McCain/Palin must lose
Since 2004, Republican campaign modus operandi has been to squash intellectualism and rally large swaths of uninformed America with bumper sticker slogans. The Bush Administration set this in motion by suspending a substantive conversation with Americans on the strategic importance of the Iraq operation, opting instead to perpetuate the asinine notion that we’re “fighting terr’ists over there so we don’t have to fight ’em here at home.”This strategy caught up quickly with the GOP in 2006 and it’s become a gift to the Democrats that gives to this day; allowing Obama/Biden to escape real policy dialog on terrorism, national security, the Middle East, and South Asia by simply pointing out how dumb the Republicans look linking Al-Qaeda to Saddam Hussein. While McCain/Palin focus on Bill Ayers and Tony Rezko, Senator Obama is running down the clock, avoiding the risk of specifics.
In the weeks since I praised Sarah Palin for her personal qualities, I’ve come to realize that McCain’s VP pick was neither the move of a maverick, nor the move of a candidate who respects my intelligence. I wrote that Palin is “a representative; a real person with American warmth and humility,” and while I stand by those words, it’s clear now that she was the Hail Mary pass of this bumper sticker strategy.
John McCain wants me to play along with the idea that a) being an outsider and b) possessing an understanding of national/world affairs are mutually exclusive. Sorry, I’m not playing, and as the GOP battleship sinks, I pray the bumper stickers sink with it. That’s the silver lining I see as I end my month-long affair with Decision 2008.
I can’t vote for either ticket in good conscience, but for the future of conservatism, McCain/Palin must lose.
I can’t vote for either ticket in good conscience, but for the future of conservatism, McCain/Palin must lose.
Labels: Barack Obama, George W. Bush, joe biden, john mccain, Republican Meltdown, sarah palin
Posted by solomon @ 10/09/2008 12:09:00 PM
35 Comments:
Going with Bob Barr my friend??
BTW, hope all is well.
For the first time ever, I won't be voting for president.
I will, however, vote no on every single tax & bond, no on Prop 8, and yes on Prop 2.
"That man's the best conservative
who lops the mould'r'd branch away."
--Tennyson
You're right, Solomon. It would be a shame to tarnish conservative thought with the read-only disk that is baby Sarah Palin, who will apparently read any script handed to her, remorselessly.
But there are those on the left, many and not few, who worry about a country where conservatives are associated with roundheaded fundamentalism. That's not the conservatism of John Stuart Mill, Burke, Isaiah Berlin, etc.
Reagan started the Republican party down this path, and while many nodded and winked along, I think Palin, who is the real fundie thing, brings it to its dead end.
So that we can safely spare ourselves from kleptocratic programs at the local level like affordable housing and most parcel taxes, conservatives, who do the real thinking in the GOP, have to take their party back from the fundamentalists and religious zealots. Conservatives made a Faustian deal with fundamentalists who willfully let the nation's intellect be dragged down and standards be lowered all the way down to Palin level. Now they have to lead, rather than nod and wink along with the roundheads.
Don't you guys read this blog Mike Higby, Haikula and Red Spot have warned you - "Obama Bin Biden" are terrorists !!!
And the supporters of Obama are like Hitler supporters !!!
Higby and Haikula please save our country from Obama Bin Biden !!!
AW,
My dad and I had this very conversation this morning.
That perhaps for the good of the GOP they may need an ass kicking this time around so that the next generation, which is folks like Palin, Bobby Jindal, perhaps Tim Pawlenty and others could remake the party into a 21st century movement of conservatism that works.
That being said I can't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Ronald Reagan preached a "big tent" version of Republicanism and said he'd choose a guy he agrees with sometimes than one he never agrees with.
For many reasons, I can't vote for Barack Obama and turn the keys over to the country to him. He's too inexperienced, too unknown and quite frankly has some ideas that are 1) tried already or 2) scary.
If the Dem nominee was Biden or Hillary or christ, maybe even Tony Villar I could go for the blow the village up to save it strategy. Maybe even with Obama if this was 4, 8, 12 years ago.
But with the economy, terrorism, the situation in Russia, North Korea and lots of other scary stuff I can't gamble.
I do relate however, in 2004 there was no way I could vote for either Bush nor Kerry so I left the ballot for president blank. Many people told me that was a stupid vote. I find it honorable.
Hi Antonio Watch,
Your post has some excellent thoughts, although I disagree wholeheartedly about no-conditions meetings with maniacs who want to destroy Israel.
There is an interesting article in the Christian Science Monitor the other day about how Obama is still having trouble attracting the Jewish vote because of these very positions.
http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2008/10/08/obama-struggles-to-attract-wavering-jewish-voters/
I'm going to repost it once your entry has had some time at the top.
I'm glad you wrote this entry, though because I was planning on writing something similar, but not quote the same, and you saved me the effort.
We do agree on Prop 2, though, and I hope you'll definitely continue to encourage people to support it.
As it stands now, I'm on the fence about voting for President, too. I won't vote for Obama, but I'm wavering about McCain. It would be the first time that I don't vote for the Dem candidate. (See? The dum dums think they know where we stand on things, and figure you can't have conservative views and vote on a candidate by candidate basis.)
I don't know what the rest of you do for your livings, but my mortgage and healthcare won't be impacted much. But I see trouble ahead for whomever wins.
Haikula
By the way I don't agree at all with the assessment of Palin as being anything less than thoughtful, talented, capable or any less experienced politically than Barack Obama.
The smack against her from the media, movie stars and liberals reeks of elitism because quite frankly Governor Palin comes from demographic that its still politically incorrect to make fun of, criticize and attempt to ostracize. Having been raise in more or less that same demographic, I find the elitism offensive. When quite frankly, Sarah Palin and her family is far more representative of families across the US more than Obama, Biden or even McCain. The Democrats might be surprised to see a big backlash from that segment of America.
Solomon to be sure I know you don't see Palin this way but the overwhelming bigotry from the Democrats is uncanny.
Most importantly, and disapointing, is Joseph Mailander's comments. For a guy who I always saw as an open minded, claimed feminist, his remarks about Palin are sadly sexist. And for a guy who throws a fit anytime he suspects someone of anti-Catholic bias - real or imagined - his comments about evangelical Christians are intolerable.
Higby/AW:
If you won't vote for either, how about casting a vote for a ticket that might start a movement for 4 years from now: Peggy Noonan and Jon Stewart?
Haikula:
If you're nervous about this being the first time you've not voted Democratic, remember that you would not be voting for Obama for dictator.
He would, as all presidents do, try to stay close to the party line (the one you've always supported), have access to the highest levels of intelligence information and advice that will moderate views that might concern you now, he would likely try and reach more to the middle of the political spectrum, and he would have the checks and balances of Congress and public opinion.
Remember when Tom Bradley was running for Mayor and Sam Yorty tried to get people to believe that he would allow the City to be taken over by black extremists? After he was elected, he found ways of forming bonds with the Valley and with the downtown business interests that never supported him.
Being elected to an executive office tends to moderate people. You say what you have to in order to get elected, but then after taking the oath, reality arrives on your doorstep.
This post is nonsense.
McCain and Palin will win, because:
1) The numbers will tighten up in a week; and
2) Hillary women won't vote for Obama; and
3) The Bradley Effect is alive and well in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virgina, Florida and Colorado.
On January 20, it will be President McCain that goes back to the White House, and Vice President Palin to the Admiral's House.
Obama can go back to living next door to Tony Rezco and around the corner from Bill Ayers and Bernadette Dohrn, and Biden can go to Katie's for dinner.
Haikula, I haven't seen any polling on Prop 2. Have you?
The other side is spinning hard, calling themselves "Californians for safe food." What?!
Every presidential race is a fight for the middle.
McCain was in a bind from the start. He wanted to run as a maverick in hopes of reaching the middle, but his message wasn't clear and because it takes money to get out your message, he had to sell out to the dirty money folks.
Choosing Palin was a Hail Mary pass that failed. The middle class in urban areas couldn't identify with her. People who want a potential president to be someone capable of understanding the job, were appalled.
Do you think that when conservative thinkers gather to discuss issues and strategy that she's included? She didn't even say that she has read New Republic or even know what it is.
Dick Cheney would be a better VP. As dislikable as he is personally, he ain't no dummy and he gets things done. They may not be things that all of us like, but he's loyal and effective.
The economic crisis sealed McCain's fate. He had no answer. Most politicians dream about a crisis situation that will allow them to rise to the top. Take Guilliani and 9/11. His whole campaign was based on that one event.
When McCain's moment came, he disappeared. Conservatives have ideas about how the nation's should be run, but McCain simply didn't understand any of it, including the plight and pain of ordinary people.
...his comments about evangelical Christians are intolerable.
My comments are grounded in the best tradition of serious religious thought, which do not encourage a simplistic line-item reading of religious texts.
My comments are also grounded in the best tradtion of Jeffersonian democracy, which encourages a fabled "wall of separation between church and state."
When fundamentalists vilify one group or another, as Palin vilifies, say, "community organizers," they aren't truly tolerant.
When fundamentalists aspire to take control of all women's bodies all their lifetimes regardless of their psychological situation at any given point within it, they aren't truly tolerant.
Involving religious fundamentalism with the governing of the country is conservative America's mould'r'd branch. People can practice fundamentalism if they want---freedom of religion is their right---but it must not be mixed with government, lest it infringe on other beliefs.
That is the danger people perceive now---while Reagan and Bush nodded and winked to fundamentalists even while never pushing seriously for outlawing the right to choose, Palin and her self-stated "servant's heart" (serving not America, but her God) comes far too close to truly mixing religion and government.
What makes you think that "the party line" is what is of interest to me?
I voted for Kerry 4 years ago because I didn't like George Bush.
I voted for Gore / Liberman 8 years ago because I knew W was a fool long before he proved it.
I voted for Clinton / Gore twice, because 16 years ago I didn't value Bush I and 12 years ago because things went well with Clinton I.
I don't vote the party line. I vote for the individual, their track record (of which Obama doesn't have), and the circumstances of the time.
I disagree with almost every POSITION Sarah Palin has, BUT I am highly impressed with her ability to run a large entity, and her approval ratings show that she is more popular in her state than any other Governor is in their state.
That all having been stated, I think that the most QUALIFIED person, and the one who has the best ABILITY to run the country is Hillary Clinton. Not because she is a female. But because she is the best of the bunch.
I also think Obama's failure to choose Clinton shows him to be a HORRIBLE strategist. If he chose Clinton, the election would have long been over, and you'd never know diddly about Sarah Palin.
And Clinton would have showed her smarts by choosing the obvious VP for HER ticket: Obama.
I confess that part of my defense of Sarah Palin has a lot to do with the fact that I loathe bullying. I think the Dems have needlessly focused on the wrong end of the Rep's ticket because it appeared fun to pick on her for, what, colloquialisms?
Let me close with this: the Palin attacks may have aroused a sleeping giant, because if Obama wins, it means that Hillary won't have a good chance in having to wait 8 years. That means you're going to very likely see a far more seasoned Sarah Palin in 4 years. If Obama wins, he's going to struggle mightily to turn around the awful economy. If Palin makes her own run for President, she will have 4 very seasoned years to measure against Obama's challenged first term.
I'm not sure if I'm stating this too clearly. In other words: Palin will have four relatively under-the-radar years, and Obama is going to have to perform a miracle to turn the economy around in four years. Hillary won't be able to run against the incumbent, so she'll be boxed out.
There. That's what I meant.
I still think the election is not going to be as much of a runaway as the polls currently suggest. 30 days is a long time, and I'm not sure why people think Obama is an economic wizard. The smartest thing he's done in the past two months is keep Michelle under wraps. She still seems like a very angry person to me.
I don't know how Prop 2 is polling. Since Lloyd Levine screwed up the statewide mandatory spay neuter bill, anything is possible, even though not torturing animals before you kill them seems like a no brainer.
On that note, I checked with several people and Levine has absolutely no knowledge of how to run a large scale municipal animal shelter.
I'm told though that there IS a way for Villaraigosa to make appointing Levine a good change, but I do not want to put it out there at this time. All sorts of things are in play today.
I'm less concerned about Obama than I was a year ago. Over the past 12 months, the enormous responsibility he has to his country, his party, and (like it or not) history has clearly sunk in. He's tempered all of his "extreme" positions, including direct talks without preconditions. Doesn't mean I'm looking forward to him, only that I'm no longer scared of his positions.
I've never suggested that Obama is unqualified to be president, because I don't know what qualifies one to be president. The Founders had no concept of a career politician. In today's world, I suppose, it would be someone with a well-rounded experience; a little politics, a little academia, someone who's bussed tables and run a business; an informed individual with strong principles and sound judgment.
I see many of these qualities in Palin. The problem is, she can't answer where she gets her news, and she talks in slogans. For Christ's sake we've had eight years of a president who doesn't read the news and talks in slogans.
Enough, I say! We right-wingers deserve better than this. We need to bring intelligence back into the tent and stop appealing to the willfully uninformed, who not only don't know the difference between Sunni and Shia, but don't care.
Wait Haiku voted for Clinton in 92? Dang she's too old for me then. :)
I really hate to say it but I voted for Gore/Liberman too.
Haikula nd Higby don't forget that "Obama Bin Biden" are terrorists !!!
Higby and Haikula keep spreading the word - Hitler and Obmama supporters are the same !!!!
Mayor Sam - check this out -
So far just about every swing state and others have found massive ACORN voter fraud bogus registrations in the thousands and lot of registrations getting kicked by the elections clerks.
That is one hella lot of Obama votes that are going into the suspense file.
f I hear one more ACORN defender say "it was just a few bad canvassers' fault," I'm going to explode. By now, everyone must've heard of the fraudulent voter registrations collected by this group in around a dozen states. If this were really the work of "a few bad apples" that they hired, why is it happening all over the country? Further, why is it continuing, when they had these same problems for several election cycles?
The evidence is becoming overwhelming that ACORN is a corrupt racketeering organization, using federal money to file fraudulent voter registrations. Michelle Malkin has a great round-up of the details, and it's not pretty. Some law-enforcement agency has to end their corrupt activities, for once and for all.
Just as Rudy Giuliani used RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act to break (or at least weaken) the mafia's stranglehold on NYC politics in the 1980's, RICO can be used by the US Attorney General to do the same to ACORN, on a federal level. Since there doesn't seem to be the political will to do this under the current administration (and it's not certain that either a McCain or Obama administration would, either), I have a suggestion.
It's time we (you, me, etc..) filed a class-action civil RICO action against ACORN, and get them out of the "voter registration" (read as: election) industry, and investigate corruption in all of their other businesses and political activities. Their defenders will cry "racism!" and "disenfranchisement!" -but actual voters, who vote only once, in their own name (that's most of us voters), are the ones being "disenfranchised" by ACORN's actions. That's why "we" have standing to file this suit. The tax money that ACORN has received must be returned to the government, and "treble damages" should apply (that means a peanalty of three time the amount of money that was fraudulently obtained and/or used for fraudulent purposes), as well.
There are many corrupt facets to this organization, and if it's apparent to me, why isn't a single Democrat of note willing to criticize them? Why are Obama's ACORN ties not being used by McCain, or often mentioned in most of the MSM reports about the "ACORN fraud" stories? Could ACORN be the "October surprise" that clinches a McCain victory? Or will ACORN's activities "tar" an Obama victory? Those are just a few of the political questions that will be answered eventually.
I barely made the cutoff date! The Gore I voted for then, was better than the Gore we have now. It's tough to admire a guy who preaches conservation, but lives in a home the size of a mall. The same can be said about John Edwards, Dianne Feinstein. At least the Republicans don't make excuses for their success. You wouldn't think that I could be a McCain, Palin AND Hillary supporter!
Haikula:
First, we don't even know if Hillary wanted to be the VP choice.
It is common for some people to only want to be in charge -- the one on top. Holding the most insificant job in America, unless you're the VP to George Bush, might not have appealed to her.
Second, if she had been the VP choice, the campaign would have been burdened with Bill Clinton trying to run everything. There would have been ego clashes and internal dissention.
To believe in what Hillary stands for, despite her lack of experience (being the First Lady don't exactly count as experience), and then to support McCain-Palin just because you didn't get your way is somewhere between childish and self-destructive.
What you're saying is that because everything didn't go the way you wanted, you're going to pout and do the complete opposite.
Trying putting your country and the people in it ahead of your hurt feelings.
Both Clintons can still play an important role in shaping the policies of the Democratic Party and the Democratic members of Congress, which in turn will shape the actions of President Obama.
Palin unfit to serve?
When asked if she would like to appear on Saturday Night Live with Tina Fey, the thought of the attention got the best of her and she said, "I love her, she's a hoot and she's so talented. "It would be fun to meet her, imitate her and keep on giving her new material."
Doesn't Palin realize that such an appearance would just give the nation another opportunity to belittle and make fun of her?
Such poor judgment is probably another reason why she should not be elected VP.
The conservative strategists must be wondering what's wrong with his lady. William Buckley is probably turning over in his grave.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/09/tina.fey.sarah.palin.ap/index.html
OK, I found it! I found someone who believes that John McCain can win.
It's Karl Rove, aka Darth Vader.
Despite being critical of McCain's performance in the debates, and producing a goofy bailout plan without warning any of his own supporters, Vader says that the high number of undecided voters gives McCain a glimmer of hope.
Now just to figure how to reach them. I figure that the Katie's restaurant gaffe isn't going to do it.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122350996821817371.html?mod=rss_opinion_main&ref=DJF6yDHFHR7
Conservative columnist George Will continues to scream at the top of his lungs for McCain to change his campaign tactics and try to win the election, which Will believes is possible.
After the debate, Will was beyond disappointed that McCain chose to put more effort behind trying to convince voters that Obama is a bad person, as opposed to arguing that he has bad ideas.
Will pointed out that McCain, and the Republicans who have won 7 out of the last 10 presidential elections, need to compete with the bad news that investors are getting, and will continue to get, between now and the election.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/10/a_landslide_coming.html
McCain abandons transition effort. Obama collects a broad-based group of people, prohbits involvement by current lobbyists, and gives everyone a code of ethics.
Experts point out that a rapid transition from one presidential administration to another is important not only to the well being of the country but to America's standing in the world. We cannot have periods of weakness.
McCain appears to be putting his sole focus on his campaign, and away from what would his first responsibilities as president.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/08/obama-mccain-transition-e_n_132976.html
Joseph,
I would dare to say that the new fundamentalist zealots are those on the left who expouse that a large, central government, mixed with annoited, symbolic figures, will be the end all in our society.
Anyone who has seen the recent "Obama Youth" videos can see this coming.
Why is nobody talking about Obama supporters being just like Hitler supporters anymore !!!!
Higby and Haikila keep sounding the alarm "Obama Bin Binden" are attracting terrorists and Hitler supporters !!!!
And let's not forget Obama and Ayers being U.S. terrorists!!
Come on people wake up !!!!
Win, lose, or draw, it may be possible that Obama's candidacy has proven that we, as a country of voters, are maturing, and that race is no longer the factor that it once was.
Gallup reports that 6% of the voters survey say that because of Obama's race they are less likely to vote for him, but 9% say that his race makes them more likely to vote for him.
6% say McCain's race will make them less likely to support him, and 7% more likely.
Of the eight factors tested, race was the least important.
Clearly this is not true of a few posters here who usually vote Democratic but can't bring themselves to admit that voting for a black man is just asking too much, so they'll crawl into bed with the racists and vote for McCain.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/111049/Obamas-Race-May-Much-Plus-Minus.aspx
I find Sarah's politics frightening but agree with Haiku that the bullying is way over the top.
Joe,
just heard on the Hugh Hewitt Show that a poll taken from among church-attending Catholics has McCain-Palin up by 15%.
"I find Sarah's politics frightening but agree with Haiku that the bullying is way over the top."
**************************
What do you think about higby comparing Obama supporters to Hitler supporters?
Or is Higby using "Obama Bin Biden" over the top?
Why doesn't any of the other gutless blogging burros comment on Higby's comparing Obama to Hitler?
Haikula:
It seems odd that you would support Palin now because of her experience in running a big entity, but earlier have supported Hillary who never ran any entity. She wasn't even the Mayor of some backwater town.
As for the bullying, good grief, if Palin is so thin-skinned that she can't take a portion of what she's dishing out, she certainly doesn't belong in national politics. This isn't Alaska.
Of course Hillary doesn't want to be VP. Have you seen her or Bill actually campaigning for Obama? Nope. They want McCain to win.
And Bill and Hillary want McCain to win, why? Because they too are acting in their own self-interest (we'll run in 4 years) and not doing what's best for the party and the country?
AW, you don't know me that well, so take no offense to my viewpoint. I've been a conservative Republican voter since midway through the Carter administration. This is how I intend to vote this November:
1A: NO
2: NO (Does anyone want to see their food prices go through the roof?)
3: NO
4: YES
5: NO
6: NO
7: NO
8: YES
9: YES
10: NO
11: YES (I'm not excited about it though.)
12: NO
R: NO
J: NO
Q: NO
A: NO
B: NO
I'm not happy about my choices for President, but I finally made up my mind: I like Obama-Biden less than I do McCain-Palin. The McCain-Palin ticket is the least of the two evils; what sober voter could vote for Biden to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency if (God forbid) something happens to Obama?
Michael Finnegan
CD-5
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