Medved: Call Off the "RINO Hunt" [Barf Alert]

townhall.com ^ | 01/07/2008 | Michael Medved

[jmc813]

There’s an obnoxious and destructive term that’s begun to do real damage to the Republican Party. That term is “RINO,” or “R.I.N.O.” – an acronym for “Republican In Name Only.” Angry conservatives use the term to attack purported moderates in their own party. Recently, Mike Huckabee and John McCain have been attacked as “RINO’s” –Governor Schwarzenegger of California regularly draws that denunciation. Those who make war on RINO’s, however, ought to confront an obvious question: would you really prefer that such people drop the Republican designation? How does it help if politicians or office-holders with whom you disagree leave your party and join the opposition? When alleged “RINO” Jim Jeffords of Vermont left the GOP and joined the Democrats, it gave them control of the US Senate. When another RINO, Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, lost his Senate seat in 2006, it also gave the Democrats control; if Chafee had won, we’d still have a Republican majority and GOP committee chairs. The truth is that no successful political party has ever been built on ideological purity. You can construct a majority coalition by bringing people into your party, not by driving them away. It’s childish and self-destructive to wage war based on some notion of “real conservatism” with those who want to align themselves with your side. Ronald Reagan himself used to say that “if somebody agrees with me 70% of the time, rather than 100%, that doesn’t make him my enemy.” Democrats understand this principle--- they never attack “DINO’s,” Democrats In Name Only. In fact, they understand the usefulness of such figures: they put forward several conservative Democrats in key Congressional districts in 2006, and those “DINO’s” helped them win a majority in the House. If Republicans continue to express contempt and hostility for those they consider “RINO’s,” they’ve got to get ready for “DIMO’s” – Democrats In the Majority Only.” It’s time, in other words, for sane GOP partisans to call off the silly and suicidal RINO hunt.

[TheThirdRuffian]

Why don’t they start their own “moderate” party, and use the Rhino as their animal.

[Calpernia]

The Republicans National Committee have become complicit with enabling the take over of the party.

They prop up their Most Liberal candidates.

They allow
groups affiliated with anti war movements to operated under the Republican National Committee banners and use our money to defeat us from within:

Stonewall's AntiWar movement funded by International A.N.S.W.E.R.

David Mixner was the one that organized the Vietnam anti war activists. David Mixner was Clintons gay political advisor. It was David Mixner that started the funds for the Victory Funds and the Log Cabin Republicans.

The Republicans National Committee have become complicit with enabling the take over of the party.

They prop up their Most Liberal candidates.

They allow
groups affiliated with anti war movements to operated under the Republican National Committee banners and use our money to defeat us from within:

Stonewall's AntiWar movement funded by International A.N.S.W.E.R.

David Mixner was the one that organized the Vietnam anti war activists. David Mixner was Clintons gay political advisor. It was David Mixner that started the funds for the Victory Funds and the Log Cabin Republicans.

The Republicans National Committee have become complicit with enabling the take over of the party.

They prop up their Most Liberal candidates.

They allow
groups affiliated with anti war movements to operated under the Republican National Committee banners and use our money to defeat us from within:

Stonewall's AntiWar movement funded by International A.N.S.W.E.R.

David Mixner was the one that organized the Vietnam anti war activists. David Mixner was Clintons gay political advisor. It was David Mixner that started the funds for the Victory Funds and the Log Cabin Republicans.

[bill1952]

Good Lord! its one thing to have “purported moderates" in our own party,”

But its an entirely different thing to have someone who is antithetical to your aims and ideals, or even openly hostile to them.

And that animal is called a RINO, and yes. Get out!
We are thinning the herd by not voting for you. - and no democrat will vote for you either, so wake up!

[UCFRoadWarrior]

Medved doesnt like the term RINO because he is one.

They are called RINOs because they fraudulently campaign as conservatives but are really liberals....because they know they cant get elected as Democrats.

Also, liberal Dems hate DINOs probably more than conservatives hate RINOs...and are just as vocal about it. Medved, as in most of his observations, gets that wrong, too

[avacado]

"When alleged “RINO” Jim Jeffords of Vermont left the GOP and joined the Democrats, it gave them control of the US Senate. "

Sort of proves the validity of the term RINO, now doesn't it!

[TChris]

I’ve found my newest tagline.

[TheLawyerFormerlyKnownAsAl]

Is that effeminate-sounding, open-borders, ex-hippie still on the air?

[Calpernia]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791031/posts
My Email to the Republican National Committee

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

That would indicate that you and Medved put party over principle.

I’d vote for Zell Miller long before I’d vote for a McCain or a Huckabee.

I vote for conservatives. If we encourage the Dems to the right, that’s a good thing. I’d vote for them

The Republican party has betrayed me quite a bit over the years. The only reason I still vote for Reps is that they are generally not as bad as the alternatives.

[Calpernia]

RINO = Log Cabin = Dems in the Closet.

If you want to know the true nature of the SO CALLED moderate (RINO) republicans, read the gay blogs. They are the enemy within and they are funded by George Soros Rainbow Network monies that ALSO fund the democratic Victory Funds. Since they are infiltrating as ‘republicans’, they now have access to our own RNC donations.

Excerpt:

The sources, who agreed to be interviewed only on condition that their identities be withheld, said Guerriero and his top lieutenant, Political Director Christopher Barron, have “aided and abetted” Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry through their media criticism of the president.

Guerriero and Barron have said they accepted invitations to appear on television news programs to promote their efforts to defeat the Federal Marriage Amendment, the proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage. Log Cabin paid for a series of television ads opposing the legislation.

Some of the critics have circulated anonymous e-mail messages claiming that Barron “worked” for Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards, the senator from North Carolina, before Guerriero hired him at LCR.

[Log Cabin stands by Guerriero - Washington Blade - 10-22-04]

Excerpt:

recent “non-endorsement” of President Bush based on “principle” is now also called into question. Is it possible that coordination between LCR and the Kerry-Edwards campaign intentionally engineered the “non-endorsement” as a way to suppress the votes this year of the supposed one million gay voters for Bush in 2000?

[Log Cabin GOP Political Director Unmasked As Former Edwards Campaign Operative - GayPatriot - 10-21-04]

Excerpt:

Patrick Guerriero, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans.

“The reality is the type of outrage that is being expressed by some Republicans should be expressed at themselves. They’ve decided to use gay families as wedge issues across America in swing states — that is truly outrageous,” he told CNN’s “American Morning.”

[Log Cabin Republicans - Press Release - 10-18-04]

RNC will never get another dime from me until they REMOVE the LCR.

[Calpernia]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1783434/posts
How Could We Not Like Rudy?’ Says Log Cabin Republican Boss

[LachlanMinnesota]

Medmed makes the conservative point. Here’s how: It was the RINOS, not the conservatives, who changed parties and thus destoyed the control of the legislative body. Yet we are to be accepting of them without criticism?

The point is not that they are to leave the party, it is that they should be lead by true conservatives. Why must only the liberal Republicans have the right to say waht they want, and only the conservatives are expected to compromise?

The principals in the Republican leadership should acknowledge that their greatest victories were when the conservatives provided the leadership.

[MEGoody]

would you really prefer that such people drop the Republican designation?

I'm thinking yes. At least that way, I'd know if someone is running as a Republican they actually are one.

[pgyanke]

That would indicate that you...

I never said I did... have you seen my tagline? I only said he has a point.

[KarlInOhio]

Democrats understand this principle--- they never attack “DINO’s,” Democrats In Name Only. In fact, they understand the usefulness of such figures: they put forward several conservative Democrats in key Congressional districts in 2006, and those “DINO’s” helped them win a majority in the House.

The difference is that the DINOs know to keep party discipline and they'll get their crumbs and be happy with them. The RINOs seem to take delight in spitting in the eyes of the majority of the party and acting like they're in charge when the Republican majority was very slim.

[MEGoody]

End result is we lost and they won.

Please explain to me what 'winning' really gains us if the ones who are winning are more liberal than the conservative Democrats?

[Calpernia]

The Log Cabin republicans are members of the HRC.

Matter of fact, Log Cabin republicans AND Victory Fund democrats BOTH belong to the Human Rights Campaign [HRC].

See:

http://www.hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Federal_Club11&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=21742

Excerpt:

At a separate event during the Convention,
HRC, Log Cabin Republicans and the Gay &
Lesbian Victory Fund honored Republicans
who have stood up against discrimination
in the U.S. Constitution and who work for
equality for GLBT families and individuals.
The message is that not all Republicans
are hostage to President Bush’s divisive
strategy and not all Republicans support
him. Later during Convention week, the
Log Cabin Republicans came to the same
conclusion as HRC that George W. Bush
cannot be our next President.

/excerpt

The new head of HRC [Joe Solmonese] sits on the board of an organization whose top contributor is George Soros.

http://www.outletradio.com/grantham/archives/001775.php
HRC Confirms: Joe Solomonese Is New President and CEO

Log Cabins running for President 2008:

Mitt Romney
http://republicanbydesign.com/wordpress/2006/05/2008-mitt-romney-for-president

Excerpt:

He has been backed by Log Cabin Republicans and other gay groups

/excerpt

John McCain
http://www.ps.logcabin.org/

Excerpt:

Previous Log Cabin awards have been given to Gov. M. Jodi Rell (R-CT), Gov. William Weld (R-MA), Gov. Christine Todd Whitman (R-NJ), California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson, Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. John Danforth (R-MO), Mayor Richard Riordan (R-L.A.), U.S. Rep. Mary Bono (R-CA), U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell (R-CA), and U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), among many others.

/excerpt

Rudolph Giuliani
http://www.logcabinwa.com/archive/200005191808.shtml

Excerpt:

Log Cabin Salutes Mayor Rudolph Giuliani of New York
“Hearts and Prayers” with Mayor as He Ends His Senate Campaign

/excerpt

[Edit35]

We attack our liberal-leaning Republicans.

I'm not so obsessed over the past Governor/Mayor stats of Romney, Huckabee, or even Guiliani.

I care more about the future.. what these candidates propose. What they represent.

Whom they will attract or repel in the general election of '08.

In that sense, Medved is correct when he says the GOP candidates look smarmy when they attack each other obsessively over who raised a fee 12 years ago, or who had more 'liberal' supporters or whatever.

I want a positive conservative promoter. Not a negative bomb thrower who lives in the past.

[pgkdan]

Those who make war on RINO’s, however, ought to confront an obvious question: would you really prefer that such people drop the Republican designation?

Yes! I'd also prefer that Mike Medved quit being such a touchy feely weak sister. And while I'm at it...anyone who can seriously refer to Arnold as an alleged moderate needs a cranial rectal inversion.

[aroundabout]

He has a point. There is evolution in everything. To resist change in any way is to eventually become a forgotten relic and die.

Change is inevitable.