It just goes on and on.
BINGO.
Posted on 07/24/2012 6:28:39 PM PDT by xzins
While many on the right fear that Constitution Party presidential candidate Virgil Goode might just draw enough votes in his native Virginia to tip the Old Dominion’s 14 electoral votes from Mitt Romney to Barack Obama, the former six-term congressman made it clear he doesn’t care.
Goode, in fact, feels that “in many ways, for conservatives, it might be better to have Obama as president next year rather than Romney.”
The 65-year-old Goode spoke to Human Events last week as he and his supporters were in the process of gathering the 10,000 signatures they need to submit before the Aug. 24 deadline to qualify for Virginia’s November ballot. Founded by Conservative Caucus chairman and venerable conservative leader Howard Phillips, the Constitution Party is so far on the ballot in 17 states. Right now, Goode told us, the party is making attempts to secure ballot positions in other key states such as Arkansas, Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania — the home state of the Constitution Party’s vice presidential nominee Jim Clymer.
But what has clearly set off alarm bells among conservatives lately is the scenario of Goode making the ballot in Virginia — where he won the 5th District U.S. House seat as a Democrat, Independent, and Republican from 1996 until his narrow defeat in 2008. Polls show the state, which Obama narrowly carried over John McCain in 2008, seesawing between the president and his Republican opponent in 2012. A just-completed Quinnipiac Poll showed Obama and Romney tied among likely Virginia voters, with each getting 44 percent — down from Obama’s 47 to 42 percent edge in the same poll in June.
Of particular concern to Republicans is Goode’s strength in his home turf: the Danville-Charlottesville area that he represented in Congress and previously as state senator. Four years after he lost the closest House race, the former congressman remains popular in his former turf. In addition, his hard-line stance on immigration, strong emphasis on limited government and focus on following the U.S. Constitution seems more likely to woo Virginians who would otherwise vote for Romney than those inclined to Obama.
“If I’m on the ballot in Virginia, I could cost Obama a lot of votes — possibly as much as or even more than Romney,” Goode told us, repeating a line that many third party contenders have taken over the years. “There are a lot of life-long Democrats (in the Fifth District) who say they’ll hold their nose and vote for Obama. But as the fellow in the filling station up the road told me, ‘I’m a Democrat, but if you’re on the ballot, Virgil, I’m voting for you.’”
We recalled how much as it was widely interpreted that Obama’s victory by a plurality over John McCain in North Carolina in 2008 was due to votes for Libertarian Bob Barr. We then pointed out to Goode that, regardless of his interpretation, pundits and political analysts would almost certainly interpret a narrow Obama win in Virginia to a strong Goode showing and asked how he would feel then.
“In many ways, for conservatives, it might be better to have Obama as president next year rather than Romney,” replied Goode, explaining that “it would be tougher to get through Congress some bad things under Obama than it would under Romney.”
“Take one for the team? Not me brother!”
Recalling how the president announced earlier this year his order not to pursue deportation of illegal aliens who complete high school or join the military, Goode noted that “Romney wouldn’t come out against the short-term amnesty. He was just going with the wind. If Obama were president, Republicans in Congress would oppose him on things like this on principle and almost unanimously. But if Romney were president, he would probably get it through (Congress).
“Remember how (Republican presidential candidate Rick) Santorum explained his vote for the No Child Left Behind (federal education program under George W. Bush) by saying: ‘Sometimes you’ve got take one for the team.’ That’s the argument Romney would use with Republicans to get them to pass things they normally wouldn’t oppose.”
As a Democrat in Congress in the 1990s, Goode pointed out that he voted a strong right-to-life line despite the fact that the Democratic leadership was in the other camp on the abortion issue. As a Republican from 2002-08, he said, “I was urged to ‘take one for the team’ and vote for CAFTA (a free trade agreement). I didn’t think it was good for the country and I opposed it. Sometimes you have to show some backbone.”
As a Democrat, Goode in the House scored unusually high ratings of 84 percent and 83 pe cent with the American Conservative Union; as an independent and later a Republican, his ratings went higher and his lifetime ACU average in 96 percent.
In carrying the banner of the Constitution Party, Virgil Goode is again not “taking one for the team.” Whether he qualifies for the Virginia ballot Aug. 24 and how well he does in his home state will surely be watched there, as well as by Republicans nationwide.
If he was a 'rat why not run as one - isn't that the HONEST thing to do? Ever hear of a progressive liberal running as a conservative republican?
Kevin, perhaps we’ve conversed before. Your handle seems familiar to me. Those were probably more united times for conservatives.
As it stands, your post was respectful and rational. I will not besmirch the logic of those who believe Romney is their only alternative. I know too well, from 2008’s McCain nomination, exactly the reasoning behind your comments.
For me, I’m not doing it this time because Romney has knowingly and publicly left the social conservative reservation. It is well known that Romney came out just short months ago in favor of gay couples and gay adoption.
Colofornian in one of his posts above ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2910346/posts?page=87#87 ) has detailed Romney’s flips and flops on abortion. As late as the very end of 2007, he was still saying his position is effectively pro-choice.
He is not reliably pro-life. He is not reliable to appoint conservative justices. He will not renounce romneycare. He did not denounce military uniforms in gay pride parades.
It just goes on and on.
It’s impossible for me to support him. It would like supporting a copperhead bite over a rattlesnake bit.
I don’t want either bite.
It just goes on and on.
BINGO.
Your and p-marlowe’s idea is an excellent one. If we can get conservatives in blue states to vote for an alternative party, the Constitution Party is the best alternative at the moment, imho, then the numbers compiled will earn legitimacy in the American mindset.
I do believe, however, that one cannot build any party without first building from the congressional district on up. That is actually the way the republican party was started. Their strength was in congressional presence, and that made their presidential bid viable.
FWIW, I would rather have Virgil Goode be a CP victor in his old congressional district than be a “statement candidate” in the presidential election. I have no doubt that he’d be a formidable force in his old congressional district.
Additionally, a number of CP candidates in every congressional district will result in a far larger visibility than will a low budget presidential campaign in which the media and the system have constructed such enormous hurdles that must be overcome just to get one’s name on a ballot or one’s face into the news.
The bottom line of this post, though, is that the idea of voting for Goode in a state that will go blue anyway — such as California — is right on the money. It enables those conservatives to reject a radical liberal rino and maintain their conservative principles.
As with any party, as it grows there will be intra-party discussions over the best platforms, policies, etc. Surprisingly, though, the CP positions are very good and very supportable for the most part....which is more than one can say for the rino-infested party.
Okay, the demwits now have their Ross Perot, so where do we get our Ralph Nader?
Please allow a friendly amendment. Unfortunately, Romney is an actual Republican. He's a pretend conservative. The difference between the two becomes clearer every day.
And Goode is still trying to get on the ballot in Virginia.
Hi TOL, hope you’re having a great day!
We are the opposition, the rebellion against the establishment.
Come join us!
Mitt’s lost two running as a Republican.
Virgil has been a democrat, independent, republican and latest latest party incarnation. I think he has a good shot at losing three in three different parties, or maybe four in four. As far as I know that would make him the modern record holder...
Goode has enough signatures now. Since the deadline is Aug 24, a month from now, they are piling on extra signatures in case there are any challenges.
They are going full speed ahead getting on all ballots they can, AND they are becoming certified “write-in” candidates in states as well. So, they’ll be on or eligible on upwards of 40 ballots nationwide.
Obviously, the solid blue states aren’t going for either Romney or Goode, so it makes sense in a solid blue state for a conservative, especially in those states, to vote for Goode to send a message to the GOP-E.
As you know, Goode is a long-time congressman from Virginia and a lawyer licensed and admitted to the Virginia Bar. Unlike Perry, Santorum, and Gingrich, he is aware of the requirements to gain entry to the ballot.
Understand, when we vote for Romney, we are doing so TO BUY TIME until we conservatives can all come together and agree on a conservative candidate, who can win the 2016 elections.
If oboma wins in November, we will never again get the opportunity to vote for who will be president in this country...dictator commie oboma will see to it that his subjects never exercise their right to vote. If we vote for Romney now, we wil be BUYING TIME until we can then exercise our right to vote for a president, and we can then select and vote for a conservative candidate who can win the election in 2012.
Think ahead to the long term goal..our coming together and selecting and voting for a conservative candidate who can win in the 2016 elections.
Think in the present on what must first be done to achieve that goal: vote for Romney, and remove oboma who is death to We the People and our Constitution, freedom and liberty.
This will BUY US TIME, I repeat, THIS WILL BUY US TIME to achieve our goalsl.
It has Romney's fingerprints all over it.
Yet here you are on Free Republic carrying Romney's water.
Not only on FR, either. Joining in with the other dual posters at TBL.
Righteous, delusional thinking is like a virus...some get it and some don't. It will be up to We the People, the boots on the ground, to fight this fight and win it...and we will do it without the righteous delusionals, the ones waving the white flag, the ones who just can't/won't get it because of delusional thinking. There will be groups of people who will be collateral damage in this war we are fighting...the core voting base of oboma’s give-me, give-me folks who will trade their vote for freebies. And the delusional group of Democrat/Republican/Conservative/Libertarian/etc.voters who can't/won't act with reason and common sense to achieve a goal that will save this country and the lives of us all.
So be it. Let's roll.
I do understand your position. Obama is just so bad that I can't stand the thought of another four years. I don't think the country can take it. To use your example, if give the choice between a copperhead bite and a rattlesnake bite where not being bitten at all is not an option, I would take the copperhead bite every time. Copperheads are far less poisonous than rattlers and there is a much better chance of survival. Unfortunately, not getting bitten by either is not an option this election cycle.
If mitt already has the electoral votes, then he won't miss it if every single freeper votes for goode...
Ahh....so you outed me.
I have been there and found many friends who are unavai able elsewhere.
If you go there, are you not also a sinner?
Perfect description of Mitt Romneycare, the poster boy for homosexuality, abortion, and socialized medecine.
Everything Obama is known for, Romney was already known for before Obama entered the scene.
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