Bob Dole endorses Christine O’Donnell (from his hospital bed at Walter Reed)

Hotair ^ | 09/24/2010 | Allahpundit

[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.

[kevao]

You defintely won’t get any argument from me that Bob Dole is way better than most of the RINOs we have in the Senate today. His was a great score in comparison.

But, let’s not forget, he had the power to put the Clintoon away, and he couldn’t even whip his Majority Whip into shape to deliver that last vote....

Imagine how much different things would be today if Bob Dole would have had the conviction to get the conviction....

[kevao]

“According to the “logic” that I’ve seen used here on FR before, this now officially makes O’Donnell a RINO”

---

Maybe you can post an example. From what I’ve seen of the “logic” here on FR:

1) A RINO endorses a RINO candidate = a RINO candidate
2) A RINO endoreses a Conservative candidate = a Conservative candidate
3) A Conservative endoreses a RINO candidate = a RINO candidate
4) A Conservative endorses a Conservative candidate = a Conservative candidate

If you detect a pattern here, then good for you! A RINO endorsement does not make a Conservative a RINO; nor does a Conservative endorsement make a RINO a Conservative.

Like I said, perhaps you can cite an example of when this “logic” did not follow on FR.

[greeneyes]

I think people who were voting back when GHWB was elected would rather see someone else. The media succeeded in turning him into a joke. I don't think he is remembered as having Gravitas.

Some people just don't come across well in front of the cameras, and you just can't get elected with out that in the media age. Liz Cheney projects more gravitas on TV than he did.

He was not as successful in deflecting the onslaught as Palin has been. He just seemed to fumble in front of the cameras over and over and came across as dumb as a box of rocks. A shame really because people that know him think he was really quite intelligent.

Had he done something like Palin is doing, or served as Governor of Arizona, and then back to DC as ambassador to the UN or Cabinet position under George Bush maybe. As far as I know ,he really did not do anything that showed the public how wrong the press was about his abilities.

I wonder if a general or former secretary of defense would be good? Tommy Franks, stormin Norman, Sect. Gates? Someone from the Intelligence committee? I am struggling to even remember any names. It needs to be someone who can stand his ground with the press and punks like the current NJ. Gov. or Rumsfeld.

I think Palin needs to continue what she is doing. Getting more conservatives elected, and holding the politicians accountable. I don't think anyone else can be as effective at that, and it is a big need for the future.

John Bolton is also great on foreign policy, but he doesn't come across as stern enough. Someone with the same Gravitas as Cheney would be good. I just can't think of who it would be. Whoever it is, a BIG concern is their position on Globalism and US sovereignty. Too many have been selling out the American people to move toward Global Governance. It is just insane.

[truthfreedom]

I’m talking about Colin Powell, not Dan Quayle as VP for gravitas.

[truthfreedom]

Some people use the argument but it doesn’t always hold.

Palin a conservative candidate endorced mccain a rino - some people called palin a rino but most say conservative.

[greeneyes]

Oh, sorry I misunderstood. I think Colin Powell would certainly be seen as having gravitas, but he is not acceptable to me as VP for a lot of reasons, and his recent support of Obama has tarnished him further as far as I am concerned. He might be okay for Secretary of Defense.

[kevao]

How completely unacceptable would he be as a VP if the Presidential Candidate might lack a little bit of foreign policy experience and maybe a little bit of gravitas?

Dude, nobody here will say that Bob Dole was not a patriot or a great man in WWII. But many here will say he was "less than conservative", "ineffective," "a disappointment", or even "total $hit" as Senate Majority Leader. I throw my lot in with them, but I'm biased.

But seriously, even among those who thought he was the "bee's knees", do you really think anyone today could get behind him? Maybe Bob Dole dragged you out of complete apathy to political activism in 1996, but can you honestly say he "lights your fire" in 2012? He does Viagra commericals for God's sake!

[truthfreedom]

I was talking about Colin Powell. Yeah Bob Dole is too old now. Elizabeth Dole is 74.

I think it’ll end up being Palin vs one of the older Republicans. Not Mitt Newt or Huck. Like in 2000. A lot of major candidates got out by the time mccain got in.

But no, Bob Dole is too old now. Liz Dole, Colin Powell, Lamar Alexander, Dan Quayle, Tom Ridge.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Colin Powell is no republican!

[kevao]

Palin a conservative candidate endorced mccain a rino - some people called palin a rino but most say conservative.

WTF? See my #1 or #3. Whether Palin is Conservative or RINO, McCain remains a RINO.

#1? McCain= RINO;

#3? McCain=RINO.

[kevao]

OMG! Let’s not even get started on Colon Powell. LOL!

[truthfreedom]

I think I get you now. What you’re saying is that the nature of the endorser does not change the nature of the candidate.

What the other person was saying was the opposite. Yes, I agree with you.

[truthfreedom]

Ok, I was just curious what the response would be.

[kevao]

Yes, I agree with you.

No one has ever said that to me before. Will you marry me? :)

[SueRae]

THank you both. I’m sorry to hear that. The fact that he gave that endorsement from his hospital bed speaks volumes. I think he must be smiling when thinking of the positive changes he is seeing in the American voting public, the Tea party movement and a refreshing slate of new and up and coming candidates. May God bless him to see the country back on track once more.

[jmaroneps37]

Thanks Bob and get well soon.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Bob is symptomatic of everything that is wrong with ‘good ‘ol boy’ politics in the supposedly ‘conservative’ faction of American politics. In fact, despite his sterling credentials (cough), both he and Gingrich managed to derail the conservative pressure generated by x42’s first gambit toward the kind of change we're experiencing now. In fact, nearly the entire class of freshmen legislators elected in ‘94 were shunted off into obscurity while the old R network kept things nice and even.

IMO, the elections in ‘94 were not so much about an enthusiasm for the ‘Contract With America’ as much as they were a repudiation of the kind of socialism krinton was taking the country into. Recall the assaults on 2A, the abortion expansion and our first round with full blown socialized medicine with elites controlling policy in secret meetings. Grass roots organizations and citizen actions began to rock this country on those key issues. FR, itself, was a product of those times.

Dole and Gingrich managed to hijack that momentum and, like clockwork, label it an affirmation of Republicanism and propel us from a majority into a stalemate and back into exile with an idiotic Presidential campaign doomed to failure from the outset. Dole simply said it ‘was my turn to run for POTUS’ and the rest is history as he lumbered our chances for supremacy off the cliff we all could clearly see and were screaming about.

Today, with Tea Party power rising (actually, the same kind of organic rejection of socialism), we're seeing the same ‘ol same ‘ol from the R's and Gingrich is even making a comeback as an elder statesman commentator. The R's are resurrecting a new contract, changing the name, and trying out their shuck and jive routine for another tour.

If you believe that the establishment Republicanism (and Bob is certainly an prime example) we're endlessly treated to is the kind of answer we need to survive as a free republic, then you're part of the problem. Pragmatism, however polite or established, isn't going to get the job done.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Maybe you can post an example.

It seems to be stock in trade among some on here to think that because Romney supports DeMint, this makes DeMint "questionable" at least.

[deport]

Just for informational purposes on the thread as some were asking about his surgery. Not much info but from another article:

Dole, an aide said, is having knee surgery, and has contributed the maximum to O'Donnell's campaign.

[Lancey Howard]

That’s a great post, and I agree with everything you said 100%.