Posted on 02/10/2008 11:08:12 AM PST by pissant
A stinging rebuke from another prominent Republican quickly followed Sen. James Jeffords' departure Thursday from the GOP.
In a written statement, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, blamed "short-sighted party operatives" whom he accused of targeting Jeffords.
"Perhaps those self-appointed enforcers of party loyalty will learn to respect honorable differences among us, learn to disagree without resorting to personal threats, and recognize that we are a party large enough to accommodate something short of strict unanimity on the issues of the day," said McCain.
"Tolerance of dissent is the hallmark of a mature party, and it is well past time for the Republican Party to grow up," he added.
McCain, who has clashed with both the party and the Bush administration, praised Jeffords for basing his votes on something other than politics.
"Despite occasional policy differences between us, I have long respected Jim Jeffords' integrity, and his conscientious service to his constituents and to the nation," said McCain.
Jeffords' party switch was applauded by supporters in his home state, and some voiced hopes it would start a trend.
(Excerpt) Read more at archives.cnn.com ...
BS, Jeffords sold out for power positions. McManiac almost did the same thing, IMO.
I think...that during the discussions with Tom Daschle etc about coming over to the Dem side..is when he made his decision to run again for POTUS. I believe he hadn’t decided til then, and was torn between his desire to join the Dems and his desire to run for POTUS. As much as they would have welcomed him to the party- they would NOT have welcomed him as their standard bearer- he couldn’t have been successful as a Dem POTUS candidate.
2 cents
Thanks for the articles pissant, you are showing the “hold our nose and vote McCain” types why he is truly unacceptable.
At least Jefford’s had the courage to leave the party he gave the finger to, McCain can’t even do that.
Hopefully his presidential run will force him out of the Senate...good riddance.
You are correct. He couldn’t run for the Dem nomination after a recent switch.
Adding this one to the "Why McCain is Not a Republican or Conservative" folder.
He almost did, more than once.
Well, he ain't gettin' mine!
Good point John. Hopefully your supporters will adhere to your words when I tell them I'm voting third party.
Grow up and CALM DOWN, mah FRiend...
It's not just your opinion
The Democrats could afford a low level chump like Jeffords. They were unable to meet that Keating Five guy’s price. If and when McCain’s treachery became formalized by Democrat Party membership, he expected leadership and committee status equal to Teddy. The Democrats ended up making the most cost efficient move. They got control with Jeffords. There were no hard feelings and they were still able to keep McCain on board just not officially under their party name.
There was nothing honorable about th way Jumpin’ Jim left the party. He waited till after the election and screwed all the voters that elected his sorry a$$. He is the lowest slime to come out of a whales a$$. That John McCain defended the slime ball is just one more thing I had forgotten about. It get’s easier and easier as the days go buy to sit at home and let John McCain blow in the wind. I would not be surprised to see him jump ship just like Jumpin’ Jim.
If I remember correctly, Jeffords switched because he didn’t want to lose his committee chairmanship. (The Republicans had term limits for their committee chairmen, the Democrats didn’t.)
One of the funniest quotes I remember here at Free Republic was from Jeffords, in November 2002, after the Republicans just took back the Senate in the midterm elections. “Now I’m going to lose my chairmanship”, he said.
Er, like McCain acts when someone "crosses" him...............tolerant, yeah, tolerant........
:}
What he ended up claiming was he got was some kind of benefits to the milk industry in his state. I think the truth was never told why he left. I think Craig or possibly some other member of his singing quartet was putting the moves on him and sexually harassing and he wanted to go to a party where the gays are out of the closet and less aggressive.
And now, McBackstabber wants our votes.
Well, he ain’t gettin’ mine!
Do you think a forum like this will be allowed 7 yrs into
Obama’s of Hillary’s administration? Do you think you will be more or less secure? Do you think you will have more or less financially?
Separate the wheat from the chaff, and let's begin with McCain.
Let 2008 be 2006 in spades.
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/779/vows583ey8.jpg The blond guy here (who's married to the other guy) worked for Patrick, the Governor in Massachusetts for $150,000 per annum.
He was visiting something in Florida, went into a group sauna and sexually abused a teenager in there saunaing himself.
What do you mean "less aggressive" ~ more like the case that Jeffords saw this kind of action going on in the Democrat showers and he wanted some.
If this wasn't so sad, it would be comical.
And they (Democrats) will not do much - assuming they have to do anything at all - to torpedo McCain in the general election. Why? Because they know he is going to do dismally without their help, and whether he jumps ship or stays in the GOP after November, their "good friend" will still be that same friendly face in the Senate.
John's not stupid, he's dangerous. The GOP leadership in general used to be just stupid.
Mr. niteowl77
One cannot reason with them or hold a factual discourse with them.
At this point in time Mc Cain is saying the things his handlers told him Conservatives want to hear.And they read into what he says their interpretation becuse they are desperately looking for a reason to support him.
Instead, they need to recall the old adage, "A leopard cannot change his spots". The Republican hierarchy have brought out the Hillary boogyman again. But if they are so scared of the Hillary boogyman themselves, why did they ordain that John Mc Cain be the nominee?
It will be.
“Jeffords sold out for power positions.”
Jeffords left the GOP because Bush took revenge on him, in a variety of ways, after he opposed the President’s tax bill.
What has McCain done to earn my vote?
I have heard from a fairly reliable source that Jumpin Jim has lost his “marbles” and is being kept from the public. Has anyone else heard this?
I thought he lost them ages ago.
Prior to Jeffords’ switch, we had just lost the Senate seat in Florida formerly held by Connie Mack who retired prior to the election. Had Mack stood for re-election, he likely would have won and he could have retired after he had the seat nailed down. The Republican governor could have appointed a Republican to the empty seat therefore there would have been no incentive for Jeffords to jump ship. This was an amazing lack of strategic thinking.
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