Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
K. T. McFarland at home on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Posted on 03/02/2006 11:15:28 PM PST by neverdem
It was supposed to be a marquee Republican campaign of the 2006 elections — a fusillade-style effort to defeat Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, which, even if it did not succeed, would excite donors nationally, raise millions for the party and perhaps weaken Mrs. Clinton before the 2008 presidential race.
Instead, to the chagrin of Republicans in New York and Washington, the party has not recovered from the December implosion of Jeanine F. Pirro's campaign against Mrs. Clinton. Republicans have been desperate for a credible challenger, while party leaders in Washington have tried to fill the vacuum by attacking Mrs. Clinton as "angry" and "brittle" — criticism they wish was coming from the campaign trail in New York.
To put it nicely, the Republican game plan is nowhere after a year of strategizing and overtures to at least six potential challengers. One of those challengers even calls the selection process "a Keystone Kops operation," and the only Republican now running, John Spencer, denounces "party elitists" who are against him.
Just weeks ago, Mr. Spencer looked poised to be the challenger, with a record of accomplishment as a former mayor of Yonkers. But with a caustic manner and a history of marital infidelity, Mr. Spencer may foil the party's drive for female voters and match up badly against Mrs. Clinton, some Republicans say.
Those Republican critics are now coalescing around a late entry: Kathleen Troia McFarland, 54, a protégée of Henry A. Kissinger who has not been in public service since working as a Pentagon spokeswoman under President Ronald Reagan. Yet Ms. McFarland, known as K. T., is pretty green: She has been a stay-at-home mother since 1985, and was drawn to the Senate race only because she already believed she was going to lose her bid for a Congressional seat on...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Sounds like a winner to me.
LOL! I'm not sure how to take that. Was that for real or sarcasm?
Are they kidding?
With those traits, he is Mrs. Clinton!
LOL! But Hillary was the victim of Blozo's infidelity. Look what it got her.
Pubbies are tripping all over themselves looking for women candidates. I still like Spencer.
Spence would run the best race, he's got a no fear of who he is up against.
I gotta think that two words would revolutionize this race...
Ru-Dy
Imagine if Rudy would come to the aid of his party and run against Hillary!
I suspect he would trounce her.
But he doesn't want to be a senator...he really wants to be Prez.
It seems to me that if he did take out Hillary!, he would actually increase his chances in 2008. (I'm no Rudy guy, just thinking this outloud)
He would be a sitting senator, and the Hero of NYC/9-11.
He would also earn some street cred from the party faithful for slaying a dragon on their behalf.
Even some of the "social conservatives" might be inclined to give him reserved support for his services...maybe.
then again, maybe the world is a better with Hillary the dingbat representing the Democrats on tv every night...
scratch that...if rudy really wants to run for prez he should run for Gov of NY first.we need to keep hillary in the senate for the fundraising she generates us...hehe
Funny, that's Hillary's goal ass well. So why not run RU-DY? Either way the New Yorkers get shortchanged.
He'll lose horribly, but he'll do better then Pirro would have, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him get more votes then her.
It would be too difficult and too risky.
If he lost, he'd be all but out as a Presidential candidate, and if he won, he'd have other duties to attend to other then campaigning and fundraising, and if he ignored his Senate duties, he'd be beaten up by everybody for not showing up for work. Let's not be hyporcitical, we did that to Kerry and Edwards all day long in 2004.
I'm not a Rudy guy either, at least not for President, but it's pretty clear why he doesn't wanna run.
I hope he serves as Secretary of State for whomever Republican wins in 2008. How would you like a Secretary of State that once kicked Yassir Arafat out of a party?
Wanna know what would have been the greatest? Had he run for Senate against Schumer in 2004.
Man, would that have been amazing! He would have crushed him too.
Spencer for Senate ! Accept no liberal substitutes.
Guess his role model is thrice-married Mayor Rudy who dumped his first wife when he met his second, then demanded his second wife move out so his mistress could move into Gracie mansion (/sarc).
Absolutly correct.
without that, his chances on the National stage are low to zero, despite what the NE well wishers wish.
If he lost??
Hey, if he lost to Hillary in his own homestate, then how could he win a national election against her?
He who loses his own state IS a loser.
His not running makes him suspect to many.
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