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Al D’Amato: McCain Will Be GOP Nominee
NewsMax ^ | 8 December 2006

Posted on 12/07/2006 4:53:28 PM PST by Aussie Dasher

Former GOP Senator Al D’Amato said Republicans will "race to the center” in 2008 to make up for losses in the 2006 elections, and Sen. John McCain will be the man to lead them there.

D’Amato, appearing Thursday on Fox News Channel, said the Republican Party was hurt in the elections by the "morass” in Iraq and the ineffectiveness of a GOP-controlled Congress to pass meaningful legislation.

He also said President Bush was damaged by the appearance that he didn’t do enough to help Hurricane Katrina victims, with the image of Bush "flying over” New Orleans in a helicopter viewed by Americans as showing he was "out of touch” with the tragedy.

D’Amato said McCain can help bring voters back to the party for the 2008 presidential elections.

"If we have someone who demonstrates strength and compassion, like a John McCain, if we stay away from issues which almost trivialize the political process, like gay marriage . . . that’s nonsense. We shouldn’t be about that.”

D’Amato said Republicans may not favor McCain now, as some polls indicate, but he predicted that will change during the upcoming presidential campaign.

"If you have a McCain candidacy, you are going to capture the middle,” D’Amato said. "We will have a more moderate Republican tone, tuition assistance, an immigration policy that deals with reality . . . and stay away from bashing gays.

"He’s going to be the nominee,” D’Amato said.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; damato; electionpresident; gop; mccain; nowaymccain; traitorjohn; weredoomed
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To: Aussie Dasher
"Why the hell doesn't someone tap Coburn on the shoulder and tell him the Free World needs him?"

I will call his office tomorrow. Maybe you would do the same?

61 posted on 12/07/2006 5:26:36 PM PST by RKM
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To: Aussie Dasher

I wouldn't listen to D’Amato, he's a putzhead. Just ask Schumer.


62 posted on 12/07/2006 5:26:59 PM PST by edsheppa
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To: xcamel; Aussie Dasher
This from a guy who couldn't find his own a$$ with a mirror and a flashlight...

What a 'putzhead'.

63 posted on 12/07/2006 5:27:20 PM PST by Paleo Conservative (Karl Rove isn't magnificent.)
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To: DOGEY

A lot can change and I choose to vote for the lesser of two evils as opposed to not at all (hold my nose and vote) in general. I just don't see McCain making it through the primaries against any realistic R candidate I've heard of yet.


64 posted on 12/07/2006 5:27:25 PM PST by kinoxi
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To: Aussie Dasher

D'Amato is right. The Republican nominee will have to appeal to people beyond the Christian Socialists and the one-issue wonders to win the general election. Or do people really think that Bush wannabes like Sam Brownback have any chance of winning?


65 posted on 12/07/2006 5:27:29 PM PST by WestVirginiaRebel (Common sense will do to liberalism what the atomic bomb did to Nagasaki-Rush Limbaugh)
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To: Aussie Dasher

I'm so glad McCain wasn't at Pearl Harbor.

If he were, he'd be pointing out target sites to the Japanese in the spirit of bipartisanship.


66 posted on 12/07/2006 5:28:21 PM PST by Tall_Texan (NO McCain, Rudy, Romney, Hillary, Kerry, Obama or Gore in 2008!)
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To: Sunsong

I think one of the most stupid things Mccain has done is to work with Ted Kennedy on a immigration bill supporting amnesty. For someone who is ambitious and wants to lead the nation, he should have thought more about and thats my personal opinion.

Having said that, if Mccain wins the primaries to become the Republican nomineee, he will get my vote as he is still fairly conservative on many fiscal, 2nd amendment and social issues.


67 posted on 12/07/2006 5:29:31 PM PST by GregH
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To: penowa

I definitely will not vote for McCain in the Republican primary election. I will not stay home during the General election. I would vote for a rabid dog before voting for broom jockey Hillary. So, if that means a vote for McCain in the General, that's what will happen.


68 posted on 12/07/2006 5:30:19 PM PST by jerry639
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To: Alter Kaker
I'm not sure what McCain is.

He's a Maverick!

(God Help us if McCain is the nominee.)

69 posted on 12/07/2006 5:33:45 PM PST by tgslTakoma
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To: EDINVA
>>>>RG is another 'moderate' Republican

Giuliani is a hard core liberal. A true Rockefeller Republican --- who still thinks highly of Jacob Javits, John Lindsey and Nelson Rockefeller. No other way to explain his policy positions: pro-big government, pro-abortion on demand, pro-partial birth abortion; pro-gun control, pro-assault wepaons ban, and pro-special rights for homos and illegals.

Rudy the liberal, makes JohnnieMac look like a staunch rightwinger.

70 posted on 12/07/2006 5:34:02 PM PST by Reagan Man (Conservatives don't support amnesty and conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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To: Blackirish
“I’m pro-choice. I’m pro-gay rights,” Giuliani said. He was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions. “No, I have not supported that, and I don’t see my position on that changing,” he responded. Source: CNN.com, “Inside Politics” Dec 2, 1999

Rudy:

1. Supports "Civil Unions"
2. Signed Domestic Partner legislation
3. Lived with two gay men after his wife divorced him.
Great Republican!
71 posted on 12/07/2006 5:34:09 PM PST by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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To: Proud2BeRight

For all you third party advocates. There will never ever, ever, ever, ever be a third party candidate win the Presidency of the U.S.A. Get over it!


72 posted on 12/07/2006 5:34:20 PM PST by jerry639
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To: Aussie Dasher

Rudy DOES support killing babies. Hard to get around that one...



Not at all. He has gone out of his way to praise Alito and Roberts and has said Scalia is his favorite judge.
As long as he will put forth judges who beleve in overtuning Roe v Wade thar will be enough to secure the nomination.

I know there are people ...that is not good enough... he must not only implement their policies he must BE like them. His mind must be right. He's a city guy ...not an Evangical. They would rather lose with an Allen or a Brownback then win with Rudy.

However they are a minority and I believe Rudy will win easily.


73 posted on 12/07/2006 5:34:46 PM PST by Blackirish
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To: RKM

Do you reckon he'd listen to an Aussie?


74 posted on 12/07/2006 5:35:28 PM PST by Aussie Dasher (The Great Ronald Reagan & John Paul II - Heaven's Dream Team!)
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To: GregH
It will be interesting to see what happnes in terms of immigration in the next two years. It will also be interesting to see what the new Mexican President does or does not do.

McCain is too much of an elitist for me - but, like you, I would vote for him over Hillary or John Edwards etc

75 posted on 12/07/2006 5:36:55 PM PST by Sunsong
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To: Blackirish

Play games all you like, but when a man says, "I'm pro-choice" and then comes out against a ban on partial-birth abortion, I tend to believe him, whether or not Scalia is his favorite justice. If you don't think Rudy is pro-abortion, you're deluding yourself.


76 posted on 12/07/2006 5:37:31 PM PST by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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To: Cincinna; durasell
d'Amato is not the world's smartest political genius. Sees everything through a very narrow NY focus.

Fonzie is no dummy, but you are right that from time to time he doesn't have the best political instincts.

I think this commentary is about some residual heat between Fonzie and Rudy. As of now, it's at best a 3-horse race between McCain, Rudy, and Romney. Coco-puff conservatives can pull for their boy but it isn't going to happen - one of these three will be on top of the ticket.

Rudy beat Dave Dinkins in a very close race for mayor of nyc in 1993. If the Crown Heights riots hadn't happened - or been handled better - it would have been Mayor Dinkins again and Rudy would have probably gone into another line of work. A year later, Rudy backed Mario Cuomo in his race for a fourth term as NY Governor. At the time, a calculated move to gain favor in the heavily dem nyc and while most expected a close race for Albany, the smart money was on Cuomo.

Rudy punctuated his endorsement of Cuomo at an event where he stressed that Mario was 'his own man,' a clear and deliberate series of shots at Pataki and Fonzie, since dems liked to snicker that Pataki was Fonzie's hand picked boy and puppet. It wasn't true, but Rudy took the calculated shots, figuring Mario would win, Pataki would vanish, and he would get much needed brownie points with the terminally democrat nyc electorate.

It didn't work out that way. Pataki won and Rudy made a huge blunder that alienated himself from Albany. Fonzie never forgets - there is a longtime grudge over this whole sorry episode between Fonzie & Pataki on one end, and Rudy on the other.

77 posted on 12/07/2006 5:37:42 PM PST by HitmanLV (Rock, Rock, Rock and Rollergames! Rockin' & Rolling, Rockin' with Rollergames!)
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To: Blackirish

If Rudy would oppose baby killing, I reckon he'd be a great choice - far better than McCain.


78 posted on 12/07/2006 5:38:26 PM PST by Aussie Dasher (The Great Ronald Reagan & John Paul II - Heaven's Dream Team!)
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To: tgslTakoma
Temper, Temper, Temper....

79 posted on 12/07/2006 5:39:22 PM PST by gb63
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To: Aussie Dasher

Ain't no way. I wouldn't vote for that RINO on a bet; a sick bet.


80 posted on 12/07/2006 5:39:50 PM PST by ExTexasRedhead
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