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| Thompson vs. Moore: Reflecting a Fed-Up GOP Base |
| 2007-05-16 |
| Jay Nordlinger, National Review I was chatting with a GOP consultant yesterday about the Thompson response to Michael Moore. This consultant noted that we’re seeing GOP candidates confront their far-left critics directly in this case and when Mitt Romney mixed it up with Al Sharpton. He wondered if it was wise, as tradition suggests that a candidate who wants to look above the fray should “outsource” the attack stuff to surrogates. Rich noted that the “sunny optimism” vibe of some candidates might be out of step with the current mood of the GOP electorate. A lot of Republicans are irritable and even angry. This might be why McCain's initial pugnacious attitude ("TO THE GATES OF HELL!") is getting applause. I’m feeling a bit of this myself. Michael Moore ought to be a national punchline, and the Democrats ought to be still paying for having him in Carter's box at the convention. Rosie O'Donnell's talking 9/11 conspiracy theories, and the networks are falling all over themselves to sign her up long-term. Nancy Pelosi's refusing to meet with President Bush after practically snuggling Bashir Assad. The Daily Kos moonbat crap has infected the culture at large, and the Democrats' ambition vastly outweighs their sense of decency. They'll ride the self-hatred, paranoia, and bile of "Loose Change" all the way to control of the White House and Congress. The GOP base is a bit like the Dem base in 2003; we want a fighter. “Michael Moore, go **** yourself” isn't exactly the inspiring rhetoric we'd like to leave in the history books, but I think it accurately represents the attitudes of the GOP base right now. I mean, really, Al Sharpton is bellowing that Mormons [or Republicans] don’t believe in God? Sharpton’s demagoguery got somebody burned to death! Why is this man taken seriously? Which leads me to this thought on Rudy’s smackdown of Ron Paul: Paul’s defenders are saying that he didn’t say America invited the 9/11 attacks. But there’s a fine line between “the attacks were a response to our bad policies of the past” and “the attacks were our fault because they wouldn’t have happened if we had better policies.” After the Loose Change crap, the poll showing a third of Democrats think Bush was in on 9/11, I think Republicans have had it up to here with any argument that carries a whiff of America-bashing. We go into Kosovo to save Muslims, and nobody remembers. We go into Afghanistan and free a people from the Taliban’s barbarism, and nobody gives America credit. We go into Iraq to topple a dictator, and the world thinks we’re worse than he was. We’re the first one on the scene when a tsunami levels the other half of the world and everybody still thinks we’re the bad guys. There might have been a time when the Republican base was willing to hear out someone’s thoughtful criticism of American policy, but right now, they’re sick of it. |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #15 Maybe it's time to start up my poke-the-lefties Imperial Warmonger Party again. You can send me money. It might be amusing to have a party that takes all the fears of lefties and makes them true. For every comment I actually make here, there's about 20 that get half written before I realize they'll end up in the sink trap. I honestly don't believe that if a Demonrat wins again, the country will be able to avoid CWII. As many frustrations as that might relieve, it's really something I don't want to see happen. Maybe concerned republicans should just start hiring PI's to prove just what the Demonrats are really up to. I'll wager if 3 or 4 of their actual secret strategy meetings got out, their party would complete it's trip to Hell as the public went insane over it. And that's assuming they don't turn up actual proof of treason. |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2007-05-16 23:40 |
| #14 I'm open to well-thought-out criticism of our foreign policy. I don't hear any, though. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2007-05-16 23:07 |
| #13 Laurence: you could give Fred the money instead. |
| Posted by: JSU 2007-05-16 22:57 |
| #12 Oh, and speaking of being fed-up. I got yet another fund raising letter from the RNC last night. Since I've ignored all the previous ones this one says "FINAL NOTICE" on it. Nice, trying to scare me like it's a late bill, or maybe that they're going to "kick me out" or something. These knuckleheads don't get it. I vote GOP because the Dems are lunatics I don't trust, not because I am attached to a stupid political party. I'm not giving them jack, and if they don't watch it the instant I think there's another party I can feel safe to replace them with, they are gone. I think I will respond to this letter, and "FINAL NOTICE" will be featured in my response. |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2007-05-16 21:56 |
| #11 In the last year or two, the debate here at the burg has taken a turn toward the incendiary. By the time we go to the polls in November, 2008, will America be at the point of critical mass? I've been hanging our at the 'burg since a few months after Fred created it.I rarely post, but read daily. Most of the time I am moved to comment it's because I'm so angry I'm ready to start burning things down. And fortunately most of the time I manage to cool enough enough to not actually hit Submit Query on something I'll regret. So I simmer down and just read some more. I didn't used to be like this, but the over-the-top behavior of the Left the last 6 years is driving me up the wall. It's obvious that I'm not the only one that feels this way here, but "off" the net, I wonder how many out there feel the same way? Probably not enough still, which leaves us still with a bad outlook on things improving. |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2007-05-16 21:52 |
| #10 In the last year or two, the debate here at the burg has taken a turn toward the incendiary. By the time we go to the polls in November, 2008, will America be at the point of critical mass ? We are right about the MSM, we are right about Islam, and we are right about the democrats. Are we strong enough, and in posession of enough resolve to do the unavoidable ? America needs a tune up, a real and complete attitude change. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-05-16 20:14 |
| #9 The Democrats seem to want to surrender to the Islamofascists and the Republicans seem to want to surrender to the Democrats. A pox on both their houses. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-05-16 18:41 |
| #8 I want to see a Republican presidential candidate come out and bluntly state that the lying bastards on the Demo side are traitors who are effectively rendering aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war. No more of this "we're not questioning your patriotism" bullcrap. That should be long past; I don't "question" their patriotism, I bluntly state they have none--for this country. I'd LOVE to see Reid, Pelosi and Kennedy tried for treason, found guilty, and executed. That would be almost as good as Israel driving all Gazans into Egypt. |
| Posted by: Mac 2007-05-16 18:39 |
| #7 Agree with all the above. One of my chief complaints about W is the fact that he never really defended himself from the vile slander heaped on him. The occasional Cheney rebuttal isn't enough since Cheney is dismissed by the MSM before he even speaks. The damage done is far beyond repair. Verlaine hammers this point home much more eloquently and colorfully than I. I think a LOT of GOP supporters (and conservative-leaning libertarians like me) want to see someone come out fighting against these moonbats. I want someone to call out the libellous, seditionist, defeatist (D) congresscritters BY NAME (Reid, Pelosi, Murtha, Kennedy, Kerry, etc.), instead of mumbling vague half-hearted criticisms as the corrupt and craven (R) congresscritters have been doing. We're not dealing with a loyal opposition here. You don't have to fight dirty to fight them successfully, but you do have to fight them: strenuously and pointedly and continuously. In this case discretion is not the better part of valor - it's abandoning the battlefield to the barbarians. |
| Posted by: xbalanke 2007-05-16 17:36 |
| #6 Thompson should enter the race and in his opening speech state “To Fidel Castro I offer a one-for-one exchange of LLL m0onb@ts for each political prisoner he wanted to send our way. Jane, Mike, Steven, and Harry if you idolize this country so much go friggin live there and give some deserving Cuban your citizenship.” Time to take off the gloves, LONG PAST TIME! |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2007-05-16 17:11 |
| #5 HOw about colo. supermax instead? |
| Posted by: Gerthudion Chaing6361 2007-05-16 16:32 |
| #4 I think Mickey Moore's next gig should be a long stay at Club Gitmo. |
| Posted by: doc 2007-05-16 15:59 |
| #3 Mikey Moore is looking for some cheap pub for his new Sicko movie at Fred Thompson's expense. Thompson made his point and should move on....the rest should just ignore the fat pissant. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2007-05-16 15:43 |
| #2 Me 2. I have always been sick of this crap that we have to be "above the fray". We let every two bit thug like Chavez spew and never even request that he clean up his mess. Well, why can't we be a bit blunt with these moonbats? The Euros keep saying how bad we are and how great they are, well if they want to play in the big leagues let's lay it out for them...in public...in spades. The same with the rag-head tyrants and any other tin-pot dictator and tin-foil beanie Demonrat. We don't have to throw the first stone, but, we damn sure should pick them up and throw them back. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2007-05-16 15:18 |
| #1 Amen. I can't even listen to those smarmy, sleazy, self-righteous, lying ....... any more. They don't talk to you, they only regurgitate their talking points while looking down their nose at you. They have no concept of truth, fairness, or the American Way. They are only interested in personal power, aggrandizement, and enrichment. I not only want someone to tell them to go f**k themselves, I want someone to bend them into the position to do it. |
| Posted by: RWV 2007-05-16 13:37 |