Viguerie: We need a conservative compromise candidate to deliver us from this quagmire!
posted at 6:58 pm on February 4, 2008 by Allahpundit
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He suggests Tom Coburn or George Allen, one of whom no one outside Oklahoma’s ever heard of, the other of whom would couldn’t fend off Jim Webb as an incumbent and would be slow-grilled by the left for the duration of the campaign for his “macaca” comment. Mark Sanford, the governor of South Carolina, is a promising alternative but he’s too much of a no-name to seriously compete with rock stars like Hillary or Obama at this point. If Geraghty’s figures are right, Maverick will have 600+ delegates in the bank by tomorrow night; the only way for a dark-horse to jump in and stop him at that point, as far as I know, would be either to (a) declare immediately and somehow beat him soundly in the remaining primaries with no money and no organization or (b) hope Romney and Huckabee hang in for the rest of the campaign and do well enough to deny McCain enough delegates to clinch. That would mean a brokered convention. But who has enough name recognition and conservative cache to unite the party behind them after a divisive primary fight? The only person I can think of is Newt, but Newt has so much baggage that it’d be suicide to put him out there, especially against Obama. The only other rock star on our side is Schwarzenegger and he can’t run (and McCain-haters wouldn’t want him to). Am I missing anyone else? This is our whole problem right now — lots of singles hitters, not so many home-run hitters.
Update: Surprise — a guy who thinks George Allen is a viable presidential candidate supports the Only Man Who Can Save America.
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How I wish Newt Gingrich had decided to run.
He is the most consistent of the whole bunch!
mogilla on February 4, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Exactly right. He’s the only one with worse negatives than Hillary, which is why we want her to be their candidate (because her negatives have always been about 50%), and they would have LOVED if Newt was ours (his negatives, if I recall, are something like 70-75%). Of course, if it was Newt vs. Hillary, there could be some serious ass kicking in the debates, but not enough to overcome the MSM machine.
Well, aside from the fact that he’s already endorsed McCain, isn’t Arnold just another liberal McCain-style RINO anyway?
RightWinged on February 4, 2008 at 7:03 PM
I’d like to see Bobby Jindal run in 2012, but he can’t run this year.
SECOND LOOK AT DAN QUAYLE!
TX Mom on February 4, 2008 at 7:03 PM
I don’t know. He recently joined the hunt for ManBearPig.
ErikTheRed on February 4, 2008 at 7:04 PM
Is he still alive?
ErikTheRed on February 4, 2008 at 7:05 PM
Too funny!
Overall, I like Newt, but I agree with AP’s assessment of his chances.
TX Mom on February 4, 2008 at 7:05 PM
I wish they would just stop wasting time. The party is compromised. McVain is a LOSER and a traitor (he should be called Benedict McArnold). This one is a wash period. They need to focus on the congress and stop wasting time on the Presidency. It’s a lost cause and even if McArnold was to get in there, he would be more destructive to the nation as a whole than Hillary, Al Quaeda, and Universal Health care combined. Who cares if he claims to be tough on IRAQ and the WoT. Once he signs the immigration compromise act (that will miraculously revive itself within his first week of office), our soldiers will be fighting for much of nothing. Knowing how old, grouchy and vindictive he is, I wouldn’t be surprised he tries to pass the Fairness doctrine or some other sort of free speech limiting law.
TOPV on February 4, 2008 at 7:06 PM
Arnold’s record can be compared to Romney’s in that they both were in predominately liberal states and were forced into compromise to get things done, as distasteful as it was for conservatives.
mogilla on February 4, 2008 at 7:06 PM
I would SO vote for Newt!
If anyone could pull out a win this late in the game it would be Newt… He could come out with a platform “Contract on Socialism”.
Not going to happen though – Pipe Dream Over!
FloridaBill on February 4, 2008 at 7:07 PM
It would have been impossible for Gingrich to win the national election. He cheated on his wife while trying to get Clinton impeached. The media would have eaten him alive.
CABE on February 4, 2008 at 7:07 PM
It’s time for FRED !! to reappear. He could win the nomination with an open convention and go on to be elected. Fred, where ever you are, let’s hear from you.
OBX Pete on February 4, 2008 at 7:07 PM
Bill Frist! He has at least 10 or 20 million to spend, and people who saw the Superbowl know who he is.
BuzzCrutcher on February 4, 2008 at 7:08 PM
Gingrich WILL run in 2012..
henzou on February 4, 2008 at 7:09 PM
Damn right on that. McPain will exact his revenge on Rush, Sean, etc., for trying to undercut his nomination. The Fairness Doctrine will be his weapon.
mogilla on February 4, 2008 at 7:09 PM
Gingrich, one hopes, is smart enough to know he’d be blasted out of the water by the other side.
A draft movement at the convention is about the best we could hope for. Despite his laid-back ways, I think Thompson would be a good choice.
If we could harness the energy of the McCain-haters to actually push hard for a good candidate, there might — might — still be a chance.
MrScribbler on February 4, 2008 at 7:11 PM
You know what?……….I say why not? :)
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 7:11 PM
God save us from the Gingrich horde.
funky chicken on February 4, 2008 at 7:12 PM
Well, in the new terminology Coburn (McCain supporter) and Gingrich (believer in climate change) are RINOs, so they’re out anyway.
Big S on February 4, 2008 at 7:12 PM
Now almost everyone is starting to sound like a post-South Carolina Fredhead.
aero on February 4, 2008 at 7:13 PM
There seems to be something of a link developing between the Paulians and the Mac haters.
It’s clear why the Kos Kidz and MoveOn are so terrified of McCain, because he is the one candidate who can prevent an Obama/Hillary surrender in Iraq, but it sure is a shame to see these supposed conservatives jumping into bed with them.
Gingrich was shrilling for Huckabee a couple of months ago: he’s just another opportunist.
Pax americana on February 4, 2008 at 7:13 PM
The hand you got is the one you play.
This is Five Card Stud, not Go Fish.
profitsbeard on February 4, 2008 at 7:15 PM
Well? What about Fred?
RushBaby on February 4, 2008 at 7:15 PM
I’m going to save this post to show it to my children. I want them to rightly look down with total derision at such nonsense. Fred the pro-choice, career lobbyist, terrorist enabler, campaign fund thief is the worst Rep. candidate evah!!!1!!!eleventy!!
tommylotto on February 4, 2008 at 7:15 PM
J.C. Watts, Newt Gingrich, Tom Coburn, and Michael Steele.
My personal political icon is J.C. Watts.
My personal favorite out of the bunch would be a Michael Steele ticket…
And your right about Tom Coburn he is not known at all out side of the Sooner state, although his conservative creds are remarkably high and he is well educated to make something from both a religous and medical point of view on many social-con issues.
Newt is and idea man, someone that I feel sets the tempo for the party.
Sooner-Inde on February 4, 2008 at 7:16 PM
It seems like anyone we`ve been turning to has something that counts them out. Maybe we should stop looking for the same old faces. Send a call out to the blogosphere for a candidate.
I`m throwing my name in for 2016, make your pledges now!
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 7:16 PM
Unless Mitt drops out i support him alone and I have high hopes and very big expectations from him.
Sooner-Inde on February 4, 2008 at 7:17 PM
I’m not from Oklahoma, but I’ve heard of Tom Coburn, and I wouldn’t think twice about voting for him.
IU_Conservative on February 4, 2008 at 7:17 PM
That, and the fact he wasn’t born here.
Yeah, Newt’s got more baggage than Paris Hilton on a month-long stay in Iceland.
amerpundit on February 4, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Arizona’s other senator, Jon Kyle, is a heroic conservative with a likable personality who is very knowledgeable & articulate.
jgapinoy on February 4, 2008 at 7:18 PM
The logic of the Kos Kids is the same as that of the Paulians and even some of the “true conservative” Fredheads and Mittards. That is, that the reason why we lost the last election is because we became too much like them (them being the other party), and that it’s time to take back the party for the true believers who will win the next election if only given the chance. This is an exceedingly dumb position, but it seems to have taken hold.
Big S on February 4, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Glenn Reynolds? Perhaps Ace, who can bring the Ace-of-Spades Lifestyle to the White House.
amerpundit on February 4, 2008 at 7:19 PM
Gingrich lost is soul to Al Gore…he is a believer of Global Warming and that government should fix it.
Your best chances is to look over the governor lists and find a strong conservative, or a famous person like Steve Young.
The terminator is not a conservative, after the teachers unions spanked him he became the biggest wuss.
Conservative Voice on February 4, 2008 at 7:21 PM
OT – You guys forgot the best ‘ad’ from the Super Bowl.
The Declaration of Independence – We Are Americans
Michael in MI on February 4, 2008 at 7:22 PM
Jeb Bush
Kini on February 4, 2008 at 7:22 PM
John Kyl
RINO! RINO!
Big S on February 4, 2008 at 7:22 PM
Here are my suggestions:
Zell Miller!
Jim DeMint
Clarence Thomas
Antonin Scalia
Michelle Malkin!
Laura Bush (gasp!)
SouthernGent on February 4, 2008 at 7:23 PM
I doubt he’d go along with that, hobo hunting would be impossible with the press constantly following you…
doubleplusundead on February 4, 2008 at 7:23 PM
James Inhofe
Kini on February 4, 2008 at 7:25 PM
.
But – but- his wife doesn’t support McCain. She prefers a democrat – Obama.
News2Use on February 4, 2008 at 7:26 PM
Fred!/J. c. Watts
J. C. Watts in 2024
davidk on February 4, 2008 at 7:28 PM
I`m seriously considering putting myself up as a candidate in 2016. Sure I`ll probably won`t get anywhere in terms of fundraising or delgates, but atleast I`ll be doing something for the cause.
And if I ever go out for another job, would be nice to put “Presidential candidate” on my resume`.
FIRST LOOK AT ME: 2016!
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 7:29 PM
OK, I think the problem is how Yankees define ‘conservative’. To assume that Schwarzenegger could run as a conservative other than the fact that he’s constitutionally forbidden for not having been born in the USA misunderstands what ‘conservative’ means.
This is why there is confusion in the party. This is why people think that ruDe is conservative. ‘Republican’, to yankees and Californians, means ‘conservative’. This is why everyone is so shocked that the yankees and Californians have a problem with McCain (R) and ‘conservative’.
Arnold may be a ‘rock star’, but to put him and his ‘conservatism’ in the same sentence or paragraph with Newt Gingrich is beyond comprehension. You blame McCain for working with a Kennedy, yet you give Arnold a pass for marrying one.
Logic hasn’t been a prerequisite on this board lately.
ThackerAgency on February 4, 2008 at 7:29 PM
Lynn Cheney
davidk on February 4, 2008 at 7:29 PM
Joe Perry
Kini on February 4, 2008 at 7:32 PM
Um, no.
He lacks a spine (see his entire tenure as Majority Leader to support this).
SimplyKimberly on February 4, 2008 at 7:34 PM
Yep..consistent like Bill cheating on his wife…gimma break alrety.
mksmithwriter on February 4, 2008 at 7:35 PM
Yeah…he was the guy palling around with CARVILLE…uh, Billy’s best bud!
Dude…
mksmithwriter on February 4, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Alice Cooper
Kini on February 4, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Why all the talk of Arnold? He can’t run. The Constitution forbids it.
SimplyKimberly on February 4, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Sen. Inhoffe
jp on February 4, 2008 at 7:38 PM
Yeah, I’ll say, you got people runnin’ their mouths, declaring Yankee conservatives RINOs despite seeing plenty of Yankee conservatives who are pissed off about the RINO field.
doubleplusundead on February 4, 2008 at 7:39 PM
Ollie North!!
NTWR on February 4, 2008 at 7:39 PM
John Bolton’s Mustache 2008!
doubleplusundead on February 4, 2008 at 7:40 PM
Um……Yeah, no baggage with that one. (as much as I like him)
ThePrez: 2016!
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 7:41 PM
Only if John Bolton is its runningmate, though.
aero on February 4, 2008 at 7:41 PM
It’s called brainstorming. Any and all suggestions are allowed.
davidk on February 4, 2008 at 7:42 PM
Sen. Inhofe is a good one love his vids and he quick to rally support for the conservative cause. I love to see him take a run for it. Im kinda ahsamed that I didnt mention him before…
Sooner-Inde on February 4, 2008 at 7:44 PM
Gingrich: ‘We need to shrug off McCain… he is likely to be the nominee… McCain is well positioned as reformer against a machine politician like Hillary… Obama most left wing candidate to run since McGovern’…
bnelson44 on February 4, 2008 at 7:45 PM
I actually would relish the thought of Clarence Thomas skewering Barack or Shrillary in a presidential debate (or any debate!). Frankly, it would be delicious and almost orgasmic.
SouthernGent on February 4, 2008 at 7:47 PM
Sorry if someone’s already mentioned this, but how about bypassing the GOP process and running someone as a Conservative?
mikeyboss on February 4, 2008 at 7:48 PM
OH! OH!…………KEN STARR!
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 7:48 PM
yeah it’s just really confusing. It’s like speaking in different languages. RINO’s McCain, ruDe, Huckabee, Romney.
They are ALL RINO’s.
Supporting one over another does not make you any more or less conservative because none of those 4 (including Arnold) are anywhere near conservative.
I don’t like identity politics. . . but it is strange how the South has been conservative and vilified all this time, and now, apparently, the South doesn’t have any idea what ‘conservative’ means.
It’s just odd to me to have Tammy Bruce telling me what is and is not conservative. VERY strange.
ThackerAgency on February 4, 2008 at 7:51 PM
Richard Burr R-NC
myamphibian on February 4, 2008 at 7:52 PM
Ringo Starr
Kini on February 4, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Pretty much think that conservatives need to target and colonize a particular state and control the politics and establish their way of life. The Mormons and others did it and it worked pretty well for a long time.
JiangxiDad on February 4, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Mike Ditka
jp on February 4, 2008 at 7:55 PM
Inhofe is a good one, but Governors are generally better picks. Just say no to the Arnold though (even if he could run).
As for Newt’s baggage, McCain has some of the same problems.
Buy Danish on February 4, 2008 at 7:55 PM
Haley Barbour
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Zebo Kanortz
Kini on February 4, 2008 at 7:58 PM
Alan Keyes, anyone? Now there really is a conservative who’s still in the race.
Pax americana on February 4, 2008 at 7:58 PM
Keyes is a wacko.
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 8:00 PM
NO! HE’S ENDORSED MCCAIN! AND I HAD TO CALL HIS OFFICE REPEATEDLY LAST YEAR TO MAKE SURE HE VOTED FOR CLOTURE. IT WAS A LAST MINUTE DECISION ON HIS PART, TRUST ME!
SouthernGent on February 4, 2008 at 8:05 PM
How long should conservatives stick with the GOP? We’ve never been wanted for anything other than votes by the establishment anyway. They prefer capitulation over principle, not understanding people motivated by ideas, rather than position and power.
flyfisher on February 4, 2008 at 8:07 PM
Eh, his global warming nonsense (among other things) lumps him in more with McCain IMO… and again, he endorsed McCain, who do you think he has more in common with. I mention the global warming thing because it’s one of the most annoying things to me personally. Of course most of the candidates take a wishy washy position on it (and don’t have the balls to totally mock it), because the media has so popularized this myth as “science” and we’re brainwashing millions of children with this crap each year. So the fact that no one can stand up to the global warming machine is pretty annoying… but McCain and Arnold fancy themselves global warming warriors, and it infuriates me.
RightWinged on February 4, 2008 at 8:09 PM
Gabby Hayes
Kini on February 4, 2008 at 8:12 PM
In the spirit of brainstorming:
-raise voting age to 40
JiangxiDad on February 4, 2008 at 8:12 PM
Rush Limbaugh
jp on February 4, 2008 at 8:12 PM
C’mon Michael Savage and / or Ted Nugent !!!
… slightly joking and slightly serious.
BowHuntingTexas on February 4, 2008 at 8:13 PM
Suggested that awhile ago and was convince he`s needed more on the air. Besides, he wouldn`t do it.
Try this: file://localhost/Users/davidreale/Desktop/Prez.html Hope it works.
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 8:15 PM
I thought Savage WAS running? I don’t get to listen to him too much unfortunately, but I could swear I heard him say that…maybe 5 months ago?
SouthernGent on February 4, 2008 at 8:16 PM
(language content warning for link – movie quotes with f-bombs)
“Lenina Huxley: I have, in fact, perused some newsreels in the Schwarzenegger Library, and the time that you took that car…
JohnSpartan: Hold it. The Schwarzenegger Library?
Lenina Huxley: Yes. The Schwarzenegger Presidential Library. Wasn’t he an actor when you…?
JohnSpartan: Stop! He was President?
Lenina Huxley: Yes! Even though he was not born in this country, his popularity at the time caused the 61st Amendment which states…
JohnSpartan: I don’t wanna know. President… “
ErikTheRed on February 4, 2008 at 8:19 PM
Naw. He was thinking of running on a lark. I love to tell liberals that my dream ticket is Savage and Nugent.
BowHuntingTexas on February 4, 2008 at 8:22 PM
Rick Santorum? I really like Michael Steele too.
eucher on February 4, 2008 at 8:26 PM
Could work. Any states in mind.
davidk on February 4, 2008 at 8:27 PM
Wife suggests J Fred Muggs
davidk on February 4, 2008 at 8:30 PM
Michael Reagan
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 8:35 PM
Grrrrrrr. Me too.
He would be a good veep choice for the Mittster too.
Buy Danish on February 4, 2008 at 8:39 PM
Serious sugesstion: Take a look at all our republican governers. For the next 2 years, go through a process where one has a majority support among Hot Air members. Finally, build a draft movement for them to run in 2012 or 16.
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 8:39 PM
Certainly not too early to begin to (re)build a grassroots conservative movement.
Good idea.
davidk on February 4, 2008 at 8:47 PM
It`s about time I had one. lol
ThePrez on February 4, 2008 at 8:51 PM
Just cause I said it was good . . .
davidk on February 4, 2008 at 8:56 PM
How about my gov, Mitch Daniels? He’s been working on lowering property taxes (which will probably be offset by increased sales tax), leased our toll road to the Aussies (state is banking millions per day in interest), got Indiana on daylight savings time (finally) and has been active in recruiting companies and jobs to the state (Honda, Toyota, and Cummins are building new plants, a mail order pharmacy is expanding, etc). He did work in the Boooosh White House in the Office of Management and Budget.
Just a thought.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on February 4, 2008 at 9:07 PM
I was thinking Santorum as well. I just keep shaking my head these days and wondering….where in the hell are all the Conservatives?? Surely they can’t all be scared off by Hillary, or can they?
dustoffmom on February 4, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Michael Steele w/
Julie Banderas as VEEP.
.
Got it all covered!
shooter on February 4, 2008 at 9:40 PM
General David Patraeus 2012
flbill on February 4, 2008 at 9:40 PM
Jim Oddo
sibobr on February 4, 2008 at 9:45 PM
Seems to me a majority of HA members already like Mitt, and we know conservative talk show hosts do. So what is it? Is the religious right really that influential, and it’s the Mormon thing after all? Why don’t we have a grass roots effort now, for Mitt? Why has America zoned out to the amnesty that our grass roots effort killed just a few short months ago?
Incredibly frustrating.
eucher on February 4, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Of course. Paulbots heard Allen say “macaca”, admired the inherent racism of the comment, and thought they found a kindred spirit.
Vyce on February 4, 2008 at 10:08 PM
Texas. No other state big enough to hold all of us. Texas has five distinct geographical regions, each beautiful. Lots of Lovely Women, Real Men, and Pride. Agriculture, water, oil, coastline, the Alamo – which can be revisited at any time, if you get my meaning. Plus we can still secede from the Union – legally! Maybe we can annex Tennessee!
RushBaby on February 4, 2008 at 10:12 PM
Gingrich:
JayHaw Phrenzie on February 4, 2008 at 10:22 PM
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