Posted on 05/20/2008 9:35:33 AM PDT by AuntB
James S. Gilmore III, who seeks Virginia's U.S. Senate seat, yesterday dramatically distanced himself from President Bush on trade, immigration, spending and energy, and even likened the president's hat-in-hand request of the Saudi government to boost oil production last week to Sen. Barack Obama's call to negotiate with enemy leaders.
His sobering assessment of his party's floundering was shared by a fellow Virginian, Rep. Eric Cantor, the Republican chief deputy whip in the House. In a separate interview, Mr. Cantor said Republicans are fighting uphill against the reality that "the public looks at the Bush administration in the last seven or eight years as a time in which the government did not fix any problems."
....Mr. Gilmore said, Republicans should do a better job ensuring free trade is fair to the U.S. by imposing stricter labor and environmental standards on other nations.
"I think we should be tougher. I think we should be stronger," he said. "The public has a right to believe that the playing field has been equalized and that Americans are playing at the same advantage of people around the world. Otherwise, you can't sustain the policy."
He also said the Republican Party needs to better connect with voters on pocketbook issues......rising gas prices, by establishing an energy policy that makes greater use of nuclear power and coal and allows drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge....
He broke with Mr. Bush and Mr. McCain on immigration, saying the country cannot accept amnesty for illegal immigrants, though it should consider a guest-worker program for future foreign workers.
Mr. Gilmore said the U.S. in the past few years has "not had a national policy that we will control our borders," and said he would be willing to make employers who hire illegal aliens serve jail time.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
I like Gilmore Girls.
From out here in Missouri, am I seeing some rays ofconservative-thinking hope from the historically rich, great state of Virginia?
Jim Gilmore is a good guy, but is he ever going to get his butt whipped by Mark Warner for this Senate seat.
Warner’s gonna have to commit a “macaca” moment for Jim to have a chance. But Warner is well liked, particularly in densely populated northern Virginia.
Ugh.
Gilmore’s won an upset before, but this is going to be a real tough race. I was quite worried about Warner as a presidential candidate, let alone a senate candidate.
Gilmore may be a good guy but protection is a losing position. So you are likely right he will lose again as a Dim protectionist.
Aren’t there some skeletons in Warner’s closet?
Hope those come out.
He’s a Democrat. He could have a warehouse chock full of skeltons. No matter.
It’s gotta be at least the equivalent of a “macaca” moment. Nothing less will help Mr. Gilmore.
My Congressman, Eric Cantor has it right. He's one Republican that can count on my vote this November.
Gilmore is someone I can really get behind and support.
“This is conservative? Kyoto and unions? What???”
Given his positions on the other issues, I read that as forcing the TRUE enforcement of the Kyoto drivel on other nations so that its support disintegrates.
It seems CURRENTLY as if the Kyoto nonsense is only to applied to the evil United States.
Actually Mr. Cantor, (whom I usually admire) this "public" looks at the CONGRESS of the last 7 or 8 years as a time in which the worthless CONGRESSCRITTERS did not "fix any problems" while they grew richer and more notorious at my expense.
For those of you that are not aware, Jim Gilmore is seeking the nomination to run for sInator against Warner. His nomination will not be decided until Saturday May 31, 2008 at the state republican convention, when the delegates will vote on Gilmore or Bob Marshall.
Marshall has legislative experience in the House of Delegates. He successfully sued Virginia's entire political establishment (Marshall vs. N.V.T.A.) on the 2007 Transportation Bill. There are a couple of issues with him I hope to clear up today after I spent an hour on Gilmore's issues yesterday.
If the enemedia is supporting Gilmore because of his brave stance against President Bush, exhibiting his BDS, then the decision may have just been made in this household. Gilmore may have just lost my vote with this crap!
You beat me to it. Exactly right. That’s the problem with the whole mentality.
To stand a chance, he needs to verbally didstance himself from the Beltway RINO’s who populate the Senate, too.
Agreed. I do not think Gilmore has a chance to beat Warner. Gilmore will be macaca'd by Warner's campaign message that he had to rescue Virginia from the financial shambles of epic proportions and the car tax 'mess'that Gilmore left after his term of Governor. Unfortunately, I believe the lie will succeed and having the current liberal Gov. & Warner suck-up around to constantly harp on the same message won't be helpful. The thought of a M.Warner/J.Webb Senate tag team is sickening.
so he’s pandering?
Let's see if we can convince Obama that Warner would make a good VP candidate.
I would hardly define that as pandering.
He perhaps could be more clear, IF indeed he wants to shove Kyoto down the throat of those who are paying it feel-good lip service only.
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