeds of a catastrophe for conservatives. obama is the most liberal Senator in the Senate.

I am going to ‘send a message’ in the Texas primary, voting for a conservative, then will turn around and support mccain in the fall. its the consistent conservative thing to do.

” Only when GOP pols understand that they risk losing the conservative vote will they act in a conservative fashion.”

I agree, but the fact is that no GOP candidate wins without a 51% majority, and that 51% is in most districts a center-right coalition, not a pure conservative majority. If conservatives split off for 3rd parties or sit out, it actually makes the vicious cycle worse, as the GOP candidates have to fight for more votes in the middle as they lose the right-wingers.

Conservative influence goes down the drain.

There is a better way:
1. Fight to support every conservative candidate
2. When the Republican is distinctly more conservative than the Democrat (and this is true for McCain v Obama), vote for that distinctly more conservative candidate (Obama=socialized healthcare vs no new entitlements and mandates from McCain; Bush tax cut extension vs more tax hikes from Obama; win in Iraq vs retreat from Iraq, etc.)
3. Keep their feet to the fire on key issues (just because we vote for mccain over obama wont stop us from opposing either of them vigorously if and when they propose amnesty).