Ann Coulter had dole pegged way back when:
Ann Coulter on Liddy Dole
Politics/Elections Opinion (Published) Keywords: REPUBLICAN DEMOCRAT
Source: Drudge
Published: 8/20/99 Author: Ann Coulter
Posted on 08/26/1999 16:33:53 PDT by Keyes for President
Well, theres good news and bad news coming out of the Iowa straw polls. Lamar! is Quitting! — his quixotic, some would say preposterous, quest for the presidency. Thats the good news. But the bad news is we havent gotten rid of Liddy Dole, yet. Since shes a Democrat, and shes running in a Republican primary, its only a matter of time. But, for now, shes still with us.
Though she registers high on name recognition, on account of her famous husband (you know him from all those erectile disfunction commercials) she surprised a lot of Republicans by coming in even a distant third behind George Bush Jr. and Steve Forbes. But observe carefully the statements of her supporters.
One of Liddys backers explained his vote for Dole in the Iowa straw poll by noting that he was a Democrat. Quoted in the New York Times, this Democrat for Liddy Dole, Dennis Endicott, said that he voted for Dole in order to weaken support for the Republican front runner, W, to hurt him in the general election — the general election in which Mr. Endicott will vote for the Democrat. This is not an isolated incident. A few days later, the Washington Post quoted a Dole enthusiast in New Hampshire who was torn between Dole and Bill Bradley. Bradley, youll recall, is a candidate for president in the Democratic primary.
Its somewhat surprising that Democrats so easily recognize Dole as one of their own, in light of her steadfast refusal to take positions on anything.
After actually forgetting what her own position was on federal-funding for abortion, she accused the press of using the abortion issue to “stir Republicans up so they’re fighting each other. . . . I just don’t think we want to go down that path. Things would be so much easier if the Republican candidates simply distinguished themselves on things like Best Fruit Punch For The Fraternity Mixer.
But lets be fair — Dole has clearly articulated positions on a variety of subjects, like the military (shes for strength and readiness) education (shes for disciplining ruffians) and national security (she opposes allowing the Chinese to steal nuclear secrets). That will be helpful in distinguishing her from the candidates who favor an anemic military, permissive education, and spying by the Red Chinese.
W, the frontrunner, hasnt exactly been a fountain of specific policy proposals either. But thats because he is W, the frontrunner. When youre already everyones favorite Rorsach blot, laying out the particulars can only hurt you.
In Doles case, its not that she already has all the support and money she needs, its that clarity on her positions wont be a big help in a Republican primary. Shes a Democrat. Iowas over. Now she needs actual Republicans to vote for her.
Calling Dole a Democrat isnt an epithet, its just a fact. I have nothing against Democrats, per se, I just dont want them in office. But mainly, I cant figure out what a Democrat would be be doing in a Republican primary.
Lets review the evidence on Liddys party affiliation. After graduating from Harvard Law School (thats your first hint) Dole went straight to Washington to be a government bureaucrat with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. She was a registered Democrat.
Still a registered Democrat, Doles next perch was on President Lyndon Johnson’s Committee on Consumer Affairs. She stayed on in that office when President Nixon came in, switching her party affiliation to become a Republican, but an Independent.
Only when she married Bob Dole, who in his pre-Viagra days was known as tax collector for the welfare state, did Liddy finally register as a Republican. As a Republican she became Ronald Reagans Secretary of Transportation, officially establishing herself as every administrations Favorite Woman Cabinet Member. At Transportation, she was responsible for such great Republican policies as forcing all the states to impose 55 mile an hour speed limits or lose federal highway funds.
Still not persuaded? One morning she stopped all employees of the Department of Transportation at the gate to the parking lot with a Stop sign — to make sure they were all wearing their seat belts.
In her current campaign, the only position Dole has taken (apart from favoring a strong military, good schools, and no Chinese spying) is to support the ban on so-called assault weapons. But we need so-called assault weapons. Otherwise, some government busy-body might get the bright idea of stopping us to make sure our seatbelts are fastened
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