What’s the matter Robert? Don’t you want your part of the credit for the “bloodbath” you have helped create? Do you not want the credit for abandoning the people of Iraq to murdering terrorist thugs?

It is what you wanted all along, Right Robert…

The Republican party is made up of anomolies. Some people call it the “big tent.” Neocons, Evangelicals, devout Catholics, supply-siders, pro-Second Ammendment, and pro-military have been forced out of the Democratic party and live in an uneasy tension within the Republican party. If Republicans expect to win anything in 2008, they must a) clean up their act, b) realize that they win elections by appealing to their entire party (not just Paul Gigot and the Neocons), and c) find an articulate candidate who the majority of the party likes and trusts. Bush, in 2000, was a compromise candidate in a weak field. McCain was his closest rival. But Gore, another poor candidate, nearly beat him (and actually won the popular vote). Bush then eked out a win against another lackluster candidate in 2004. Rove is no genius. Any good incumbent should have beaten Kerry by a couple hundred electoral votes.

McCain will not unite the party. Neither will Giuliani. Romney may. I’ve not heard that he’s even considered it, but imagine if General Tommy Franks threw his hat in the ring. I’m not sure on his social or economic positions (which is an advantage since he can say whatever he wants), but it’d be like voting for John Wayne. Or at least voting for a tough guy that John Wayne played in a movie.

On Romney being a Mormon: I vote for candidates based on their philosophy and effectiveness. I would vote for a pro-life, lower taxes, less government intrusion Scientologist sooner than I’d vote for such “Catholic” politicians like Arnie, any Kennedy, or Nancy Pelosi. You should certainly take into account a persons religion because it molds their worldview, but I think a better indicator of how a person will govern is how a person has governed.

True in the abstract, but whose character flaws are going to be put under a media microscope, and whose character flaws are going to be glossed over and ignored? Hmmmm, let me think…

While I’m not one of those athiests who wants to foist his views on others (I’m *not* offended by references to “God” in the pledge, for example) and am generally accepting of others beliefs, I’d have a *very* difficult time supporting anyone who can honestly consider the tenets of the LDS church. I’ve done much reading about many religions (and “religions”)…and personally consider the LDS church only slightly more credible than Scientology. Of course, I see logical problems with pretty much all religions, but with the LDS church there are actual verifiable historical accounts of the founder’s life and unbelievable claims…and you can bet that there will be *many* new (negative) “special reports” showcasing this religion’s founder and its underpinnings…which will be extremely distracting and unhelpful to Republicans.

You can dismiss me as a bigot or consider this post a troll if you wish (I’m not, and don’t intend this post to be), but I truly believe that nominating Romney would be a monumental misstep.

fogw and NEMETI IN SYRACUSE, I’ll report you to CATR (Council on American-Trolls Relations)

fogw, I’ll have to put you on a payroll, for making me laugh, sometimes in tears. May your supply never deplete!

A character debate between Newt and Hillary will always end in a scoreless tie.

That picture of McCain – what is up with his cheek? The left side is all swollen and weird. Does he have some sorta medical problem?

Lehuster on November 21, 2006 at 11:52 PM

Skin cancer.

As far as Romney, I didn’t know about this socialized medicine business. That’s a dealbreaker for this fis-con soc-libt.

Newt’s wise to play it safe at this stage. Kind of like the wrestler in the battle royal that lays back and lets everyone throw each other out of the ring. How very Sun Tzu. McVain doesn’t stand a chance.

I don’t know about my fellow Hot Air breathers, but the only objection I’ve heard against Newt address personal character issues.

I suspect that Newt isn’t really worried about a character debate if he knows he’s likely to run against a Clinton.

To be honest, you can call an elephant a hummingbird, but you’d better duck if it flies over. I don’t really think that the American people know *ANYTHING* about how well or poorly the war’s going. Pay-for-opinion ex-officer pundits on cable news have their contacts, some possibly correct, a lot no more on-the-ball than when they were on active duty.

I think that we just don’t know, and this attempt at disheartening us all by rubbing our noses in the casualty figures isn’t helping. Nobody’s looking in any of the right places. For one thing, is *ANYONE* saying when 30 or 50 or 100 people “died in Baghdad today” that they were kidnapped, tortured and killed by these “insurgents” (read: kidnappers, torturers and murderers), and that this sort of thing happened under the Nazis, under the North Koreans and Chicoms, under the Viets, and had been done for 24 or so years under Saddam, even after we kicked his a$$ once.

So, as if I needed one *MORE* reason not to listen to anything Robert Reich said, he’s that reason.

As for McCain, he’s so nakedly a grasper, hungry for power and willing to do or say anything to get it, a “me-first” kind of guy, that even a glipse of his mug gets me queasy.

We live during a time when there’s a dearth of heroes…except those in uniform.

That picture of McCain – what is up with his cheek? The left side is all swollen and weird. Does he have some sorta medical problem?

Also if you arent in favor of states rights then I think Romney is more concervative then you are.

McCain must know he doesn’t have a chance. It would be like him to lose the primary and then try to run as an independent. I wonder if he would do a Perot?

As if he didn’t have enough baggage already, McCain lost me forever with McCain/Feingold. And then there was that remark he made I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected.

I wouldn’t trust him as President.

At this point I am ready to support Newt.

INC on November 21, 2006 at 8:45 PM

Then do! I do! There are many, many of us. Unfortunately I heard Newt say (I think it was on Bill O) he wouldn’t be ready to make an announcement until later in 2007. Curiously, he considered campaign activity this early to be a waste of time. He may have a good point. Those who announce their White House intentions early leave a lot of time for the public and media to pick them apart. He’s a smart man.

Unintended consequences aren’t consequences at all. They’re the end result of actions set in motion by opportunistic lawmakers who don’t think things through.

Mass Care Not Working Out–Part I

Mass Care Not Working Out–Part II

Mass Care Not Working Out–Part III

Mass Care Not Working Out–Part IV

Mass Care Not Working Out–Part V

Mass Care Not Working Out–Part VI

Mass Care Not Working Out–Part VII

Mass Care Not Working Out–Part VIII

Mass Care Not Working Out–Part IX

More mushyheaded having the government do “compassionate conservatism” just isn’t going to cut it.

Here’s more on Romney talking out of both sides of his mouth on states’ rights and federalism on the two topics of gay marriage and being prolife.

As an evangelical soc con I look with a skeptical eye on Romney. At this point I am ready to support Newt.

….The question is whether his Mormonism is going to scare people off……..

Well, Moronism doesn’t scare voters away from politicians…. What difference could an additional little M make?

I like the picture of McCain you used for the post.

That needs to be your stock photo for any McCain stories like the screaming loon photo you use for Murtha stories.

McCain looks confused but a bit guilty…despite wanting to appear confident and in control. Kinda like the cat that ate the canary and got busted.

The pic sums him up pretty well.

What’s most important for the morale of the troops is knowing they’ll be coming home soon, not hearing some politician say we need more troops when there’s no possible chance of that happening.

Reich is really stupid, or he has not been paying attention for months years. Every expression I have heard from troops is not that they want to come home as quickly as possible, but that they want to get the job done. What a putz.