Posted on 11/06/2009 8:38:50 PM PST by Pan_Yan
How is Dede Scozzafava holding up after a conservative insurgent drove her from the New York House race? Michael Smerconish asks the former Republican candidate about the future of her party.
Republican New York State Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava was considered a shoo-in to win the special election for the United States House seat in upstate New York this week—until conservative activists from outside the district attacked her for being too moderate and drove her from the race. After Scozzafava dropped out, the Democratic candidate ended up beating the third-party conservative challenger, and the district went blue for the first time in over 100 years. Michael Smerconish talked with Scozzafava about the ideological purification campaign against her—and the future of the Republican Party.
Do you recognize yourself? And by that I mean, given all the national attention and the things that have been said about you by pundits, do you recognize the Dede Scozzafava that they’ve been discussing?
Absolutely not. I know who I am. I’m not sure where they received a lot of the misinformation that they have on me. But I voted with my Republican leader [in the State Assembly] 95 percent of the time. I think that’s a pretty good percentage.
Over what time period?
This past year. I mean if you go back over 11 years, I still think my percentages have to be in the 90-95 percent ranges. I do the policy. I’ve been the head of the peer policy-review committee for the last four years for our Republican conference. We vet all issues through that. I’m the floor leader on the State Assembly and I lead debate for Republican positions. This whole thing became much more of a smoke-and mirrors-type race. How do you characterize yourself? We live in such a label-induced society—oh that person’s a liberal and this is a conservative. If I was to say to Dede Scozzafava, so what are you? What applies, if anything?
I’m a Republican.
Defined as what? When I look at the Republican Party of Lincoln and I look back at eight principles of being a Republican, I think I pretty much identify with each one of those principles. Whether it’s less government dependency, promoting self-sufficiency, believing in lower taxes, believing in fewer government regulations, believing in less government spending, or believing in individual liberty, individual freedom, and less government interference in the lives of people. Those are all positions that I’ve always held to, I’ve always articulated on behalf of, and those are the things I stand for. And I think those are Republican principles.
I went through an editorial board during this most recent race. And at the end, the gentleman, the lead editor just looked across the table at me and he said, “A moderate Republican? You’re a conservative Republican.” The social issues sometimes people might not agree with, but I really think I govern according to the Constitution and I live my personal life according to my faith, and I try very hard not to mix up the two.
Rush Limbaugh deemed you a "liberal woman." Michelle Malkin said you’re a "radical leftist." The New York Post: There’s "nothing Republican" about her, they scolded.
But they don’t know me. They haven’t taken the time to even accurately reflect on my record. I’ve been a state Republican committeewoman. I’ve been a Republican my entire political career. There were things out there in the press--I’m affiliated with ACORN. I have nothing to do with ACORN—
Yeah, what were the facts on that?
I have absolutely—I have no idea. I’m a cosponsor of legislation to block funding for ACORN.
I hope so. ... Assemblywoman, if I may ask, in the ’08 cycle: Were you supportive of the Republican ticket, the McCain ticket?
Yes.
You didn’t go—I get the impression from reading and listening that you’d be out there thumping your chest for Barack Obama.
No, I was McCain. I would have been a “no” on cap-and-trade. When the governor of this state tried to have license plates for illegal immigrants, I rallied against that. Several pieces of legislation that are currently in our House, that have been in the past, dealing with increasing penalties for crimes against children and women, those were bills that I sponsored and authored. With Second Amendment rights, I’ve always had a 100 percent record with the NRA. So, you know, my concern is some of the ideologues, that they don’t do the background, they don’t really know who I am, and then they’re just off to the races with inaccurate statements and facts.
Is it your intention to stay in the Republican Party?
I have every intention of staying in the Republican Party. This is my party, too. There are a lot of moderate people—Republicans, like me—and I’m hearing from an awful lot from them. And I think the Republican Party needs to know if they don’t have room for us and they don’t want us working with them, we’re going to find a way to work against them. I’d much prefer for us to be a bigger party and us all to work on the things that are most important, the fiscal issues, foreign policy. If you listen to my foreign-policy positions, you know I’m a Republican.
Give me an example.
Israel. I’m pro-Israel. I’m pro-defense spending. I think diplomacy is good, but diplomacy only works if it’s backed up by a strong defense. And making sure you have a strong defense budget. When I see what’s going on with Iran, it’s very, very scary. I don’t think that you can—it’s hard to put a peace branch out when you’re dealing with a regime like that. I think you have to be very, very firm with a lot of these countries. So if people took the time to know who I really was, I think they would have a Republican member in Congress today.
[What about social issues?]
Well, taking pro-choice, I think it’s up to each individual.
Because you regard it as a matter of individual liberty?
Absolutely.
OK, and I take it from that that like me you thought that the federal government had no business getting involved in the Schiavo case?
Correct.
Yeah, because that is a fundamentally conservative opinion, which is let people determine their own fate.
That’s right. And the second issue, on marriage equality, I still believe again that each person has certain unalienable rights, that it’s a civil-rights issue. I think it’s important to have the separation of church and state, that church should not have to adopt anything they don’t believe in. So I also have very much over my career pushed for freedom of religion as well. But they aren’t talking about those cases that I was involved in. This comes down to a couple of issues, and then they twisted and spun a lot of other things around it.
Well, I hope you stay and fight. I would really be frustrated if Dede Scozzafava were to abandon the GOP because I think we’re still out there.
Yeah, I think we are, too. I’m hearing from so many people that just say we need to have our collective voices heard. And you know I’d love to talk to some of the people on the extreme side of the spectrum and just say, listen, let’s find some common ground here and see how we can move this party forward, instead of the divisions that seem to be currently occurring.
Oh, actually, ma’am, there’s one other thing you need to clear up.
Sure.
This characterization about how a smoke-filled room was responsible for your selection.
Oh, absolutely not.
What are the facts?
There were four regional hearings every committeeperson or any Republican elected official was invited to come and listen to. There were eight candidates. Anybody could run for this seat. I was the only elected official. I was the only woman. We went through four regional meetings. There were hundreds of people that had the opportunity to listen to all of the candidates, and then they could make the determinations with their individual county chairs as to whom they felt were the best candidates. And after that entire process, I did receive the nomination, and the gentleman that ran on the conservative line sent me an email saying he looked forward to supporting my candidacy. We were all asked in many of these meetings, would we support the eventual nominee? To which we all responded that we would. So it was not a smoke-filled back room ...
I guess I am a radical leftist. If you are a radical leftist, I am a radical leftist.
I think the entire Republican conference of the State Assembly, we’re liberal radical leftists. It was never heard, such mischaracterizations run rampant. But let’s hope that something good can come and more voices like ours can be heard.
Smery is a complete tool.
Hey Mikey-boy! How’s that “hope & change” thing working out for you, ass-hat?!
Marriage may have religious roots to many but it's a state license. You want to marry go marry. It's really a secular issue on tax issues and what society wants to promote. It's about a same sex couple being the same for society as a hetero couple.
I can speak, too. :)
She can try to obfuscate and confuse the issue all she wants. She fact is that she is a traitor, and as a such she should be thrown out of the GOP. She endorsed the enemy, knowing full well that she was making sure Hoffman would lose.
She is bitter and taking this personally. Well, I say if she wants to make it personal, the GOP should oblige her. She has the nerve to say "and I think the Republican Party needs to know if they don’t have room for us and they don’t want us working with them, we’re going to find a way to work against them," after taking hundreds of thousands of GOP money for her campaign.
If that's the way she wants it, fine. The GOP should just find a way to work against her, that's all. Pretty tough talk, coming from someone who looks like she would be useless in a real fight. Take her challenge, target her, end her career, and put her on the shelf
She should be tared and feathered for all I care.
ROTFLOL
Attacked her for being to moderate? What is this bs?
Main Entry: 1tare
Pronunciation: \ˈter\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English; probably akin to Middle Dutch tarwe wheat
Date: 14th century
1 a : the seed of a vetch b : any of several vetches (especially Vicia sativa and V. hirsuta)
2 : a weed of grain fields especially of Biblical times that is usually held to be the darnel
3 plural : an undesirable element
You're going after her with wheat and feathers? Man, you are harsh.
Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
ehh...you endorsed the enemy lady.
That not only makes you a complete low-life, that makes you a traitor. Just-go-away.
Smerconish is an attention seeking media whore. I used to listen to him but now find him unbearable.
He asks her a series of questions in which she claims to be a Republican. He leads her, like the lawyer he is, question by question in an effort to prove she really is a good solid Republican.
One problem. He never got around to asking “Why did you support and encourage others to support a Democrat?”
Case closed. She would have been useless in Congress.
You have posted without using your trademark image. I am deeply insulted. What’s next? Posting serious comments? What has become of this forum?
Yeah, and I’m mad as hell! LOL
Obviously this was a cherry-picked interview. Her new friends in the DNC made sure she wasn’t thrown anything harder than a nerf ball. Realy, really slow nerf balls.
Is Bill Owens in her party? (Crickets)
Also, I love how Smerconish grills Dede about what Rahm and Patrick Gaspard promised her to get her to endorse Owens--NOT.
Somehow I think I would have believed her arguments better if she hadn’s endorsed a democrat in her district.
Then why did you endorse the Democrat?
Yes, insulting to our intelligence.
For crying out loud - Pataki even endorsed Hoffman over her. Is he a staunch conservative? Heck no.
I'm lazy. Here's one just for you. BTW, now you owe me something in return for my special effort. I'm always up for a gift of fine scotch. Or even cheap scotch.
This Poem Is Best Viewed With A Glass Of Tyrconnell Irish Whiskey
Kubla Khan
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
1797-98
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure dome decree:
Where Alph the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man down to a sunless sea.
So twice Five miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers were girdled round:
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
And here were forests ancient as the hills,
Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.
But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted
Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover!
A savage place! as holy and enchanted
As e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted
By woman wailing for her demon lover!
And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething,
As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,
A mighty fountain momently was forced:
Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst
Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,
Of chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail:
And 'mid these dancing rocks at once and ever
It flung up momently the sacred river.
Five miles meandering with a mazy motion
Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean:
And 'mid this tumult Kubla heard from far
Ancestral voices prophesying war!
The shadow of the dome of pleasure
Floated midway on the waves;
Where was heard the mingled measure
From the fountain and the caves.
It was a miracle of rare device,
A sunny pleasure dome with caves of ice!
A damsel with a dulcimer
In a vision once I saw:
It was an Abyssinian maid,
And on her dulcimer she played,
Singing of Mount Abora.
Could I revive within me
Her symphony and song,
To such a deep delight 'twould win me,
That with music loud and long,
I would build that dome in air,
That sunny dome! those caves of ice!
And all who heard should see them there,
And all should cry, Beware! Beware!
His flashing eyes, his floating hair!
Weave a circle round him thrice,
And close your eyes with holy dread,
For he on honeydew hath fed,
And drunk the milk of Paradise.
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.