The GOP elite’s $1 million object lesson — and the message of NY-23

Michellemalkin.com ^ | 11/4/2009 | Michelle Malkin

[markomalley]

Conservatives owe NY-23 candidate Doug Hoffman immeasurable gratitude. He overcame impossible odds (single digits just a month ago) to come within two points of defeating Democrat Bill Owens. Hoffman had zero name recognition. National Republican Party officials dumped nearly $1 million into the race on behalf of radical leftist GOP candidate Dede Scozzafava, who then turned around, endorsed Owens and siphoned off 5 percent of the vote with her name still on the ballot after she dropped out.

Conservatives’ money went to pay for specious attack ads against Hoffman run by the NRCC like this.

Conservatives’ money went to support a GOP candidate who shares the same socialist alliances with fellow SEIU/ACORN/New Party/Working Families Party activist Patrick Gaspard, the Obama White House political director who intervened in the race to secure Scozzafava’s endorsement of Owens.

Hoffman’s candidacy illuminated the stark difference between GOP political opportunists willing to pimp out their endorsements to any old ACORN-embracing, Working Families Party-consorting, Big Labor crony who puts an “R” by her name — and movement conservatives who refuse to “mooooderate” for the politically expedient sake of mooooderation as dictated by out-of-touch Beltway party leaders. The NRCC/RNC’s $1 million debacle will cost much more than that.

As I’ve repeated many times over the last several weeks:

One thing is guaranteed at the conclusion of the NY-23 special congressional election: The Beltway Republicans who endorsed radical leftist Dede Scozzafava are going to have indelible egg stains on their faces. And GOP establishment fund-raising organizations will be the poorer for it.

To illustrate the point: This blog now has a regular feature spotlighting readers’ RNC rejected solicitation forms of the day.

Today’s rejected RNC donor form comes from reader Bud:

Which brings me to my syndicated column today.

Hoffman may have lost narrowly, but NY-23 is a much broader victory for conservatives who believe the Republican Party should stand for core limited government principles. Scozzafava, who was endorsed by far Left blogger Markos Moulitsas Zuniga and backed by Planned Parenthood, the National Education Association, and card-check-promoting trade unions, was denied the congressional seat because movement conservatives refused to support Arlen Specter in a skirt. This is a victory of principle.

Better a donkey in office that acts like a donkey than a donkey in elephant’s clothing making a complete ass of the GOP.

Moreover, NY-23 is a victory for conservatives who refuse to be marginalized in the public square by either the unhinged left or the establishment right. A humble accountant from upstate New York exposed the hypocrisy of GOP leaders trying to solicit funds from conservatives by lambasting Pelosi and the Dems’ support for high taxes, Big Labor, and bigger government — while using conservatives’ money to subsidize a high-taxing, Big Labor-pandering, bigger government radical. The repercussions will be felt well beyond NY-23’s borders. Conservatives’ disgust with the status quo has been heard and felt. They have been silent too long. They will be silent no more.

The GOP leadership knows it cannot afford to rest on its laurels, continue business as usual, and bask in yesterday’s electoral victories without confronting its abysmal abdication of principled conservative leadership in NY-23.

As Hoffman said in his concession speech, “This is only one fight in the battle.”

Onward. Upward. Rightward.

[KevinB]

Michelle nails it.

[who knows what evil?]

‘RNC rejected solicitation forms of the day’...LOL!

[possumdawg]

I send my money directly to the campaign fund of whatever candidate I support. My goal now is to defeat Heath Shuler in my parents district in North Carolina.

[LS]

Yes, but . . . the unaddressed issue here is "could Hoffman, with or without the GOP money, have brought over that 5-6% that Scuzzy won?" That's the key question. We know that RINOs won't win without conservatives. Is the reverse true? So far, Santorum, Talent, and now Hoffman suggest you need to have a lot going for you besides "pure conservatism" to win. You need organization, you need $ (though after Palinizing the race, I seriously doubt Hoffman lacked for cash), and you need an attractive candidate. Was Hoffman too dull for his own message? From what I saw of him, he could have been better.

So, I don't think there is as clear a message from NY-23 as many here want to think.

[Once-Ler]

Conservatives owe NY-23 candidate Doug Hoffman immeasurable gratitude. He overcame impossible odds (single digits just a month ago) to come within two points of defeating Democrat Bill Owens.

It helps when the GOP candidate drops out. Headlines last week were Hoffman had more money than Scuzzy. Conservatives always suffer from short term memory loss when they lose. See FR/Malkin coverage on Sen. Santorum, Rep JD Hayworth, Sen George Allen, Rep Richard Pombo, Rep. Curt Weldon, and Rep. Charles Taylor Vs. loud cheers for a couple RINO's from same period.

One sided commentary from the queen of conservative spin, if you like that. I prefer truth. Big wins for Republicans last night. NY-23 was a loss for conservatives and a win for rats...no matter how it is spun.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Better a donkey in office that acts like a donkey than a donkey in elephant’s clothing making a complete ass of the GOP."

What a line!!! That's gotta sting a bit.

[Leisler]

Your RP money at work.

Nothing to see, move along, Little People, move along.

[rockinqsranch]

Yeah. I like that too. Also “We will be silent no more” although that doesn’t even come close to describing rowdy, and raucus Conservative FReepers who are anything but silent.

[rae4palin]

I predict NOTHING changes at the RNC. Maybe different wording on their beg-o-grams but the same people will remain in charge.

[grey_whiskers]

WTF?

You do recall the following, don’t you?

1) There was no primary to allow people’s true positions to be aired — party officials in consultation with DC RINOs chose Scuzzy.

2) A month ago Hoffmann was mired in last place.

3) Sarah Palin spoke up, but did not campaign in person. A couple of Tweets and/or Facebook postings.

(Contrast this, by the way, to the multiple PERSONAL appearances that Obama(+) put in for Corzine and Deeds. FAIL.)

4) Hoffmann surged.

5) The RINOs did a double-pronged attack. The GOP hierarchy and heavy hitters — including GOP chair Steele and RINO-turncoat-Newt — publicly endorsed Scuzzy.

6) The GOP also spent $900,000 on Scuzzy.

7) At the last minute, Scuzzy dropped out. This had the effect of negating all of the GOP-cast absentee ballots, now guaranteed to be wasted for purposes of defeating the DEM.

8) To make the stab in the back DOUBLY sure, Scuzzy officially, and in public, endorsed the DEM. (WTF???)

9) Hoffman still came within 3% as a Third Party candidate, after coming from nowhere to remove the hand-picked GOP RINO quisling.

10) But all you can do is say “we lost, boo hoo.”

I beg to differ.

Cheers!

[who knows what evil?]

Love to see you folks dispose of the failed quarterback Shuler at the polls in 2010. :-)

[grey_whiskers]

WTF? You do recall the following, don't you? 1) There was no primary to allow people's true positions to be aired -- party officials in consultation with DC RINOs chose Scuzzy. 2) A month ago Hoffmann was mired in last place. 3) Sarah Palin spoke up, but did not campaign in person. A couple of Tweets and/or Facebook postings. (Contrast this, by the way, to the multiple PERSONAL appearances that Obama(+) put in for Corzine and Deeds. FAIL.) 4) Hoffmann surged. 5) The RINOs did a double-pronged attack. The GOP hierarchy and heavy hitters -- including GOP chair Steele and RINO-turncoat-Newt -- publicly endorsed Scuzzy. 6) The GOP also spent $900,000 on Scuzzy. 7) At the last minute, Scuzzy dropped out. This had the effect of negating all of the GOP-cast absentee ballots, now guaranteed to be wasted for purposes of defeating the DEM. 8) To make the stab in the back DOUBLY sure, Scuzzy officially, and in public, endorsed the DEM. (WTF???) 9) Hoffman still came within 3% as a Third Party candidate, after coming from nowhere to remove the hand-picked GOP RINO quisling. 10) But all you can do is say "we lost, boo hoo." I beg to differ. Cheers!

Full disclosure: the ONLY thing Hoffmann did wrong that I could see was look like a world-class DORK in his photos.

[Earthdweller]

I'd like to know who had the idea to leave Scozzafava on the ticket. She drew more than enough away to put the Conservative over the top ...that is what gave the election to the dems. Someone should be taken to court over it.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I beg to differ."

I concur with your difference.

"Cheers!"

Cheers indeed!

[John.Galt2012]

I agree. Malkin makes some good points but I am not convinced that the RNC didn’t get exactly what they wanted in the end. Now they can intimidate the weak of heart in the future races to not “throw your vote away” like the NY-23. I can hear the words coming out of Gingrich’s mouth already. Basically this just means we have a much longer road ahead of us to take back our party. If Hoffman had won, that journey would have been shortened significantly. In any event, it sent a message so don’t loose heart. Stay the course.

[lquist1]

I think this is a bit complicated. The loss does sting, no doubt about it. I thought for sure with Jersey going our way that this one was a lock.

But, I look at the long-term effect and it may be good in the sense that if Hoffman had won, the 3rd party movement may have taken off to the point of being out of control.

As it stands, we defeated the RINO, taught the establishment GOP a lesson (whether they learn it or not is up to them), and most people that are serious about rebuilding our movement should realize that we MUST do it by re-taking the GOP, cause 3rd party ends up electing the Rat.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

We know that RINOs won't win without conservatives. Is the reverse true? So far, Santorum, Talent, and now Hoffman suggest you need to have a lot going for you besides "pure conservatism" to win.

Absolutely, the reverse is true. There is no question about it.

Yesterday Michael Medved laid it out. He said that even though most people claim to be conservatives there is not one single state in the whole US that can win an election with only conservative votes.

This does not mean conservatives have to move to the left to win elections. They must show moderates how it is to their advantage to vote for the conservative.

It's nice to say that we want no more RINOs but that will only work if you're willing to concede all future elections to Democrats.

Sorry, folks, these are facts. It's time for rational thought and analysis.

[DH]

You said: “the ONLY thing Hoffmann did wrong that I could see was look like a world-class DORK in his photos. “

If a person bases their decision on the way someone looks rather than what they bring to the table, they are fools........................except..............................in the case of HENRY WAXMAN. Now, that’s just plain FUGLY. He’s so ugly that his brain can’t even work just knowing it’s inside of such a horrible looking “bat boy” vessel.

[This_far]

So, I don't think there is as clear a message from NY-23 as many here want to think.

Where'd you go? Enlighten us.