Posted on 09/24/2010 6:36:26 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Not only did he endorse her, he did it from his hospital bed at Walter Reed. And then he sent her the maximum possible donation allowable under law.
Second look at the GOP establishment?
Christine O’Donnell’s message resonated with the voters, and to the surprise of many she defeated Congressman Mike Castle, who many of us thought would win. The primary is over and in my opinion it is time for voters to join hands and support Christine O’Donnell. The Delaware seat is important and the winner in November could well determine whether Republicans or Democrats control the Senate.
I find many of the attacks on O’Donnell to be personal and lacking in balance and fairness. If her campaign wishes I am willing to assist in a limited way since I am still a patient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. I will have surgery Monday, September 27.
Pretty great, and all the more so because his name is now being dropped by lefties like E.J. Dionne in the latest iteration of the eternal “Republicans of yesteryear were much nicer/smarter/better than Republicans of today” meme. Actual quote from Dionne’s hand-wringer last week lamenting the downfall of moderate, centrist conservatives like, er, Ronald Reagan, I guess:
Castle’s defeat at the hands of Christine O’Donnell, a perennial candidate who may be the least qualified Senate nominee anywhere in the country, does indeed mark the collapse of the Republican Party not only of Nelson Rockefeller and Tom Dewey but also of Bob Dole and Howard Baker…
Will moderate voters take a chance on the preposterous proposition that this Republican Party will turn around and work in a calm, bipartisan way with President Obama? Or will they use their ballots to wake up the Republicans and tell them that they need more Mike Castles, and fewer extremists?
Bob Dole’s presumptive answer: More “extremists.” I googled around to see if he and Castle are old friends, thinking that this endorsement might be a message aimed at getting MC’s attention. I didn’t find anything, but they’ve both been Republicans (specifically, moderate Republicans) active in government for so many years that I probably missed the evidence. Dole’s been out of the public eye for long enough that his support probably won’t make much difference to centrist Republicans in Delaware disgruntled about O’Donnell, but every little push towards getting RINOs to line up behind her helps. It’s a welcome gesture, and one for which I shall congratulate him at our next RINO Beltway cocktail party.
According to one of Jim Geraghty’s sources, the odds that Castle’s going to jump back in are now up to 50/50. Which, as I and others are increasingly convinced, could be the very best thing he can do for O’Donnell.
That is the meaning of my RINO remark.
I am grateful for his service and sacrifice. I am glad that he has helped to get much legislation that is needed passed and much that is bad thwarted. Again, in these times, his establishment kind of R is a detriment and he represents a false brand of conservatism that is easily thwarted and even duplicitous when we are focussing on restoring the very basis of our Constitution. All of that being said, I think overall it IS a benefit to have his endorsement since it will tip many moderate (read: uninformed) voters into her camp. For that, I tip my hat to Bob.
Again, I agree with your post and your sentiments. I just have a problem with the misuse (but mostly the overuse) of the moniker “RINO” around here. “Establishment Republicans” ARE Republicans, whether we like it or not (and I like it about as much as you do). They need to be replaced, one by one, with real conservatives who do not cower in the face of the constant lies, distortions, and spin of the dying Democrat “mainstream” newsrooms.
I think the moniker “RINO” needs to be reserved for the true scumbags like Jeffords, Chafee, Specter, Castle, and Kirk - - people who may as well be Democrats (and a couple of them did actually switch). Applying the moniker “RINO” to every Republican who is a little squishy or cowardly diminishes its meaning, much the way cries of “racist” draw only rolling eyes and tired yawns these days.
FRegards,
LH
If RINO means Republican In Name Only and Republican means one who defends and upholds the republic and the republic is rule by law and the law is defined by the Constitution . . . then aren’t those that socialize with those who defile the Constitution and craft laws full of compromise and counter-Constitutional content Republicans in name only?
It doesn't. "Republican" is simply the name of the saner of the two major political parties in the United States.
Nothing more.
Sure, the party has a "platform" (actually more of a guideline, argh...) and a general philosophy of controlling taxes and restraining the growth of government, but it's essentially every man for himself when it comes to collecting votes at election time, and every district, every state, has a different percentage of losers, bums, deadbeats, parasites, and goofballs. This is why all of the major parasite nests ("cities") are owned by the Democrats.
Nothing explains California.
It's probably time to build a wall between California and America.
I am sorry to hear Dole is in the hospital, the article is not about him but about him endorsing O’Donnell, but it seems rather heroic of him to endorse her from what may be his death bed.
I hope not. Yeah, my best wishes for him too.
I remember him speaking at the protest marches in Florida. He was ticked off about the effort to toss absentee military votes and the anger was very apparent.
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