mccain’s cell block tango
by Courtney Hunter
Published: June 5, 2008
He had it coming.
It seems as if Libertarians attentively chewed on the state of affairs surrounding the presidential race, and spit out Bob Barr.
The former Republican congressman grasped the nomination at the Libertarian Party convention held in Denver on May 25th.
“I will be a candidate precisely to give the American people a voice and give them a meaningful choice so that they do not have to vote for the lesser of two evils.”
Wonder who will answer to Barr’s call? The preoccupied battlefield of Democrats who are either showing up at voting booths in record numbers and passing out at the sight of their candidate or are so antagonistic they’re voting Republican to ensure Obama’s undoing? No, a vote for Barr wouldn’t advance either strategy. And since the delegate and superdelegate counts have the Democrats electing a man who flaunts big-government spending, planning and taxing, I doubt Barr’s ideas of downsizing government and lowering taxes seem very sexy anyway.
Barr is pursuing conservatives. (At least someone is.)
Unfortunately, the conservative base, so far, doesn’t really care about Barr at all. They’re still standing outside the door of the Republican Party drenched in champagne and shocked that McCain threw it in their faces.
At first they were willing to rally behind him, and, like Newt Gingrich suggested at CPAC following Romney’s withdrawal, hold his feet to the fire. They were ready to whip him into the Reagan they had been desperate for and felt he owed it to them. Though, as Rush pointed out on his May 12 show, he is making this very difficult to do. Courting McCain is seemingly impossible given that he’s in bed with former Reagan Democrats, moderates, mavericks and independents, all of whom make up what percentage of the Republican base? 0.
But I’m sure he is he counting on us to be there for him. If not for any other reason than the assumption that the conservative base of the Republican Party will have nowhere else to go. That’s rather audacious, and as of May 25th, it’s wrong.
My friends, this is an abusive relationship of the most acute kind, and I must confess my heart is shattered.
What’s a cheated and rejected conservative to do? Stay home in November with a pint of ice cream watching re-runs of Law and Order, dreaming of what could have been, or retaliate? (And by “retaliate” I mean “vote for Bob Barr.”)
He had it coming.
People have been saying he could have a Perotesque effect. That’s very plausible and if it materializes, McCain will have to fight for every conservative vote - like he should be doing now.
He only has himself to blame.
For those of you quick to dismiss a Libertarian candidate, take a step back with me for a moment and look at the current ideological situation of the Republican Party. Despite everything, conservatives still believe they’re the heart and soul of the GOP- however that may no longer be the case. McCain has come up with a glittery new winning strategy for conquering the Republican Party. It is one that, if successful, politicians across America will be all too eager to emulate. They’ll seek moderate voters, emphasize willingness to compromise and cross party lines rather than assert traditional conservative values, ultimately shifting the entire GOP platform of the former “right” left-bound toward the center. Sianora, conservatives.
The Republican Party is hanging by a thread. Conservatives know this and many are at the brink of rebellion, which is why I applaud the Libertarian Party for strategizing their insertion of personal liberty through a conservative voice under ideal circumstances.
Barr does have a shot at making a difference (however slight) in this election if he realizes the delicate condition conservatives are in and if he addresses it viciously. Viciously. He’s got to ignite an impassioned rage within conservatives and get them to snap out of this shocked state and storm back into their party, not by storming in but by decidedly storming out and alighting themselves on a small-government, Libertarian pedestal until Republicans come apologetically back. He has to doll up that plan enough for conservatives to follow and leave Gingrich’s original “feet to the fire” method behind.
No matter the extent of Barr’s success, his candidacy can be nothing but damaging for McCain.
If the maverick doesn’t come home soon with one dozen red roses in his hand, he’ll be sorry.
I’m waiting.
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(6)
June 7th, 2008 at 4:00 am
Third party presidential candidacy’s are a waste of money. Barr is going to lose. We can speak of him in the past tense as a loser. Why should anyone care at all about the fringe?
June 9th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
a vote for bar is a vote for Obama. Bar will lose and will lose big. If u vote for bar, you are a democrat for all I care because you’re helping elect obama. McCain opposed bush tax cuts because they wernt correspondent to any cuts in spending. Cutting taxes without cuts in spending is foolish and irresponsible. McCain will not only cut taxes but also spending, like a real conservative should do. He will lower corporate tax rate, make bush tax cuts permanent, and veto any pork barrel earmarks.
McCain is perfect on foreign policy too. As for Iraq, if it takes 100 years, it takes 100 years. The U.S, as is any nation in the world, faces the threats of terrorism. The Islamic empire wanted to rule the world in the 7th century and they waged wars against the world to do so. When their empire collapsed, three groups emerged out of it. One group rejected their beliefs, the second ignored it, and the third not only embraced their beliefs, but waged wars in its name; this third group is known as the “Jihadists.” Why do you think their acts are so inhumane and primitive? Because they date back to the 7th century. These jihadists see their mission today as it was a millennium ago, to wage wars against the world and take over.
Immigration, he wants to build a wall. It is impossible to deport all illegals like romney wants, impractical to do. How are you gonna do that? With the inefficient gov’t agencies we have? lol, please. We need to work with what we’ve got, not what we should have done in the past. Make illegals pay back taxes and abide by laws and we will make sure no more illegals come in.
I am very conservative and i put my full support behind mccain. You want obama/hillary? then please vote for barr and watch america collapse.
June 10th, 2008 at 8:52 am
“If the maverick doesn’t come home soon with one dozen red roses in his hand, he’ll be sorry.”
So after being selected by his party as their candidate for the 2008 Presidential Election, McCain should change and lie about his REAL views, policies, and opinions just so he can capture the Evangelical Right? Yup, sounds like a pretty Democratic thing to do to me…lie to get in office! Worked for the last guy!
June 10th, 2008 at 8:55 am
“I am very conservative and i put my full support behind mccain. You want obama/hillary? then please vote for barr and watch america collapse.”
COLLAPSE? haha just thought that was pretty dang funny!