LAT Continues Claiming Fred Thompson Is A RINO; McCain Sheds Top Staffers In Attempt To Resuscitate Dying Campaign

The Thompson thing is rather silly. I can't wait until the general election, when the LAT stops trying to frighten conservatives by charging Thompson is a liberal and starts trying to frighten moderates by charging Thompson is an "extremist rightwing ideologue." Then we'll be able to sample the LAT's previous claims about him.

As for McCain -- what can you say? The man seemed to absolutely delight in demeaning the very people whose votes he knew he'd be needing down the road. It's true that McCain is good on earmarks/spending/fiscal conservatisism -- but did he actually go into Righteous Crusader mode over that issue? Did he name names of his Senatorial porkbarrellers and hypocrites? Did he use his high profile and massive clout with the liberal media to bring this issue to the forefront of the national debate?

Of course not. Why? Because conservatives would have been pleased by such a crusade. And thus, for McCain, it lacked the tantalizing factor of angering his would-be supporters.

Rudy Giuliani displeases the base on abortion. Notice his style in doing so, however: He's low-key about it, he's apologetic about it, and he does not, in fact, insult conservatives for having a different (consensus) opinion on the subject nor attempt to mau-mau them in the liberal media for having that opinion. He does not try to badger them into changing their deeply-held beliefs; he tries to say "Look, we disagree, and I respect your disagreement with me, but look how much we agree on."

Whatever self-righteously self-destructive demons drive McCain, they make this sort of conservative-friendly pitch anathema to him. He's pro-war (thankfully!), but he cannot rouse himself to attack Democrats or wavering Republicans for abandoning Iraq to Al Qaeda and Iran. He's only capable of rousing to anger and relishing a fight if it's with conservative Republicans.

In his mind, if he's kissing up to Democrats and the liberal media, that's just "straight talk" and "bipartisan outreach."

If he's kissing up to his own fellow party-members, that's unforgivable pandering of the basest sort, and he just won't truck with such whoring.

I'm sorry, but we're just not looking for that kind of "leadership." We had two months of it during the amensty debate, and two months was plenty. We certainly don't need four or eight years of it.

posted by Ace at 03:23 PM

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