quote:

Originally posted by daDieken:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_ny_special_election

ALBANY, N.Y. – In a Republican Party struggling to find its identity, the surprise withdrawal of the chosen GOP candidate for a New York congressional race — forced by a rising conservative upstart — renews a lingering national debate: Are moderates welcome in today's Grand Old Party?

The question became even more relevant Sunday when the ex-candidate, state Assemblywoman Dierdre Scozzafava, threw her support behind the Democrat in the race rather than the Conservative Party candidate favored by fellow Republicans.

The GOP leadership insisted on Sunday political TV talk shows the party is strong and inclusive while Democrats described a Republican party out of touch with the people.

"We accept moderates in our party, and we want moderates in our party. We cover a wide range of Americans," said Republican House Leader John Boehner in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union."

But in New York's rural 23rd Congressional District, the message was clear early: Scozzafava was too moderate; some even used the dreaded "L" word — liberal. Her endorsement of Democrat Bill Owens over Conservative Doug Hoffman only reinforced that perception.

During the campaign she failed to connect with voters, party officials or, perhaps most important, campaign donors, largely because of her support for abortion rights, same-sex marriage and union rights. That opened the door for Hoffman, who took every opportunity to remind people that Scozzafava was not the kind of Republican they wanted representing their interests in a Democrat-led Congress.

Even before Scozzafava's fall, Republicans looking to broaden the base by attracting more centrist candidates worried that the harsh tone in the 23rd spelled trouble for the future, particularly the 2010 midterm elections.

"If we don't get some adult supervision, basically the party could explode and split itself up," said former Virginia Rep. Tom Davis, chief executive of the Republican Main Street Partnership, just days before Scozzafava withdrew.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich had the same concern, and that's why he endorsed Scozzafava early in the race. As other Republicans threw their support behind Hoffman's momentum, Gingrich argued that the party needed to be more inclusive of moderates if it had a hope of retaking the majority.

He told The Associated Press he was disappointed, and "deeply upset" that Scozzafava endorsed Owens.

"How could she have accepted all that support?" he said, adding later: "I'm very, very let down because she told everybody she was a Republican, and she said she was a loyal Republican."

Gingrich now backs Hoffman.

Scozzafava's support of Owens is angering Republicans back home as well. State Republican chairman Ed Cox said her endorsement is a "betrayal" of the people in the district and the party.

A recent Siena College poll showed her finishing a distant third behind Owens and Hoffman. And in this upstate New York district, Republicans never finish third. In its different configurations over the years, a Republican has represented this part of New York since 1852.

Scozzafava did not return calls Sunday. Her husband, local labor leader Ron McDougall, said he's supporting Owens because of his union positions. He said his wife had been treated "harshly."

During the weekend, New York Democrat Sen. Charles Schumer and the White House reached out to Scozzafava urging her to back Owens.

Big-name Republicans including Sarah Palin, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson weighed in early in the race, giving their support to Hoffman. Money poured into his campaign from all over the country. In the process, Scozzafava was left behind in fundraising.

Democrats are seizing on the race as evidence that Republicans won't be able to retake the majority with a far right agenda.

On CBS' Face The Nation, White House senior adviser David Axelrod addressed whether he believes conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh truly represents the direction the GOP is going.

"That's for the Republican Party to decide," Axelrod said. "I think we've seen an interesting development over this weekend in a special election in upstate New York in a congressional district. The Republican candidate withdrew because of the strong third-party movement behind a very right wing conservative. And certainly Mr. Limbaugh and others were behind that. And I think it sends a clear message to moderates within that party that there's no room at the inn for them. That's why you see Republican identification in polls at a historic low."

And Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to President Barack Obama, said Republican leadership is "becoming more and more extreme and more and more marginalized."

John Brabender, a veteran Republican consultant, said it's dangerous to lump people together by label and suggest there's no room for moderates.

"I think it's about how moderate, and how likely are they to be voting with Republicans," he said. "I think it would be too grand of a statement to say moderates have a target on their back."

Brabender said the outcome of Tuesday's race will be key as Democrats and Republicans fight for what will be perceived as message-sending wins in this and other off-year races. Democrats will try to scoop up any disenfranchised moderate Republicans, while Republicans will argue that this is the year the political pendulum swings back to the right.

"There's a renewed belief that the Republican Party has a number of principles and people are going to look at the candidates running and look at the consistency of their principles rather than if they have an 'R' after their name," Brabender said.

A Republican loss in the 23rdwould leave the party with just two seats in the 29-member state congressional delegation.

Ah yes, the demise continues. I love how the neo-cons are convincing themselves that if they just become more conservative and out of touch with the majority of the country, they will make a comeback, even Newt is not that ignorant. Keep on blowing hard Mr Limbaugh and crazy Fox guy, the more prominent you are, the more moderates will abandon your cause & the more the GOP will be exposed for being a party of kooks.

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Originally posted by daDieken:

Ah yes, the demise continues. I love how the neo-cons are convincing themselves that if they just become more conservative and out of touch with the majority of the country, they will make a comeback,

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Originally posted by farmville dawg:
Did I miss something. These were not elections for Congressional seats so how has the Republican's wrestled anything away from President Obama? Just curious.

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Originally posted by TonyB1972:

quote:

Originally posted by farmville dawg:
Did I miss something. These were not elections for Congressional seats so how has the Republican's wrestled anything away from President Obama? Just curious.

The GOP lost a congressional seat that they had held since the civil war. So its not all good news for them.

It just shows the blame game works. You attack the other person, blame them for everything, and then promise to fix it...Its not a suprise to me.

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Originally posted by farmville dawg:

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Originally posted by TonyB1972:

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Originally posted by farmville dawg:
Did I miss something. These were not elections for Congressional seats so how has the Republican's wrestled anything away from President Obama? Just curious.

The GOP lost a congressional seat that they had held since the civil war. So its not all good news for them.

It just shows the blame game works. You attack the other person, blame them for everything, and then promise to fix it...Its not a suprise to me.

How did anyone lose a Congressional seat? The Congressional elections aren't until next year, right? At least that is how I see it. Unless you are talking about the state senate. I'm confused lol.

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Originally posted by daDieken:

quote:

Originally posted by farmville dawg:

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Originally posted by TonyB1972:

quote:

Originally posted by farmville dawg:
Did I miss something. These were not elections for Congressional seats so how has the Republican's wrestled anything away from President Obama? Just curious.

The GOP lost a congressional seat that they had held since the civil war. So its not all good news for them.

It just shows the blame game works. You attack the other person, blame them for everything, and then promise to fix it...Its not a suprise to me.

How did anyone lose a Congressional seat? The Congressional elections aren't until next year, right? At least that is how I see it. Unless you are talking about the state senate. I'm confused lol.

It's a special election because the former congressman (A republican) was chosen by Obama to be secretary of the army. Looks like socialism is starting gobble up the GOP.

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Originally posted by Dawg57:
Hey if we become the party of "Kooks" then we'll probably win back the House,Senate and White House like the real Party of Socialist nut jobs we have now!! Hoffman will win this seat because he's a Conservative. Americans identify themselves as Conservative: 40%. Americans that identify themselves as Liberal:20%. Moderates:40% with the majority leaning towards the Conservative banner. The Dems by the way have gone after the Blue dog dems that are moderates and I haven't seen you so concerned about that have I?

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Originally posted by daDieken:

NJ and VA are 2 good wins for the GOP but they are governors so not much to do with national politics.

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Originally posted by fishtheice:

Oh yes it does. Obama visited NJ 5 times campaigning for Corzine... Biden as well and the folks listened about the same as the Olympic Committee. You don't think the DNC is worried about 2010? Not all of this nation is pleased with this administration.

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Originally posted by MrTed:
If the moderates leave the GOP one can only assume that a true identity and direction can be adopted. Religious kooks (I assume you mean people who physically assault gay people and blow up abortion clinics) may vote republican, but they certainly don't make up a significant percentage of the right. While stabbing an almost born child in the back of the skull and vacuuming it's brains out is (if not liked) permitted by most of the left. Where are the kooks? As Rush likes to say, 'Conservatism works whenever it's tried'. Anyone doubts that, I give you the economic expansion of the 80's. LIke I've said elsewhere on here, the biggest boom this country had seen without the birth of the internet. I'll go even further to say that if Reagan hadn't done what he did to the top tax brackets in the 80's, Clinton wouldn't have enjoyed as much popularity (owed also in large part to Steve Jobs and Bill Gates) that he did. You on the left should remember something, it was never the responsibility of the government to secure your success, failure (which they're doing now on both sides of the aisle) or even next meal. The constitution was written to guarantee that the government would stay as far out of our way as possible, the Bill of Rights was written for us, not our representatives. They've all FORGOTTEN that. The moderates may be leaving the GOP, but if the GOP doesn't get back to it's Reagan roots, I'll be out the door as well.

quote:

Originally posted by daDieken:

quote:

Originally posted by fishtheice:

Oh yes it does. Obama visited NJ 5 times campaigning for Corzine... Biden as well and the folks listened about the same as the Olympic Committee. You don't think the DNC is worried about 2010? Not all of this nation is pleased with this administration.

The congressional race has more national impact than the governors do, especially considering the circumstances surrounding it and the history of the area being republican.

Until the GOP has can convey who is control of the party, the neo-cons or the moderates, I doubt the DNC is quivering in their boots.

quote:

Originally posted by daDieken:

quote:

Originally posted by MrTed:
If the moderates leave the GOP one can only assume that a true identity and direction can be adopted. Religious kooks (I assume you mean people who physically assault gay people and blow up abortion clinics) may vote republican, but they certainly don't make up a significant percentage of the right. While stabbing an almost born child in the back of the skull and vacuuming it's brains out is (if not liked) permitted by most of the left. Where are the kooks? As Rush likes to say, 'Conservatism works whenever it's tried'. Anyone doubts that, I give you the economic expansion of the 80's. LIke I've said elsewhere on here, the biggest boom this country had seen without the birth of the internet. I'll go even further to say that if Reagan hadn't done what he did to the top tax brackets in the 80's, Clinton wouldn't have enjoyed as much popularity (owed also in large part to Steve Jobs and Bill Gates) that he did. You on the left should remember something, it was never the responsibility of the government to secure your success, failure (which they're doing now on both sides of the aisle) or even next meal. The constitution was written to guarantee that the government would stay as far out of our way as possible, the Bill of Rights was written for us, not our representatives. They've all FORGOTTEN that. The moderates may be leaving the GOP, but if the GOP doesn't get back to it's Reagan roots, I'll be out the door as well.

Again, depends on how you look at it. Reagan tore down the wall for sure and he deserves credit for that but most of the problems we have in the middle east were started by or were exasperated by Reagan/Bush.

We certainly created Osama bin Laden, then that grateful individual turned around and declared war on us merely because we were in Saudi Arabia kicking Sadam out of Kuwait. I wouldn't say we went out of our way to exasperate anything.

If the government is not somewhat responsible for our success/failure, why have a government?
Why doesn't that comment surprise me, you have a government to do the things provided in the constitution. Not one article says anything about guaranteeing your success.

You can't discount the birth of the internet and its inherit liberal upbringing. It was the biggest stock jump ever, no other time is even close.