In the upcoming primary for the United States Senate seat currently held by 2008 GOP nominee John McCain, I have been quietly rooting for the 4-term incumbent, not entirely because of his record (while stellar on national security and spending, has not been as conservative in other arenas as I would like), but also because of his opponent.
The American Spectator’s Philip Klein explains:
I understand why many Arizona Republicans would want to dump John McCain for a more conservative Senator, but I’ve never understood those who argue that J.D. Hayworth is the conservative who should replace McCain. Hayworth, after all, was a top recipent of donations linked to corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and was a reliable vote for President Bush’s big government agenda.
The weakness of Hayworth’s claim to be a small government conservative was brought into sharper focus with the release of this 2007 infomercial that Hayworth recorded for the National Grants Conference, which offers seminars on how to people can get free money from government through grants.
Pretty much summarizes my views of the former Congressman. Hayworth may talk a good talk on immigration (from time to time), but when he comes to spending, he ain’t a conservative. Got the Klein quote via Jim Geraghty who offers:
Beyond that, the ad is so tacky it makes those “Real Housewives” series look classy. You’re a U.S. congressman, you’re supposed to be above these sorts of things. After you leave Congress, you’re supposed to makeyour money the old-fashioned, honest way: writing a book no one will read, teaching a class that is only for the most diehard of political geeks, trading on your connections with a fat-cat, Gucci-wearing lobbying firm, and in the case of former Ohio congressman Jim Traficant, making license plates. If we have congressman popping up in infomercials, next thing you know we’ll have the President of the United States appearing in commercials for late-night shows.
Like Klein, I too understand why some conservatives are upset with John McCain. But, at a time of ballooning budget deficits, an earmark-loving, big-spending former Congressman is not the man to replace him.
So let’s see. AZ Republicans can choose between the Washington estabishment guy who might be good on border security while he is dishonest in pretending to be good on spending, and the Washington establishment guy who might be good on spending while he is dishonest in pretending to be good on border security.
ILC, that seems to be the choice.
I can’t really blame Palin (or you) for going with the second.
You may not be willing to blame, ILC, but I am.
This post, Dan, is definitely one of the most stupid you’ve ever made. You’d rather that a 4-TERM INCUMBENT be reelected over a new guy? That’s nucking futs!
The biggest problem in Washington is political careerism. You can’t overcome that by electing an old fool to his 5th term as senator. Even if Hayworth is just as bad as McCain — he can hardly be a worse conservative — you’re still better off ending McCain’s grip on the office.
Rooting for someone who has already been in the Senate for four 6-year terms is just plain idiotic.
Hayworth is NOT a new guy. He was voted out of office in AZCD5, the most republican district in Arizona. Liberal Dem Mitchell has held the seat for two terms. As a resident of the district, I can assure you, he lost all credibility. He’s a blowhard, a buffoon, spent money on the bridge to nowhere, etc. Now he calls himself a conservative? McCain made a lot of Repubs angry but he is who he is. McCain will win the primary.
Hayworth is indeed not a new guy. And as we Arizona residents can tell you, he IS a clown. His own peers once voted him the Stupidest Man in Congress. He is so crooked that when he dies, they’ll have to screw him into the ground.
Furthermore, regardless of where we all stand on the issue of gay marriage, it’s hard for any adult to take seriously someone who equates same sex marriage with a person marrying a horse.
The man is a horse’s ass.
Well said, Lori and Man.
I agree with Dan on this matter. The people pushing Hayworth are totally ignoring the fact that he accepted money from Abramoff. How stupid. They have a thing against McCain and they are pushing a real dirt bag.
Whatever McCain’s many faults he does stand up to be counted when it is required. Hayworth would most likely waste no time in accepting more bribes and getting involved in the pork-barrel.
The people pushing Hayworth are out of their minds!!
Since Dan has no answer to this statement (nor has anyone else), I take it that my point has been accepted.
“Since Dan has no answer to this statement (nor has anyone else), I take it that my point has been accepted.”
Okay, I’ll take you up on it. The only human being in America we might possibly pick, in lieu of McCain, is J.D. Hayworth?
Quite happily, the answer to that is no.
Don’t want any more McCain, but don’t like Hayworth either? Well…how about a third option?
Bingo! Problem solved. Next…
That’s certainly an answer, Lori, but not for Dan. He explicitly stated that he has been “quietly rooting for the 4-term incumbent” (McCain) in the GOP primary.
Given a choice between a lousy Republican whose reelection perpetuates senatorial careerism and a lousy Republican whose election does not, he prefers the former.