Posted on 02/09/2006 10:24:33 PM PST by conservative in nyc
Despite the triumph of placing two conservatives on the Supreme Court within four months, leaders of the conservative movement these days seem less celebratory than divided.
Heading into a midterm Congressional election in which the enthusiasm of conservative advocates could play a vital role in determining how Republicans fare, conservative leaders face internal rifts over polarizing issues and are dogged by a sense that a Republican-led Congress and a Republican president are not taking the nation in the proper direction on some critical matters, party leaders said.
The fissures were evident as members gathered here on Thursday for the first day of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. The first session was marked by disagreement over whether to support a White House plan to allow some illegal immigrants to work legally within the United States and challenges to the legality of the Bush administration's program of eavesdropping without warrants on communications between Americans in the United States and people abroad who might have links to terrorism.
In interviews, conservative leaders emphasized their admiration for President Bush, and said they were heartened by the placement of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. on the Supreme Court. But they made it clear that that was not enough.
--Snip--
[Senator Lindsey] Graham said many conservatives like himself were troubled by the administration's arguments for its program to eavesdrop on communications. "The inherent power argument, if you take it to the natural conclusion, there is no role for Congress in a time of war," he said.
Vice President Dick Cheney drew restrained applause Thursday night when he offered a defense of the surveillance program at a dinner of conservative leaders, reflecting the ambivalent feeling among many conservatives toward the program.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
lol there was a thread earlier saying he recieved great appaulse I try to find it
There's your problem right there. The NY Times believes Lindsey Graham is a conservative. He and his RINO buddy McCain are about as conservative as Howard Dean.
The Slimes wouldn't see reality, if it were biting its collective noses. This is just "stuff"/propaganda, to cheer up Liberals and make Conservatives angry/worried.
Exactly so. :-)
You couldn't be more righter!!!
Here I was expecting them to talk about illegal immigration.
The spying thing is the last thing on my mind. I applaud it, and if a court is getting the way of a program that's stopping terrorism, bypass it. No sense in wasting time with a broken process.
At least they mentioned the spending issue. That does need to change.
I don't buy the Cheney bit. However, the other two points are quite valid. There is a really significant conservative rebellion on immigration and spending, in particular in the House. The speaker of the house has openly served warning on the spending issue, and it would be foolish to underestimate his power.
Neither party wants to close the borders or veto any spending. Net loss for conservatives.
Lindsay Graham is a conservative?
lol
He a wing-nut in the view of the NYT. LOL.
he's got more moves than schwarzeRenegger's stunt double. lol
Adding his voice to the president’s own on the subject, Cheney said that the president’s authorization of some limited domestic surveillance fit snugly in the category of ensuring the safety of the U.S.
"We will not simply sit back until we are hit again,” he said to standing applause.
"He knows what his job is,” Cheney said about the chief executive.
"We are still at risk of attack of attack,” the vice president emphasized – despite those who would "downplay the chances.”
"As long as George Bush is president, we shall not let down our guard,” Cheney concluded to a standing ovation in the Regency Ballroom.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/2/9/224612.shtml?s=ic
wow, what a shocker. The times and the rest of the liberal media running stories about how the republican party is falling part during an election year. They never do that.
LOL -- I didn't bother to read the damn, silly article.
Lindsey as their quoted conservative was enough for me!
Lindsey Graham is not a conservative.
He is a RINO. A McCain-ite that wants to bridge a "moderate" (Liberal) way.
So, let's see what the real story is here shall we?
A few months ago the Democrats had the 2006 elections locked up and G.W.B. impeached.
Now they are are running around screaming they can't allow Rovian fear tactics to win again....they are recycling Katrina and Libby, and they are printing articles on conservative discontent. Note especially in this article they make a POINT to remark conservative turnout is key for the midterms.
What does this mean?
It means Katrina etc..have faded from the Independents minds, Iran is dominant instead. They are trying to get the Independents to re-live 2006, but it isn't going to work.
It means they are just now realizing in states that lean conservative, it doesn't matter what spin they put out conservatives will not vote Dems. So they have to attempt to depress conservative turnout if they have a remote chance of success in midterms. The problem for them is that conservatives might actually do that. They might be willing to sit at home. If not for Dems making total damn fools of themselves and siding daily with the thought that our President is akin to the Iranian President. While there are upsets among conservatives about the bahavior of the Republican Party, conservatives by and large are responsible. More so than the Average. And they will not allow Dems control of the House to impeach the President for partisan advantage in these times. It will not happen.
I will add, as well, the Dems would rather try to widen the conservative discontents then focus on their own fissures that are especially noteable in wake of the appointments of Roberts and Alito. :-)
yeah that was the thread
I didn't bother to read the damn, silly article.
lol.. I admit I do that more oft than not as well.
The entire morning session was devoted to the illegal...er...immigration issue. You don't think the times would report on that do you?
Guilty here too...lol.
Sometimes, a few sentences suffice and it's usually predictable from there on out.
I wouldnt call Grahmn a RHINO. I think he has been a senator. As to his questions on the NSA I think their relevant. In fact from a conservative viewpoint there even more revelant. However, conservatives need to be careful. Maintaing contrrol of the House is of the utmost importance. I agree with you Impeachment hearing is a distraction we do not need.
"Restrained applause" in the NYSlimes is "standing applause" in the NewsMax report. Guess which I believe?
"The NY Times believes Lindsey Graham is a conservative. He and his RINO buddy McCain are about as conservative as Howard Dean."
Check this for Graham's lifetime ACU rating of 91. Hardly in the same universe as Dean.
http://www.acuratings.org/statedelegation.asp?state=sc
Conservatives aren't happy so their gonna vote for democrats? I dont think so.
If that guy who tried to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge gets off because of illegal wiretapping Bush and Republicans will take a big hit in the next election.
That little media pimp has nothing whatever to do with American conservatism.
The News Max story, on another thread, suggests that Cheney got strong applause for his defense of the wiretapping. I'd believe them before I believe the NY Times.
Even if there was some line about this issue that didn't get strong applause, it might just have reflected the fact that the audience had already done a lot of applauding, or that they were waiting for the final line on the topic.
As for the use of Lindsay Graham, it's what you'd expect from the Times, but it goes to show that more serious conservatives should be media-friendly and very open to interviews of all kinds. If or when we aren't, the journalists naturally turn to the Lindsay Graham ass-kissers even more than they're already inclined to.
I would not worry too much about this story demoralizing conservatives. We already know we have problems, and maybe the piece will mislead the Times' Rat readership into complacency. They want us dead, so maybe it's not such a bad thing that their journalistic servants are telling them that we're dying.
What has Grahmn done for heavens sake to bring down the wrath of the far right conservatives? Heavens I dont have a clue. It seems he bacame unpopular when he joined with the gang of 14 which turns out to have been a good thing.
I am as concerned about the conservative movement as I am about a bowell movement - not whether but when.
Wishful thinking. Now I'll read the replies.
His work during the Clinton impeachment was commendable.
Beyond that, I'm a bit fuzzy what else stands out.
He was not on my agenda. Tom Tancredo, J.D. Hayworth, John Cornyn, Phyllis Schlafly and Chris Simcox were all speaking this morning.
Rick Santorum, Lt.Col. Oliver North, Rep. Sam Johnson, George Allen and V.P. Cheney were on the program for this afternoon and evening.
I do not see Lyndsee listed anywhere.
So Howard Dean now has a 90% lifetime conservative rating and is pro-life, pro-family, pro-gun, pro-WOT, lead the fight to impeach Clinton, etc., etc.? That's the only way Dean's "record" would EVER be "about as conservative" as "RINO Lindsey Graham"
Despite your delusional rant, the only "evidence" you have that Graham is a "RINO" is because he supported McCain during the "Gang of 14" (which gave us some pretty good judges, BTW). J.D. Hayworth must be a "RINO" in your view too, since he has been buddies with McCain more than Graham ever was and even came on TV to tout McCain for President in 2000.
All you Lindsey Graham haters must be really annoyed that "RINO" Graham is more reliable on our issues than "conservatives" like Zell Miller and Pete "I'll have 35 to 40 votes to stop Clinton's impeachment" King EVER were.
Damn the FACTS, let's bash Graham!
Don't try to use logic or facts with the idiots on this board who base someone's "conservative" credentials based on a random soundbite they heard on MSNBC during a speech excert.
According to them, someone who votes our way 90% of the time is a "RINO" but someone who votes our way 60% of the time is a "great patrotic conservative leader"
Bill Clinton must be really gleeful to learn some "freepers" share HIS views that Pete King is a role model and Lindsey Graham is a scumbag.
Good post. I dont get this anti Grahmn stuff either. If we follow this line of reasoning we will be out of power before you know it. Its like when the far left call people like Sen Feinstein not a true liberal.Jeeez. One reason the Dem party is out of power is that they no longer have any conservative or moderate Dems. I hope we dont repeat the same mistake. The only person I call a RHINO on a national level is that idiot Chaffee.
Pardon the CNN reference here, but this is the quickest article I could find showing how ole Lindsey showed his backside during the impeachment hearings.
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/11/impeachment.01/
Giving the closing address tonight? No he is not on the program for tonight. The only place he is listed is for a book signing Saturday at 3:00.
I will have to check this out tomorrow when I'm there.
Dear Sir, perhaps you were young during the 2000 elections. I wasn't. But if you think that the only time Lindsey Graham supported McCain was during the time of the gang of 14, you are sadly mistaken. Why don't you do a little history work and find out how far back those two really go.
JD Hayworth does not check the direction of the wind before deciding what he believes in. He also does not put his own personal success ahead of what is right. He does not lay down and play dead for the democrats if he thinks it will get him somewhere. I can't say the same for your pal Lindsey Graham.
I really don't care what a persons rating is -- if he can't be trusted to vote that way when it counts.
Oh, and I'll take Zell Miller over "let's kiss up to the Democrats" Graham any day.
Yeah, this is the thing that bothers me the most about this party right now. When I joined, it wasn't just because I shared many of the same values, but I was impressed with the "big tent" I thought this party to be. I expect this kind of thing from dems...it's how they keep people in line and marching in lock-step. It's sad to see it happening here.
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