[ElkGroveDan]

I'm sadly disappointed that so many people have taken it upon themselves to attack McClintock so viciously. McClintock is a fine conservative with a great record and does not deserve this abuse. I can understand that people don't think he can beat Arnold due to his money, fame, name recognition and backing by Wilson and other big name Republicans, etc, but this does not mean McClintock should have his name and reputation dragged through the mud. Whatever happens this election, we will still need conservatives like McClintock in California. Wish we had more like him.

Free Republic Founder, Jim Robinson 9/29/03

[Sir Gawain]

Using Jim's opinion is a cheap debating tactic. I've seen posters do this with other issues such as the drug war. Do Jim's quotes somehow makes their opinion more valid?

[inPhase]

I'm sadly disappointed that so many people have taken it upon themselves to attack McClintock so viciously. McClintock is a fine conservative with a great record and does not deserve this abuse. I can understand that people don't think he can beat Arnold due to his money, fame, name recognition and backing by Wilson and other big name Republicans, etc, but this does not mean McClintock should have his name and reputation dragged through the mud. Whatever happens this election, we will still need conservatives like McClintock in California.
Wish we had more like him.
Free Republic Founder, Jim Robinson 9/29/03


THANKS for posting ElkGroveDan, had not seen this.
Thank you JimRobinson

[BibChr]

Do you interpret Jim to mean that McClintock should get a "pass" when he lies and breaks promises?

Dan

[per loin]

My guess is that if Jim wants to comment in a thread, he knows how to do it. B'sides that, appeals to authority are not only a fallacious but also a rather childish form of argument.

[RhoTheta]

Thank you EGDan!

I am really concerned at this point that CRP politics is wired to support anybody rather than a conservative candidate, and will sell out all the party planks and principles in order to "win."

It is my opinion that if the Republican Party wins by backing a candidate indistinguishable from any given Democrat, we have lost the two party system in this state.

If we can't vote principle, then what is to encourage candidates of principle to remain and develop in this party?

[A CA Guy]

Tom McClintock is EARNING this ridicule and resentment though. He is UNETHICAL and is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[pogo101]

On the one hand, I don't think Matt's vanity commentary and query, "is [Tom] a man of his word?" constitute any sort of "vicious" attack on McClintock of the sort Jim was decrying. Seems like pretty fair comment to me.

ON the other hand, setting aside the fact that Matt probably should have included "(VANITY)" in the headline, I don't even know whether Tom DID give his word, to Issa or to anyone else, that he (Tom) would not be a spoiler -- i.e., that he would drop out under certain late-in-the-race polling conditions suggesting a possible spoiler scenario.

Issa keeps saying Tom said this, and I'm not suggesting that Issa is LYING, but I don't know what exact words were exchanged between the two men. I just have Issa's post-hoc interpretation of it, namely that Issa feels a little misled. That may be the result of a "broken promise," but my guess is that it's more likely the result of an honest misunderstanding.