Thread: Will repubs split 3 ways?

I hope the Republican party splits into pieces small enough to fit in my wrist rocket. Then I can hang Hannity, Rush, O'Reilly, Ingraham, Savage, and Coulter by their ankles, then I'll sit back in my chez lounge lawn chair, and if they talk I'll peck em' in the head with a Republican chunk till they stop making noise.

Seriously, they can't afford any split at all after the Convention. And they better not let it go on long the way it is. This is McCains first big test to see if he's a "uniter", because we all know if he doesn't qualify as that, he can try for the much less effective "decider" status.

Originally Posted by Thumpernovember

I think the far right is not the base. They a vocal minority that has benefited for years from an apathetic base. If everyone in the country voted I think you'd find that people are much more Moderate then the Dope addicts like Rush seem to believe.

Huckabee runs as McCain's VP and tries to appeal more to conservatives.

He may pick up some social conservatives - at the risk of alienating some moderate and business conservatives - as well as the libretarian wing. Huckabee has a surprisingly strong view of what Christians must do in support of the poor and in support of the planet.

Originally Posted by jojo

He may pick up some social conservatives - at the risk of alienating some moderate and business conservatives - as well as the libretarian wing. Huckabee has a surprisingly strong view of what Christians must do in support of the poor and in support of the planet.

Huckabee's immigration record won't win him any points with conservatives.

Originally Posted by Defensor

Huckabee's immigration record won't win him any points with conservatives.

Only the conservatives who care more about literal interpretation of the bible than they do about borders. Mitt may say the right things about the border - but I suspect that crowd wouldn't touch him.

Originally Posted by jojo

Only the conservatives who care more about literal interpretation of the bible than they do about borders. Mitt may say the right things about the border - but I suspect that crowd wouldn't touch him.

But don't you think Mitt and McCain will be mutually exclusive participants in the 2008 election? The two have been at each others' throats for months. At this point Romney is looking more and more irrelevant.

I could see a lot of Republicans staying home on election day for McCain regardless of his VP choice. They'd have to play a lot on Republican hatred of Hillary, but even that may not work out if influential Republican figureheads like Ann Coulter get their way.

Originally Posted by jojo

Only the conservatives who care more about literal interpretation of the bible than they do about borders. Mitt may say the right things about the border - but I suspect that crowd wouldn't touch him.

Were Huckabee not in the race Romney would have cleaned McCains clock. As it was the conservative vote was split by Romney and Huckabee. Conservatives do not like McCain because he legislates many many Liberal policies. Many conservatives will not vote for McCain. McCain cannot win the general election without the conservative vote.

Originally Posted by Defensor

But don't you think Mitt and McCain will be mutually exclusive participants in the 2008 election? The two have been at each others' throats for months. At this point Romney is looking more and more irrelevant.

I could see a lot of Republicans staying home on election day for McCain regardless of his VP choice. They'd have to play a lot on Republican hatred of Hillary, but even that may not work out if influential Republican figureheads like Ann Coulter get their way.

I agree - no way will those two team up. Paul and McCain would make no sense as well. Is there a repub who McCain could run with to rally the base? Dems traditionally have more members than repube - repubs traditionally vote more. If the far right peels away from the repubs - either the business right or the religious right - who will they coaleesce(sp) around? Can you really see them sitting it out?

That would have a huge effect on other races too!

Originally Posted by justoneman

Were Huckabee not in the race Romney would have cleaned McCains clock. As it was the conservative vote was split by Romney and Huckabee. Conservatives do not like McCain because he legislates many many Liberal policies. Many conservatives will not vote for McCain. McCain cannot win the general election without the conservative vote.

True - though the really right wing Christians do regard Mormonism as a cult - we had a similar incident in AZ with a Mormon running for governor. The head of the local republican party corected him when he called himself a Christian - and said that real Christians did not see Mormons as Christian.

Would the far right religious wing be likely to run a candidate - like falwell ran at one point? Or will they stay home? What if the repubs go with Huckabee as VP - that might bring in some religious voters, but it will really alienate the business wing - and raise taxes for social services.

Originally Posted by jojo

I agree - no way will those two team up. Paul and McCain would make no sense as well. Is there a repub who McCain could run with to rally the base?

Not really, considering McCain is the anti-base. McCain is a liberal Democrat who also happens to be a fanatical neocon warhawk wrapped into one self-proclaimed "Republican" package. The best he could hope to do is to try to neutralize this reality. Right now he leads the polls because the average voter thinks he is a nonpartisan "moderate."

Dems traditionally have more members than repube - repubs traditionally vote more. If the far right peels away from the repubs - either the business right or the religious right - who will they coaleesce(sp) around? Can you really see them sitting it out?

Of course. Only 64% of voters turned out in 2004.

The attacks on McCain will only escalate with time from both the Dems and the Right, effectively destroying any momentum he might have among already apathetic voters.

McCain will have to heal the rift on the party, something that always happens in parties with true open primaries, which hasn't happened to the GOP since 1980, when the country clubbers led by Dole and Bush tried to shut the Reaganites out.

The Democrats so routinely field such losers that they're used to that kind of squabbling almost every election.

So...McCain has to heal the rift. Would Huckabee bring McCain the needed Southern vote? Maybe. Would Romney bring McCain the northeast liberal republican vote? Maybe.

Maybe McCain will tap Paul on the shoulder and commit political suicide? Doubtful.

McCain needs to re-forge a link with Reagan conservatives and Democrats, and he's not going to do that with the jokers already being rejected by the voters.

I'm going to guess he's going to ask former governor of Michigan Engler to carry the Rust Belt and North East and satisfy the conservative needs for the GOP.

Just a guess, but here's Engler's Bio

Looks strong without too many rocks, and a low profile this year, which means few negatives in the peanut minds of most voters.