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.
I will call his office tomorrow. Maybe you would do the same?
I wouldn't listen to D’Amato, he's a putzhead. Just ask Schumer.
What a 'putzhead'.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
He's a Maverick!
(God Help us if McCain is the nominee.)
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.
Rudy:
1. Supports "Civil Unions"Great Republican!
2. Signed Domestic Partner legislation
3. Lived with two gay men after his wife divorced him.
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!
Rudy DOES support killing babies. Hard to get around that one...
Do you reckon he'd listen to an Aussie?
McCain is too much of an elitist for me - but, like you, I would vote for him over Hillary or John Edwards etc
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.
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.
If Rudy would oppose baby killing, I reckon he'd be a great choice - far better than McCain.
Ain't no way. I wouldn't vote for that RINO on a bet; a sick bet.
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