Conservatives want more candidates from stage right (i.e. We need Duncan Hunter NOW)

Dalla Morning News ^ | February 1, 2007 | Carl Leubsdorf

[GulfBreeze]

Republican conservatives are unhappy... don't have a presidential candidate.

...they don't see a "real" conservative in the top tier of the GOP field.

...may have to choose between a front-runner who professes fealty to conservative causes but whose devotion may be suspect or a lesser-known ...

The disquiet stems largely from polls showing the two front-runners ...John McCain of Arizona ... Rudy Giuliani, who supports abortion rights, gun control and gay marriage.

The fastest-rising contender ...Mitt Romney, ... once campaigned as a backer of abortion rights and urged a bigger role for gays and lesbians in the GOP.

In a column last month ... Republican pollster David Hill dismissed .. McCain and Romney candidacies ...

...that doesn't mean there is no GOP aspirant with a record that social conservatives could readily support. Sen. Sam Brownback... Mike Huckabee... James Gilmore... Duncan Hunter of California and Tom Tancredo of Colorado, are also wooing the right.

... Mr. Hill, who seemed mainly concerned with questioning the motivations of Mr. McCain and Mr. Romney. Both "possess some conservative credentials," he conceded, but "neither of them seems particularly interested in being the 'real' conservative."

"They are already moving to the center to win the general election, and this could be their undoing if a genuine conservative enters the fray,"...

The conservative dilemma is hardly a new one. Since Barry Goldwater's 1964 candidacy, the most conservative contenders – from Phil Crane in 1980 to Gary Bauer in 2000 – have usually lost the GOP nomination to more broadly acceptable candidates.

But one thing is clear: Republicans have tended to do better with nominees like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, who drew the enthusiastic support of conservatives, than with those who attracted less fervent backing, like Gerald Ford, the elder George Bush and Bob Dole.

...

[beltfed308]

Thanks for the ping. DH just needs more exposure and he has the time to get it done. Mclame and the ex-mayor will be on total defense as their history will bring close scrutiny from voters. DH doesn't have that problem.

[GulfBreeze]

...watching paint dry...

You should quit that. It gives off fumes. You'll think clearer if you quit.

[Lunatic Fringe]

We need some alternatives

Amen.

"Hunter contends that free trade policies directly impact America's manufacturing base and contribute to the country's burgeoning trade deficit."

He's a Lou Dobbs protectionist.

[MittFan08]

Is Thompson even healthy? He didn't look very good in the campaign spots I saw him do for Bob Corker.

[spectre]

And you're a George Bush open borders protectionist..

sw

[Emmett McCarthy]

Well, if it's Rudy, my quietly staying home could be described by some as a "tantrum", I guess.

[MittFan08]

The Duncan Hunter fan club on this board reminds me of the Russ Feingold or Wesley Clark crushes that many liberals on the internet got. They thought that if they just "spread the word" that the rest of the country would pick up on it.

The rest of the country didn't pick up on Feingold or Clark, and they won't pick up on Hunter either. There are 3 viable candidates- McCain, Giuliani and Romney, and there is no conservative candidate who will rally the troops. Tancredo will get the immigration guys, Brownback and Huckabee will split the social conseravtives, Gingrich will get his share if he runs. There's just no way Duncan Hunter will get noticed.

[RegulatorCountry]

"Duncan Hunter is about as exciting as watching paint dry."

There's always a lot of dramatic tension swirling around inside John McCain's head. Is this the sort of excitement you seek?

[marron]

Tepid, "moderate" Repubs usually don't sell well. Moderates don't attract cross-over votes from Democrats, as counter-intuitive as that is, bold outspoken candidates do.

Any Repub who wants the job had better be prepared to be outspoken in the face of a frantic media barrage. The only way to get past the kind of insanely hostile coverage we've been seeing in recent years is to be bold. The only way to keep the media from freezing you out, which we've also seen, is to be bold.

The only Repubs who will have a chance, whether they are politically "moderate" or conservative as the day is long, will be the one who can arouse and persuade people, and you can't so that if you're trying to thread the needle, split the difference, and fly low under the radar. I'm not pointing at any particular candidate, its something most Repubs are guilty of most of the time.

Thats why a Reagan gets elected with Dem voters crossing the line to vote for him, and a Dole candidacy never gets off the ground. Thats why, when Bush is outspoken and confrontational, he rocks, and gets things done, and when he is timid his poll numbers tumble and he loses control of the agenda.

Hunter sounds like a good guy. He's going to have to go bold or he'll never be heard over the media wall-of-noise. If he'll do it, though, he'll win. This doesn't just apply to Hunter; pick a name. Bold will win. Timid will get you crushed.

[penowa]

"At least the 'Pubbies would feel obligated to put up some resistance to Hillary!"

So far, the 'Pubbies in the House have not felt obligated to put up any kind of resistance to the Democrat agenda. The Senate seemed to start out that way, but it now looks like they will lay down and roll over for anything the Democrats care to do. I would not hold my breath expecting the cowardly creatures we repeatedly elect to put up any resistance to President Rodham.

[RegulatorCountry]

"There are 3 viable candidates- McCain, Giuliani and Romney, and there is no conservative candidate who will rally the troops."

So, you're of the opinion that McCain, Guiliani and Romney are not conservative.

[Condor51]

Many want to talk about needing someone "tough" on the WOT, then they follow that up with something STOO-PID, like ... Rudy!

Well, Horse poop on that. HERE'S someone who knows about FIGHTING an "asymmetrical war" Which in his day it was called 'Guerrilla Warfare'...

And waaaaaaaay back when. 'Old' Duncan was double timing it to a 'Jodie' like this.... (I'm gonna take some 'liberties')

I WAS an Airborne Ranger!
Lived a life of blood and danger.
I went off to Viet Nam
I killed old Charlie Kong.

So 'Tough on Terror'? Well ... meet a freaking AIRBORNE RANGER. And IIRC Duncan was also a LRRP (look up what that is). He could eat Terrorists for breakfast lunch and dinner - raw.

[btw, where was Rudy then??? Oh yeah, with his cousin.(snicker)]

[Antoninus]

Hunter Ping!

[Little Ray]

I certainly am of that opinion.
The most "conservative" of them is McInsane of CFR, Keating 5, and Gang of 14 fame. I wouldn't vote for him even if it definitely meant Hillary! would win. Mentally Ill people shouldn't be President.
Guiliani is an old-fashion New Deal machine Democrat. If he runs on reforming the government and ruthlessly fighting to win the War on Terrorists, I'll vote for him.
Romney is proposing something to rival Hillary-care. Wouldn't vote for him on a bet.

[Antoninus]

I'm still trying to understand why ANYBODY would think that a man who's spent most of his adult life in a safe congressional seat is the savior of the conservative movement.

Because he's the real deal. He's not a phony like Rudy McRomney. He's a decorated Vietnam vet, and has tons of experience on military affairs and border issues.

Do some research on Hunter's credentials. If you're not impressed, you're probably not conservative.

[zbigreddogz]

I notice Reagan didn't spend his entire adult life in a safe elected office.

[zbigreddogz]

Done. Still not impressed with some backbencher from a safe seat who's spent his entire adult life in Congress.

[DocH]

Duncan Hunter is about as exciting as watching paint dry.

Yeah, and we true conservatives are absolutely THRILLED with a NYC liberal bureaucrat with little hair, a speech impediment, a nervous tick (the uncontrollable, intermittent EYES WIDENING every few words when he speaks), and liberal views (not just ONE, but a virtual cornucopia of them, INCLUDING killing babies and grabbing guns) that would make most anyone over at DU proud!

If you want excitement, go play some video games with your new Playstation, and leave the voting to the adults.

[colorcountry]

You are doing a mighty fine job as master pingster.

Thank you.

and bump!

[Antoninus]

I get the sense that the base is going to throw something of a tantrum,

Are you channeling Peter Jennings or something? If the GOP puts up a liberal and he gets slaughtered in the general election because the base won't support him, how is that the base's fault?

The first rule of politics--if you want people's votes, try addressing the issues that are important to them.

The second rule of politics--if you aren't willing to follow through with rule 1, trying to coerce them to vote for you through fear of the other is a recipe for defeat.