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Posted on 08/04/2008 7:26:49 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
ELKO - The Nevada sky was clear and blue for the first time in weeks Saturday over the Nisbet Cabin in Lamoille, but the festivities on the ground were decidedly red as the Elko County Republican Central Committee held its annual steak fry with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, on hand to stump for presidential candidate John McCain.
“I've known John McCain for over 20 years,” said Hatch, the senior senator from Utah now in his 32nd year in the Senate. “We all know his story, his service to his country, the price he paid. I've seen him stand up to the whole Senate.”
Hatch urged the dozens of local Republicans in attendance to unite behind McCain, and he specifically asked Texas Rep. Ron Paul supporters who believe they've been disenfranchised by the state Republican Party to unite under one candidate.
Hatch said McCain was “tough” and is a “true, blue conservative in most ways,” and he believes McCain can fulfill his promise to balance a federal budget deficit - expected to hit $10 trillion in a year - by 2013.
Hatch also said McCain was adamantly opposed to earmarks, also known as pork barrel spending, and conceded the national Republican Party has “lost its way or at least people think we did.”
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He said there has never been a fiscally conservative majority in the Senate during the more than three decades he has served. “There's always been eight to 10 liberal Republican senators” hwo have prevented a supermajority of 60 votes required to pass sound fiscal policy.
Also on hand was Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., who very well could face off for the second time against a surging Jill Derby, the former leader of the Nevada Democratic Party.
“I feel fortunate to know Dean Heller,” said Hatch. “He's a good addition (to the House of Representatives), a tough guy and I'm really proud of him.”
But it was McCain's bid for the White House that brought Hatch to Lamoille.
“With McCain, what you see is what you get,” he said. The former war hero and Senate maverick would reduce taxes, maintain a strong military, and not allow profligate spending, said Hatch.
Hatch credited McCain with the idea of the military surge in Iraq, which has resulted in less violence in the country. “He's a true hero,” he said of the man who spent seven years in the notorious North Vietnam prisoner of war camp dubbed the Hanoi Hilton.
McCain, said Hatch, would spur economic growth by cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent.
If Congress approves the tax burden decrease, he said America could “out-compete” any country in the world.
Hatch said McCain's opponent, Barack Obama, D-Ill., “was a nice person and a good speaker, intelligent and glib, but nobody knows what he stands for.”
The Utah senator said an Obama presidency would result in higher taxes and liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices who would legislate from the bench. He noted six of the nine judges are more than 70 years old, and at least three of the more conservative justices are expected to retire and would be replaced by the next president.
Strict constructionists who adhere to the Constitution are the type of justices the high court requires, he indicated, not activist judges who make law rather than follow it.
According to Hatch, McCain has a “huge advantage” over Obama when it comes to foreign affairs. On Democrats in general, Hatch said, “They want us to become the new France. I don't want us to become the new France, although I like France and its people.”
“People know he'll do what he say's he'll do,” said Hatch of McCain, and that includes how the nation fights the war on terror, state's rights, and conservative spending.
While Ron Paul supporters are upset with Nevada's Republican leadership over what they consider improper and even illegal suspension of the state convention earlier this year and the cancellation of a second attempt to convene, Hatch implored the Texas congressman's supporters to get behind McCain.
The outcome of the election depends on that support, he said.
“Ron Paul is one of my friends,” Hatch said. “He's one tough guy, but those supporting Ron have to get behind McCain. Every vote counts.”
Later in his speech, Hatch made another plea: “Ron (Paul) won't win the nomination. All he can do is hurt McCain and help elect Obama.”
Acknowledging Obama has widespread support and that Democrats are geared up, Hatch believes undecided voters will choose McCain.
He also advised attendees not to fret over McCain's age - he'll turn 72 Aug. 29. “John's mother is tougher than he is and she's 96 years old.”
On local issues, McCain as a senator from the West understands mining and agriculture, said Hatch, and he would protect those interests that he said are so vital to the nation.
Hatch is a typical Senate flufster. But he is right on target here.
So McCain has backed off of Amnesty, Cap-and-Trade, GM Bailouts, billions for "green jobs", etc.?
I thought not.
(crickets)
Hatch is right to qualify McCain's conservatism. He's also right in saying we have to unite behind McCain or we'll end up with the Obambi, who's absolutely unqualified and would be a disaster in sooo many ways.
There! This will work-not! IMHO, many RP supporters will not vote at all in the Presidential race, while all of the remaining RP supporters who do decide to vote in the Presidential race will end up splitting their votes between Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin. John McCain will truly have to become just like Ron Paul to truly get the majority of RP voters to actually vote for McCain, and this isn’t going to happen.
They have to try.
state’s rights
____________________________________
California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas...
What about the rights of these states not to be invaded by illegal aliens ???????
Oh, the irony. Anyway...
Some Paul backers will hold their noses and support McCain in November (out of fear of Obama and nothing else), some will vote third party, and some will stay home. I doubt many of the most vocal and left-leaning will go to Obama now that he flip-flopped on Iraq, FISA, the Patriot Act, etc.
McCain could easily reclaim some Paul-backers by taking a harder line against entitlement spending and income taxes (obviously there exists a subset of fruits who only backed Paul because of Iraq - they are a lost cause, in more ways that one).
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Didn't Hatch get this backwards? Wouldn't he want to say that McCain was tougher than his mother?
Regardless, McCain's dad died at age 71, his grandfather at 62.
Good Evening Spam-Boy.
Start supporting the Constitution. Until you do, you are nothing but background noise.
Stalker troll wannabe alert.
“Hatch is right to qualify McCain’s conservatism. He’s also right in saying we have to unite behind McCain or we’ll end up with the Obambi, who’s absolutely unqualified and would be a disaster in sooo many ways.”
SO right. It’s the way it IS, not the way we wish it to be.
Obama is the amigo of terrorists and crack cocaine dealers.
That's hilarious. I couldn't avoid seeing your spam on the Latest Posts page if I tried.
“I supported Hunter, then Thompson, then Romney. I’ve resigned myself to supporting McCain because - as you say - it’s the way it is. And it’s a whole lot better than Obambi.”
My choices were in that SAME order. I’m so with you, and praying McCain defeats BHO. And for all those so angry and disgruntled that they refuse to support McCain in November, they still just don’t get the serious threat to this country if BHO wins - they WON’T have a chance for “payback” to the GOP or a “comeback” in ‘12. Or ever.
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