Posted on 09/17/2010 4:18:33 AM PDT by ejdrapes
By Charles Krauthammer Tuesday in Delaware was a bad day not only for Republicans but also for conservatives. Tea Partyer Christine O'Donnell scored a stunning victory over establishment Republican Mike Castle. Stunning but pyrrhic. The very people who have most alerted the country to the perils of President Obama's social democratic agenda may have just made it impossible for Republicans to retake the Senate and definitively stop that agenda Bill Buckley -- no Mike Castle he -- had a rule: Support the most conservative candidate who is electable. A timeless rule of sober politics, and particularly timely now. This is no ordinary time. And this is no ordinary Democratic administration. It is highly ideological and ambitious. It is determined to use whatever historical window it is granted to change the country structurally, irreversibly. It has already done so with Obamacare and has equally lofty ambitions for energy, education, immigration, taxation, industrial policy and the composition of the Supreme Court. That's what makes the eleventh-hour endorsements of O'Donnell by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Sarah Palin so reckless and irresponsible. Of course Mike Castle is a liberal Republican. What do you expect from Delaware? A DeMint? Castle voted against Obamacare and the stimulus. Yes, he voted for cap-and-trade. That's batting .667. You'd rather have a Democrat who bats .000 and who might give the Democrats the 50th vote to control the Senate? Castle wasn't only electable. He was unbeatable. Why do you think Beau Biden, long groomed to inherit his father's seat, flinched from running? Because Castle, who had already won statewide races a dozen times, scared him off. Democrats had already given up on the race.The Buckley rule
Friday, September 17, 2010
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
What you’re missing is that O’Donnell’s win on Tuesday have so energized the conservative base, raise the national profile of the Tea Party, and continued the snowball rolling momentum of the movement, that it will translate nationally to greater participation, greater fund raising, and more volunteers.
Grassroot movements like this needs constant momentum pushing event or it risks burning itself out before election day. That’s why the establishment were so invested in her defeat, they were desperate to douse the flames of the Tea Party movement.
Her victory, regardless of whether she wins in Delaware, will help a tilt many of the close congressional and senatorial elections all over the country toward our side. That’s alone is worth risking one seat in Delaware, and she may just pull it out in Delaware too.
If the results are the same, what difference does it matter what clothes they wear, the color of their shoes, or their party affiliation?
I want different results, and I can't get there with Republicans who vote as bad, or worse than democrats.
The choice you offer is a false one. First, it is short term. If we get Sarah Palin and a conservative governing majority, then McCain loosing and Obama were worth the price. If Ford beat Carter, would Reagan ever had been elected?
Second, in a general election, opting for the least offensive choice is a typical scenario. This was a primary, and O'Donnell is a perfectly viable candidate that can beat the marxist Coons. She was up over him only 2 months ago!
Wow, that is a really good post.
Still writing speeches for Walter Mondale, eh Chuck?
“The conditions are right to Restoring the Reagan Era and Mrs. Palin is doing her part to see that through.”
Got that right!
Sarah, if we do our part and elect a Conservative Congress, can go one better.
It’s all up to “We the People” to give her the tools to get there......
Remember “Dump the Donks..... then purge the RINOs.
Had the few conservatives in New York City followed Buckley's rule, he'd have received only his and possibly his brother's vote when WFB ran for mayor. (Naturally, anyone running for political office considers himself electable.)
A person who is not "electable" is very likely a person with whom you have severe policy differences but, for the sake of maintaining friendships, publishing contracts, etc., these differences remain in the distant background as other talking points dominate the discussion.
The candidate's quirks, age, religious affiliation, reading habits, health and other various reasons are instead brought forward for why the candidate is "unelectable," despite some good qualities. It's been done before and will be against O'Donnell, you can count on it.
For example, "Candidate R makes a lot of sense on economics and would be a real asset to a Republican administration as perhaps Treasury Secretary, but he is unelectable because of his age and the kind of people he attracts."
We need to do this right, not fast. The dems have more senate seats up in 2012. If we don’t get to 51 the right way we still have enough votes to stop cap and trade, amnesty, and the esrt of Obama’s agenda.
Krauthammer's probably correct in his assessment of O'Donnell's chances in the general election.
He's got an opinion based on a big-picture outlook, with rational arguments to back it up.
And look what this crowd of FReepers comes up with in response.... name calling and silliness.
This place is becoming a joke.
Krauthammer's probably correct in his assessment of O'Donnell's chances in the general election.
He's got an opinion based on a big-picture outlook, with rational arguments to back it up.
And look what this crowd of FReepers comes up with in response.... name calling and silliness.
This place is becoming a joke.
He's pro-abortion too. And a nasty little man to boot.
You're not the first one to express that opinion, but why has it taken some of you so long?
But he’s right...he challenging Palin to pay her dues, and truly show that she is worthy of the presidency or any other calling.
Palin and Demint should campaign for her. If they don’t, Charles is right...
You put the lady out there, not help her....
I think Palin will draw huge crowds...and get out the vote...
I wonder who Krauthammer will consider the most electable candidate in Alaska now — Joe Miller or Lisa Murkoski, who just declared her write-in candidacy?
Well, the die is cast. Let’s work for a good outcome.
jveritas was an intelligent contributor. Sorely missed.
You’ve both been here a long time. It isn’t as though we haven’t tried the big tent, vote for moderate/centrist thing before. We HAVE tried it, and it hasn’t worked. You may respect Mr. Krauthammer, but I see him as just another political pundit who is part of the problem.
Why is Mr. Krauthammer’s opinion somehow more valid than the millions of conservative voters who are trying to change this country? He’s a pundit, a COMMENTATOR. I guess we should just bow down to his infinite wisdom, eh? Well, I don’t agree, and I’m not willing to elect more moderates like Jeffords and Specter simply because the Roves and Krauthammers of this world tell me to.
This is (still) a free country, and I respectfully decline to follow you or anyone else who tells me I have to vote against what I see as my own best interests as part of some lame grand strategy that was tried before and FAILED. If you prefer to cut your own political throats, have at it, but I will not support “electable” sellouts in primaries simply because you or some pundit says so. I don’t think I’m alone in that regard.
There’s a wave of conservative enthusiasm sweeping this country, and it feels like we might actually have a chance! The fire is burning bright for the first time in nearly two decades, and some of our so-called allies seem more interested in throwing a wet blanket over it than winning.
GVnana: “Well, the die is cast. Let’s work for a good outcome.”
That is very sensible advice. I wish some of the party-before-ideology folks would take it to heart. The party’s nominees may not be what some might like, but they are our nominees. Anyone who claims to care about conservatism or even the Republican Party would do well to keep that in mind. Let’s work together to win.
I appreciate Charles Krauthammer taking the time to instruct all of us rubes on the points we should consider when voting.
Thanks Charles. Until you educated me about voting, I was having trouble figuring out where to put my bubble gum while I pull the lever.
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