Brownback Seeks 2008 Conservative Mantle

The Hill ^ | 12/5/06 | Alexander Bolton

[CommerceComet]

>>He should be focusing on 2012 or 2016.

Truth be told, he probably is. Sam Brownback is politically astute enough to know that he is an extreme longshot for 2008.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Fine. Good idea. Just be sure you assess your standard across the board and honestly, not by believing what the politician says but by observing what he does and what he proposes. Rare is the candidate who claims to be for less government who doesn't simultaneously have a long list of stuff he thinks the government should be funding. Take Bush for example. If we had all been honest with ourselves we would have known he was a big spender.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

To be more specific, I am talking about Brownback's big AIDS funding push and stuff like that. I read a quote from him about how we need to help this big list of people around the world and it caused me to question his government fundamentals. He used to be better but Bush's compassionate conservatism has led him astray. Maybe he will get back on track. I remember when he was big on closing down a bunch of gov't agencies and all of that. So taking the long view, Brownback has promise. We just have to get him away from the Bush people.

[rob777]

"Take Bush for example. If we had all been honest with ourselves we would have known he was a big spender."



You are right, that much was clear in the 2000 primaries. I never have been much of a Bush fan.

[rob777]

"He used to be better but Bush's compassionate conservatism has led him astray. Maybe he will get back on track. I remember when he was big on closing down a bunch of gov't agencies and all of that. So taking the long view, Brownback has promise. We just have to get him away from the Bush people."




I do not know how much promise he has, but you are right about the influence that the Bush people have had on the GOP agenda of 1994.

[OldGuard1]

I definitely plan to vote for him, and I'm in Iowa. Come on, Iowa Freepers -- we can't let McCain or Giuliani win! They're more like Bill Clinton than mainstream Republicans.

If we don't get a *real* Republican nominated, we'll never get the turnout we need to win the presidency.

[Plutarch]

Beats the heck out of...Romney...

Giving amnesty and giveaways to illegals....

S. 2611 (Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 )

Brownback (R-KS), Yea

Beats the heck out of taking action against illegals?

Romney: Give Troopers Power to Arrest Illegals

(Sure, Romney is pandering to Republican primary voters, but at least he is actually doing something besides voting for a Kennedy Amnesty plan).

Any Senator that voted for the 2006 Amnesty bill has no business trying coming around now pretending be a conservative.

[Delphinium]

Sam needs to shore up his immigration views before he can be considered a serious conservative candidate,

Thats why I like Duncan Hunter too, but Brownback might be easier to elect.

[Delphinium]

As people see him they will discover a very humble, dear personality that is quite easy to like

That might be what we need, someone who comes across sincere.

I am not sure I like the "compassionate conservative" because I don't think spending our hard earned money is conservative, or compassionate.

[arthurus]

He has said that he is another "compassionate conservative." A man that uses that term for himself is no conservative. He is, almost by definition, a spender.

[My GOP]

"Beats the heck out of Giuliani, Romney and McCain."

Giuliani and McCain can beat Hillary/Obama and Romney could probably give them a good run at it and have a chance. Brownback can't.

[My GOP]

>>He should be focusing on 2012 or 2016.

"Truth be told, he probably is. Sam Brownback is politically astute enough to know that he is an extreme longshot for 2008."

Or the VP spot in 2008.

[sittnick]

Giuliani and McCain can beat Hillary/Obama and Romney could probably give them a good run at it and have a chance. Brownback can't.

Thats what the George H.W. Bush and John B. Anderson people said about Ronald Reagan in 1980. It's also what the Humphrey and Scoop Jackson people said about Jimmy Carter in '76.

[scannell]

He doesn't draw you in immediately, but only as you get to know him.

Which will probably occur in December of 2008

[steamroller]

this man has been overly friendly with FATASS hillary-how can he be trusted just on a pro-life platform??-he probably would lie down for a north american union,which would be the end of this country as we know it

[Theodore R.]

I think the candidates may have already been narrowed to two: Giuliani and McCain, and there may be nothing we can do about it but bow to the party masters.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

He sounds like Santorum Lite. Thanks but no thanks.

[Gideon Reader]

I like Sam Brownback a lot.
He is a pretty conservative fella.
But he has NO EXECUTIVE experience.
Better if he ran as the ideological conservative support
for a POTUS candidate who has less conservative creds.

Is there not a decent conservative and articulate Gov somewhere out there who can his zipper closed and his mouth the same condition?

[Arizona Carolyn]

We're losing GOP governors with each election cycle. Our stable is getting thin.

[Gideon Reader]

But Caro, the stable is full of what politicians produce best.

No executive experience and it is VERY difficult to have a winning number of voters.
Senators do not usually get elected to POTUS without some driving personality or other propelling event.
A Senator who was a Governor could do it, but Allen is weak in ability if not in soul.

Haley Barbour and Michael Steel could do some gooooood stuff.