No one.
That’s right. I will not publicly endorse any of the contenders for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination. Don’t get me wrong. They are all worthy contenders (mostly). I have just decided that 2008 is too important to me. If I endorse one candidate, I do so at the risk of alienating another. Given the prospect of President Clinton Part II, I will demur when it comes to any formal endorsements.
The GOP’s 11th Commandment is “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.” Ronald Reagan is often cited as the source of the 11th Commandment. In fact, it was the former California state GOP Chairman, Gaylord Parkinson, who conceived of the rule in 1966 during Reagan’s run for Governor of California. Parkinson was motivated by the events a few years earlier that plagued the GOP during Barry Goldwater’s presidential run against LBJ. Liberal Republicans, disenchanted with Goldwater’s conservatism, gave fodder to the Democrats with their words and condemnations of Barry. Parkinson was convinced that the Democrats needed no such assistance from within the party during an election.
Reagan owned the Commandment to the extent that he embraced it and made it an integral part of his political life from that point forward. The Gipper won respect from Republicans of all strains due to his refusal to pound away at fellow Republicans during campaign season.
I would be an utter hypocrite, if I described myself as a strict adherent to this commandment. I have always described myself as a conservative first and a Republican second. I believe that distinction is more relevant today than it was even a decade ago. I have freely chastized Republicans such as Chuck Hagel, Olympia Snowe, Arlen Spector and others who have, at times, abandoned basic Republican principles. You could argue that these folks have often violated the 11th Commandment themselves by casting doubt on other Republicans. I won’t use this opportunity to debate whether it is appropriate to denouce Republicans who denouce Republicans.
For the 2008 GOP primary, however, I am willing to call a truce. I have made some remarks about current contenders in the past. But as the threat of a Dem in the White House grows, I am willing to hold my tongue. As I survey the field of GOP candidates, I see no one (except Ron Paul who is a Libertarian, not a Republican) that should raise the ire of conservatives to the point that they should allow Hillary, Obama or Little John to take up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The issues at stake for 2008 are too critical. This is no time to protest the details when we are faced with bigger threats.
I am calling on all fellow Republicans to embrace the 11th Commandment. I cannot promise that I will not speak my mind in other races, but the White House must remain in the hands of a person that will stand strong and act against the forces of terror that threaten the very security of our nation. I am satisfied that any of our candidates (except Paul) will do that.
I will have my favorite candidate. I can honestly say that I have narrowed the field. But most of you won’t know who I will vote for when I walk into the voting booth for the Texas GOP Primary election. Why should it matter who I endorse? When November 2008 rolls around, I will vote for the candidate with the (R) beside his name. To that extent, my favorite is irrelevant.
I commend Steve and others who have active roles in the primaries. Their advocacy is part of the job. And I don’t want anyone to believe that my stance in unprincipled or wishy-washy. This public neutrality will be a first for me. But I fully believe that 2008 is an exceptional year with important ramifications.
In the meantime, I will implore my fellow conservative bloggers to avoid personally bashing any of the GOP contenders. There is too much at stake for us to allow a Democrat to be elected. I hope that, in the end, we will all be able to unite around the Republican candidate for President.
steveflesher
Philip
Mel Maguire
Mark Ciavola
Comments
Kind of agree with you, Philip. I’m just too provoked that we forfeited so much in the Congress. The Democrats didn’t win nearly as much as we lost. I’m pulling back on any projections on the Presidential.
Duncan Hunter 2008 y’all!
No he’s does not have Giuliani’s or Thompson’s name recognition, but he is the most principled candidiate on all conservative issues, got liberals to vote for him for many years in San Diego, built the fence between California and the border, promises to finish it, is a Vietnam vet, his dad is a WW2 vet, and his son is in Iraq now.
He pledges to fight off China and their sheisty trading and has thus far had the best speeches in rebuttal to Ron Paul.
Worst case scenario, Hillary wins in 2008. But at least in 2012, we can stay we stuck to our principles – no matter what kind of a shambles our country will be in – the kind of principles that this country will definitely need to repair it all.
But I support your non-decision Phil.
On substance, I like Duncan Hunter. I just don’t think substance carries the day in our modern celebrity-centric culture.
I think Rudy Giuliani is a miserable excuse for a human being, a complete bastard. But he could actually accomplish some worthwhile things in Washington, just as he made NYC almost habitable. On the other hand, I think Mitt Romney beats all contenders on personal character, but didn’t accomplish anything noteworthy as Governor of Taxachusetts. Mike Huckabee is too much of a nanny-stater, and as for McCain… where to begin?
I’ve reconciled myself that Hilldog will be the next president, and she will take office with an expanded Democrat majority, mainly because Republicans are out of touch and learned nothing from 2006. However, I think Hilldog’s one-term will be so incompetent and corrupt that it will remind a generation that’s too young to remember Jimmy Carter why liberal Democrats can not run a country. Her massive tax increases will kill the economy, and her incompetent foreign policy will cost American lives.
Then, it 2012, we’ll stick a real Republican Reformer on the ticket, like Sarah Paulin or Bobby Jindal.
It’s sad to say VK but you are correct. Not that anyone in particular is to blame, but Democrats have had the luxury of mulling Hillary over for the last 6 years as it has always been speculated that she would run someday. Now it’s finally happening and the media is fixated on it.
Republicans aren’t deciding fast enough — as a party — who represents us the best. I think it’s a good thing that we are that way though, that we take our time, and share different visions. But I’m afraid that the moderates of the country have already made their choice based on the fact that it’d be cool to have a female president and that we haven’t offered anyone solid in terms of one solid name.
We’ll see. But sometimes, Americans need a SAD reminder of what happens when Democrats are in charge.
Maybe I’ll just eliminate.
I would never interrupt a conversation with you, whomever you are, to talk on the phone.
In this day and age, especially, there’s no excuse for that. Sorry Rudy, I wanted you to wipe the Massachusetts floor with Mitt.
If someone personally stabbed me in the back for the sake of a Democrat; they won’t get my vote. (Mitt gave me a big, “Hi, Howaya!” at pretty costly party affair. When I reminded him that he had forced my retirement three weeks previously, he just bolted.) FU, Romney. We want a leader.
As I’ve said before, I really like Duncan. And Mike Huckabee has been a delightful suprise lately. If one of the second tier can break through, I’m all for it.
I am urging everyone to sit back, though, and consider the prospect of a Democrat controlled Congress along with a Democrat President. Nothing could justify that. If you think it will be ok until 2012, I have news for you. Once an incumbency is entrenched, it’s difficult to take it back. I’m not sure when we will take back Congress, but this election will be critical.
I’m not asking people to follow my lead. I’m not asking people to NOT endorse a candidate. I’m just asking folks to abstain from bashing the others. Let’s make this civil within the party and hope that the candidate with the clearest vision and message will lead us to victory in 2008.
Frankly, we can’t wait til 2012.
Granted I’ve just taken two Nyquil Gel Caps and am finishing a hot tottie, I truly believe in many ways we hurt our chances in the beginning by allowing Giuliani to become our front-runner. When you think of the things that make someone a Republican, theoretically and what each issue represents such as: guns, crime, life, taxes, national security — Republicans have won on all of those issues time and time again after the country endured periods of liberal administrations and control of both Houses.
By allowing Giuliani to be our front-runner in the beginning, I just think it may be a possibility that we missed our calling. At least for Democrats, they knew five years ago that it was going to be Hillary and now its still going to be Hillary.
Not having a massive cow about Giuliani in the beginning has virtually told the country that half of our issues aren’t important to us anymore; thus, stripping of us of any merit or solid ground to stand on.
Of course he’s BETTER than Hillary, but he isn’t better than Duncan Hunter, Mitt, Fred, or anyone else running.
And it’s not just us that is the problem. Fox News, Talk Radio, etc…it seems have gone out of their way to avoid mentioning the accomplishments of Hunter. I had to find most of those out for myself. For the sake of having a big name to debate about on Fox News, the good candidates have been pushed away from the headlines, and an actual good candidate like Hunter — even though he has won many straw polls — will not be served to us so that his arguments and accomplishments can be made more well-known.
So in many ways, our party has been poor in the way we have “stuck” to our values out of sheer fear that we just might lose to Hillary.
I agree Philip, waiting until 2012 would result in massive perilous times for America. But similarly, we know that being bombed by Iran or being attacked again by Al-Queda would be terrible as well. I do however wonder just how much of it has to actually happen before the rest of this country wakes up – including the media. Unfortunately, we might have to experience hard times again to realize how precious and good we had it.
I love Hannity, Coulter, and Limbaugh — but what happens for them if Hillary wins the White House? They have four years of “good business” for what they do. But it’s the regular folks like us that are going to feel the burn.