I don’t mind admitting that I am a life-long Republican. I vote the Elephant. While I am a supporter of John McCain in his bid for the White House, I have no problems supporting the eventual GOP nominee, no matter who that person is (with the exception of Ron Paul). We have some very fine men competing to be the GOP nominee. I don’t mind admitting that I would like to see a woman up there in the ranks (Sarah Palin of Alaska being the logical choice). I think we have a wonderful group of potential presidents. I think the increasingly irrational rhetoric that conservative talk show hosts, pundits, and bloggers are displaying toward John McCain, and have displayed toward Mike Huckabee is counter-productive. There is nothing wrong with fighting it out over the issues. That’s politics. But this nasty ‘who’s the perfect conservative’ ideology and mantra our narcissistic multi-millionaire talk show conservatives have embraced is absolutely disgusting.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve quit listening to these people. The only thing that will get them to listen to reason is to vote with the pocketbooks. Once upon a time (okay, up until last June or July) I was a devoted Rush Limbaugh listener. Not any more. I don’t appreciate his constant attacks on good, decent Republicans. They are personal, irrational, vindictive, petty, and absolutely vile. Unfortunately, that is just the way our ideological conservatives are behaving today.
The irony? Ronald Reagan would be the first person to denounce those who claim to worship him the most.
Article comments
1 - Shannon
While I support Ron Paul, I share your disappointment in the polictical selection process. Americans need to wake up and chose for themselves, not because the majority is choosing that person. Judge the candadites record, based on your beliefs. If you do not do that then we are doomed.
2 - Tim_Ohio
As another life-long Republican, I share your sentiments on the conservative media. However, were we differ is that I only see one true conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan running --that being Ron Paul -- and will not vote for any of these other faux-conservatives.
The problem with the Republican party in 2008 is that there is only one true conservative running & only one republican that has the ability to draw voters from across the political spectrum in the style of Ronald Reagan. Unfortunately, it appears that most of the Grand Old Party is listening to the same conservative media's opinion that you so abhor, that Ron Paul is unelectable. If you say something oft enough, it becomes reality, isn't that how the game is played?
When 70% of the American people are against the Iraq war, it is folly to think that anyone who publicly states they want to stay in Iraq for 100 more years as Senator McCain has done, stands a chance in the general election. That sir, is the reality of your "conservative" candidates.
3 - John
"I have no problems supporting the eventual GOP nominee, no matter who that person is (with the exception of Ron Paul)."
The irony in this comment is astounding.
4 - Tim_Ohio
Whoops, just realized that my last line should have read "That MAAM, is the reality of your "conservative" candidates.". Way to read the bio after sending a comment :)
5 - James Moore
...except Ron Paul of course?
The mind boggles, ma'am. I think you've been so blinded by the globalist propaganda of the "new" cons, i.e. liberal Republicans, that you cannot see the forest for the trees. The GOP has been hijacked, but unfortunately not by those Republicans who dissent with the current faction in power. We're back...and we're pissed...and we're growing in numbers every day, slowly but surely.
Sit down, relax, and actually watch a few Ron Paul interviews from YouTube. You may be surprised at how much you really agree with the man, assuming you really are a conservative Republican that is.
6 - Rocko
RP is only a conservative in name only. Again, his supporters spam anything online. That alone is sufficient to disqualify him. It's annoying as hell. Otherwise, good article.
7 - Dave Nalle
Tim, the only similarities between Ron Paul and Ronald Reagan are their first names and the fact that they both ran for president at the same age.
BTW, this is a fascinating and impassioned article and I agree with much of what's said. I'm sure the author can look forward to being called a RINO by all of the typical pseudo-Republicans who think that their perverse version of Republicanism is the one-true-way.
Dave
8 - Maurice
If you need a good reason for conservatives to not be enamored with McCain consider his position on illegal immigration.
9 - handyguy
Before the talk-radio loudmouths turned their sights on McCain, they had used the same vile, over-the-top rhetoric and tactics on many others, for many years.
I'm glad the author is finally hearing this, but it's not as though these guys have actually changed the discordant, screeching tune they play. It's just that they're now aiming at someone you admire.
The fact that there is so much vitriol in some people's brain stems that they can actually say that if McCain wins, the GOP will be permanently damaged or destroyed....well, this boggles the mind. Some of them would actually rather lose the election than see him win. This weird worldview requires a particular brand of apocalyptic masochism.
I tend to be cynical about dewy-eyed predictions, but maybe a McCain-Obama contest in the fall really would permanently change politics for the better.
10 - Michael J. West
If you need a good reason for conservatives to not be enamored with McCain consider his position on illegal immigration.
Yeah. Reasonable, humane, and decent. How DARE he?
11 - handyguy
Maurice, we get it that you and others differ with McCain [and therefore also with Bush] on immigration issues. But surely this isn't enough to make a sensible guy like you join the "McCain will destroy the GOP" ranks.
If one doesn't agree with a candidate on every issue, is the only recourse to aim destructive rhetoric his way [not that you have, but others who agree with you on immigration have]?
And do you really think that McCain would single-handedly institute an immigration policy that would ruin the country? How about a Democratic president and congress's immigration policy? Will you like that better? Because that's what you're likely to get, especially if McCain is not the nominee.
I know, I'm a liberal Dem, so why am I getting into this discussion? I just find these destructive intramural fights puzzling and fascinating.
12 - Clavos
Handy,
I may be wrong (probably am), but I'm not so sure Maurice was actually criticizing McC's immigration policy so much as he was simply pointing out why conservatives don't like it.
13 - JustOneMan
EDITOR...
How could this be labeled OPINION when it is clearly Satire!
This is obviously written by a Dumbocrat pretending to be a Conservative Republican!!
McCain and Mike Huckabee - Conservatives? These guys are one step right of the likes of Kerry and Billary!!Why these to idiots couldnt carry Reagans jockstrap!!!
Please reclassify this dribble!
JOM -"McCain - A figment of the left-wing media's imagination"
14 - Leslie Bohn
Yes, "reclassify this dribble" or be called for traveling.
15 - JustOneMan
well if you travel chances are youll step in this pile of shit article
JOM -"McCain - Just what this country needs - An old angry man in the White House"
16 - Dan Miller
"fascinating and impassioned article. . . ."
Yeah, it is that.
Somewhere in this modern world there must be software which can count adjectives (maybe adverbs, too) and calculate their percentage in an article. I don't have anything like that, but would be willing to bet that the article has an excessive, overpowering, super abundant, absurd, ludicrous, shameful . . . stupefying and incredible percentage. Hell, I can't see the article for the adjectives, to coin a phrase.
Dan
17 - Baritone
First, I think SJ should come out and say what she really thinks, instead of being so wishy-washy.
Handy is right, of course. Limbaugh and the other assholes on the conservative airwaves have aimed their vitriole at about everybody left of Atilla the Hun. Most of them are so far to the right that they robotically jerk to attention, click the heels of their jackboots, right arms rifling upward while barking out a hearty Heil, Hitler! every few minutes.
Now that their aim has scanned even further to the right, they are now taking pot shots at those they feel are too middle of the road, namby-pamby, left leaning cocksuckers. Ah, if only they could reincarnate Reagan or Mussolini or Hesse or Franco, or at least, Goldwater.
RJ would have written nary a word of complaint of Rush & Company were just spitting out their normal venom against Hillary and Barack. That would be perfectly fine, as they obviously deserve it what with their being liberal pinko commies, let alone the fact that one is a raving bitch whore and the other a member of the "mud races," with allegiance to Allah.
SJ, you obviously just don't stand far enough to the right. Move over girl!
B-tone
18 - Baronius
Yes, Baritone, everyone who disagrees with you is a Nazi. They're all Reaganite fascists. And you know how you can tell? Because Reaganite Nazi fascists always insult people. That's what they do. They goosestep and insult people.
19 - Baronius
SJ, I can see some of those complaints being supportable, but not against Limbaugh. There are certainly cranks with radio shows. Sean Hannity comes to mind. He's not interested in making a case. He just attacks.
I think Rush has pretty well laid out his case against McCain. On tax cuts, immigration, support of the war effort, and campaign finance, McCain has strayed from the conservative base. Is that indictable? That's up to the individual voter to decide. But it isn't like Limbaugh is just arriving at these positions. And it's not one or two issues; it's a wide range. And several other conservatives have made similar arguments. I've heard De Lay, Will, and Santorum criticize McCain just as strongly.
The fact is, no elected official including Reagan has ever adhered to "movement conservatism" perfectly. When someone strays from conservatism, it's fair for conservatives to complain. Liberals complain about their people in the same way. And moderates complain when someone is becoming too radical.
I mean, look at how much criticism Bush has received from the right. Remember the Harriet Miers nomination?
20 - DagneyT
"Once this is in play, our overlords of the airways will not longer be able to ply their monologues of dissension and cruelty, but will be forced to either behave themselves or be removed from the airwaves."
Being a "republican" does not qualify you as a conservative. Your pedantic adherence to strictly GOP demogoguery does not qualify you as a conservative, to which is the category all of those you castigate belong. As we (conservatives) demonstrated when they tried to sneak through the McCain-Kennedy amnesty travesty, we will similarly demonstrate if they should attempt a return to the further restriction of the first amendment by re-introducing the so-called "fairness" doctrine. Blind adherence to a party, be it GOP or Democrap, is the height of arrogance in the real world that we face today.