Posted on 02/22/2008 5:48:40 AM PST by Kaslin
Updated: 9:46 PM 02/21/08 Obama Scores, Clinton Flops on Copy Cat Spat Updated: 9:16 PM 02/21/08 Notes on Obama's Immigration Debate Talk Updated: 8:40 PM 02/21/08 <a href="http://ads.townhall.com/accipiter/adclick/CID=00014ba3d8d6daef00000000/site=TOWNHALL/area=TownHall.Web.Columnists.DouglasMacKinnon/POSITION=TOWN_SKY/AAMGEOIP=68.112.78.1"> <img src="http://media.salemwebnetwork.com/creative/MortgageMinuteAdSkycalcsky.swf" alt="" width="160" height="600" border="0"> </a> GOP to Conservatives: Drop Dead By Douglas MacKinnon Friday, February 22, 2008
As with small children, many of the entrenched, beholden, or power-hungry hierarchy of the Republican party, simply wish conservatives could be seen, but never heard.
In a very telling headline, The Washington Times recently reported, “McCain Refuses to Pander.” In the first paragraph of the article, the paper said, “John McCain's campaign manager yesterday said the candidate will not pander for conservative support…” Yeah, we know. Message received.
For those conservatives or talk radio hosts who still don’t get it, or who are still not prepared to compromise their principles for the party, then some elder statesmen have some names they’d like to call you. Chase Untermeyer, the former high level official for Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and the current president, said in a recent column, “At both the national and local levels, there are those who declare that certain Republican elected officials are insufficiently conservative and must be purged. Senator John McCain is getting the worst of these blasts right now, with some self-appointed tribunes of Reagan’s legacy saying they might even prefer Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama – scarcely followers of the Gipper – to McCain.”
For those conservatives who admire President Reagan but would dare question the record of McCain, Mr. Untermeyer, labeled each a “SQUIRREL.” As in “Snarky Quibbler who Undermines and Ignores Ronald Reagan’s Enduring Legacy.”
“Snarky.” I guess if you went to Harvard, called yourself “Chase” instead of Charles, and mingled with the elites of the world, then “Snarky” is a name you might assign to conservatives who have an honest disagreement with John McCain. If you’re someone like me, who grew up in poverty, barely got an education, and never met an Ivory Tower elite worth a warm bucket of spit, then you might substitute the word “ethical” for snarky.
When I first came to Washington, I had the honor to work in the White House as a low-level writer for Ronald Reagan. While certainly lacking the pedigree of Mr. Untermeyer, I did share one or two special moments with that President. In a conversation that Peggy Noonan was kind enough to chronicle in her bestselling book entitled “When Character Was King,” President Reagan and I spoke in the Oval Office about the alcoholism of our fathers, poverty, and the cruelty of life. It was actually because of Ronald Reagan’s wisdom, kindness, and suggestion, that I was able to reach out to my estranged father.
Understanding that, I’m more than proud to plead guilty to using Ronald Reagan as the template for true conservatism. As such, I just don’t think there is any way that anyone can accurately equate Reagan’s conservative legacy with McCain’s moderate voting record. Does saying that make me a bad person? Am I now an Untermeyer “Squirrel?”
The thought of voting for Clinton or Obama makes me nauseous. We are a nation at war with Islamists who mean to exterminate us. To vote for Clinton or Obama is to vote for the authority to wave the flag of appeasement or surrender. I have no intention of voting for the next Neville Chamberlain.
John McCain is a good person. I do believe he has the best interests of our nation at heart. That said, as an American, it’s my right to disagree with him on substance. John McCain heroically fought and sacrificed to give me that right, and for that, I am forever grateful. On issues such as immigration, taxes, judges, global warming, drilling in Anwar, and the detention and prosecution of enemy combatants, I take issue with some of his past comments, votes, or current positions.
Unfortunately, the message I’m getting from the Republican establishment is that conservatives should bite their tongues, do their duty, and await the crumbs that may come their way in a McCain administration. Is that what it’s come to? Party loyalty before principle?
In endorsing McCain the other day, former President George H.W. Bush said, “…no one is better prepared to lead our nation at these trying times than Senator John McCain.” Really? No one? Does this incredibly decent former president truly believe that McCain is better prepared to lead this nation than say, his own son, Jeb? Or Mitt Romney?
In his endorsement, the former president also said, “…I believe now is the time for me to help John in his effort to start building the broad-based coalition it will take for our conservative values to carry the White House this fall.”
“Conservative values.” That’s all this election is about for millions of Americans who choose to put country before party. As such, they are entitled to have McCain further define or clarify his “conservative values.” He needs to earn their vote.
Like Untermeyer, former President Bush questioned those on the right who question McCain. He called such criticism “grossly unfair” and an “unfair attack.”
If some in the party succeed in quashing the conservative voice, then they will have silenced the conscience of America. Surely, John McCain will stand shoulder to shoulder with conservatives to prevent such an outcome.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the forthcoming novel, The Apocalypse Directive.
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As with small children, many of the entrenched, beholden, or power-hungry hierarchy of the Republican party, simply wish conservatives could be seen, but never heard.
In a very telling headline, The Washington Times recently reported, “McCain Refuses to Pander.” In the first paragraph of the article, the paper said, “John McCain's campaign manager yesterday said the candidate will not pander for conservative support…” Yeah, we know. Message received.
For those conservatives or talk radio hosts who still don’t get it, or who are still not prepared to compromise their principles for the party, then some elder statesmen have some names they’d like to call you. Chase Untermeyer, the former high level official for Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and the current president, said in a recent column, “At both the national and local levels, there are those who declare that certain Republican elected officials are insufficiently conservative and must be purged. Senator John McCain is getting the worst of these blasts right now, with some self-appointed tribunes of Reagan’s legacy saying they might even prefer Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama – scarcely followers of the Gipper – to McCain.”
For those conservatives who admire President Reagan but would dare question the record of McCain, Mr. Untermeyer, labeled each a “SQUIRREL.” As in “Snarky Quibbler who Undermines and Ignores Ronald Reagan’s Enduring Legacy.”
“Snarky.” I guess if you went to Harvard, called yourself “Chase” instead of Charles, and mingled with the elites of the world, then “Snarky” is a name you might assign to conservatives who have an honest disagreement with John McCain. If you’re someone like me, who grew up in poverty, barely got an education, and never met an Ivory Tower elite worth a warm bucket of spit, then you might substitute the word “ethical” for snarky.
When I first came to Washington, I had the honor to work in the White House as a low-level writer for Ronald Reagan. While certainly lacking the pedigree of Mr. Untermeyer, I did share one or two special moments with that President. In a conversation that Peggy Noonan was kind enough to chronicle in her bestselling book entitled “When Character Was King,” President Reagan and I spoke in the Oval Office about the alcoholism of our fathers, poverty, and the cruelty of life. It was actually because of Ronald Reagan’s wisdom, kindness, and suggestion, that I was able to reach out to my estranged father.
Understanding that, I’m more than proud to plead guilty to using Ronald Reagan as the template for true conservatism. As such, I just don’t think there is any way that anyone can accurately equate Reagan’s conservative legacy with McCain’s moderate voting record. Does saying that make me a bad person? Am I now an Untermeyer “Squirrel?”
The thought of voting for Clinton or Obama makes me nauseous. We are a nation at war with Islamists who mean to exterminate us. To vote for Clinton or Obama is to vote for the authority to wave the flag of appeasement or surrender. I have no intention of voting for the next Neville Chamberlain.
ohn McCain is a good person. I do believe he has the best interests of our nation at heart. That said, as an American, it’s my right to disagree with him on substance. John McCain heroically fought and sacrificed to give me that right, and for that, I am forever grateful. On issues such as immigration, taxes, judges, global warming, drilling in Anwar, and the detention and prosecution of enemy combatants, I take issue with some of his past comments, votes, or current positions.
Unfortunately, the message I’m getting from the Republican establishment is that conservatives should bite their tongues, do their duty, and await the crumbs that may come their way in a McCain administration. Is that what it’s come to? Party loyalty before principle?
In endorsing McCain the other day, former President George H.W. Bush said, “…no one is better prepared to lead our nation at these trying times than Senator John McCain.” Really? No one? Does this incredibly decent former president truly believe that McCain is better prepared to lead this nation than say, his own son, Jeb? Or Mitt Romney?
In his endorsement, the former president also said, “…I believe now is the time for me to help John in his effort to start building the broad-based coalition it will take for our conservative values to carry the White House this fall.”
“Conservative values.” That’s all this election is about for millions of Americans who choose to put country before party. As such, they are entitled to have McCain further define or clarify his “conservative values.” He needs to earn their vote.
Like Untermeyer, former President Bush questioned those on the right who question McCain. He called such criticism “grossly unfair” and an “unfair attack.”
If some in the party succeed in quashing the conservative voice, then they will have silenced the conscience of America. Surely, John McCain will stand shoulder to shoulder with conservatives to prevent such an outcome.
I got that message long before this. To be honest, I’m not sure conservatives belong in the steaming pile of garbage that now passes for modern two-party American politics.
Do you think he was “The Manchurian Candidate” brainwashed in the Hanoi Hilton or replaced by a KGB agent like in “Hundred days of the Dragon”?
A vote for McCain is a vote against the New York Times.
I hope everyone who vowed at the last election that they’d stop holding their nose to vote for the GOP candidate remembers that vow.
No it is not.
A vote for McCain is a vote FOR McCain.
I look at the electoral map and it does nothing to contradict you. He will not take enough Independent or Liberals to take any of the blue states. They will vote for the real thing. I cannot see him pulling out Ohio, and that is enough to swing the election. Add to that, Florida, Virginia, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and perhaps Louisiana and it starts looking like a landslide.
That is why McLame and his band of 14 RINOS ran across to the democrats. That is why us OHIOAN’s have had to suffer through Tactless Taft, Cry me a rive Voinabitch, and snot nosed DeWiner (finally threw him out...got a democrat and not seen any change .. there wasn’t any difference)
That is why we got no new taxes Bush, and compassionate conservatism Bush. (ever wonder why bush 1 and Reagan didn’t get along??) I hope to H. E. double hockeysticks we never see another Bush family member in the running again
Troops will not suffer. Pelosi made it to speaker of the house on the charge she would get the troops out the next day. The dirty little secret it would be suicide for the majority of the moron democrats to publicly by vote say ...pull them out. Talk is cheap .... talk about defunding the military ...only a handful of dems had the “big ones” to actually put their vote where constituents would see it. Rhetoric is funny that way.
We got to this point by accepting the RNC and State and county to give us RINO’s
No more. Not a single penny. Not a single vote.
I will support individuals and vote for individuals that remain true to the conservative ideals. Never again will i go in holding my nose ..... it leaves a very bad taste that cannot be cleansed easily or quickly. It tends to grow and the stench is where we are today .. we brought it on.
Mock me. Go ahead. And next time instead of buying that new vehicle of choice ... go buy that Yugo instead. It still has four wheels doncha know. Yeah ... lets see how strong your principals are there.
As a conservative, I say to the GOP rinos, no, you are the one who is dead and frankly, that is good. Your days have run their course and you have made the mistake of believing conservatives are like the fool liberal base.
Even if McCain wins because of the fear of the liberal left marxist politicians , the liberal McCain will bring in many evil changes to America as they too are now fools and Marxist godless liberals also.
Rinos are the same as greenies.
Trumpeting your ignorance in the name of appeasing the various causes of Marxism is hardly a position of rectitude.
Consider this a clear admission that McCain is not a member of the group called "Conservatives".
“The band can play on and the wagon can leave the station without me.”
Well, that’s two of us. I think that the poll on the activism page is telling. I think the vast bulk of so-called conservatives will be voting for the socialism-lite of Sen. McCain. And rationalizing it all the way.
The irony is that it won’t change the end result. The poltical outlook of the population is pretty evenly split. Losing even 5-10% of your base is enough to ensure that you will lose badly.
Oh Yeah!...I WANT a President that PANDERS to you whinny spoiled brats! NOT!
I WANT A PRESIDENT THAT THAT WILL KICK ALKIADA’S ASS........
... by supporting stem cell research and vetoing good judges, by allowing in millions of illegals, and by opposing tax cuts... I have this beach front property in Tennessee I'd like to sell those that buy into this.
LoL.. aint that the truth...
-—No way... they are anti-war.-—
I am put in the position of agreeing with them more than with what remains of the Republican Party.
Illegal immigration and the open border are issues I am willing to go to war over.
How is electing McCain for president in tune with conservative principles?
Before you answer, understand that his party affilition is irrelavant.
Hillobama is not the issue in this discussion. Obviously, they would be a disaster. We don’t want them. Many of us will hold our noses and vote for McCain.
But, if McCain DOES NOT rally the base, he won’t win. If, by chance, he won, you can kiss goodbye the chance ANY conservative will ever being nominated. The MSM will declare the death of the conservative movement...in fact, they’ve already begun.
The MSM strategy has been brilliant, although won only by persistence.
The MSM will continue to influence the election by widening the gap between McCain and conservatives. They’ll also portray him as old and angry to the Middle.
He was the worst possible candidate we could have...but, Republicans, as usual, fell for it.
Fine with me...America has had MANY fine Presisents that were not card carrying “Conservatives”.
Thank you my friend. To avoid verbosity I will reply with only ....”Thas a fac, Jac!!”
“McCain....at the moment...he’s the guy that will defend the unborn, protect the country and try to keep us from going broke.”
I’m tired of this ragitme. The next DEM President will not allow the US to lose a war. Remeber one thing, Democrats value power over everything, so in order to keep power they can not allow attacks on the US. talk is cheap.
As far as going broke — How to pay for a 100 year war and the war on global warming and an illegal alien amnesty,
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