How not to win friends and influence Republicans

What won't John McCain and Mitt Romney find to fight about?

Yesterday Bob Dole -- wounded World War II vet, long-serving Republican U.S. senator from Kansas, failed presidential contender -- sent out a letter to talk radio host Rush Limbaugh defending McCain's conservative credentials, much in challenge by Limbaugh and other conservative microphones.

This morning in an interview on Fox News (that the McCain camp ensured political journalists saw), Romney was, shall we say, dismissive of Dole's going to bat for McCain. And you have to wonder about the wisdom of insulting a tribal elder on one of the most important primary days of your political career.

So as our colleague, Maeve Reston, reports, McCain wandered back to the press gallery before his chartered plane took off this morning from New York to San Diego and went to bat for Dole. McCain said he was "saddened and disappointed to see that kind of comment about a person who is an American war hero, who built our party, who served our party so well for so long.... Bob Dole has served his country in war and in peace in a way that all of us admire, and to disparage that, or criticize him in such a way, is just not appropriate, I think, in the minds of most Americans." Then McCain demanded an apology on Dole's behalf from the former Massachusetts governor.

Lo and behold, he got one, sort of ...

... though you just know the Romney campaign will insist there was no cause-and-effect.

Speaking to reporters -- including our colleague, Seema Mehta -- a short time ago, Romney said his remarks about Dole were incomplete. He said he had tried to call the former senator to explain himself but couldn't get through. (He was overheard by reporters making the call, Mehta reports).

"Sen. Dole is an American hero, a war hero, a fine man and a great leader of our party," Romney told the press gaggle after delivering a primary day talk to West Virginia Republicans in Charleston. "What I’m pointing to, and pointed to in my comment, was that the selection for our nominee based on someone having served in our senate a long time, and being seen as the person who deserves the nomination, did not do well for us in that election. It is that aspect, not Sen. Dole, that I’m referring to, both that aspect of choosing the person who’s been in the senate the longest and giving it to them out of a sense of obligation that I think was the error."

So, is that clear now?

-- Scott Martelle

Comments

[Paula]

Just vote for Hillary!

[Gloria Poole, RN]

Also, add this to this message. As of 11:32 am MT, the FEC [Federal Elections Commission that oversees federal elections] website for the Public Integrity of the US Dept of Justice, that is supposed to be a place to report suspicious election activity is also down from their usual site at:
http://usdoj.bov/criminal/pin.html, FYI. Please read the entire message as I am making all efforts to document what I believe to be election fraud in Colorado, as it happens today,in the so-called super Tuesday. Read on please. . .
signed gloria poole,RN

"Gloria Poole, RN" wrote:

From Gloria Poole, RN Tue Feb 5 09:19:45 2008
Received: from [67.102.59.59] by web30104.mail.mud.yahoo.com via HTTP; Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:19:46 PST
Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2008 09:19:45 -0800 (PST)
From: "Gloria Poole, RN"
Reply-to: gloriapooleRN@yahoo.com
Subject: SOS & Denver Post: Sec of State of Co website for voters is DOWN
To: Secretary@sos.state.co.us, johntemple@denverpost.com
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0-701136703-1202231985=:62033"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Content-Length: 4907

FYI, Sec of State Mike Coffman and Editor John Temple of The Denver Post:
just so you know, the Secretary of State of Colorado website that was listed in the Rocky Mountain News today to help voters find their precinct caucus this evening is DOWN. I tried twice to find the site listed in the online news as:
http://www.sos.state.co.us/Voter/voter.home.do/
and it is down. And the Colorado GOP site is down also. How is that possible? More shenanigans from the demoncrats? The manipulation of the internet with Bill Gates help via the Microsoft domination that violates the anti-trust laws of the US? The Hillary's paid hackers at work again ? For proof scroll to the empty blog entry, then scroll to the next following after entry on my blog at http://lifemedia-publishing.us/ for proof : see the little red words 'Hillary's hackers on the job' in the scrambled blog entry that her staff did to my private computer and blog. The illegal and abuse of power via the Patriot Act that she has available to her as a US Senator to hack websites and "radaremit"* to destroy hard drives?
The more I witness or experience government by democrats the more I hate socialism and government oppression and censorship! signed gloria poole, RN
*According to computer repair places, the US federal government is the only entity that has the power to use radaremissions to 'jam" computers of privately owner aircraft or privately owned computers.

[Monica]

When Romney speaks straight talk he is said to be rude and mean spirited. When McCain speaks straight talk he is said to have dedication and sticks with his principles. McCain is a liar and I am fed up with the media constantly holding McCains hand through this election process. McCain record speaks for itself. He is a self-serving person who wants the presidency for personal gain and power-trips. He shouldn't be trusted and is handing out favors to all the endorsees and to Huckabee. When the favors are repaid it will be a the expense of the American public. Huckabee supporter- ask yourselves one thing. If Huckabee really wants to be president and thinks he has a shot, why does he bend over backwards to please McCain andnever says anything to contrast himself with the 'front-runner' McCain. He is washed up, but just wants McCain to win so he can get some favors from him.

[Jeugenen]

AMERICAN PEOPLE TO BE JUDGE AND JURY IN THE TRIAL OF MC-CAIN FOR GOVERNMENTAL INCOMPETENCE AND DISLOYALTY TO HIS GOD AND CONSTITUTION

Amnesty for Illegal Aliens?
Sacrifice American Wealth and Blood for Israel?
Demonize the Christian Conservatives?
Sacrificial Killing of Children by Abortion?
Neo-Con News Media Propaganda against Conservatives?
Dirty Tricks to Defeat Romney?
McCain-Feingold Suppression of Internet Freedom of Speech?
Early Caucus for Neo-Con Advantages over Conservatives?
Un-Constitutional Wars to “Occupy Iraq for 100 Years” and “Bomb Iran”?
Tax and Spend Opposition to Bush Tax Cuts?
No Grasp of Looming Recession and Inflation Threat?
No Record of Any Significant Social or Economic Accomplishments, in his long and scandalous and contentious political career?

If Neo-Con McCain is such a pretentious Christian and patriot, insanely dishonoring his God and his Constitution, how can he ever be trusted to cherish and honor the American People?

That the Republican Party so justly stripped Neo-Con dominated New Hampshire and Florida of half of their delegates, as punishment for trying to trick the American People into believing that insane McCain is the leading candidate, is the first step to his final appointment with the Republican firing squad.

Google: Mearsheimer Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy; Stricherz Why the Democrats are Blue; Wall Street Journal McCain-Feingold; Human Events Ron Paul Interview; Who Would the World Elect.

[Shawn]

Hillary is NOT the answer either! All she is going to do is further empower those who do not deserve anything: Illegals and freeloaders (of all origins). I don't want to pay for health insurance for an illegal immigrant (who by being illegal is breaking our laws if we haven't forgotten), and I would hope you would agree!

Ron Paul is the answer, but unfortunately he has less than a snowball's chance...

[Dan]

I read Romney's retort at least twice and still didn't understand it. Looks like he dug himself into a hole here.

[Jes]

"Sen. Dole is an American hero, a war hero, a fine man and a great leader of our party," Dole told the press gaggle after delivering a primary day talk to West Virginia Republicans in Charleston.

So, Dole said that, or did Romney?
Sorry, but it's even less clear now.

[Matt]

Typo: "Sen. Dole is an American hero, a war hero, a fine man and a great leader of our party," Dole told the press gaggle after delivering a primary day talk to West Virginia Republicans in Charleston."

I'm guessing that should be "Romney told the press," despite Bob Dole's famous penchant for speaking in the third person.

SM: Yes, it should -- and does now -- read "Romney." thanks.

[Mike]

Oh my goodness... Isn't it amazing when a candidates true personality comes through? Rather than recognize Bob Dole for the hero he is, and for his years of dedicated service to the nation- Mr. Romney decides to focus the question on himself- dismissing Sen. Dole as "... the last person I would want to write a letter for me..." I wonder how many people have re-thought their support for Mr. Romney? In my book, Mike Huckabee and John McCain have a great deal more clarity and candor than that.

[Robert]

Vote for Hillary? The Clintons are the ones who have made this election about race and gender issues. Like we need that in America.

[jamie]

Actually, if you would bother to examine the subtance of the letter, Dole was not endorsing McCain and disagreed with many of his positions.

[Rich G.]

I don't see any help in the name calling, it just takes away from the issues at hand, I don't want a beauty contest I want a United States.

[Josh]

Worship at the feet of war heros.

[Rob Gilbert]

Clearly Romney said that and "Dole" is just a typo, but it's funny 'cause Dole does indeed have a tendency to speak about himself in the thrid person. SNL used to make fun of this back in the day when Dole was running for president.

[Randy Burrell]

I have been a republican all my 60 yerars. I have never voted for a democrat. I will however vote for one this year if John McCain is the Republican Party nominee. McCain is a dangerous, deceiving individual only interested in obtaining all the power that he can. Any American who loves this country should never consider for a moment voting for him. Before voting for him I urge you to do extensive research.

[Dave]

Is anyone even paying attention to these arrogant morons. These republicans so called plan is literally bankrupt. They had 8 years with Bush to do whatever in the hell they've wanted to. They've dropped the ball in every single way. They let terroists attack us and kill thousands. They let the perp Osama get away! They invaded a nation that did not need to be invaded because it was not a direct imminent threat. They destabilized the middle east and forced the price of gas to over $100 a barrel. Bush and you stupid racist inbred republicans are costing Americans $200 million a day and more in Iraq alone. You are neglecting our roads and bridges. You neglected people during Katrina. You are cutting funding for firefighters. You are cutting education. You are the most bankrupt group of arrogant fools on the planet. It's time for you to shut up and get out! It's going to take an Obama to catch Osama. It's going to take Obama to clean up the mess that Bush will leave behind. You had your chance republicans.

[MM Cooper]

Romney is just more of the same: politics of hate, raw ambition, selfishness and entitlement, and wimpy hair gel.

[D.B. Troester]

The writer has incorrect attribution in the eighth paragraph that starts "Sen. Dole is an American hero,..." It's attributed to Dole, when it is clearly a Romney quote. Oops!

[Justin]

While upsetting that Romney would blatantly insult Bob Dole, he has a point that what the former senator says isn't really relevent to this election. Romney comes off to me as an angry old man, very rigid to the old republican ideals that have not served our country well in the last decade. If I had to vote for a Republican, I would vote for McCain, he recognizes the mistakes made by the current administration and seems set to repair them while staying true to the core conservative ideals. That said, Obama 08.

[Nannette]

It is so simple. Tired of the lies, backbiting, computer hacking, cheating, name-calling, etc. etc., not to mention the war and the crashing economy, which are the real issues?

VOTE RON PAUL!

It's so simple.

[kaye]

Wow! I 'm from Arizona so I'm used to McCains "straight talk" that seems to come out of both sides of his mouth. The way he McSpins Romneys words are classic! And here he goes again with the Dole nonsense . Pullease don't fall for the McCain/Huckabee smear machine

[Skull Dugger]

Of course now the Repooblicans are self-destructing with petulant in-fighting - they can't handle the pressure. Time for a new face, a new vision, who will be able to sit down and negotiate peace with terrorists. Honestly, can you see the hate-filled Romney and McCain sitting down with those who are fighting the US? It won't happen with them. It will only happen with Obama.

[Tim Singleton]

McCain is like a Chihuahua who gets all trembly legged and tail wagging when the liberals and Babylon(Hollywood) lavish praise on him.

He lies. He is pro-amnesty, pro-tax and anti-free speech. Compromise on right and wrong is no virtue. Dole, unlike McCain, did not run about saying vote for me because I am a war hero. His record as a POW does NOT make him the better choice for president.

McCain can beat neither Clinton nor Obama.

[Link]

The American people were smart enough not to elect just because of being a war vet. Lets hope that we are smart enough again. Our country cannot stand another 4 years of Busch like deplomacy or mindset.
McCain would be the 3rd Busch in the White House.
Link

[Nick]

Mitt Romney insulted Bob Dole, got caught, and is trying to back track. Romney's key failing is that he's not a likable person- a trait that makes you a wonderful businessman, but make for a poor presidential candidate, especially if he were to become the nominee in a general election. Personality matters, just ask Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and even Barack Obama come to think of it. Voters like to vote for people, not just policy.

[K Love]

Ron Paul? Please, man relies on paying illegal immigrants to hold up signs for him on the side of the road. His candidacy is a joke, and aside from his very heroic war injury, so is Bob Dole.

[Rudy Vallee]

Romney is an idiot. He said Dole was "probably the last person" he would want to write a letter on his behalf.

He's not a real republican and he's just saying what he thinks conservatives want to hear. He didn't even know that conservatives absolutely love Bob Dole! Now trying to take his foot out of his mouth he puts the other one in.

Phony!

[Steve]

Wow, I now begin to see the simplistic views and purported "values" of R2ers (money and religion-as-control-tool RRight wingers): MY Money, MY God, MY Excuses for degrading and dismissing all others , MY Self-serving Version of the constitution, MY Holier-than-Thou Distain for community, MY Resource- sucking Mega-house, MY Hummer...Mine! Mine! Mine!

Has it not been predicted that the slippery slope toward American fascism (yes, a RIGHT-WING institution going back past the Romans) would be decorated in brain-dead media fanfare about "democracy." Here we are complete with wars of choice, egophrenia posing as faith all over born-again land and in the White House (while they rob us blind), and the eternal American economic drumbeat: "Mine! Mine! Mine!" slashing and burning its way from Alaska and Alabama to Afghanistan and Antarctica...just like the creepy scavengers in "Nemo." You and Mr. Limbaugh must take some serious prescriptions to sleep at night.

[cabbear2]

I personally don't care to talk or try to influence any group of people who can't stay out of my bedroom. I don't care to waste my time listening to the evil comments they spit out of their mouths.

[MD Hill]

The letter had more McCain negatives than positives. There was no excoriation of Limbaugh. Doles letter shines a light on McCain that cannot be ignored. He is a self- serving, unprincipled, pseudo-Republican liberal. Since he talks like this publicly, makes you wonder how vocal he was in the Hanoi Hilton. His outspoken condemnation of coerced interrogation may be explained by his hidden, self conscience embarrassment of it's effectiveness.

[Jason]

John McCain = 100 years of Iraq war and he is clueless about the economy.

Mitt is the phoniest hack in modern history.

Only a Democrat can fix America now.

[Martin]

Ann Coulter says she'll back Hillary over McCain, that's pretty clear that the Republicans have a choice. Democrats voting for Hillary might however pause for thought.

[Gordon E. Finley, Ph.D.]

One Path to the Presidency

Gordon E. Finley, Ph.D.

Both leading Democratic candidates repeatedly have emphasized “change” as a core theme in their campaigns for the presidential nomination. They talk of changes to improve the lives of women, Blacks, Hispanics, and children -- but I still am waiting to hear what changes they have in mind to help me, other white men, and boys specifically.

In October, 2007 David Paul Kuhn published The Neglected Voter: White Men and the Democratic Dilemma. The most important statistic in this book is that white males constitute the second largest voting bloc in America: “They [white males] make up between 36 and 39 percent of voters, roughly five times more than Hispanic male and female voters combined. White women are about a 5 percent larger voting bloc than white men…” (p. 6).

Listening to the acceptance and concession speeches following the Democratic primary in South Carolina last night, I heard no candidate speaking to us. Not surprisingly, Kuhn argues, white men vote Republican. Democrats seeking to win big on Super Tuesday next week might well want to begin by reading Kuhn’s book today.

To help them along, here are three critical issues for men. The first is job outsourcing and the economy -- focusing on jobs for men as well as jobs for women. The next is divorce and child support. The biggest negative consequence for men of past presidential pandering to the women’s vote is that federal law now funds the divorce and domestic violence industries that separate fathers from their children and transfer wealth from men to women. To regain the male vote of all racial and ethnic groups, Democrats must come to value boys and men, support marriage, discourage divorce by leveling the legal playing field, and encourage father-child relationships.

If this does not constitute change, I don’t know what would.

The third and most important long-term issue is the boy and man crisis in education. As widely documented, in K through 12, boys are losing ground to girls on virtually all indices. At the undergraduate, level men constitute at best 40% of college students, and at the graduate and professional levels they constitute distinct minorities in most fields.

What boys need is a massive change in social attitudes giving them the same kinds of social support and encouragement now given to girls. At the federal level, boys also need the same kinds of interventions designed to remedy and enhance educational attainment currently offered to girls.

So, what’s all this got to do with the path to the presidency in 2008? In my view, just as candidates began attending to the needs, wants, and aspirations of girls and women in the 1960’s, so too today, do candidates need to attend to the needs, wants, and aspirations of boys and men not only if they wish to win the Presidency – but far more importantly – if they wish to improve the quality of life for all citizens in 2009 and beyond.

Gordon E. Finley, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology at Florida International University in Miami. His faculty web site is: http://psych.fiu.edu/Faculty&StaffPages2/Finley/Finley.htm

[Becktemba]

Romney could have substituted the Name Dole for Kerry.

In each case, same presidential effect.

LOSER

[Martin]

It appears that the average poster on this page knows nothing of history, the US constitution and of common sense. It seems that when Europe invaded America it sent its religious fundamentalist crazy people as it's shock troops and their descendants are just as mentally unstable as the original settlers, worse still they appear to be considered to have worthwhile opinions.

America has been, and is, capable of so much better than this. It seems that starting with Reagan sanity has departed from a once great nation. We can all hope that it will return soon.

Romney seems to be keen to pick up the Reagan mantel but he is already part of a crazy cult so that's hardly surprising. Clinton's "faithful" appear delusional at best. If we stand a chance of a rational debate about America's future the best we can hope for is a debate between Obama and McCain.

[TlalocW]

Why do we have to automatically respect war heroes? I mean, I would never diss the sacrifices they made or make fun of what they went through like... oh, republicans did to Kerry in 2004... but a person's war experience is not the total culmination of who they are. They did things before, and they did things after, and I really don't have much respect for either Dole or McCain for a great number of reasons.

[Brian]

I just voted for Ron Paul!
"Not a single one is wasted, because a vote for Ron Paul is a rejection of the path America has been on-the path toward empire and bankruptcy-and an affirmation of the course set by our nation's Founders. We have a very good shot at the top slots in the caucus states, and even if Ron Paul doesn't finish first in the winner-take-all primaries today, he can still win national delegates from those states later."

"This fight won't be won, or lost, in a day-but it begins in earnest today"

[Steve]

Gordon Finley is right... the Democrats have their moral compass all out of whack, and far too many of the "ideals" they stand for actually have the effect of harming the people they should be helping! What happened to the Democrats being the party of the working class and of "all" the people?

Re: McCain, yes he is a Left-Wing Liberal in Republican's clothing. Why else would the liberal media support him like they do? Would they really support him if he truly held strong conservative political ideals? Not on your life!

Bob Dole and John McCain are heroes to our country for their military service, no question. That doesn't mean they should get an automatic pass to the presidency! Let's give Mr. McCain a huge "Thank You" and then let him retire gracefully with a nice government pension.

[bill]

flush rush..............

[K Love]

"I just voted for Ron Paul!
"Not a single one is wasted, because a vote for Ron Paul is a rejection of the path America has been on-the path toward empire and bankruptcy-and an affirmation of the course set by our nation's Founders. We have a very good shot at the top slots in the caucus states, and even if Ron Paul doesn't finish first in the winner-take-all primaries today, he can still win national delegates from those states later."

"This fight won't be won, or lost, in a day-but it begins in earnest today"

Posted by: Brian | February 05, 2008 at 01:15 PM "

Hahahaha... yeah, sure thing, Mr. Paul. I know it's you.

[Steve]

Professor Finley, you make so many very wise points. But, from my earliest days I have been appalled at the behavior of far too many (fortunate and unfortunate) American men and boys. Yes, many laws are written to rein them in.

I for one never had the penchant for domination and violence that seemed evident to me in so many as far back as the late 50s, and am delighted that that violence of deed and attitude is actively constrained by the legal system.

What you have not included here is the responsibility of men to lead boys out of an anachronistic birthright to dominate all others -- great for cave-dwellers, lowsy in coworkers, neighbors and family. In our true national sport, clearly football as you must know in FL, all things not male, dominating, and self-absorbed are broadly seen as inferior in locker-room after locker-room. I'd like to see your cure for that national epidemic.

To be blunt the most narrow, unimaginative, and bigoted of white men (I'm white too) still run the show in business, politics and organized religion. I'm glad the law holds them back from their McCarthy-istic leanings where they are supposedly the holders of all values and are born with license to dominate my life, or kick their wives, gays, people of color, immigrants, etc. around in a 50s culture of denial.

I've lived abroad for long periods and seen cultures up close and personal where machismo is not the entitlement it is here and is called out as an act of smallness and stupidity. The joke here is men always seem to prefer protection from this same violent stupidity (for example, from the horrors of prison life), but must generally retain this inane birthright to talk down to the rest of society.

I see this machismo and the issue you described as psychotic realities deep in our national Puritan psyche…with a commensurate response by the legal system to keep it in check for women, etc.

[amy]

Anyone who views McCain as someone above the dirty politics that infest Washington need to only look at the results from WV!!! Clearly McCain told his supporters to switch to Huckabee in the 2nd round of the caucus to prevent Romney from winning there. McCain obviously does not think Huckabee can beat him... what political candidate would tell his supporters to vote for someone he considered a viable opponent. McCain is scared - he knows that conservatives are angry and that Mitt Romney can beat him. Clearly McCain and Huckabee have some sort of alliance going on... and it must be stopped!!!! COME ON CALIFORNIA!!!! Don't be fooled by the so called straight shooter McCain!! If you want change within the GOP VOTE MITT ROMNEY in 2008.

[Greg deVeer]

Good time to be a democrat...

[DenisL]

Rush knows the Republican Part has gone astray and has drifted from its conservative moorings. I wonder if he is hoping for a brokered convention with none of the currently active candidates getting enough votes. We then have to draft someone.
I would suggest Ron Paul who remembers what Reagan believed in AND was endorsed by Reagan in 1978!
He also knows that the Islamic Jihad must be beaten but NOT by invasion of countries where a lot of innocent children are killed in the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Ron Paul also knows to cut spending first and taxes later so that the budget really balances and we can save Social Security. He knows what Ben Franklin said paraphrasing: "Those who give up freedom to achieve security, will achieve NEITHER."
I do not see why it is so hard to see that ALL of the top 3 active candidates are warmed over neocons, not worthy of the proud name of conservative.