Comments on: McCain and the lobbyist: the final straw for the GOP Base? http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/ Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:29:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: blondie http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493327 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:33:48 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493327 <blockquote>It’s hard to see how this is anything but a positive for McCain.</blockquote> This cracked me up. The GOP appears to have forgotten, at least temporarily, that when you circle the wagons, you're supposed to shoot out, not in. Is it wrong that the Bush-fueled implosion of the GOP makes me happy in my tummy?

It’s hard to see how this is anything but a positive for McCain.

This cracked me up.

The GOP appears to have forgotten, at least temporarily, that when you circle the wagons, you’re supposed to shoot out, not in.

Is it wrong that the Bush-fueled implosion of the GOP makes me happy in my tummy?

]]> by: Darkrose, Countess of Creme Brulee http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493246 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:53:39 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493246 I would just like to say one thing: http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/4107 This script has made reading this post so much more enjoyable. I would just like to say one thing:

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/4107

This script has made reading this post so much more enjoyable.

]]> by: Hector B. http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493241 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:33:38 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493241 Dana, the main problem with lobbying is that it influences a legislator to vote the way the lobbyist wants, regardless of what the constituents want, or what is best for the country. In the wake of the Abramoff scandal, people want to prohibit lobbyists' giving Congress gifts and meals. If a Senator can be swayed by a pen and pencil set, or by the prospect of a good meal with some fat sweaty bald lobbyists, he can certainly be swayed by the prospect of getting to know better a hot blonde who thinks he's fascinating. Dana, the main problem with lobbying is that it influences a legislator to vote the way the lobbyist wants, regardless of what the constituents want, or what is best for the country. In the wake of the Abramoff scandal, people want to prohibit lobbyists’ giving Congress gifts and meals. If a Senator can be swayed by a pen and pencil set, or by the prospect of a good meal with some fat sweaty bald lobbyists, he can certainly be swayed by the prospect of getting to know better a hot blonde who thinks he’s fascinating.

]]> by: PhoenixRising http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493226 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:22:07 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493226 <i>That’s the issue here. It’s not the affair, it’s who the affair was allegedly with, and how it affected McCain’s votes in Congress. Getting cozy with lobbyists in a non-sexual way was what got Duke Cunningham a nice stretch in the federal pen.</i> You don't believe the allegations about how they bought the Dukester plenty of perky blonde action?... Oh wait, that's not what you meant by 'non-sexual', you meant he wasn't schtupping the lobbyists themselves. Well, yeah, as far as we know. This validates the thread-winning comment: Republicans delighted that front-runner's lobbyist sex scandal is centered on an adult female. That’s the issue here. It’s not the affair, it’s who the affair was allegedly with, and how it affected McCain’s votes in Congress. Getting cozy with lobbyists in a non-sexual way was what got Duke Cunningham a nice stretch in the federal pen.

You don’t believe the allegations about how they bought the Dukester plenty of perky blonde action?…

Oh wait, that’s not what you meant by ‘non-sexual’, you meant he wasn’t schtupping the lobbyists themselves.

Well, yeah, as far as we know.

This validates the thread-winning comment: Republicans delighted that front-runner’s lobbyist sex scandal is centered on an adult female.

]]> by: MikeEss http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493217 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:34:28 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493217 Thanks for your thoughts Dana. No really. I mean that. But it still doesn't make me feel any better... Thanks for your thoughts Dana.

No really.

I mean that.

But it still doesn’t make me feel any better…

]]> by: Chris http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493207 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:00:00 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493207 Tim Noah sums it up well: New York Times 0, New Republic 0, McCain 1 Regardless of whether he had the affair, McCain wins. If he was Vicki Iseman's lover, the Times and New Republic have now discredited the story by failing to produce much in the way of evidence. If he wasn't Vicki Iseman's lover, then he has shamed the press with his righteous indignation. As a bonus, the scandal story has provoked an apparent rapprochement with McCain-haters Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham, who hate the Times a lot more. http://www.slate.com/id/2184923/ Tim Noah sums it up well:

New York Times 0, New Republic 0, McCain 1

Regardless of whether he had the affair, McCain wins. If he was Vicki Iseman’s lover, the Times and New Republic have now discredited the story by failing to produce much in the way of evidence. If he wasn’t Vicki Iseman’s lover, then he has shamed the press with his righteous indignation. As a bonus, the scandal story has provoked an apparent rapprochement with McCain-haters Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham, who hate the Times a lot more.

http://www.slate.com/id/2184923/

]]> by: Dana http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493194 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:26:55 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493194 Mr Ess asked: <blockquote>Back on (sort of) topic… What are the odds that the Rethugs will have a brokered convention, dealing McCain the final death blow to his political aspirations?</blockquote> Even less than the odds that Al Gore will ride into the Democratic Convention to heal the breach between the partisans of Senators Obama and Clinton by accepting the nomination himself. <blockquote>Or, if McCain runs and loses, will he become the ultimate Rethug Judas Goat, taking all the party’s sins on himself and leaving the door wide open for Jeb! bush in ‘12? (de-emphasizing the Bush part…)</blockquote> Oh, who knows? Mr McCain will either win or lose the election, and if he loses, there's always recrimination heaped upon the loser; just think how y'all treated His Electableness, John Kerry. <blockquote>Or is there some other Rethug knight in shining armor waiting in the wings?</blockquote> A lot of conservatives -- and I wasn't among them -- were hoping that Fred THompson would fill that role; he didn't. Mr McCain will have won the nomination fair and square, pretty much the way Bill Clinton did after the Gennifer Flowers revelations. <blockquote>Or will the whole party collapse and be a non-issue for the next two generations?</blockquote> No. The whole party was supposed to collapse following the Barry Goldwater debacle, but came back to win the presidency in 1968. the GOP was consigned to the ash heap of history following Watergate, but by 1980 not only elected a president but won control of the Senate. And it wasn't so long ago that we were hearing the talking heads discussing the death knell of the Democratic Party, following the 2002 and 2004 elections; that didn't work out too well, either. Mr Ess asked:

Back on (sort of) topic…

What are the odds that the Rethugs will have a brokered convention, dealing McCain the final death blow to his political aspirations?

Even less than the odds that Al Gore will ride into the Democratic Convention to heal the breach between the partisans of Senators Obama and Clinton by accepting the nomination himself.

Or, if McCain runs and loses, will he become the ultimate Rethug Judas Goat, taking all the party’s sins on himself and leaving the door wide open for Jeb! bush in ‘12? (de-emphasizing the Bush part…)

Oh, who knows? Mr McCain will either win or lose the election, and if he loses, there’s always recrimination heaped upon the loser; just think how y’all treated His Electableness, John Kerry.

Or is there some other Rethug knight in shining armor waiting in the wings?

A lot of conservatives — and I wasn’t among them — were hoping that Fred THompson would fill that role; he didn’t. Mr McCain will have won the nomination fair and square, pretty much the way Bill Clinton did after the Gennifer Flowers revelations.

Or will the whole party collapse and be a non-issue for the next two generations?

No. The whole party was supposed to collapse following the Barry Goldwater debacle, but came back to win the presidency in 1968. the GOP was consigned to the ash heap of history following Watergate, but by 1980 not only elected a president but won control of the Senate.

And it wasn’t so long ago that we were hearing the talking heads discussing the death knell of the Democratic Party, following the 2002 and 2004 elections; that didn’t work out too well, either.

]]> by: Mnemosyne http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493190 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:10:37 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493190 <i>Thing is, Hector wrote his sentence precisely about sexual tittilation, and not any sort of political corruption.</i> Again, only if you think it's perfectly fine for a politician to vote favorably on a lobbyist's legislation if he hopes to get into her pants by doing it. That's the issue here. It's not the affair, it's <i>who the affair was allegedly with</i>, and how it affected McCain's votes in Congress. Getting cozy with lobbyists in a non-sexual way was what got Duke Cunningham a nice stretch in the federal pen. Thing is, Hector wrote his sentence precisely about sexual tittilation, and not any sort of political corruption.

Again, only if you think it’s perfectly fine for a politician to vote favorably on a lobbyist’s legislation if he hopes to get into her pants by doing it.

That’s the issue here. It’s not the affair, it’s who the affair was allegedly with, and how it affected McCain’s votes in Congress. Getting cozy with lobbyists in a non-sexual way was what got Duke Cunningham a nice stretch in the federal pen.

]]> by: Mnemosyne http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493188 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:07:40 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493188 Slightly OT, but could Cindy McCain look any more stereotypically witchy than in <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Toledo2C-Ohio-New-York-Times-Sen-John-McCain/photo//080221/480/659554bae1b0425780f791123656e8ee//s:/ap/20080221/ap_on_el_pr/wronged_women;_ylt=AlmouHl0d9FktfHFv2wOpCZh24cA" rel="nofollow">this photo</a>? Seriously, all she needs is a broomstick and a pointy hat and she's all ready to step into the title role in "Wicked." Did her stylist say, "I know! Let's make you look like Kim Novak in 'Bell, Book &amp; Candle'!" Slightly OT, but could Cindy McCain look any more stereotypically witchy than in this photo? Seriously, all she needs is a broomstick and a pointy hat and she’s all ready to step into the title role in “Wicked.”

Did her stylist say, “I know! Let’s make you look like Kim Novak in ‘Bell, Book & Candle’!”

]]> by: Dana http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493185 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:05:45 +0000 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/02/21/mccain-and-the-lobbyist-the-final-straw-for-the-gop-base/#comment-493185 K Kiernanw wrote: <blockquote>Oh, “final straw” my ass. Republicans in this country are going to line up and vote against the n****r or the b***h even if their candidate gets caught on hi-res video engaging in necrophilia and cannibalism. Even if he gets caught twice.</blockquote> Uhhh, no, not if it's same-sex necrophilia. K Kiernanw wrote:

Oh, “final straw” my ass. Republicans in this country are going to line up and vote against the n****r or the b***h even if their candidate gets caught on hi-res video engaging in necrophilia and cannibalism. Even if he gets caught twice.

Uhhh, no, not if it’s same-sex necrophilia.

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