Posted on 11/04/2009 9:32:53 AM PST by rabscuttle385
A day after Tim Pawlenty took a few shots at Olympia Snowe, RNC Chairman Michael Steele came to her defense.
Asked on Morning Joe whether there was room for the Maine centrist in the GOP, Steele responded "absolutely."
Welcome! Welcome! Because--you know why that's important? Because every footprint of this party is different from region to region, from county to county. I can't win in the northeast with someone who'd be a better candidate suited in the south....So the reality of it is I'm looking to find my candidates where they are. And I want to lift them up because they represent those districts. So like New England, Olympia Snowe works there for her. She may not translate in South Carolina. She works in Maine.
Yesterday, Pawlenty warned Snowe that she was risking her spot in the GOP by possibly supporting healthcare reform. He also refused to say whether he was glad Snowe was a Republican.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
“Maine centrist “
CENTRIST?????
This witch hardly EVER votes with her political party on key issues. She is a philosphical clone of Arlen Specter.
Maine has a huge number of dems that routinely vote for Snowe. She faces almost NO opposition from either the dems or the lone die conservative. I just wish she would call herself what she is a dem in werid labelling. The northeast for DECADES has been the ‘Rockefeller’ wing of the party and frankly I wish they would all just take a hike
I’m on board now. Steele needs to resign. It’s in the interest of the party that he do so. I hear Tom Delay has some free time.
Steele is a 15 watt lightbulb — very dim.
I disagree that Steele is right. What they are doing wrong is sticking with party members when they stray (maybe even especially if they stray) from the Party Platform. If a conservative party member wanted to challenge Snowe (for example) in a primary, the RNC would automatically throw their weight behind the incumbent RINO. Evidence of this is abundant in the NY-23 race.
You know it, but I'm gonna say it again, the problem with the Party leadership is that they put Party before principle.
He’s right. We never got a primary in New York for the 23rd district.
“So the RNC should should disregard the will of the local voters and tell them who they can vote for? As a conservative that offends me.”
I don’t really care who the Maine nitwits vote for but when this Rino supports cap and trade and government controling my health care that offends me greatly. Maine can elect whoever they want but the national party can and should get the R removed from behind her name.
You're describing what Mr. Steele is, a RINO. He isn't going to help any conservatives because he doesn't believe in the conservative message. Expecting him to change is not an option 'cause he won't. RINO's are his people, not conservatives.
Once you get away from the Coast it is what the commies imagine WV is like. The farther North you go the worse it is.
Conservatism requires constant education of people.
We must constantly educate.
Snowe and Steele have the “constant pander” mentality. Give the peons bread and circuses and they will be your thralls.
IOW they don’t WANT people to know how to fish.
How very Obama of them.
Has anyone actually MET snowe?
she is clueless without her liberal staffers.
Where’s the next Ronald Reagan ? I don’t see anyone like him on the horizon.
Yup - he needs to GO.....
Better to have the enemy in the enemy camp.
NY23 did not have a primary, so I don't know what kind of evidence you are talking about there. The liberal was hand selected by a few liberal party boses. If there had been a primary, she would not have been selected, and a better candidate could have run against the Democrat as a Republican.
But now you are upset that a party boss isn't throwing his weight around. It's not a very consistent argument, and for that reason alone it's not a conservative argument.
I don't want the Republican bosses telling me who I have to vote for in Texas, and I don't think I can demand that they tell Maine who they can vote for.
You know as well as I do that the Northeast is more liberal than the rest of the country. Anyone nominated in a primary there is going to have a leftward tilt. However I do know something that you ignore. It's better to have Republican in the Senate that sometimes votes with the party, than a Democrat who never votes with us.
That's not to say we should be satisfied with Snowe. We should oppose her when she's wrong just as we should anyone. And we should do what ever we can to move Maine and other states like that to the right. But if we try to impose our view on them by fiat, as you desire, we only push them further to the left.
That's interesting. I do really care who Maine voters vote for, but I don't get a vote in their state.
Maine can elect whoever they want but the national party can and should get the R removed from behind her name.
So who would you want as Republican dictator?
IMHO Michael Steele is an optimistic, dedicated public servant who followed his principles and joined the GOP - against all odds - as a Republican in the Democrat stronghold of Maryland. He has won and lost - but I have never heard him whine.
His life story is an American odyssey - humble beginnings - missed opportunities and the humility to admit to his own failures.
Have you ever thrown your hat in the ring of fire??
I would agree, IF:
1) she was "centrist";
2) and if the "Center" hadn't moved steadily to the Left for the past 50 or more years.
who said anything about dictators? This does not affect Maine local issues. She would just run as a democrat or independent or socialist or whatever. Just not as a Republican. Our dollars should not be used to support someone who does not support the national platform of limited conservative government. Her votes affect not just the people of Maine but the entire country.
Its simple, if you are a Republican you need to support the republican platform. If you don't share the ideology then you need to seek another party or run as an independent. We've tried your PC big tent strategy. We've tried just winning elections by voting the lesser of two evils. And if you have not noticed we are about to lose are ability to reverse this trend. We can't afford to compromise anymore.
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