McCain Almost Left the GOP -- Twice

www.rushlimbaugh.com ^ | March 24, 2008 | Rush Limbaugh

[Yosemitest]

McCain Almost Left the GOP -- Twice
March 24, 2008

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT

Senator McCain has not wrapped up the Chuck Hagel endorsement yet, and I wanted to mention this to you. Hagel was on This Week with Stephanopoulos on Sunday, and Stephanopoulos said to him,

"Senator McCain is a good friend of yours. Why haven't you endorsed him?"

HAGEL: When I work for someone or commit to someone, I want to be behind that person in every way I can.
I've obviously got some differences with John on the Iraq war. That's no secret.
I want to understand a little more about foreign policy, where he would want to go.
It certainly doesn't put me in Obama or Clinton's camp, but John and I have some pretty fundamental, uh, disagreements.

Well, I'm telling you what, if a moderate independent candidate like McCain cannot get the Hagel endorsement, where are we? (sigh)
This is troubling, ladies and gentlemen. This is puzzling to me as well.
Unless, of course, Senator Hagel is holding out for a pipe dream for his own third party candidacy or independent candidacy somewhere down the line.
Speaking of Senator McCain, I'm sure you people have seen this by now in the New York Times a story by Elisabeth Bumiller:

There's a photo of the haughty John Kerry and Senator McCain sitting somewhere in deep leather chairs. McCain is slouching like he's fatigued and tired. The caption of the picture is
"Senators John Kerry (L), John McCain meeting with reporters in 2002 as they discussed automobile mileage standards."
The headline of the story:
"McCain Twice Flirted with the Democrat Party; Candidate Considered Leaving the Republican Party."
This is McCain, in 2001 and running with Kerry in 2004. Now, as I say, I'm sure you guys have all seen this, but it still stuns me.
(interruption) Assume what?
(interruption) Well, because... (interruption)

Well, that's right. It's the New York Times. Maybe I shouldn't assume people have seen it. But it's been out there since last night. It's in the newspaper today...
(interruption) The Drive-Bys have not made it news yet, because the Drive-Bys are occupied trying to hold their own party together. The Drive-Bys are trying to get the Clinton sitcom canceled. So Snerdley may have a point. Maybe you haven't seen this.
Here's the story. It's by Elisabeth Bumiller, and here's how it opens.

"Senator John McCain never fails to call himself a conservative Republican as he campaigns as his party's presumptive presidential nominee. He often adds that he was a 'foot soldier' in the Reagan revolution and that he believes in the bedrock conservative principles of small government, low taxes and the rights of the unborn.
What Mr. McCain almost never mentions are two extraordinary moments in his political past that are at odds with the candidate of the present:
His discussions in 2001 with Democrats about leaving the Republican Party, and his conversations in 2004 with Senator John Kerry,"
the haughty Senator Kerry, who served in Vietnam,
"about becoming Mr. Kerry's running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket.
There are wildly divergent versions of both episodes, depending on whether Democrats or Mr. McCain and his advisers are telling the story.
The Democrats, including Mr. Kerry, say that not only did Mr. McCain express interest but that it was his camp that initially reached out to them" a
bout being Kerry's vice president, and McCain's denying that.

But the Kerry camp says,

"No, we got a call from McCain,"
and you know that Kerry very publicly, proudly said that he was considering McCain.
This 2001 business, I had forgotten that, but this is a result of how steamed he was over the South Carolina primary and losing the nomination to Bush in 2000.
Remember, he had the Straight Talk Express?
It was heading on down the highway?
The reporters on it were having the best time, and so was McCain. Then the New Hampshire primary came along, and McCain aced it, but the whole thing got derailed in South Carolina over Bob Jones University and a couple of rumors some people put out about McCain.
The point is, he was livid. He was fit to be tied. This is why some people still to this day think he's got it in for the Republican Party. That's why he crosses the aisle and makes deals with Democrats.
So these two occasions, the New York Times is writing about today. I guess McCain camp is aware. I would hope so. They better be aware what's in store for them. Once the Democrats have their nominee and so forth, this is just a little, little bitty tidbit of... (interruption)
Yeah, I know. There are stories about the Keating Five out there today, too.
This is just a little heads-up about what's coming Senator McCain's way once the Democrats iron out their stuff and Operation Chaos has come to a conclusion.
But it's still, all of this stuns me. It literally stuns me that a guy, Senator McCain, who spent years criticizing his own party and thought seriously about leaving his own party, is now the leader of it.

END TRANSCRIPT

• New York Times: Two McCain Moments, Rarely Mentioned

• MSNBC: Hagel Critical of War, McCain

*Note: Links to content outside RushLimbaugh.com usually become inactive over time.

[Lancey Howard]

I STILL don’t understand how in the world we wound up with McCain...

I can answer that.

McCain has been in the race for the Presidency since 2000 (or earlier). He knew this was his last shot, so he was in it regardless of who else was in the race and regardless of any other consideration.

Any number of bona fide conservative Republicans COULD have gotten into the race but either chickened out or bailed too early. Many listened to the likes of Sean Hannity and others and, defying all common sense, actually BELIEVED that the Presidency was Hillary's to lose. "President Hillary" was inevitable, you see....

The stupidity of such a belief is staggering. When the time comes for real Americans to enter their real polling places and vote, they are never going to elect Hillary Clinton as President of the United States. She has the highest negatives of any candidate in history for a reason. Hillary's candidacy has always been a landslide waiting to happen. Period. Experienced politicians should know this instinctively.

Anyway, I digress....

As a result of the stupidity and cowardice of so many conservative Republicans who COULD have jumped into the race and had a legitimate chance, only a few longshots bothered. Those longshots were all either too flawed or too unfamiliar to the American public. As with all elections, the ignorant chattering class casts the most votes and in this year's case, the Republican chattering class ended up going with the candidate they had at least heard of before - - you know, that "Straight Talk Express" guy.

In essence McCain is their, "He's alright I guess, what the heck, why not?", candidate.
I hope this answers your question.

FRegards,
LH

[Secret Agent Man]

It ain’t the BUSH/Feingold act. And if you listen regularly to Rush, he didn’t give Bush a free pass on this crap.

Besides, Rush can’t win with a lot of people anyway. When he criticizes, generally half the people b1tch that he’s criticizing too much, and the other half b1tch he’s going soft.

[Yosemitest]

I expect McCain to change parties after he wins the general election.

[Secret Agent Man]

Same way we’re causing a nightmare convention for the Democrats.

[Yosemitest]

Very well said.

BUT... I disagree... that Hillary can't win.

There are many angry conservatives out there that will NOT vote for McCain, ... NO MATTER WHAT!!!

We will simply NOT break out principles.

NOW... that said... there may be enough Democrats, disgusted with their own party, that will vote for McCain, seeing McCain as a conservative choice for the DEMOCRAT VALUES.

[OeOeO]

It ain’t the BUSH/Feingold act

He joined the team when he signed the bill.

[vrwc1]

I STILL don’t understand how in the world we wound up with McCain

I think it's because, unfortunately, most people don't pay much attention to politics.

[Fred]

Rush will say anything to get into Ann Coulter’s panties

[Soliton]

It is sad to see how simply irrelevent Rush has become.

[Yosemitest]

If Rush and Ann Coulter mated, we'd have some real conservatives for the future.

[Fred]

Yeah and here is their offspring

[trumandogz]

It is sad to see how simply irrelevent Rush has become.

How dare you say such a thing.

Without Rush Limbaugh's endless slamming of John McCain and endorsement of Fred Thompson the GOP would have been stuck with John McCain as its nominee in 2008.

[trumandogz]

Excuse me, but I seem to recall that George W. Bush had the option to Veto McCain-Feingold and elected to sign CFR.

So let’s call it McCain-Feingold-Bush.

[Yosemitest]

Yes, I know.

Rush definitely needs to influence more than 20 MILLION PEOPLE A DAY.

[OeOeO]

No sarcasm, but could you name the conservatives who could have gotten into the race? I was hoping for Thompson but he turned into a pilot that failed to light. I can’t come up with any names, which is a shame as we have had 8 years to coalesce around someone.

[Yosemitest]

I wish Rush would run.
Then G. Gorden Liddy comes to mind. That would drive the democrats nuts.
I'd be happy with Oliver North.
But Newt is a real leader.

[OeOeO]

Ollie North got slimed by RINO Warner in Virginia when he ran for Senate.I find Liddy extremely entertaining but unelectable. Newt is the only Republican since Reagan who ran on real ideas. He couldn't be elected to national office, but he should have been named to head the RNC. He would have brought in the bucks big time.

[commonguymd]

Just as I thought. A lot of Rush sniping from people wieghted down by that chip on their shoulder cause ole Rushbo didn’t endorse their candidate of choice.

Get over it and move on.

Meanwhile, Rush creating havoc on the other side of the aisle and distancing himself from McCain seems to be working out quite nicely -— if of course ya all are cozying up to the turncoat master shoulder chip in chief wannabe, McCain. Last take, McCain is ahead of both hillary and obama by 8-10 points in polls. Let the socialists duke it out and our jumping Jim Jeffords wanna be waltzes right in in the midst of their battle. Something like 10 or 20 percent of democrats will defect to McCain if their candidate doesn’t win. Both the obama and clinton camps are hating each other, and some of us love it.

As far as irrelevant goes, some oughta look in the mirror. Scurrying around on website chatter sites thinking you have an impact or clue isn’t setting the world on fire either is it?

[Lancey Howard]

Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Jim DeMint (R-SC)
John Ensign (R-NV)
James Inhofe (R-OK)
John Thune (R-SD)

Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Wayne Allard (R-CO)
Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Richard Burr (R-NC)
John Cornyn (R-TX)

Also, Rick Santorum and George Allen (although recent losses may have made these candidacies problematic).

Those names are just from the Senate. There MUST be a handful of former and current conservative House Representatives who are well-enough known to raise some enthusiasm (and money).

And similarly, There MUST be a handful of former and current conservative governors who are well-enough known to raise enthusiasm (and money).

[mkjessup]

When there is a Rush gas bag Limbaugh out there the democrats don’t need to attack McCain.

When unable to refute the argument, attack the messenger.

Did you learn that over at DU before you registered here a little over a year ago?

I call troll on ya.