According to The Politico:
Two party officials tell POLITICO that the NRCC will continue to air TV ads propping up Scozzafava in the days leading up to the Nov. 3 contest and plans to keep up a near relentless barrage of press releases slamming Hoffman.
Click here to visit and donate to Doug Hoffman for Congress.
If Hoffman wins, what are the odds that we hear this from the NRCC: “We were quietly rooting for Doug Hoffman, and we were targeting our TV ads so that voters would grow weary of both major-party candidates and then vote for Doug Hoffman”?
Whatever.
If this were two weeks ago, there’d be more of an open debate. But this week’s McCormack-gate means:
When a conservative Republican is accused of breaking the law, the media unleash endless attacks on the Republican. The attacks will often occur even when then the accusations are false, or were settled 25 years ago. Or in Bob McDonald’s case, when the “crime” was a college thesis about which the media later lied, and when those lies were refuted by the fact that his wife had been a long-time “working mom.”
The media will apply the same treatment to a moderate Republican when necessary.
But entirely different rules are applied when the Republican politician is a through-and-through liberal, and when the Republican’s existence increases the likelihood of a victory by the Democratic challenger. In these cases, the hyper-partisan mainstream media will often pretend that the law-breaking event simply did not occur.
After an encounter the night of Monday, October 19, Dede Scozzafava’s husband filed a false police report regarding made-up verbal “attacks” by Weekly Standard reporter John McCormack. The campaign then lied to substantiate the false police report.
McCormack writes:
The next day, the Scozzafava campaign released a statement claiming that I “repeatedly screamed questions (in-your-face-style)” at the candidate. I didn’t. The Associated Press asked to listen to my tape of the event and confirmed my side: “The reporter didn’t raise his voice, but repeated his unanswered questions several times.”
On Oct. 22, NRO’s Jim Geraghty wrote, “It’s Time for Dede Scozzafava and Her False Police Report to Go.”
In New York, Dede Scozzafava — or, more specifically, her husband — has, at least on the face of events, filed a false police report when he called the cops on Weekly Standard reporter John McCormack.
I refer you to New York state law: S 240.50 Falsely reporting an incident in the third degree…
It’s not just bad taste, or stupid, or silly for Scozzafava to call the cops, hoping they’ll shoo away a reporter who is asking her questions she doesn’t want to answer. It is, depending on the discretion of the prosecutor, a potential crime. Cops who respond to false claims of crimes can’t be elsewhere, where perhaps real crimes are being committed.
The maximum penalty for a class A misdemeanor is one year in jail. Should Dede Scozzafava or her husband go behind bars for this? Probably not, but she ought to have the decency to withdraw from the race for Congress. Those who so casually break laws should have no role in writing them.
Predictably, the mainstream media not only ignored the event, but used Sarah Palin’s subsequent endorsement of Doug Hoffman to satisfy their plain odd desire to (attempt to) marginalize Palin. Two articles on the Palin endorsement: this Oct. 23 New York Times article, and this Oct. 23 article written at The Washington Post’s “Post-Partisan” blog by some absurdly partisan writer named Stephen Stromberg. Stromberg’s article was titled, “Sarah Palin’s latest blunder” and argued why the endorsement may “humiliate Palin.” That guy needs to get another hobby outside of bashing Sarah Palin.
The good news is that conservative support for Doug Hoffman is growing. Reportedly, on October 22, Hoffman raised $116,000, all on one day and online.
Recent endorsements include Palin, former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, former Senator Rick Santorum, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, and Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt. Fred Thompson endorsed, and to his credit I think the endorsement occurred pre-McCormack-gate.
The endorsement by Tiahrt — well-known for his pro-second-amendment views — more than compensates for the NRA’s endorsement of Republican Dede Scozzafava. To be fair to the NRA, it endorsed Scozzafava before her husband and the campaign decided to possibly break state law.
Oddly, Huckabee won’t issue an endorsement in the race. TPM ran an article titled, “Huckabee Doesn’t Endorse Hoffman In NY-23 — But Agrees With Him On Everything.” The article quotes Huckabee from a recent Neil Cavuto interview, where Huckabee said he won’t endorse anybody in the NY-23 race, but also effectively argued why only a Hoffman endorsement would make sense for him. Huckabee claims that because he will soon receive an award from the New York Conservative Party, that an endorsement of a Conservative candidate would somehow appear less-than-genuine.
Erick Erickson suspects bitterness from Huckabee toward Club for Growth and Fred Thompson. In 2008, Huckabee needlessly endorsed incumbent Don Young over (Club for Growth-backed) Sean Parnell in the Republican Primary for Alaska’s At-Large Congressional District; Young narrowly won that primary.
I have a feeling that on November 4 — the day after the NY-23 election — the most-search-for news item among conservatives will be the election results, and the second-most-popular news item will be the amount of money spent by the RNC and NRCC getting in the way of a good candidate.
______________________________________________________________
Benjamin Hodge publishes the Web site KansasProgress.com, based in Johnson County, KS, in the Greater Kansas City area. Hodge is a delegate to the Kansas GOP and a former state representative. You can join Hodge’s efforts on Facebook, through his personal Web site, on Twitter, and through his PAC.
October 25th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
When was the last time a conservative won a race in the Northeast in which the Conservative Establishment was heavily involved?
October 25th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
“Two party officials tell POLITICO that the NRCC will continue to air TV ads propping up Scozzafava in the days leading up to the Nov. 3 contest and plans to keep up a near relentless barrage of press releases slamming Hoffman.” As the GOP elite says F@#$ you to the Conservatives and the country as a whole, a Third party is starting to look real good. I was going to give a donation to the NRCC on November 4th and let bygones be bygones, but if the GOP is going to declare war on capitalism than I will refuse to give a single penny to the NRCC in 2010. I will instead give some of my hard earned money to Fred-PAC and Sarah PAC as well as other Conservative group. Thank you Mr. Steele for 8 years of Mr. Obama!
October 25th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
OJ,
Steele has nothing to do with this move. It’s the NRCC that’s putting the money up, not the RNC.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
NRCC, you’re not getting a dime from me this election cycle.
The NRCC needs to be boycotted until such time as it refrains from primary campaigns and from elections where Republicans essentially put up two candidates (NY 23rd).
October 25th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Well Tommy Boy, they may be two separate organizations, but they all national Republican organizations and I will punish them all for declaring war on capitalism. Not one pennies for the GOP Senators, NRCC or RNC if they do not clean up their act. The Republicans are simply pissing away money so that a Communist can come in second place ahead of a Conservative. If Mr. Romney, Mr. Pawlenty and Mr. Huckabee want to be on the right side of history they better pull up their socks and start supporting capitalists or we the people won’t soon forget their antics. If the NRCC was smart, they would pull out of the race and give the Conservatives a chance to win, but no, they are supporting a quazi-Commie wacko, and the party must be punished until it learns to behave and not act like the Dems. If they want a fight, a fight they will have.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
“The NRCC needs to be boycotted until such time as it refrains from primary campaigns and from elections where Republicans essentially put up two candidates (NY 23rd).” BINGO! Somebody wake me up when the GOP decides to promote capitalism.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
http://tinyurl.com/yfm4mcc
A little more evidence that the Daggett surge is real.
Please everybody, do all you can to get Christie passed the finish line in 1st!
Make phone calls..drive people to the polls..just do it.
GO CHRISTIE!!!
October 25th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Hodge,
Don’t drag Huckabee into this. Romney hasn’t endorsed either.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
#8: I’m not aware of Romney making a statement on it, though.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
And Huckabee endorsed Rubio over the NRSC-backed candidate. Nobody’s dragging Huckabee anywhere. There’s a legitimate argument to be made that there’s inconsistency on Huckabee’s part.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
“#8: I’m not aware of Romney making a statement on it, though.” Well, perhaps he should make a statement. If Mr. Romney is a fiscally responsible as he says he is than perhaps he blast the at the NRCC for wasting about a quarter of a million dollar on a Communist candidate who has no chance of winning anyway. It is funny how in a few year from now, Mr. Romney might want us Conservatives to back him in a general election against Mr. Obama. He can have my vote, but not my money.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Republicans didn’t put up two candidates. They put up one. Then a third party dork of a challenger that wasn’t picked decided to sabotage the Republican chances. I don’t like the way the NY state party handled either but they get to pick their candidate in their district when playing by the rules in a special election.
Now we are going to hand the seat over to a Democrat.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Don’t blame the national party for the decisions of a few party members in a single upstate district.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Their antics? Do you even have a clue what the hell you are talking about?
October 25th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
1970.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Adam,
You sound like a guy who’s been working in DC way too long.
When you call Doug Hoffman “a third party dork of a challenger,” you only sound bitter and worn-down.
And your comment here doesn’t make any sense: “Don’t blame the national party for the decisions of a few party members in a single upstate district.”
The RNC and NRCC are throwing a million dollars at this race for a candidate who is to the left of the Democratic candidate, and a quarter of million dollars of that after their candidate acted in an illegal, classless manner.
Which safe Republican congressman do you work for, Adam?
October 25th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
When you get an envelope in the mail from the NRCC, use your sharpie and let them know why you are not donating to them. Then send it back in the postmarked envelope they gave you. Let them know they lost your support.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Benjamin,
I am bitter and worn down. Our side has been losing since 2004.
RNC and NRCC has job. That job is to elect REPUBLICAN candidates. Hoffman didn’t get nominated. A third party conservative challenger in a nearly 50/50 district only hands the Democrats a victory. Hoffman should never have run after he wasn’t chosen by the committee.
I don’t work for any congressman. I work for a television news station.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Ohio Joe (abvove) says it better than I can. But I’ll add in my simpler words: The title “Republican” needs to stand for something. I hate rooting against the “R” person. It’s totally against my nature, and I don’t plan on doing it very often. But it appears necessary, this time, in order to convince the GOP that there has to be standards.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
“Their antics? Do you even have a clue what the hell you are talking about?” Standing by and saying nothing while the party throws a quarter million dollar on a losing RINO cause qualifies as antics for me.
“Don’t blame the national party for the decisions of a few party members in a single upstate district.” Well then the national party should not be so supportive of ‘a few party members’ This is not much short of a declaration of war. Is the party willing to spend that much money in countless district on the federal and state level where we have real Republican candidates? They crossed the line this time and they need to stand down now before they make things worse!
October 25th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Adam is correct here. The job of the NRCC is to support the Republican candidate in a given election. I like Hoffman, and probably would have donated to his campaign and voted for him if I lived in that district. But I don’t fault the NRCC for supporting a GOP candidate over someone who chose to bypass the GOP and run as a third party option. We tread into dangerous waters when we call on our party’s national campaign committee to start supporting (with GOP funds) local people who didn’t think we were good enough to join in the first place.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Exactly right. This could be a pandoras box. We don’t need this to start a trend of other third party campaigns. That only leads to electoral defeat for Republicans. And for all of you True Believers that don’t care about the Republican Party and identify more readily as “conservative” – just know that without the GOP exactly ZERO of your conservative ideas that you hold near and dear have a snowball’s chance of being implemented.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
“But I don’t fault the NRCC for supporting a GOP candidate over someone who chose to bypass the GOP and run as a third party option.” He only chose to run Third party after some hacks refused to allow him to run in the democratic process.
“When you get an envelope in the mail from the NRCC, use your sharpie and let them know why you are not donating to them. Then send it back in the postmarked envelope they gave you. Let them know they lost your support.” With respect Texas, I think that the GOP leadership may pretend to play dumb, but I’m sure a few of them read race42012, they know how mad we are without us having to send them envelops with no money. However, if they really make me mad I might just send them an empty envelop instead of just throwing them in the garbage.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Dede Scozzafava is the real Republican candidate. Like it or not.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
OJ
“He only chose to run Third party after some hacks refused to allow him to run in the democratic process.”
Would you be just as angry at the NRCC, and just as sympathetic to a liberal Republican as you are to Hoffman, if a Conservative candidate were undemocratically handpicked by a local GOP committee instead? Are you upset at the process or are you just upset that your guy wasn’t chosen?
October 25th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
OJ,
He doesn’t understand the process.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Or I should say to AJ,
OJ doesn’t understand the process.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
I hate me some Dingbat Dede, but y’all crackheads if you expect the GOP to be funding Hoffman. If Hoffman wants GOP money, he should run as Republican. Just because you’re a ‘conservative’, doesn’t mean you’re a Republican (that should be obvious really).
October 25th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Well Alaska Jake, I am not happy with the process. Yes, I am extra mad that their is an extreme Leftist chosen by that process, but I would not be very proud if a Conservative were to be chosen in this manner. What the national Republicans are saying is that they are willing to throw money at a person who could not win in a small d democratic primary and that are also willing to throw money at a person who has no clue about capitalism and Conservatism. So in short the national party is wrong on both counts and frankly this undemocratic behavior is a disgrace to our country and I am not going to spend my money to support it.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Adam and Alaska Jake,
I’m mostly with you, and if this were two weeks ago, we might not be having this discussion. I have few expectations upon a party to support a different party. But there are decisions to be made about by any political party about where to direct precious resources, and this should probably not be a race where a large amount of resources are spent, as of last week.
But what you’re not acknowledging is the fact that the GOP nominee did something that was arguably worse than getting a DUI during the campaign. At least during a DUI, one can make the argument the he was drunk — this was an intentional violation of state law, and 12-24 hours later there was an intentional decision by the campaign to justify/lie about the false police report.
Let’s say Dede wins the election — If the Democrats have any sense, they will make everyone in New England aware of the fact that this false police report was filed, so much so that Dede will not win in 2010, under any circumstances.
This argument is little about the NRCC spending money on behalf of Hoffman. It’s the continuing decision to spend money on behalf of the R nominee, the decision to continue attacking Hoffman, and after a major campaign mistake was made, when these resources are better spent elsewhere.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
“Just because you’re a ‘conservative’, doesn’t mean you’re a Republican” OK, but then don’t ask me for money to support such undemocratically chosen candidates. I understand that the GOP cannot donate money to Mr. Hoffman, but it does not have to throw away money on some joker who essentially is committed to sabotage our party and the capitalist values that most Americans hold. Trust me, if the GOP stood back withheld money to both candidates, things would get sorted out rather quickly.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Who even knew about this election before Palin endorsed Hoffman? I’m very Conservative and I’m sticking with Gingrich and the Republican party, we have to stop this complete takeover in our Government. Third parties have a history of making way for the Democrats to win. It happened in Oregon’s Governors race that elected a very Liberal Democrat as the two conservatives split the vote, it’s happening in N.J., and remember Ross Perot split the vote with G.H.W.Bush allowing Clinton to become President with only 43% of the vote.
BTW: Why is Palin off limits, who cries foul when Romney, Huckabee, Pawlenty, and Gingrich are bashed? Gingrich and Pawlenty were bashed all day yesterday because they wouldn’t betray their Party, Palin betrayed her Party why should she should be praised?
October 25th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
30,
The “false police report” charge isn’t going to anywhere. We’re talking about a woman candidate and a male reporter. Remember the Clinton/Lazio debate? Scozzafava can plausibly claim she was being intimidated. I think that it’s a stretch for her to say it – but you’re not going to be able to argue that it’s impossible that she perceived it to have occurred.
And anyway the meat and potatoes of your argument and the argument of the conservatives has nothing to do with a call to the police.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
“and this should probably not be a race where a large amount of resources are spent, as of last week.” BINGO
“This argument is little about the NRCC spending money on behalf of Hoffman. It’s the continuing decision to spend money on behalf of the R nominee, the decision to continue attacking Hoffman, and after a major campaign mistake was made, when these resources are better spent elsewhere.” BINGO, this has nothing to do with Mr. Hoffman anymore, it has to do with the management or mismanagement of the GOP. The NY GOP is a mismanaged institution and rewarding it financially for that mismanagement is not going to encourage good management.
GOP: Either manage yourself or stay out or my wallet. Take your pick.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
She is NOT sabotaging the party! Jesus Christ! She would be a very small minority holding left-of-center views among the GOP if elected. The party gave money to Chris Shays and Jim Leach. They weren’t any different. You True Believers didn’t care when we had the MAJORITY. Well guess what. Gingrich is right. To get the majority we need a big tent and that means picking imperfect candidates in marginal districts.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Hodge,
What are you hearing about internal polling? You seem pretty optimistic about Hoffman pulling a victory here (as am I).
October 25th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
If Palin were a team player should would have kept her big stupid mouth shut. Team players don’t support third party candidates.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
36,
How the hell is Hoffman going to win when he is splitting the Republican vote in a district that just voted for Obama?
October 25th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Adam,
You are misreading the district. It’s the opposite of what happens in the South. The voters in the district are much more amenable to Democrats in presidential elections than they are in Congressional elections.
As of right now, Hoffman only needs 70% of the GOP vote to win this thing outright because this Dede character is taking about 20% of the Democrat vote. 60-65% of the GOP vote may be able to get HOffman to the 40% that is necessary for a victory.
What seems to be happening is that Hoffman is winning all the conservative indies but not doing well with conservative Republicans.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
“Gingrich and Pawlenty were bashed all day yesterday because they wouldn’t betray their Party, Palin betrayed her Party why should she should be praised?” I’ll put both my ideology and country ahead of my party; go ahead Bash away.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Check out the final two questions in the Kos poll as well: a plurality of 43-48 year olds in the district oppose gay marriage. We can deduce that the district is very socially conservative but economically moderate/liberal.
Hoffman isn’t winning over enough pro-life Republicans (but somehow he’s winning pro-life indies).
October 25th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
It’s kind of funny but the 2008 Huckabee is a great fit for this district. Neither HOffman nor Dede is a perfect match for the district as was McHugh.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Maybe I am misreading it but I’m not convinced that I am. The district is 42 percent Republican and 31 percent Democrat. And it still voted for Obama. I find it tough to believe that Republicans who would cross over FOR OBAMA would cross over for someone that comes across as a far right candidate.
Yes, I know that McHugh got 65 percent of the vote in his last election – but he has been representing the district since 1992. In an open seat, two way race with a generic D and a generic R it is no guarantee that generic R would win. So I have my doubts that Hoffman is going to pull any more than 25 percent of the vote on Election Day.
October 25th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
It is good to have you so courageously promote Conservatism, Tommy Boy. I noticed how the moderate on another site accused you of essentially taking bribes. You are getting under their skin for them to be so desperate and unable to argue the facts.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
People are leaving the Republican party to become independents, they are leaving because they want more of a choice. It doesn’t mean they aren’t Conservative, I think it means maybe that they don’t like the real hard right turn the Republican’s are trending. Like having to be the right Religion or you can’t be pragmatic, or compromise because that would be selling out your principles. Just listen to Rush for a day and I’ll rest my case.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Adam,
Kerry and Gore won 47% in the district as well, so it’s not as if there weren’t a significant percentage of crossover Republicans for them. Perhaps the Republicans in the district see the national GOP as too close to Wall Street, etc. and that’s why Bush and McCain were unable to put up numbers that were even comparable to McHugh’s numbers.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
“I noticed how the moderate on another site accused you of essentially taking bribes.”
LOL. It’s all good fun over at HHR JOe.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
“The party gave money to Chris Shays and Jim Leach.” Neither one of these two are my favorite characters, but at least they are both significantly to the Right of Stalin (unlike Queen Dede.)
October 25th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Hoffman will win this race. This I am confident of.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Ohio Joe,
You’re wrong. Leach and Shays were similar in ideology to Scozzafava. Scozzafava got an A rating from the NRA and she voted against Paterson’s budget in Albany. She also signed the tax pledge.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
“Hoffman will win this race. This I am confident of.” I am hopeful, but not confident. The good part is that the GOP has the least chance of winning of the three, so at least the clowns who run our party will have to sit up and take note.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
“Ohio Joe,
You’re wrong. Leach and Shays were similar in ideology to Scozzafava. Scozzafava got an A rating from the NRA and she voted against Paterson’s budget in Albany. She also signed the tax pledge.” Getting A from the NRA is certainly not a bad thing, but that is the first good thing I have heard about her. As for voting against Mr. Paterson’s budget, it would be a bloody freaking shame if she even though about voting for that farce of a budget. As for her signing the tax pledge, I am sorry, but I simply do not trust her on that.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
So to be a Republican, one doesn’t need to have any particular opinions or values. If one wants to put an “R” after their name, that’s good enough. The Republican party must win at all costs!
Obviously, I’m being sarcastic. I’ve always rooted Republican, but I want them to stop supporting the Scozzafavas of the party. If not this way, how?
October 25th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Adam if you identify with Scozzafava that’s fine.
You can send her money or vote for her if you’re in her district.
However I believe power-hungry unprincipled politicians like Scozzafava ARE THE PROBLEM.
Those sorts of corrupt politicians took us from a majority to a minority.
These unprincipled politicians are why most voters think Republicans don’t stand for anything.
If Republicans want conservative support they have to earn it.
October 25th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Just curious. . . Is there any proof other than the word of the reporter that Scozzafava filed a false police report? I ask because some people are immediately taking the side of the media over a GOP politician and I’m wondering if it’s because she really did file a false report or if it’s more a case of wishful thinking.
Also, Doug you call her corrupt and unprincipled. I don’t know much about her except what I read on this site, so maybe you can fill me in on how she’s corrupt. As for unprincipled, I have to disagree. She may have differing views than you or I do, but unprincipled would be if she abandoned her own views and pandered to the conservatives. She definitely hasn’t done that.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Torching the Big Tent
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/opinion/26mon3.html?pagewanted=print
Hoffman silent on local issues
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20091025/NEWS03/310259942
Interview with Doug Hoffman
http://jumpinginpools.blogspot.com/2009/10/just-talked-to-candidate-for-us.html
Take back the Party!
by Doug Hoffman
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/take_back_the_party_ASPo06GnWtIO2Wsstyd3NM
Collins stumps for GOP hopeful
HOUSE RACE: Maine senator attends rally to support Scozzafava
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20091025/NEWS05/310259926
Scozzafava’s husband called cops on pressing reporter
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20091020/NEWS09/910209974/
October 25th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Jake in Scozzafava’s case we’ve got someone with a long record of left-wing policy positions.
She reported to have considered running in the Democratic Party recently. Her ‘principles’ are obviously broad enough to fit within any party (including the NY Working Families Party).
I’m bothered by the corrupt process where a few men in a smoke filled room selected her.
I don’t know if Scozzafava is corrupt but she comes from a corrupt process and is propped up by the same crowd that gave us scandals on Capitol Hill.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:10 am
#55 alaska jake
She’s being called a “Liberal Republicans”, which hasn’t been used since 1998 they are now called Moderate Republicans. Scozzafava is not conservative enough for me, but in all fairness some of the stuff written about her has been false, like believing in Cap and Trade, and raising taxes and things. I’ts hard to find anything good about her, but I listened to Gingrich on a video talk about her at a book signing event. Her Wikipedia is crazy, looks like it’s been changed.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:18 am
I don’t like how our party recruited a poor candidate like Scozzafava, but by and large folks this looks like an anomaly. We’ve been getting plenty of great recruits nationwide for Congress next year. There’s always going to be one or two duds in the batch. I know I’ve been pretty critical of her, as any of us have a right to be certainly with the way she’s been handling the situation.
I don’t know, I’m really loathe to jump in and denounce any one side. Hoffman getting Palin, Santorum, Bachmann, etc really makes me step back from him for that matter. So I think it’s an uneasy situation for the party and for most Republicans. It’s another battle between the party and a new conservative movement that Obama himself has given birth to. If that movement finds its Goldwaters and its Reagans it just may rise to dominance, otherwise the party will edge it out, absorb its useful elements and members, and move on. The party does need to get serious however about its vision. If a Reagan comes along to shake things up, that’s great, but if not, and the party is still not serious about things, then we may find ourselves lead by fringe conservative elements.
In real terms: Scozzafava’s gotta get down and start in on major national issues, those things that are most on her constituent’s minds – a return to fiscally-conservative government, recovery by investment, not by rabid spending, etc. The party as a whole needs to, or it’ll only let the fringe take control.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:55 am
I wish the party had not chosen Scozafava, however, they did. Hoffman jumping in, and people like Palin jumping on board for him just assures the democrat as being elected in a district in which that should never have happened. What a mess!
Hopefully, one thing that will come of this is that after the democrat gets elected it will help wake up some people that third party candidates will totally dessimate any ability for the GOP to come back and regain its power.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:10 am
It is the NRCC’s duty to support GOP candidates not 3rd party challengers. No matter how much not jobs like Joe would like otherwise. I have no doubt that i would support Hoffman in a primary but splitting the gop there is a losing strategy.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:46 am
“but splitting the gop there is a losing strategy.” Well, then Queen Dede should step aside if we are worried about vote splitting at this point.