Posted on 01/20/2007 11:06:08 AM PST by Clintonfatigued
For decades, the conservative movement has been the animating force of the Republican Party, providing the ideas and energy that catapulted candidates to the GOP presidential nomination and, often, the White House.
But as conservatives survey the 2008 field — and, particularly, the early Republican front-runners — many are despairing. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani have all broken with conservative orthodoxy at one time or another. Many activists have neither forgiven nor forgotten.
"There's absolutely no contender that is a bona fide conservative," said K.B. Forbes, who has worked for a number of conservative candidates and causes since the 1990s. "We have insiders, squishes and moderates running for president."
The candidate closest to the heart of social conservatives, Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, plans to formally launch his White House bid today with a speech in Topeka. But even those who admire Brownback, and especially his Senate leadership opposing abortion, same-sex marriage and stem-cell research, question the viability of his candidacy.
"Brownback has to prove he can win," said Richard Land, head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination.
Land sees different problems for the three leading GOP hopefuls. "Most social conservatives at present are uncomfortable with McCain," he said. "They're appalled by Giuliani." As for Romney, Land said, "He has to convince social conservatives he's become one of them."
It's a striking state of affairs, given the ascendance of the conservative movement since 1964. Although he was crushed in the general election that year, Arizona's Barry Goldwater wrested the Republican Party from its Midwest and Eastern roots, starting a realignment that eventually turned the GOP into the party of Ronald Reagan, the Sunbelt and the
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Eight years ago the Straw Poll in Aug took out some of the candidates. If I remember correctly, Alexander dropped out the next day and Quayle and Dole may also have been casualties. Hatch was there but I don't remember when he dropped out.
By the time Iowa Republicans get done with the caucuses (or is it caucaii, as Rush calls it?), there won't be many left.
McCain seems to be slipping. Thompson has a great group working for him in Iowa. He may move up. If I can get reassurances Tancredo will remain faithful to the Republican nominee, I will consider him. He has the issues.
Newt had better get going if he's going to do it.
Cultural conservatives looking for Mr. Goodbar
Or Mr. Goober.
McCain, Guliani and Romney are all out, as are Brownback and Hagel. Duncan Hunter looks good, but what about Haley Barbour of MS? He was just honored as america's best governor as he did a super job cleaning up after katrina(vs LA/New Orleans).
Has anyone even THOUGHT of him running for the presidency? Jeb does NOT want the job but a southern governor like Barbour echoes GWB, also a southern governor before becoming president.
Be as it may : divided we fall, united we stand. We CAN NOT afford hillary and her ilk, it would tear this country to pieces. Republican UNITY is all that stands between US and chaos.
Who the hell is John Cox?
Romney has positioned himself over the last 15 years or so on the issues to be aligned with evangelicals. If they don't vote for him "based on the issues", they're really voting against him because of his Mormonism, not anything he'd do in office that would be contrary to their secular political goals.
Go to the Phew research website, they point out the exit polling facts that show independents and swing voters coming out for the Democrats.
The statistics were, 29 million voters voted Republican, 35 million voted Democrat. The numbers were down 22 million for Republican compared to '04 and down about 12 million for the Democrats. This clearly shows that 10 million voters switched party lines.
I didn't know about him either until another Freeper told me about him.
I encourage you to visit his website and hear and read what he has to say.
He is another Reagan.
I did go to his website and noted that he's held no political office. The last guy who did that to become President was at least Supreme Allied Commander in WWII.
Actually, Hunter will have broad appeal to the independents in important swing states on the issue of trade which is where the GOP lost seats. Sorry to butt in but the truth is the truth. His views on trade will make enemies on the economic right but far more friends in the economic middle where the votes are.
His views on the war are the same as Rudy, McCain and Romney so that issue is a push. However, since he has walked the talk as well as his son, his view will have to be respected more than the average bears. Ie: Boxer to Rice.
And the fact that JEB does not want the job in any way shape or form is a shame. He was one of the best Governors FL has ever had. I have met him several times when he has come to speak to the Guard troops and during hurricane disaster relief efforts and I have been thoroughly impressed on every occasion. He has a very cool head and an expansive "big picture" perspective. But he wants absolutely nothing to do with the job. Seeing what his brother is going through with the treasonous, idotic liberal morons in this country, can anyone blame him?
RWR was a twice elected governor of CA.
Cox, like Keyes, Buchanan and Perot before him, has not held elected office.
This claim is made ad nauseum on freerepublic, but nobody offers any evidence. The exit polls said the GOP lost because independents tilted to the Democrats.
I've got a brother-in-law that needs a new gig. He's out of jail now and has been clean and sober for at least 2 weeks. Doesn't look like his Supreme Court nomination is going anywhere.
The cultural consevatives didn't turn out for Bush in 2000 and he won only because Nader/Greens syphoned off 90,000 votes from Gore in Florida and the West Vorginia democrats went Bush because of the mountain top coal mining issue.
The truth of the matter is that it is unlikely that the GOP can nominate a candidate that will get both the cultural consevative vote and the independent vote.
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