McCain’s Strong-Arm Tactics Roil Colorado Politics
I’m the least likely person to be writing an column chastising John McCain. But after leading the GOP to defeat in 2008, McCain seems to think it’s his duty to ignore the voters and anoint winners and losers inside the Republican Party here in Colorado. In fact, he’s trying to set himself up as the “Godfather” of Colorado politics, about which Alex Isenstadt wrote perceptively in Politico.
This is wrong and I don’t mind saying so. I was the Republican chair of a large metro-county party here in Colorado. As a former GOP chair, I’m generally supposed to support the party. John McCain is the titular head of that party. But these are not the only reasons why calling out John McCain will be painful for me. In 2007, when no one was supporting John McCain for president, I was one of his most vocal backers in Colorado, because I believed that his policies on Iraq would give us victory there. An Iraqi victory would, in turn, help the GOP regain its health.
In this, I was largely right. So I feel both qualified and obligated and not a little pained to say this of John McCain, just as Benjamin Franklin observed of one of his contemporaries: In some ways McCain is a good man; in all things he is a brave man; but in some ways and in some things, John McCain is absolutely out of his mind. McCain’s attempt to manipulate Colorado’s elections in 2010 is proof that he’s out of his mind. “Godfather” John McCain almost dealt a fatal blow to the U.S. Senate campaign of GOP candidate Jane Norton.
Last summer McCain and his lobbyist friend Charlie Black bungled the strong-arm tactics they used in a bid to chase Norton’s rivals for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination in Colorado out of the race. The resulting fracas has caused a red-faced Norton campaign to spend months apologizing (and denying complicity) to anyone who would listen. They are apologizing still. Even though I personally think Norton had nothing to do with the strong-arm tactics, even now no one is listening or believing Norton’s protestations of innocence. Team Norton can thank John McCain for that.
That’s in part because Charlie Black is a notorious inside-the-Beltway, D.C. lobbyist who also happens to be Norton’s brother-in-law, as has been detailed by the Denver Post. Black was also the very top strategist for John McCain’s presidential campaign – the campaign that somehow lost “swing state” Colorado by 8 percentage points to the most inexperienced of all presidential candidates; the campaign that selected Sarah Palin as McCain’s running mate one day, and then stupidly, unbelievably, and tactlessly started attacking her the very next day; the campaign that ran on fiscal responsibility and then stupidly, unbelievably, and actively promoted the largest financial welfare program for Wall Street bankers in the history of our republic.
With all due respect, John McCain is a senile Progressive who needs to be booted out of the Senate. This “don’t go against McCain” mentality is exactly what got the Republicans into the situation they’re in right now. Don’t just naturally assume that since the Democrats will take a beating in November, it will be at the hands of the Republicans. That would be a big mistake… like last election… nominating John McCain for the Republican candidate. What a bunch of half-wits!
If you educated yourself as to John McCain’s voting record, you would realize that you cannot call him a “Progressive” as that term is used at times instead of what it stands for — socialist.
McCain’s voting record is dismal. Seems the Senator is to big for his britches to cast votes. He has one of the lowest records in Congress for showing up and casting votes. Seems like the “Grandfather” sends his troops in instead.
Though I swallowed hard and voted for McCain in 2008, I was relieved that he lost. Even four years of McCain in the Oval Office would have relegated the GOP to the wilderness for several decades. As it is, the Republicans are odds-on to retake the White House and both houses of Congress by 2012.
I’m not a Republican partisan, just a conservative who wants his freedom back. And to such a conservative, John McCain, his Vietnam adventure and heroism notwithstanding, is the worst standard bearer conservatism and freedom could possibly have.
I swallowed hard too…and did not vote for POTUS. I did vote but could not pull the lever for McCain.
I’ve heard it many times – there isn’t a dime’s worth the difference between the D’s and the R’s. There is – but not when you compare McCain to most of the D’s. He’s as liberal as they come without actually being a D.
He should switch parties and get on with it. And take Lindsey Gramnesty along. Maybe the MSM will love them both then – just like they fell in love with turn-coat Arlen.
K.T., your foolishness and the foolishness of those like you is one reason we have a President Obama, a socialist appeasement-minded Democrat, instead of a pro-life fiscal conservative and military hawk Republican in John McCain as President. It is pathetic if you really cannot perceive the difference.
Phil,
You are truly one clueless fool, mccain is not worth squat. Every time I think of him I send money to JD Hayworth. Mccain is no Conservative, he is just a left wing looser trying to drag us down with him.
Had mccain won,we would have the same mess we presently have, except it would be mcain in the white house and the dims would be winning even more seats in Congress from us.
His love of going along to get along with the dims, his love of pretending he is a leader is pathetic. He is a bumbling old man and just like kerry, he has a ton of his wifes money to damage others with. Sarah is the only positive thing I have seen him do in his entire life in Congress.
I could go on, but why bother, you are not smart enough to get it anyway.
I got news for you KT- this guy McCain you say is not a Republican, is more so then you would know. It is clear you do not folllow politics unless it is the year to vote. McCain is the third most fiscally conservative member in Senate, not something to be taken lightly. McCain has an extremely high Repub voting record. Just because he works to try and get issues done for the better of this COuntry does not make him a democrat!
McCain is almost as noxious as Obama. One can’t blame candidates for wanting to distance themselves from him. I suggest that if Norton really wants to distance herself from McCain, she would endorse his opponent Hayworth instead of having her campaign aid write pieces to that end. Unfortunately for Norton, she is tied to McCain becaused she is tied to McCain’s lobbyist, Mr. Black, by marriage, and because McCain has endorsed her. And anyone who is sick of McCain has good reason to vote against Norton.
This is a poorly conceived piece. Mr. Ransom, if the premise of your article is agreement with a hit peice in the left Democrat Politico, then perhaps you ought to think again about what you are writing.
John McCain endorsed a particular candidate in a Colorado race for U.S. Senate and has explained his reasons why. How is that “manipulation”? It’s not.
As for John McCain leading the GOP to defeat in 2008, let’s be fair. The circumstances of 2008 made it a Democrat year. John McCain was the only Republican running for President that throughout the race who ever polled equally with Obama and Hillary. After picking Sarah Palin to be the VP nominee, Mcain was in the lead in early September 2008. But then the financial crisis hit, creating economic uncertainties that have historically favored Democrats and certainly did in 2008. In fact, there were a number of factors working in 2008 that hurt the GOP and had nothing to do with John McCain: the afore-mentioned financial crisis; the adulation of Obama by the “mainstream media,” which operated as a day in, day out propaganda machine for Obama; Obama money, a 7 to 1 advantage which resulted in Obama ads dominating the media in October and enabling Obama to cast himself as the centrist he never was; the weariness with GW Bush, which was unfair but was present as a result of ceaseless left wing attacks on Bush that Bush did not get into the bully pulpit often enough to counter; and the Bush Administration bailout, which muddied the waters in terms of the real differences between the parties in terms of economic policy — the McCain-Palin ticket talked about tax cuts and reliance on the private sector for economic growth and Obama-Biden talked Government with phony promises of no tax increases. Had the concerns in 2008 been with foreign policy, national security and military matters, John McCain would have won despite all; and he would have been a superb Commander in Chief. But the country’s concerns were economic in circumstances that played to the Democrats’ advantage.
I spend the time I do writing here what I have because Republicans and conservatives need to pull together and go after the Democrats. This year, 2010, should be a Republican year.
Mr. Byler,
I agree with you that as conservatives we should all pull together but, we cannot pull strongly as a team if we don’t reconize where the faults and weaknesses are.
Can you honestly say that during the McCain campaign you didn’t beat your head against several walls within the confines of your own home thinking you could do a better job? Did you not feel that his campaign sabotaged Sarah Palin? That they were behind the curve at almost every juncture?
I admire Senator McCain and I have never given as much to any campaign as I did his but, it wasn’t because of the strength of his campaign it was because of my fears of an Obama presidency.
The country was in upheaval and McCain’s camp tried to plow ahead with politics as usual…it didn’t work. You can blame the circumstances but, it was the politics as usual in a time of change that sunk his ship. He never could commit to the wave that brought us the Tea Party and would have given him the presidency if he had.
I actually understand your comment. The McCain campaign did not catch fire, even though McCain demonstrably bested Obama at the Saddleback Forum and beat Obama in the debates in terms of substance. I don’t think McCain himself undercut Sarah Palin; she was his genuine choice; to this day, McCain and Palin have a sincerely good and respectful relationship. If it had been up to me, some of McCain’s campaign people would have been fired. With McCain’s biography and commitment to service of the nation and with a good campaign theme of “Country First,” it was frustrating to witness.
I still think, however, that what dictated the result in 2008 were the factors enumerated in my post that had nothing to do with John McCain.
Phil Byler:
After your check arrives from the John McCain for Senate campaign, perhaps you should retire and write a fantasy novel. You should also join the history revisionist club.
Seldom has there been a more two-faced, lying unqualified United States Senator than John McCain. Without his Vietnam story and a rich wife, he might have been able to land a job as a dog catcher in some small Arizona town.
J.D. Hayworth for Sentate in Arizona is the only logical choice in November. Rid the country of McGoofy once and for all. His glory days ended when he exited the Hanoi Hilton.
Dear CGW:
The only fantasy here is on your part. I am not someone paid by the John McCain campaign. I am a Republican and a conservative concerned that we take back the country. You don’t deal with any of my points in my post. I truly think that Mr. Romer’s article is misconceived and explained why. You, however, just go off in a hate McCain screed, which is unwarranted. But since you make a plug for J.D. Hayworth, I will respond to that.
John McCain is vastly the superior candidate. Sarah Palin and all the Arizona officials elected to national office do very much know what they are doing in supporting John McCain. From the movement of the polls, that appears to be the growing consensus of Arizona voters.
Worried about the deficit spending we are doing and the national debt we are racking up? You should be. John McCain, throughout his career, has been a fiscal conservative who has gotten into heated argument over his opposition to earmarked and out of control federal spending. McCain voted against Obama’s deficit spending budgets, denouncing them as “generational theft,” a phrase picked up by Sean Hannity. John McCain also voted against all the Obama bailout bills. J.D. can’t compare on this critical subject; he had his pork barrel spending moments in the Congress.
Worried about ObamaCare and socialized medicine? You should be. John McCain had the most free market approach to health care in 2008 of all the candidates and had always been adamantly opposed to national health care. The GOP National Platform in 2008 was excellent on health care because it adopted the McCain platform on the subject. McCain has strenuously opposed ObamaCare and has been accused by the New York Times of throwing bombs on the subject. J.D. can’t compare on this critical subject.
Worried about bailouts? You should be. McCain voted AGAINST every Obama bailout bill and even voted against the second release of TARP monies when Bush was still President in late 2008. J.D. was on the sidelines on these issues because he lost his last race for Congress to a Democrat in an overwhelmingly Republican congressional district that should have been a safe seat even in bad year for the GOP.
Worried about the kind of people in the Obama Administration and nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court? You should be. McCain voted AGAINST the confirmations of tax cheat Geithner, radical pro-abortion advocate Sibellius, leftist attorney Kagan and transnational advocate Koh to their respective positions in the Obama Administration. McCain voted AGAINST the confirmation of Sotomayer to the U.S. Supreme Court and will vote ARANST Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. Again, J.D. was on the sidelines on these issues because he lost his last race for Congress.
Worried about foreign policy, military matters and national security because of Obama’s appeasement mentality, lack of experience and naivete? You should be. Few people have the experience and knowledge concerning foreign policy, military matters and national security that John McCain has. He was right about the Iraq War when even many Republicans went wobbly and fought off Democrat led efforts to cut off funding our troops in the field in Iraq. McCain was right to attack Obama for dithering about committing to General McChrystal’s plan for Afghanistan and for not supporting the Iranian dissidents. McCain could be right because he knows his stuff when it comes to Commander in Chief decisions. J.D. can’t compare on this critical subject.
Worried about the lack of real patriotism and the kind of example being set by people in the Obama Administration? You should be. McCain was a combat naval aviator during the Vietnam War who braved one of the toughest air defenses in history over North Vietnam and served as a P.O.W. for over 5 years in a North Vietnamese prison where he was subjected to real torture. He is the grandson of the Admiral McCain who was Bull Halsey’s right hand man during World War II and the son of the Admiral McCain who was CincPac during the Vietnam War when John McCain, the combat aviator, was a P.O.W. in North Vietnam. John McCain’s 2008 campaign theme of “Country First” reflected a family tradition of military service that has continued with one son who is a Marine who has served several tours of duty in Iraq and another son who is a Naval Academy graduate and serves in the Navy. John McCain’s discussion of serving with a servant’s heart was and is genuine. J.D. can’t compare on this critical subject.
Phil Blyer are you running as poster boy for why the Bush Administrations bastardized conservatism ran the country into the ground AND primed a desperate public to elect Obama?
If McCain had been running for Secretary of Defense in a Mitt Romney administration in 2008 your superior attitude would be tolerable. But even more infuriating and unforgivable is how he is now running J.D. Hayworth into the turf while trying to retain his ‘statemans’ perch as senior senator from AZ. And since it is my state that you are playing with regarding your snide commentary, a redress is in order.
With ‘conservatives’ like you Blyler, socialists like Obama are the least of our problems. It represents the mother of all senior moments in defense of a sad sack way past retirement senior senator.
McCains spent over ten million dollars to run the ugliest of smear campaigns run in any office (quite a charge given the intercene fighting that passes for Republican politics in Maricopa co AZ!) in anyones memory here. In doing so he is outspending his primary opponent almost 10 to 1; and he has offered nothing to the electorate in these barages other than his ’10 point plan’ to secure the border.
For a state that has been very good to the two-time presidental McShamnesty – thats pretty thin gruel. His campaign has been all about – in one word – ‘integrity.’ And how has he gone about running on integrity – slinging mud.
Wow how novel for a supposed Reagan Republican. Screw Reagans 11th commandment ‘thu shall not speak evil of a fellow….’ ect. He after all is the MAVERICK right?
This is the same candiate who never went after Obama despite a MSM that competely abdicated their role to vett BOTH candidates. Perhaps if McCain had raised some of the relevant issues (as G.Beck & Fox has since) by way of his associations and beliefs – we would have been spared the Peolsi/Reid/Obama thuggish destruction thus far and found out just what McCain would have offered.
What John McCain has done with his actions in his primary fight here in Arizona, and as John Ransom rightly observes in this post, is abandoned any shred of integrity and principles. What exactly does he stand for anymore?
Even if McCain wins what does he win as a result of what he has done to win?
You can blame Hayworth and his supporters like me all you want, but the fact is that McCain has turned himself into a whore in this fight, and the best he can hope to recover is becoming a whore master should he retain his seat.
This guy will rightfully be shunned – no matter how many appearances he makes on Fox, MSNBC, or Meet the Press. Effectively his career is over no matter the end result of this primary or general. Your hero is barely a shell of the man he once was.
I find it just another illustration of an angry man who has used and abused this state for so long that he has arrogated to himself a lifetime appointment – and it is people such as YOU SIR who enable and encourage this arrogance. He simply has outlived his stay. In this regard McCain epitomizes what is wrong in Washington – on both sides of the isle.
People such as you and your misguided crew defend McCain as some kind of modern day abused George Marshall; a great american who the right turned upon. AS if McCain/Feingold rises to the mantle of the Marshall Plan? What is this turncoats great accomplishments – besides 20+ years in the senate and a failed presidental run in 2008?
What is so great that they are gonna put on his gravestone Blyler?
Well, I and those like me see him as more as a tragic and dangerous different Mac Daddy – Douglas MacArthur. We want this old soldier to fade away….YESTERDAY!
I do blame McCain for the election of Obama. As willing as McCain is to flog fellow Republicans, he insisted on playing nice with Obama. As you say, given the MSM’s love affair with Obama, it was McCain’s job, with his PAID ADS, to inform the voters why Obama was NOT a good choice, as well as why McCain WAS. Instead he informed us that we had nothing to fear from Obama.
I could not bring myself to send his campaign a contribution–until he chose Sarah Palin. Then he failed to completely support HER, too, failing to defend her from his own team and a vicious campaign by the MSM, even as he assured us Obama was a fine choice.
Gee, with Palin being an empty-headed, inexperienced zealot who, because McCain is an old, old man, might well become president and with Obama being a fine, if somewhat misunderstood, young man, why would anyone vote for the old guy and the nut when they could have the young guy–and HIS nut? (Sure, Obama smokes, but let’s not mention that because it’s not important in that strapping young stallion who would never succumb to lung disease and leave us with the genuinely empty-headed Biden as president. I notice that even now no one mentions Obama’s evil and deadly habit.)
Yes, the MSM and the rest of Obama’s team would have attacked McCain as a racist, but at least the public might have learned something about the Democrat candidate for president!
Phil Byler:
Your problem seems to be that you don’t recognize a corrupt, lying politician when you see one, such as John McCain. Therefore, refuting your points one by one would be a fools errand. I’m not interested in wasting that much time even thought it would be a lot of fun.
Twice promoted for the presidency by the likes of Chris Matthews and his merry band of main stream media whores, McCain has deprived “conservative” voters the opportunity to vote for a legitimate Conservative Republican candidate on two occasions.
Without the camera and the media, McCain is a Zero, and always has been. He made a name in the Senate as a maverick who rails against earmarks then enters every open door where Dimocrats sit and make deals with his ilk. And McCain’s lapdog, Lindsey Graham is there to pick up the slack when McGoofy is gone and forgotten.
It’s painful to watch a grown man such as John McCain take up residence on the set of the Fox News Channel, making the rounds from O’Reilly to Hannity to Greta and then throw in a special or two, groveling to retain a Senate seat he never earned. And no, crashing a couple of airplanes, finishing second, or fifth, or whatever, from the bottom of a graduating class at Anapolis and spending five years in Hanoi does not automatically entitle anyone to become a United States Senator.
You need to get real Mr. Byler. Your words ring hollow. Something like one might experience in fantasyland.
Phil,
If you were actually a Conservative you would neither say the things you do nor think that mccain is a great leader, he is NOT! If you were a Conservative, you would not have to tell us, we would know you by your writings. My wonderful senator, cornyn is of the same stripe as you, has to tell us he is a Conservative, which he is not. He like mccain supports illegals and a host of other short comings to long to waste my time covering.
Mccain is corrupt and a liar and they should have removed him during the Keating five fiasco. He does not deserve the support of true Americans, going to Vietnam and or getting shot down, does not make one a hero, it just means he had a bad day that lived on longer then he would have liked.
A hero is a person that goes the extra mile, that refuses to surrender in the face of adversity, mccain had no choice, he was a POW. He survived, glad for that, but none of that makes him a hero.
A hero is a person in the mold of Maj Bernard Fisher, a man that went the extra mile for others and truly showed bravery above and beyond the call of duty. There are many like him that never were noted or if so were awarded a lesser medal. If you want to read of a boat load of men of this sort, then read a book titled SOG, written by Maj Plaster.
http://www.somf.org/moh/fisher_bernard_AF.htm
http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/3275/fisher-bernard-francis.php
This citation does not begin to tell the story.
Assuming the stories are true, McCain was offered an early release from the Hanoi Hilton because his father was a Navy admiral, but he refused, saying he would return home when his men returned home. In that respect, he may actually be a hero.
However, that in and of itself does not make him entitled to any political office.
McCain needs to get out of politics. He has been wrong in so many ways and it is hurting this country. We need viable, candidates who will support the constitution.
Like the author, I don’t care for outside meddling in our political races. We can do enough damage to ourselves (ex: just check out the cluster-mess known as the Republican gubernatorial campaign). Having said that, I don’t care for Jane and may sit out the election if she gets the nomination. In addition to being a life long conservative Republican, I’m also a strong conservationist. Within reason, I’m a strong advocate for wilderness. I don’t feel that Jane shares those values.
We need a balance in how we treat the land, keeping some areas set aside to support hunting, fishing, quiet & human powered recreation. These activities bring in $10 billion+ to the state’s economy each year.
Jane seems to believe that we should turn everything over to the energy industry; another version of “drill, baby, drill.” I also find her strong “pro-life” stance to be a turnoff. When I hear those code words, I always think “here we go again, with people trying to impose their private religious views on everyone else.”
As for the Colorado River compact, those who study it will understand that the projected flows back then came from a series of wet years. There is no doubt that climate change is having an impact here in the intermountain West, with earlier run-off in the spring due in part to accumulating dust on the Colorado peaks which absorb sunlight and heat. The pact may well need to be revisited if the flow drops substantially and there is less water to parcel out.
OK, there, Steve. So you are a greenie, seem to oppose domestic oil production “drill baby drill,” you seem to support abortions at late stage pregnancies, are a believer in the discredited man/machine global warming BS, and say the gubernatorial Republican campaign is a cluster-mess. And this all adds up to you being a life-long conservative? Hmmmmmm.
Steve really doesn’t sound very conservative, does he. He’d probably go along with cap ‘n trade, too. Gotta stop that global warming somehow, even if it kills our economy. Steve can probably be happy living off the (pristine) land.
The fear of pro-life candidates is sooooo bogus. Whether or not you support abortion, at whatever stage, we’re not going back to pre-Roe v. Wade circumstances. But the question does whip people up. The feminists assured us that Sarah Palin, first a mayor then governor of her state, attractive and a real ray of sunshine–but so pro-life that she declined to abort her Down syndrome child–had set feminism back 100 years, and I know pro-choice people who repeated the charge. Good grief!!
Steve you sound like someone who voted for salazar and ritter. Both of them together with the other democrats have totally shut down what was once a thriving energy economy in Colorado. I’m pissed at jane norton, in large part because of the horrible hit ads she’s run here on the radio against buck and total lack of presenting a more positive message like support recognition of the utter destruction being caused. To me she’s just another “hack” party republican and it makes me sick. Same for the two republican governer candidates. Sadly tancredos entrance will ensure hickenloopers win. A very bad guy who’s a tax and spender.
I wish tancredo would have gone in legit…
I’m a lifelong, small “l” libertarian who temporarily changed my party affiliation in Colorado in order to vote for Ken Buck. I also sent him a $100 donation. I did this largely because of John McCain’s duplicitous support of Jane Norton. Jane Norton’s campaign validated the wisdom of this decision by running scurrilous and vile ads against the Buck Campaign. Under no circumstances will I ever vote for her in the future. Such are the wages of being a country club Republican.
I have two points.
1. Do not give money to a political party, Give money to candidates directly. Because if you give money to a party you end up with people like Olympia Snow and John McCain getting part if your donation, on the other side of the coin do Democrats really want to support Nancy Pelosi?
2. Message to John Mc Cain your village misses it’s idiot please go home! Your time has come and gone.
Thank you for this article.
I think you have outlined what is basically wrong with the Republican party and why so many people cannot commit to having that R beside their registration even though they are conservatives…social, fiscal or secular.
It is also why whenever (and it is relentless)the Republican party calls me for donations I inform them I’m not a Republican and I’m better informed now and support and donate to the individuals running and not a party for distribution according to their personal political agenda.
If conservatives try to go alone without the Republican Party, you are fated to being out of power and watching the socialist Democrats run the country, despite the fact that the country is actually a center-right country.
Not smart.
Colorado is awfully important this year for conservatives. Mr Ransom, I hope you and some adult colleagues can get things straightened out in the senate and gubernatorial races so we can end up with two Republicans of some kind elected in Colorado. Right now the winds blowing from your state don’t carry many sounds that make us hopeful.
John McCain is a convienient conservative. We in Arizona are all too familiar with how he operates. In his current campaign he had resorted to pure attack and character assasination of his opponent. Not one ad touts anything he has done to help Arizona, after all he has stated he is against ear-marks. Though they are the current “hot button” cross to dracula they are also Federal taxes Arizonans have remitted to DC being returned to them, usually with some jobs attached. He needs to stop playing “king-pin” He isn’t a reliable conservative, he has on many occasions snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Bravery, Military Service are all honorable resume inhancers to which he is intitled, however as in professions other than politics the question always remains, What have you done for us lately? One last thought, McCain/Feingold campaign finance reform was delcared unconstitutional, John used the provisions of that law while it was in effect to drive his opponent from hi job as a talk-radio host before the host ever declared he was going to run for the seat McCain holds. Now that is character.
McCain, short on the smarts, did he not graduate at the bottom of his class at the Academy, and if Dad wasn’t a top WW ll Admiral, he might not have had even that onerous distinction.
He makes up for it by being overly full of himself. To this day he has hardly a clue on economics, brain dead & showed it in the debates with the fraud Obama. The classic moderate Republican, one without principles.
On November, the Democrats will lose some seats but not all. It is because of two things. One being the stupidity of the electorate and the power of the media. It seems to be that the more MONEY a canidate spends on tv ads and newspaper spreads, the more likely that they will win the seat. The Obama campaign spent more than 700 million dollars while the McCain campaign spent 300 million dollars or so. It became the BILLION dollar presidency. It reminds me of what I read of roman history when the republic was sold to the highest bidder. The second being the expansive use of voter fraud. All stops will be pulled this election year. It will be mindboggling. When I worked as an election inspector in Nov. ’08, I experienced a situation that was definitly voter fraud. So I would not pass it by these people to do it again this year and the next. One final thought is this. It seems to be you cannot tell the difference between the parties. It is as if it is one party ruling the country. When a Repub comes out against a bill or a nomination, he then casts his vote for it. I sincerely feel that behind the scenes the Repubs are thanking the Dems for things like the Healthcare bill and the nomination of Kagan. They always wanted something like it but never had the guts to do it.
I haven’t met a single Republican or Conservative who doesn’t think McCain is utterly daft, dangerously destructive, vindictive or stupid. This spans Colorado to New York City to Washington D.C., from the bottom to the top. It’s time to send this Manchurian Candidate back to North Vietnam. He never got over the brainwashing.
You need to meet more people, Robb. One doesn’t become a Republican senator, let alone presidential candidate, by being hated by all Republicans.
Being a native Coloradan, the ‘crossing of the political aisle’ so to speak that McCain boasts of possessing, is the reason Colorado is a ‘Progressive-go nowhere-but-down-though I sure like gubmint entitlements’ kind of state. Has been for 10-15 years.
Unless Colorado tackles their illegal alien issues and bowing to ANY Progressive concession – Colorado will be a Democratic stronghold for sometime.
Sure, there are plenty in Southern, Western Colorado who are Republican/ Independent voters but the Denver metro area is an armpit nowadays..
As for McCain, he’s no better than the late Robert Byrd, Chris Dodd and other ‘Representatives’ who treat their duties, ‘Serve the People’ with contempt. Flush this t urd and other pols who treat their constituents like doormats..
If Senator McCain was running equal in Polls, how did he lose by such wide margin..? either the polls were off / he made critical errors just before election. I think it was both.
It wasn’t the financial crisis that affected Senator McCain, it was his attempt to set aside presidential debate(s) because of them. This is his biggest mistake, people will not place confidence in a president that can only work on one item at a time. At that point i think he lost the Election. President Obama saw the error and called him on it.
Governor Palin is a touchy subject on these boards, but the matter was brought up. She did not bring additional voters to the table, and infighting between Presidential and Vice Presidential teams made it that much worse.
The polls were off due sampling being used. It did not factor massive numbers waiting to vote in Black communities.
If Sarah Palin brought no additional votes to the McCain ticket, I wonder why the ticket saw a jump in campaign contributions after he chose her as his VP. It is to McCain’s discredit that he misused her so abysmally.
one would only pray that john”patty hearst”mc cain got a sudden case of reality,but his history,has shown otherwise;regarding,lawless,segregation,immigration policies that he,and his amigo’s in crimes against the american people,rule of law,bill of rights,and the u.s.constitution,john”vietcong”kerry,lindsey”death to christianity”graham;and joe”i’ll defend america,and israel;but always caucaus,and vote with those who seek death to america,and israel;”lieberman;question?who can find one illegal immigation,activist.that doesn’t have total contempt,and hatred,for america,its laws,and its citizens?not one;those who claim otherwise,are liars,or love liars who tell them what they want to hear;america is fullof both,and they all are possessed with a demonic addiction,called,progressive liberalism;can any one name one muslim,that doesn’t want,or is speaking out,against this shrine being dedicated to the 9/11 hijackers,by;mayor bloomberg;and progressive liberals,in n.y.c.president;barack obama,and the entire democrat party in congress;not one;wake-up america,your country,your lives,your liberties,your property,your families,your children,and your beliefs,are being,hi-jacked,murdered,raped,and,pillaged,and crashed into a tower of babel;”babbling lies” combining forces of evil,pitted against america,and israel;it doesn’t matter if they are fool’s,or intentional acts;the results,or outcome will be the same;november,2010,and2012 is america’s last chance to get it right;no middle of the roaders you are the reason america is at this crossroad;pick a team,tolerance of evil is why this evil flourishes;progressive liberalism,is the bastard stepchild,and no#i activist,and defender,of all evil,on earth.want proof just look who liberals always are sympathetic to,activist for,example; do not liberals always put murderers rapist,pedophiles,dictators,and terrorist,over hero’s,human life,human liberty,and those who admire the same moral,and ethical traits;do not liberals always make icons,and give idolworship to,perversion,treason,adulterers,theives,liars,anarchist,tyranny,involuntary servitude,godlessness,lawlessness,sloth,and addiction?and despise all who do not,and seek to obstrct,deny,and,destroy all who oppose progessive liberalisms,satanic traits;to exalt themselves and their perverse beliefs above god,above jesus christ,abovethe laws of god,and man;not until john mc cain,and other,politcal,and religious leaders,begin understanding the truth,instead of sugar coating this evil in our time,with b.s. talking babel like”the staight talk express” when every time the gop crosses the aisle to comprimise with liberals,they have help shred the u.s. constitution,and chip away at human liberty;those like john mc cain,have never shown leadership or vision;those with vision know evil when they see it,and can see future callamities,and character flaws by past experiences,and learning from them;a great leader is someone who can convince the oppisition,its in their best interest,to come around to your way of thinking;ronald reagan fit that profile in courage;thats not been john mc cain’s traits;nor the majority of congress who swore an allegience to do so;ironically those who are true to their oaths,who have the cahoney’s to speak truth to politically correctness,who are not bought and paid for politicians,are wearing skirts;”michelle bachman,marsha blackburn,sarah palin,etc;cross the aisle republican comprimisers,for pork,and earmarks for your special interest.you bring shame to this nations founders,sacrificial lambs,and have opened the door to evil having its way to the destuction of america,israel;life,liberty,opportunity,property,happiness,hope and promise every where.liberals may have murdered,raped,and pillaged,but cross the aisle republicans,and independents,provided them with their w.m.d;jimmy joe/the liarfryer;
As much as I admire and respect John McCain as a person, I believe wholeheartedly that it’s time for him and his ilk to hang up their boots. American can’t afford his style of politics anymore.
McCain had edged into a lead in the 2008 polls when the financial crisis hit. IMO his ensuing loss of composure showed the country that he is temperamentally unfit to be President. Unfortunately, as happens all but usually these days, both candidates were unqualified and somebody had to win.
That said, the only links in John Ransom’s piece are to the Democrat-leaning (IMO) Politico and to the Obama-endorsing Denver Post. I am unconvinced that McCain is doing anything worse than politics as usual. (NB: the foregoing is meant as context; it is not meant as approval of politics as usual.)
I’ll never forget his speech at the repub convention– “stand with me, my friends, stand with me!”
STAND FOR WHAT!?!?! I shouted at the TV screen. The man has honor, dignity, etc. but he has NO PRINCIPLES. He is NOT for limited government, not for individual responsibility, not for lower taxes, not for the cause of life for unborn children, he is just NOT for CONSERVATISM!
He’s worse than a progressive. He’s a pro military disguised progressive, convinced he himself knows what’s best for everyone, all the time, but not willing to debate these things on our terms.
“you wanna fence, I’ll build yer G*****N fence!” he snarls angrily, clearly NOT wanting a fene, then two years later does a campaign ad walking with a border patrolman going “lets build the dang fence!” as if he was always for it.
I cannot STAND McCain. He is smugly arrogant while possessing NONE of the intellect, principle and humility required to do the job he does. And his wife and daughter are doing leftist ad campaigns while he says “build the dang fence!” in TV ads. I”m surprised the two of THEM haven’t already done an ad protesting the Arizona 1070 bill as racist!
Get. Them. OUT.
Do I detect an awakening? Anyone who votes for a creature like McCain deserves him. He was a traitor while a prisoner in North Vietnam, but his political connections bought him a hero’s welcome and a political career. He actively cut off support of the search for our MIA’s deserted in Vietnam. Budweiser was one of the first multinationals into Vietnam. Was there a connection between this, and with his wife’s mob connected Budweiser distributorship? While Reagan slept in the White House, the Savings and Loan industry was looted by Neil Bush and friends, with the assistance of John McCain. In case you forgot, we are still paying off the bonds to cover this.
McCain.. oy.
Arizona is WORSE OFF since he’s been there nearly 25 years and this geriatric thinks he will win his election?
Seriously, flush this aristocrat and his ilk. I don’t care what party, view they espouse this minute..
McCain is nothing more than another elitist that is of the opinion that he alone has the answers. He like the current crop of Socialist elitist has shown no willingness to listen to the people. He has shown his colors in the past and there is no reason to believe his rhetoric now. his speeches are geared to the audience before him and change like the weather. If he cared about America and its people he would bow out and stop creating dissension in the Party.
McCain has always been one of them. Does that commie-pinko even realize that the Hoover Dam is in Nevada? Every one calls him a hero, but survival in a Vietnamese Camp is not a matter of choice. He also blabbered on film. I would rather be dead. God Father my….., at least there is a code of honor in that circle. McCain is not a sell out, he’s just another politician strong arming the helpless. Nevada is the Battle Born State, we’ll rough him up on this one. He learned much from the North Vietnamese and is now using what he learned to siphon water. Rumor has it that we are in a drought. We live in the desert for goodness sakes. California is not innocent in this, they take all the water from Lake Mead and “forget” to send back water that they have not used.
McCain also endorsed Jerry Moran, a moderate, who ran a toxic and perhaps even criminal campaign against Teaparty Hero Todd Tiahrt in the KS primary Tuesday. When the KS Rifle Assoc endorsed Tiahrt, the Moran campaign called director Patricia Stoneking and threatened her that she would be “sorry when Moran became the Senator” and that the organization would lose its membership. Stonekings press account of the threatening phone call prompted the head of Kansans for Life, David Gittrich to come forward with a similar experience when that group endorsed Tiahrt. The campaign manager threatened Gittrich with discrediting the organization because he “knew things from Gittrich’s high school years” in the 1960s. http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2010/07/did-moran-staffer-make-threats/ Moran flatly denied any threats were made. Add to this the story Karl Rove told of Moran’s attempt to trade his vote for a campaign fundraiser. http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003716717 Moran again flatly denied any requests were made. And then there was the hacking of a newspaper’s political website poll. http://prairiepolitics.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/about-the-poll/ Moran again denied any involvement even tho the script traced the hacking back to a campaign employee Tyler York and that guy he knows Alan Romans. Both men referred to the hacking on their facebook pages.
McCain stood by his endorsement and Moran outspent Tiahrt more than 2:1. KS Republicans have nominated the most crooked politician ever to have campaigned here. And the press and McCain love him.
If you’re not making this up, then I’d say if the Tea Party is giving any consideration at all to electing at least one third-party candidate (ala what they did with a Conservative Party candidate for Congress in New York last year, and lost by an eyelash) to deliver a message to the GOP, your state is the place they should do it. There’s no reason for rifle-association members or right-to-lifers (or any other group exercizing their God-given right of free association) to live in dread of their officials, they should stand as one in sending a message of reminding their officials just WHOM they are supposed to work for. And there’s no reason a newspaper should stand for being victimized by practices smacking of a third-world dictatorship. If Moran and the moneyed interests backing him are made to pay dearly for their shenanigans at the polls in November, that will make it far less likely anyone will cross the Tea Party that way again. So the wisest thing the Tea Party leadership could do is hold a press conference on Pajamas Media, make it clear they won’t stand for primary voters sticking the November electorate with crooks, and assure the targets of this bullying and hacked newspaper that if they’ll take on Moran in November, they’ll get backing to the hilt.
I voted against Norton. Norton is part of the big government Republican machine. She isn’t a conservative, she’s a politician. She is a part of the reason that people created the Tea Party.
McCain is a loser. When he won the nomination, all the big name party hacks started begging conservatives to vote for him and not sit the election out. Then he chose Palin and gave some of us hope. Unfortunately, he took the vote for Palin as a vote for him. And it wasn’t. He is another part of the reason that people created the Tea Party.
If Republican leadership had been doing their job right, we would have a Republican congress. But they didn’t.
Bozo MacCain?
Daddy’s an admiral, grand-daddy’s an admiral, Boy MacCain’s a remote controlled gigolo.
Mandatory retirement for all congressional seats at 68 years of age….
Isn’t it obvious that after a few terms in office MOST of them develop a ownership mentality connected to their position… They also begin working for themselves more than the people they were sent to represent…
It is time to change that perspective.
Limit them to three 4 yr terms then cut the pension by half of what they get now.
If they don’t want to Serve under those conditions then we probably don’t need them anyway..
If McCain/Palin had won the election, my husband said that if after McCain took the oath of office he fell dead from a heart attack and Palin would be President he would vote for them. I had to agree.
I feel bad for you Coloradans. But how do you think we Arizona grassroots Republican activists feel? We’ve been having to deal with the McCain machine for over 10 years and it has destroyed Republican party politics in this state and caused Republicans to register independent, yielding win after win for Dems and RINOs. McCain is PURE TYRANT. He’s no hero. The best think McCain could do for the United States is to retire with whatever grace he has left. The Devil has a special place reserved for that man.
It is about time for those of you who are not in Arizona to wake up. He is a Progressive. Not a Conservative. You should have paid attention in the last election. He is an insider. Big government spender. Open Border. Amnesty pusher.
Now comes the big payoff of the F35 jet to Mesa. I wonder what vote the BHO needs from this RINO.
Norton is terrible. Dick Wadhams is senile and needs to go. I hope he doesn’t run for relecttion. The Machine is old and tired in Colorado. Time for new leaders.
Tom Tancredo will change Colorado politics forever. We have a new viewpoint. “It’s not who is going to let us, but who is going to stop us”.
Please dear God – help this country to rid itself of Juan McCain once and for all. The man is a senile, manipulative foolish liar who will ram a stick in the eyes of all who voted for him should we be unlucky once again. He is well past his shelf life and is no different than all the rest of them who continue to cling to power as if it is their birthright. How can anyone trust him anymore????? He is an embarrassment.