Posted on 08/19/2008 4:43:34 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
In April of 2007, former CBS News reporter and six-time Emmy Award winner Bernard Goldberg's book, entitled "Crazies to the Left of Me, Wimps to the Right: How One Side Lost Its Mind and the Other Lost Its Nerve," was released. The book became an instant bestseller, and although its title was conjured up over a year ago, its premise is becoming increasingly apparent in this year's presidential election.
On the Democratic side, in the wake of one of the longest and most vicious primary battles in recent electoral history, Goldberg's argument has seemingly been substantiated. The contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama was much more than a historic first in terms of a woman and an African American vying for the nomination of a major political party; rather, it signified a battle between the moderate wing of the party which generally supported Clinton, and the radical fringe of the party, which has grown in alarming numbers since 2000, and overwhelmingly supported Obama.
After her election to the Senate in 2000, Clinton was one of the most powerful Democrats in the Senate, and it was no secret that the former First Lady was preparing for her own White House run. After she declined to challenge President Bush's successful re-election campaign in 2004, when she could have easily won the Democratic nomination, it was a foregone conclusion that she would be the party's nominee in 2008.
In late 2007 the Republicans were gearing up for the race of the century, facing not only a staggering decline in popularity but the almost certain reality that their opponent would be the same woman that they have villianized for the past 15 years.
Earlier this year, however, it became apparent that seismic changes had occurred within the Democratic Party. Since President Bush's election in 2000, the party has moved farther and farther to the left, as the voices of mainstream Democrats have been drowned out by the radical fringe ideologies of newly formed organizations such as MoveOn.org and popular, outspoken blogs such as DailyKos. Conventional wisdom would dictate that a former First Lady turned Senator from New York would have little to no problem defeating a candidate just three years removed from the Illinois state legislature.
However, the political landscape has changed drastically in recent years. Eight years ago Joe Lieberman was the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate. Today, he is an Independent as well as an ardent supporter of John McCain. In a 2004 Time Magazine article entitled "Obama's Ascent," written just after his election to the United States Senate, Amanda Ripley praised Obama and spoke highly of his rise to the Senate, adding that, "Democrats debate whether he should run for president in 2012 or 2016." Not long ago, it seems that even those on the left would have conceded that the Illinois Senator would be grossly unqualified for the presidency in 2008. But it appears that Democrats have replaced common sense with extremism in selecting a candidate who makes Hillary Clinton seem moderate in comparison.
In contrast, and likely in the face of political reality, the Republicans seem to be going the opposite direction in this year's election. With President Bush's approval ratings falling toward the end of his term, the GOP has made a concerted effort to distance this year's candidates away from the president. And while the conservative base would have preferred Mitt Romney or Fred Thompson as the Republican presidential candidate this year, the eventual winner was a politically centrist John McCain. Since he wrapped up the GOP nomination back in March, however, McCain's campaign has been plagued by the lack of both sufficient media coverage and a message that effectively resonates with voters. Last month, on the same day Barack Obama spoke before hundreds of thousands of adoring spectators in Berlin, we saw McCain in the aisle of a grocery store in Pennsylvania. Any time images of Obama and McCain are juxtaposed on television, it isn't difficult to determine who comes out on top. McCain seems frail and uninspired when compared to an articulate and much younger politician.
With the loss of even more seats in the House and Senate a seemingly foregone conclusion for the Republicans this year, one would think that the GOP would put forth their best effort in the presidential race. However, Republican fundraising figures are down across the board, and Obama is predicted to outspend McCain three-to-one by November.
An Obama administration coupled with a supportive Democratic Congress would result in unforeseen changes for all Americans, and the Republicans don't seem to be putting up much of a fight. With only 11 weeks remaining until Election Day, Bernard Goldberg's year-old theory unfortunately appears to be correct.
Yeah, I’m testy. I’ll never forget sitting there with my Viet Nam veteran husband watching the tube when McCain stepped onto the tarmac. We had such hopes for McCain, and he’s managed to disappoint every time. Danny served in the Navy too. On a Marine unit patrolling the Mekong River near DaNang. No, he wasn’t a POW. He was a 17 year old kid and a hero. We lost him about a month ago. He was ten times the man John McCain ever was or will be.
Salud!
Careful with that ‘woman’ thing.......what’s scary is so many of these Rino’s sound like women, kinda like the lefties.
fightinJAG wrote:
““Those who refuse to vote for McCain, whatever their reasons and no matter how legitimate their reasons are, are helping Obambi get elected and doing nothing to help defeat him.””
And AuntB replied:
“Fine, maybe you’d be happy if I just vote Obama. One traitor is as good as the next”
You’re wasting your time, man.
Anyone on this forum who believes McCain to actually be a “traitor” isn’t worth the waste of electrons.
Ms. Auntie, you may just get EXACTLY what you deserve this election.
Here’s to hoping that you DON’T...
- John
It’s sad to see those that call themselves conservatives being sucked into the liberal trap by voting for a pseudo-conservative candidate that happens to place an (R) beside his name. They fail to even realize that liberals have outflanked them by ensuring that they have two liberal candidates to pick from, one a radical marxist liberal, and the other just a plain liberal in conservative clothing. Yet they lay the blame for a liberal winning the office because some conservative voters refuse to vote for the lesser evil/liberal. They are exactly the reason why the GOP is infested with cockroach RINO’s. As my tagline says, they have chosen to ingest the slow-acting poison.
True.
But the discussion tends to bring in good points by others, such as the point you made.
“Ms. Auntie, you may just get EXACTLY what you deserve this election.”
That’s right, you and John McCain decide what I ‘deserve’.
We deserve an honest, fair election, but we’ve got this. You go ahead and perpetuate this kind of DANGEROUS trend.
Be proud.
I’ll stick with a guy a bit wiser and patriotic. You go ahead and vote for McCain.
”Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” - John Quincy Adams”
What possible grounds do you have for that statement?
I understand very well that you do not "want" either of the nominees.
My point is: so what?
You are going to get one of the nominees, and no matter what you do, you are going to help one of these two nominees get elected.
The only question I am asking you is, since you will in fact help McCain get elected unless you vote for Obambi---which, I take it, you won't do---why not go further and help defeat Obambi?
As I said, if you were willing to take responsibility for the fact that your refusal to vote for McCain helps Obambi get elected, and vice versa, at least then it would appear you thought through the actions you conclude "protect America.".
I admire you for at least conceding the obvious that, so long as you don't vote for Obambi, you are helping McCain anyway.
I do wish you would reconsider your decision to do nothing to help defeat Obambi.
But, as you said, that's a waste of time, I fear.
As for me, I will do everything in my power to help defeat Obambi and the Rats.
I can understand that princples are not something you normally deal with and that is why you are having such a difficult time understanding which way to turn.
Your guy, McCain is a socialist. That, to me means I can’t vote for him either. May I suggest that you bring another candidate, an acceptable one, into play the game.
My definition of how a veteran should “help defeat Obambi” and “protect America” is not currently legal. Until the people see him to be the threat that he is, I don’t expect it will become legal.
Our courts didn’t have the fortitude to give Robert Hanssen, one of the most prominent traitors in US history, the death penalty and I doubt they will see Obamma as being the dangerous traitor that he is either.
As I said, there is no expiration date on the oath I took, so stop asking me to violate it.
On what do you base that statement, please?
I simply disagree with you on what's best for the nation in terms of voting in this presidential election. That is quite different from your fantastic and wrong extrapolation that, therefore, "principles are not something [I] normally deal with."
And it's laughable that you accuse me of "having such a difficult time understanding which way to turn."
I am having no difficulty whatsoever in determining what I think is the right course of action for me on Election Day.
I have no doubt in my mind that, for me, it is my moral obligation to help defeat Obambi and I intend to proceed accordingly.
You, apparently, disagree with that assessment. I accept that. Unlike you, however, I will not accuse of you being unfamiliar with dealing in principles.
P.S. Since you have made this over-the-top statement several times, I am going to address it.
No one, least of all me, is "asking you to violate your oath."
I am engaging you in a discussion of the rationality of your analysis of what it means to "protect" the United States.
I disagree with your analysis that sitting by and not doing what one can to defeat Obambi is somehow "protecting" the nation.
That is all.
Sorry, I didn't see this statement in full before I replied previously.
For the record, I disassociate myself from this statement.
Time to move along.
B4Ranch wrote: My definition of how a veteran should “help defeat Obambi” and “protect America” is not currently legal. Until the people see him to be the threat that he is, I don’t expect it will become legal.
Big man!
Yet you cannot even bring yourself to *vote* against him (Obambi).
Put me on his jury and I guarantee you that I will vote GUILTY /DEATH SENTENCE.
If that qualifies me as a “Big man!”, so be it. It’s not my fault you don’t have the balls to send a traitor to Death Row.
Why don’t you go outside and pick some weeds out of the lawn or something? Stop posting to me.
I’m sorry for your loss.
Thank you for your service, and for his.
I you have read ANYTHING about the creation of the present Constitution, you would realize the founding fathers were NOT purists. They compromised. And the Constitution is better because of it.
They compromised with one another, not with loyalists.
We don’t need to be compromising with nanny staters, borderline Democrats, liberals of ANY PARTY, big government advocates or control freaks of any kind.
You either have enough votes to win (which we obviously don’t) or you compromise. Those are the only two real choices. If you don’t you lose faster. You are advocating that we should lose faster.
Unfortunately, too many people here would rather lose than convince enough people to vote with them. That means talking to people who DON”T believe what we believe in instead of preaching to the choir. Saying, “I am taking my marbles and am going home.” is MORE childish when it comes to politics than it was when you were a kid.
Have fun puffing up your chest and telling everyone on a conservative website how tough you are. It doesn’t mean anything.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.