Jennings Rides Again: Kristol Warns Conservatives Against 'Temper Tantrum'

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

The voters had a temper tantrum last week . . . Parenting and governing don't have to be dirty words: the nation can't be run by an angry two-year-old. -- Peter Jennings, November 14, 2004, commenting on the Republican landslide.

[C]onservatives . . . can choose to stand aside from history while having a temper tantrum. But they should consider that the American people might then choose not to invite them back into a position of responsibility for quite a while to come. -- William Kristol, February 4, 2008, on conservative aversion to McCain.

It's one thing to be bawled out by the late Peter Jennings. But do conservatives have to have their knuckles rapped by one of their own, Bill Kristol? Apparently yes, as per the Weekly Standard editor's New York Times column of today, Dyspepsia on the Right.

[snarkybob]

“if McCain becomes the Republican candidate, Her Thighness couldn’t have gotten a more defeatable opponent if she’d picked him herself...”

That may be right, but what if Obama wins for the Dems.
I don’t think Obama can beat McCain in the general.

[lone star annie]

Kristol wants to be “in.” Get invited to parties and dinners and discuss what is going on “out there.” He does not have a clue as do most of the people inside the beltway.

Our elected politicians tell us that they are representing us, but in truth, they are representing government to us. They don’t care and if John McCain is the POTUS they will kiss his ring and hang out with him to be in.

I was watching a show on Showtime about Henry VIII. It is interesting to see the people around him struggle for influence and power. One opportunistic Lord said, “If you do not get to be in the presence of the king it is like being without sunshine.” The more things change the more things stay the same.

[America-The-Great-1967]

I agree with you. To have any voice at all conservatives are going to have to have a coalition of moderate and even some liberal voters who have a inkling towards 2nd amendment rights and pro-life issues. I returned last night from a super bowl party here in Texas, unfortunately most of the folks there were middle to left of center. Most were retired military and true patriots, but coming from working class backgrounds were highly anti cooperate. Nobody liked Obama, some luke warm on Hillary and most including myself were not happy with the Republican choices. McCain was begrudgingly the consensus candidate. One person was clearly anti Mormon so that person would not vote Romney under any circumstances. I will vote for the Republican Candidate, as I keep stating the supreme court and Iraq are my two most important issues. On both either republican candidate better represent my values and political wants than any democratic candidate.

[HardStarboard]

Kristol and his kind are in a panic. Conservatives still have the power to tank McCain - particularly if he becomes the Republican candidate.

McCain will win the nomination only by creating an alliance between moderate and liberal Republicans, independents and conservative Democrats. He can win the nomination without Republican conservatives.

But he will lose many conservative democrats, independents and some liberal Republicans to the Democrats in November when the Democrat nominee moves to the center.

McCain is already "in the center". He can't gain anything by moving left - or right!. If he moves left he loses moderate Republicans....if he moves right he loses the independents and moderate Democrats that gave him his nomination.

McCain has boxed himself in!!

[mrsmel]

I don’t think that Obama will win the ‘rat primary. The Clinton machine is not going to let that happen. As to whether McCain can defeat Obama—Obama may excite high ‘rat turn-out, but McCain will certainly suppress conservative turn-out—we may be a minority of Republican voters, but that minority may well be the margin of defeat if we don’t turn out to vote, or vote third party or write-in.

[Miss Didi]

Rush slapping Fred as we speak. RUSH: Fred, you used to be one of us...

[snarkybob]

“Most were retired military and true patriots, but coming from working class backgrounds were highly anti cooperate. “

Being from Southeast Texas, I know a lot of people like that, they tend to be very conservative Democrats. I don’t think they would vote for Obama or Hillary, so they’re voting for McCain.

[tumblindice]

I need a `GTH’ button on my keyboard. A Fred Barnes article was telling conservatives to `Grow up’ the other day.

[mrsmel]

Principles are an outmoded ideal in today's political world, don't you know, we are supposed to vote to keep the "R" in the White House, never mind what he'll do when he gets there. /s

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." --Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 1789.

[Inspectorette]

Rush slapping Fred as we speak. RUSH: Fred, you used to be one of us...

Fred's been sitting next to Mort for too long. Brit needs to move him over next to Charles Krauthammer.

[1Old Pro]

I’m still waiting for Kristol to say something substantive and of significance.

[mrsmel]

To me, securing the border is a large factor in national security and defense. And what conservative principles will ever be upheld when the 'rats have enough immigrant "entitlement" voters, added to our native ones, to ensure 'rat control of the White House and Congress in perpetuity?

[Inspectorette]

Being from Southeast Texas, I know a lot of people like that, they tend to be very conservative Democrats. I don’t think they would vote for Obama or Hillary, so they’re voting for McCain.

My brother-in-law is an old-school Hubert Humphrey conservative Democrat. He's grinding his gears at the thought of either Hillary or Obama, but when he gets in that voting booth, he'll dutifully pull the lever for one of them. No way would he EVER vote for a Republican :-(

[kcvl]

Kristol can KMA. He is just looking for a job in a McCain Presidency.

[America-The-Great-1967]

Since moving to and retiring in Texas I have been surprised by the number of Former/Retired Military who are DINO’s(not RINO’s).

[Man50D]

C]onservatives . . . can choose to stand aside from history while having a temper tantrum. But they should consider that the American people might then choose not to invite them back into a position of responsibility for quite a while to come

Kristol either forgets or chooses to ignore the history of this country was formed by our founding fathers based on Conservative principles. Kristol is also stating there are two distinct groups in the GOP consisting of Conservatives and those who are not Conservative. That other group who is not Conservative can only be Socialists and reflects the losing include everyone in the party mentality to expand the voter base for the sole purpose of winning an election strategy that has created the Republican party's predicament at the expense of Conservatism. What a bunch of bull.

[Joann37]

And the Beltway Boys (Fred and Mort) think we’re all racists because we want immigration law enforced.

[mrsmel]

Should McCain get the nomination and manage to win in Nov. where do conservatives go from there. The GOP leadership will rightfully claim that they can win without the conservatives, and the what?

Right. If they win without conservatives this election (unlikely scenario), conservative concerns will forever be written off from the Republican party platform anyway.

[citizen]

Kristol is a huge McCaniac.

Although he did go out of his way to compliment Romney yesterday on FNS. I found that to be quite odd, both the substance of his compliment and the lack of context as he launched into it.

Do you think he perhaps had already gotten a lot of negative feedback from his NYTimes column and was making amends beforehand?

[Republicus2001]

I think the reason Big Media wants McCain in there is because it would be cake to portray McCain as a crusty mean old white man v. Obama/Clinton. He'd be crushed as demos get out the vote.

With Romney that strategy is off the table.