Fred’s right. Republicans need to run a campaign designed to defeat WHOEVER the Democrats nominate. Running against Hillary at this point is exactly what Hillary needs to convince Democrats they need to forget the primary and get behind her. Why help her? Let her work a little harder for her nomination and MAYBE the media and her opponents will start taking a good luck at what they’re about to nominate.
Igor R.
17 years ago
Fred is a man to unify the Republican Party. That’s what’s necessary before beating Hillary. His recent immigration reform plan seems to be converting a lot of fence-sitters in his direction. His analysis of the DREAM act is spot on.
What’s the alternative? Rudy, who is incredibly divisive and will drive the real conservatives away? His record on illegal immigration and gun control is not good. His position on abortion is not playing well with the base. Romney? With all the recent conversions, who knows what he really stands for?
McCain and Huckabee are incredibly weak on illegal immigration. Huckabee is attempting to hide this fact. Go on his website and see how he avoids mentioning what to do with the illegals who are already here and not violating any other laws. Study his record on the issue carefully. It’s scary.
Fred is so incredibly good that other than unelectable Hunter and Tancredo there are no real alternatives to him. Please work to dispell the old/lazy idea, it’s standing in the way of the best man for the job by far!
Igor said: “Rudy, who is incredibly divisive and will drive the real conservatives away?”
I don’t see it that way Igor. And I wonder who “real” conservatives are. I’ve met known or worked for Reagan, Buckley, Ashbrook, Schlafly, Meese……..(just to name a few).
Are they “real conservatives?”
Learning from them firsthand I wouldn’t be so quick to say Rudy is divisive.
Fred’s got his “real conservative” problems too. Remember the line at the debate about Fred opposing tort reform and supporting the trial lawyers?
I hope we don’t get wound up in this “real conservative” debate. We’ve got lots of good candidates. Each one has fine points and weak points (except Ron Paul who just SUCKS all the way around).
Igor R.
17 years ago
Mike, yes, the term “real conservatives” is a divisive term, and I shouldn’t have used in in retrospect. Let me tell you what I meant though: I often read a website called Free Republic and it’s populated by seemingly very conservative and thoughtful people. Their reaction very often seems to be that if Rudy gets the nomination they are staying home in the general election because they can’t support his record on several important issues.
I personally think that Rudy will do very well in the war on Islamofascism if elected. I am a Russian immigrant and an atheist and have no interest in the abortion issue, so I have a lot fewer problems with Rudy than many of those whose opinion I respect. Yet I just don’t see Rudy creating a heavy turnout of Southern Conservatives in the general election. I’m also suspicious about how hard he will fight to stop illegal immigration.
Of course I’m biased because I like Fred’s seemingly more fundamental approach to issues. When dealing with Islamofascism Fred wants to create a long strategy, way past Iraq. I also believe that Iran will respond better to the type of persona Fred presents, the kind of “lazy”, Southern way of squashing it like a bug without giving it a second thought and then going back to doing the usual “hick” things. They did respond very well to the “lazy” and “old” Ronald Reagan.
Tort reform? Well, yeah, he was a lawyer, give the guy a break. I don’t like “open borders” Spence working on Fred’s campaign either. And believe me, so many people would switch over to Fred’s camp if that guy were to leave for many reasons, are you listening Karen Hanretty? You have got to put things into perspective. Fred will methodically eliminate threats and he will keep other big issues facing this country simple. Federalism solves so many things that cause the rot in our society. I know that Rudy and Mitt are excellent managers, but I also really do think that Fred can have a monumental, historic impact on the direction of this country the way they can’t.
I’m familiar with the “my way or the highway” mentality that some at Free Republic tend to have on some issues of principle. I bumped into the same thing at confirmthem.com over judicial selections. There are a small, but very vocal minority of people who take the idea of principle to lengths that can only be described as suicidal to any effective political movemement.
We saw firsthand how damaging that can be with our loss of control in both houses of Congress in 2006 which can be partially attributed to the “my way or else” voter.
I’ve noticed though that many of those folks have never done much, if any, to work for or support conservative causes. They tend to complain and bitch more than they tend to contribute or volunteer.
I just posted Rudy Giuliani’s speech to the Values Voters Summit last weekend:
I would challenge each of those who are single issue voters on abortion to consider the record of a man who was effective in increasing adoptions and lowering abortion as well as cleaning up pornography and reducing crime and welfare in New York City.
Rudy reminds us:
“Ronald Reagan had a great way of summarizing it. He used to say my 80 percent friend is not my 100 percent enemy.”
I’m looking forward to meeting and seeing more of the candiates in person as this process unfolds. The personal contact cannot be overrated. But other folks not so fortunate can watch the debates, read the candidates web pages and decide for themselves.
The bottom line is that Fred is a great candidate…. So is Rudy…so is Mitt. Hell, even McCain has his good side.
But we can only pick one.
And I ask everyone who supports a particular candidate to answer the same question: Will you support the eventual nominee of the party.”
If the answer is “no” then I refuse to listen to anything else they have to say.
Them’s my principles and come hell or high water I’m sticking to them!
Igor R.
17 years ago
Mike, all four would fight the war against terror. I do have a very strong concern about what exactly McCain would do about the illegal immigration. But of course unless Ron Paul is the nominee the right thing to do is to vote for whoever that is against any one of the three (or four if Algore changes his mind) Democratic frontruneers. There may be relatively little to save if the Democrats get 8 years of controlling the Congress and White House, not with their current radical attitude on every important issue. Sometimes it’s just unbelievable how we got to such peril, almost all of it self-imposed.
Fred’s right. Republicans need to run a campaign designed to defeat WHOEVER the Democrats nominate. Running against Hillary at this point is exactly what Hillary needs to convince Democrats they need to forget the primary and get behind her. Why help her? Let her work a little harder for her nomination and MAYBE the media and her opponents will start taking a good luck at what they’re about to nominate.
Fred is a man to unify the Republican Party. That’s what’s necessary before beating Hillary. His recent immigration reform plan seems to be converting a lot of fence-sitters in his direction. His analysis of the DREAM act is spot on.
What’s the alternative? Rudy, who is incredibly divisive and will drive the real conservatives away? His record on illegal immigration and gun control is not good. His position on abortion is not playing well with the base. Romney? With all the recent conversions, who knows what he really stands for?
McCain and Huckabee are incredibly weak on illegal immigration. Huckabee is attempting to hide this fact. Go on his website and see how he avoids mentioning what to do with the illegals who are already here and not violating any other laws. Study his record on the issue carefully. It’s scary.
Fred is so incredibly good that other than unelectable Hunter and Tancredo there are no real alternatives to him. Please work to dispell the old/lazy idea, it’s standing in the way of the best man for the job by far!
Igor said: “Rudy, who is incredibly divisive and will drive the real conservatives away?”
I don’t see it that way Igor. And I wonder who “real” conservatives are. I’ve met known or worked for Reagan, Buckley, Ashbrook, Schlafly, Meese……..(just to name a few).
Are they “real conservatives?”
Learning from them firsthand I wouldn’t be so quick to say Rudy is divisive.
Fred’s got his “real conservative” problems too. Remember the line at the debate about Fred opposing tort reform and supporting the trial lawyers?
I hope we don’t get wound up in this “real conservative” debate. We’ve got lots of good candidates. Each one has fine points and weak points (except Ron Paul who just SUCKS all the way around).
Mike, yes, the term “real conservatives” is a divisive term, and I shouldn’t have used in in retrospect. Let me tell you what I meant though: I often read a website called Free Republic and it’s populated by seemingly very conservative and thoughtful people. Their reaction very often seems to be that if Rudy gets the nomination they are staying home in the general election because they can’t support his record on several important issues.
I personally think that Rudy will do very well in the war on Islamofascism if elected. I am a Russian immigrant and an atheist and have no interest in the abortion issue, so I have a lot fewer problems with Rudy than many of those whose opinion I respect. Yet I just don’t see Rudy creating a heavy turnout of Southern Conservatives in the general election. I’m also suspicious about how hard he will fight to stop illegal immigration.
Of course I’m biased because I like Fred’s seemingly more fundamental approach to issues. When dealing with Islamofascism Fred wants to create a long strategy, way past Iraq. I also believe that Iran will respond better to the type of persona Fred presents, the kind of “lazy”, Southern way of squashing it like a bug without giving it a second thought and then going back to doing the usual “hick” things. They did respond very well to the “lazy” and “old” Ronald Reagan.
Tort reform? Well, yeah, he was a lawyer, give the guy a break. I don’t like “open borders” Spence working on Fred’s campaign either. And believe me, so many people would switch over to Fred’s camp if that guy were to leave for many reasons, are you listening Karen Hanretty? You have got to put things into perspective. Fred will methodically eliminate threats and he will keep other big issues facing this country simple. Federalism solves so many things that cause the rot in our society. I know that Rudy and Mitt are excellent managers, but I also really do think that Fred can have a monumental, historic impact on the direction of this country the way they can’t.
Igor:
I’m familiar with the “my way or the highway” mentality that some at Free Republic tend to have on some issues of principle. I bumped into the same thing at confirmthem.com over judicial selections. There are a small, but very vocal minority of people who take the idea of principle to lengths that can only be described as suicidal to any effective political movemement.
We saw firsthand how damaging that can be with our loss of control in both houses of Congress in 2006 which can be partially attributed to the “my way or else” voter.
I’ve noticed though that many of those folks have never done much, if any, to work for or support conservative causes. They tend to complain and bitch more than they tend to contribute or volunteer.
I just posted Rudy Giuliani’s speech to the Values Voters Summit last weekend:
http://mikesamerica.blogspot.com/2007/10/rudy-giuliani-talks-truth-to-values.html
I would challenge each of those who are single issue voters on abortion to consider the record of a man who was effective in increasing adoptions and lowering abortion as well as cleaning up pornography and reducing crime and welfare in New York City.
Rudy reminds us:
“Ronald Reagan had a great way of summarizing it. He used to say my 80 percent friend is not my 100 percent enemy.”
I’m looking forward to meeting and seeing more of the candiates in person as this process unfolds. The personal contact cannot be overrated. But other folks not so fortunate can watch the debates, read the candidates web pages and decide for themselves.
The bottom line is that Fred is a great candidate…. So is Rudy…so is Mitt. Hell, even McCain has his good side.
But we can only pick one.
And I ask everyone who supports a particular candidate to answer the same question: Will you support the eventual nominee of the party.”
If the answer is “no” then I refuse to listen to anything else they have to say.
Them’s my principles and come hell or high water I’m sticking to them!
Mike, all four would fight the war against terror. I do have a very strong concern about what exactly McCain would do about the illegal immigration. But of course unless Ron Paul is the nominee the right thing to do is to vote for whoever that is against any one of the three (or four if Algore changes his mind) Democratic frontruneers. There may be relatively little to save if the Democrats get 8 years of controlling the Congress and White House, not with their current radical attitude on every important issue. Sometimes it’s just unbelievable how we got to such peril, almost all of it self-imposed.