Second String Republicans

Bob Parks: Outside The Wire ^ | 12/15/07 | Bob Parks

[bocopar]

One thing this elongated campaign season, thus far, has revealed is that almost all of the candidates are a bunch of second stringers. What separates them from the first string is maturity. Mature candidates don’t fall into the same old traps and don’t make the same mistakes made before.

We are seeing a lot of this right now.

The prospect of facing an honesty/likability challenged Hillary, or an inexperienced Obama should have our perspective Republican candidates salivating. However they are mired in the tried-and-true minutia, responding to a media that has already chosen sides, and some of us have real doubts that any of them are truly ready for The Show.

[rhombus]

Bob Parks takes us all to the woodshed. It was a good thumpin’.

[appeal2]

What Park is really saying is that a truly viable candidate will be the one who can turn the tables on the biased media. All great repub candidates have done this. Look at Reagan, “There you go again!” Thompson came close with the “Handshow confrontation.” We need to see much more of this and less kowtowing to the MSM.

[bocopar]

Sorry.

My aim is selective. Not at “us”.

[Maelstorm]

A good article. Huckabee is beginning to collapse because now the spotlight is on him as front runner. Republican candidates need to stop worrying about whether the media will be pleased with them. Speaking small words heavy with apology for the beliefs of those who support them will not win elections. It is going to take a strong leader not the weak willed word parsers.

[Maelstorm]

Yes Fred is headed in the right direction with the handshow.
It is nice to see someone stand up against the environazi socialist pigs.

[org.whodat]

has revealed is that almost all of the candidates are a bunch of second stringers.

The writer of this story is full of it. Willard, judy and the lier Huckster, are definitely fourth are fifth stringers. The old guard and tackle joke!.

[Popocatapetl]

The candidates reflect what the voters want.

The public often gravitates between wanting the government to do things, and wanting them to NOT do things. The last congressional election was as much a punishing the Republicans for doing bad things as electing Democrats *precisely* because they hadn’t promised to do *anything*. They had NO platform.

I suspect the candidates appreciate this. That is why they seem to be all following the same rule book:

1) Don’t make waves. Don’t make promises for change.
2) Especially DO NOT push hot button items.

Fred Thompson, especially, seems to be following the “Front Porch Campaigns” of James A. Garfield in 1880 and William McKinley in 1896, followed by Warren G. Harding in 1920.

Please note that all of them were elected.

[rhombus]

It has to be done with a smile like Reagan or it comes off as just another grumpy old man.

[jammer]

“There you go again!”

That statement was made to Carter in debate, not to the biased media.

[kabar]

Parks is just part of the MSM whack-a-mole strategy against Rep candidates. They want to discredit every Rep and they do that by building them up and tearing them down. The MSM wants to discourage Rep voters about the quality and electability of its candidates.

In point of fact, the Rep Party has fielded one of its best slate of candidates in a Presidential campaign lacking an incumbent President or VP. Unlike the Dems, we really have a choice between candidates and where they stand on the issues. The Dem candidates march in lockstep on the issue with each trying to outdo the other's Me-Tooism.

[ishabibble]

Great article, Bob!

While you’re waiting, you might want to just check on a man by the name of Duncan Hunter. He’s the real deal. The MSM has smothered him, but he keeps fighting because that’s who he is...check it out, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

[rhombus]

In point of fact, the Rep Party has fielded one of its best slate of candidates in a Presidential campaign lacking an incumbent President or VP.

I have to agree with you and I could vote for a number of the current candidates. Voting is always a compromise and those who refuse to acknowledge this are destined to be miserable every time they vote.

[bocopar]

I’m with the “MSM”...?

Is this guy kidding...?

[RightWhale]

It looks like second string Rs in Alaska. Sen Stevens and Rep Young are running behind their opponents, who are at this point unknown.

[bocopar]

Lessee.

Huckabee’s insulting the President.
Romney’s crying on television.

Just whackin’ the mole. Too bad they keep stickin’ their heads through the hole.

[kabar]

No joke. You are just mouthing the MSM caricatures of the Rep candidates. I think most of them are "ready for The Show." And like Sarkozy did with Mitterand, they are going to have to distance themselves from Bush, whose approval rating is in the 30s. Bush signed McCain-Feingold, expanded the Medicare program [prescription drugs,], tripled the education budget, and been a profligate spender. His support of amnesty has turned off most conservatives. I don't blame Huckabee from distancing himself from Bush. It has nothing to do with maturity. It is commonsense. And no matter who is nominated by the Reps, you will see more of it in the general election.

And it should come as no surprise that the MSM has a double standard when it comes to Reps and Dems. We can all cite numerous examples over many years. It is a given.