GOP grassroots on fire

politico ^ | Jonathan Martin

[flyfree]

I've been covering the GOP presidential race since November of 2006. In those many months — across many states — I have never seen a crowd with the energy that I witnessed yesterday at the Erwin Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio.

Yes, there was an inherent buzz owing to the pending veep announcement.

But even after the choice was proclaimed, the crowd seemed to become more jacked. And when Sarah Palin delivered, they seemed to instantly fall in love.

They were, if you will, fired up and ready to go.

And outside the arena, far from Dayton, the response I've gotten from Republican activists coast-to-coast has been one of almost joy. My e-mail in-box is bursting with enthusiasm from loyal GOPers who've been either glum, skeptical or downright unhappy for the past two years.

[tiki]

I think the whole country is sick and tired of political hacks who care only about themselves. The promises they make are only pandering and this is a person who made promises and kept them.

I think a lot of liberals will vote for her because she’s a woman and they are mad at Obama.

And BTW, rocket scientist, the Evangelical’s candidate won the last 2 elections for president. I’m not Evangelical but Evangelicals seem to have the same opinions that I have.

[gop4lyf]

Me and many others would have stayed home if McCain had chosen that cult member for his V.P. pick.

[tiki]

A lackadaisical voter is just what I was until yesterday. I haven’t even read the political forum in months and months, I was just ignoring it, hoping it would go away.

I was going to hold my nose and vote for McCain and now I can’t wait.

[Common Tator]

First of all independents do not outnumber the Base.

In 2003 there were 36 million independent votes. Bush got 18 million and Kerry got 18 million. There were 41 million Republican votes for Bush.

There were 3 million Reagan Democrats who voted for Bush. Another name for Reagan Democrats is evangelical Christians. Bush got 300,000 Democrat evangelical votes in Ohio in 2004. Bush won Ohio by 60,000 votes.

What you fail to understand is about 70 Percent of EVANGELICALS are REGISTERED DEMOCRATS. They are called the Religious right by the media but they are mostly registered Democrats. They will vote for Republicans on the ABORTION ISSUE, and GUNS. They are really concerned about the Supreme court.

A typical Bush rally audience in 2004 contained about 10 percent Democrats nearly all of which had been Reagan Democrats. They voted for Bush.

Back in 1980 I covered the Reagan Campaign. The MSM pundits were shocked that Reagan mentioned his opposition to abortion in every speech in the industrial Midwest and in the South. The media thought it would cost Reagan votes. But Reagan told me that there were about 7 Million Evangelical Democrats and he intended to get the majority of their votes based on the abortion and gun issues.

He said those in favor of abortion did not make it a deciding issue. That is, the most pro abortion voters would vote for an anti abortion candidate if they liked his views on other issues. However anti abortion Evangelical will not vote for a pro abortion candidate.

That has proved to be the case.

So McCain has chosen a woman whose positions on corruption and just being a woman will create a gender gap for the Democrats among independents. And her views on abortion and the fact that McCain chose her will get them the majority of Reagan Democrats.

McCain already has a 9 percent lead in independent voters. A woman on the ticket will increase that lead. What most fools don't realize that anti gun and pro abortion became an minority issue in 1980. By 2,000 the DNC was advising pro abortion Democrat candidates to NEVER BRING UP THE SUBJECT OF ABORTION OR GUN CONTROL. It could only hurt them and the party.

Anti Abortion, and Pro gun are majority positions with independents as are tax cuts, and reduced government spending. They are the reason Hillary care went down in defeat. Nearly all independents have employer paid health care. The last thing they want to for taxpayer paid health care. They understand that they are the ones who would have to pay for it.

And Palin will kick Joe Biden a massive new one in the debates. She is very very smart and Joe is very very dumb. She can out think him and out smart him at every turn.

The persons who will rue the day they made a nomination are the Democrats who nominated Obama. He is going to make Dukakis look like a man who knew how to win elections.

[impeachedrapist]

Oh geez, not the cult stuff again. [smacking forehead]

[HIDEK6]

When I look at ObamaBiden I see two lawyers,

...neither of whom made any money in the law biz.

So they had to get into politics.

[truthguy]

You doofus. I guess that's why Ronald Reagan won two landslide elections. I predicted the other day that there would be trolls trying to diss Governor Palin.

First I'm not a doofus and certainly not a troll. You really need to get a hold of yourself and not get too excited when someone disagrees with you. That's what debate and dialog is all about. You win on the basis of your arguments and not insulting those you disagree with or shouting the loudest. What do you think this is a Moveon.org blog or the UC Berkeley Campus?
As for Reagan's victories, this was accomplished by bringing together a whole assortment of different groups. RR united many groups within the Republican Party and brought in some residual Democrats (so called Reagan Democrats). No one group was responsible for the Reagan wins. I personally know several Democrats who voted for Reagan.
Finally I don't remember where I "dissed" Governor Palin. Can you show me where I wrote this? I like the woman. I'm just not very sure she is the best candidate for VP. I'd prefer someone with more experience and more presence. The fact that she hunts doesn't mean Jack to me. I would have liked to have seen the offer go to Romney even though I'm closer to Palin on the issues. How do you like that? It's just that I think the VP should be selected on the basis of who would be the best person to step in if God forbid something should happen to the president.

[HIDEK6]

I've been keenly involved in observing politics for over 25 years

Does that mean you intensely sit on your couch and flip channels between C-Span and CNN?

[dforest]

You don't see very well. McCain was acutally a sailor.

Yes, McCain was ACTUALLY a sailor.

The poster was referencing a quote from one of the Hillary websites. It was a nice comment coming from a lib. Don't you think?

[Signalman]

“Another name for Reagan Democrats is evangelical Christians”

Are you sure about this. I thought that “Reagan Demorcats” were the Northern “blue-collar” union member types who worked in factories and restaurants and who were former Democrats who didn’t like the way the party had turned too far to the left. I never thought of them as evangelical Christians. See the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reagan_Democrat

[LdSentinal]

The point is that most of my friends and colleagues are either moderately liberal, middle of the road, or moderately conservative.

McCain appeals to these groups.

[truthguy]

Does that mean you intensely sit on your couch and flip channels between C-Span and CNN?

I never watch CNN because of the political bias on that network (although they are better than MSNBC). I watch C-Span if there is an interesting guest. I've been involved in some local campaigns for for candidates and propositions. However the great bulk of the time I read. That's the best way to stay informed. Of course you must read the right material. I listen to a little talk radio-mostly on my commute. Nowadays the music channels are all terrible.

[truthguy]

You make some good points. But I think the ‘glass ceiling’ issue trumps a woman's politics,

Great! Finally someone who can disagree with me and make some strong thoughtful arguments in backing up their case without having a temper tantrum. Pay attention Freepers, This is how you engage in debate and dialogue.

[NavyCanDo]

“Forget the tatoo, that really is a dumb idea. But get a yard sign: http://store.johnmccain.com/";

LOL! I was kidding about the chest tattoo. My wife would kill me and I would have to shave the chest.

[toomuchcoffee]

Boo Hissssss! It must suck to be you guys. Gloom and doom all OVER the place.

[SBprone]

It would be hard for McCain to win without votes from Catholics. A Mormon on the ticket, even the bottom of the ticket, would be a problem for most Catholics on the left, right or center. I’ll let the Protestants speak for themselves on this subject but I think some of them might have a problem also.

[mainerforglobalwarming]

When I get mad I at a poster I usually tell them to go fly a kite. But’s that’s only when I’m in a bad mood to begin with. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me when people differ with me because I haven’t made an accurate political prediction since the 1980’s. Yesterday I was on cloud nine, as happy as I could be without hooking up with a playboy model. Today reality’s set in. I’m confident that McCain will win easy. But, we can’t control other people’s actions. And world events. So this is fun time, making predictions. And the bottom line is that whoever wins in November, Obama or the Amnesty kid, will leave conservatives with plenty of work to do.

[greyfoxx39]

It is beginning to appear that you need to reconsider your choice of beverage.

If you check his posts, it looks like a sleeper.

[grey_whiskers]

I am beginning to wonder whether the Palin choice has triggered the activation of multiple "sleeper cells" in the conservative web-based community.

Bring it on, we've played "whack-a-mole" before.

Warning: Friendly fire sometimes happens too, so be careful out there, everyone.

Cheers!

[impeachedrapist]

Pay attention Freepers, This is how you engage in debate and dialogue.

Another way is to provide data for your assertions. Which you have so far still not done. Despite a few of us asking rather nicely, or at least refraining from calling you names.