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Audacity of Truth
The State of the Conservative Union: Good, “my friends,” very good
Seven months ago just a few days before Super Tuesday, I wrote about the State of the Conservative Union. And as we all remember, at that time, it wasn’t good. The main frustration conservatives felt at the time was over the fact that they felt like they didn’t have any good choices in the primary. Not only that, but the writing was on the wall that McCain – a man who conservatives have had their share of issues with - was very likely going to be our nominee, and without much of a fight from his Republican opponents.Â
Once it was clear McCain in fact going to be the nominee, the divisions deepened within the Republican party, with some vowing to sit out the election and others willing to hold their noses and vote for him. But as we’ve moved beyond the primaries and into the general election, we’ve been seeing a tough, gritty campaign from McCain, a man who for all intents and purposes shouldn’t even be in the picture considering Obama’s mega-star credentials with the mainstream press, as well as Obama’s ability to win over voters with a fancy speech – something McCain will never be able to do.Â
McCain still sometimes frustrates conservatives – we know that won’t ever end, but they’ve seen the fighter in him this summer, not willing to back down on going after The One, and they’ve seen him run an effective general election campaign so far. The campaign ads have been brilliant and have hit home. He hit a home run at the Saddleback Civil Forum while Obama looked like a deer in headlights. As the Georgia/Russia conflict raged on (and continues to do so), McCain clearly took command of the issue, so much so that a vacationing-in-Hawaii-eating-snow-cones Obama revised his intial tepid statement on the surprise international crisis of the summer in an obvious effort to sound as tough as McCain.
To me, that was the turning point in the general election season.  And then McCain shocks the country with the selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, and energizes the hell out both conservatives who were already on board with voting for him as well as many of those who have been relectant to.  Over the course of this summer, slowly but surely the dynamics of everything have changed. For the first time since our Congressional trouncing back in 2006, I have felt like the Republican nominee for president actually has a shot at winning this thing, and I know I am not the only one. It’s still going to be an uphill battle, as the mediots are not on our side and Republicans are still struggling to convince voters to give them another chance, but I see a light at the end of this tunnel that is getting brighter by the day.
So, my t-totally awesome readers, how are you feeling about the State of the Conservative Union this evening?
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14 Responses to “The State of the Conservative Union: Good, “my friends,” very good”
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I think McCain is taking a calculated risk here. Sarah Palin is impressive. She is more intelligent and more articulate than 99% of the people on Capitol Hill, but she is largely unknown outside the blogosphere. For the next two months she will be scrutinized, criticized and demonized relentlessly. McCain is betting that she will withstand the test. From what I’ve seen and heard of her, I’m inclined to agree. In any case, he has certainly changed the dynamics of this race and possibly the face of the Republican Party.
No doubt this VP nomination was a home run. I think the cracks in our party are healing nicely.
Well done, good sir, well done!
Well, I think things are looking up.
I donated to McCain’s campaign for the first time today, so I guess I’m in the ‘things are looking good’ camp
All year I’ve been throwing away one plea for money after another from the RNC, from Johnny Mac himself, and even from his wife! No, no, no — it was going to be hard enough to have to vote for him, I wasn’t giving him a nickle. But after today…he’s surprised me, pleasantly so. I’m beginning to change my mind. This changes everything for me.
Like Lloyd, I finally hauled out the credit card and donated today….something I never expected to do a few months ago. So clearly, things are looking brighter.
Here’s what’s changed:
- McCain hasn’t gone out of his way to poke a stick in the eye of the base, as he did periodically in the Senate. I’m less apprehnsive about conservatives becoming a permanently marginalized force.
- The public’s fascination with Wall to Wall Coverage of The One is wearing thin. His well-hyped overseas trip did nothing to enhance his stature; in fact it was the start of a long slide in the polls. It’s a sign that the American people may again show good judgement.
- The McCain team is complementing this slide aggressively. Bernard Goldberg’s most recent book bemoaned the “Wimps to the Right of Me”. Team McCain is not being wimpy – they’ve been on the offense and forced Team Empty Suit to respond to them, including all this past week during the Democrat convention. It’s a sign that we still have some energy and creative minds to communicate the conservative message and do it well.
- The Palin selection has the conservative base more upbeat than any time since the initial talk of a Fred Thompson candidacy. If McCain wins, this will set up Sarah Palin as the likely presidential nominee four or eight years from now, and who knows after that – Bobby Jindal, perhaps? It’s not unreasonable to think that we could see almost 20 years of bright, young conservative leadership here.
(Although that would mean the end of my hopes for ST to be the first woman president. Somehow, I don’t think she will mind.)
So is the State of the Conservative Union looking better than it did six months ago? You betcha.
“So, my t-totally awesome readers, how are you feeling about the State of the Conservative Union this evening?”
With an actual conservative now on the ticket? Much better, thank you.
[serious]
Really, I don’t dig healing the cracks in the repubs. I think they need to be widen even more and the poison that was allowed to seep in to be drawn out. I think thats possible with a Mavrick and a Reformist. Its high time for the party of the people to get its act together, get back to its roots and get to work on SERVING THE PEOPLE.
I’m cautiously optimistic about that, but I will wait and see what happens in the next few weeks.
I’m going to vote for McCain either way. Having Palin on the ticket just makes it actually sweet to pull the trigger.[/serious]
BrakOBrakOBrakObama
BrakOBrakOBrakObama
BrakOBrakOBrakObama
FeeEEEEEELINGs, I have those FeeeEEEEEEEEEEEELINGS!
ST asks about the “state of the conservative union.” Well if the advent of Sarah Palin means it’s going to be more inclusive, then the state will indeed be much improved.
If the Alaska Governor is “acceptable” to what’s left of the “base,” than the base can only expand again from its now low point.
It was self-destructive of the base to try to exile people like Lindsay Graham and McCain himself, or indeed anyone whose politics seemed to be to the left of Louis XIV. For better or for worse, “the base” to many has become synonymous with old white guys who on the one hand inveigh against gay marriage and the peccadillos of the former West Wing Wanker, while soliciting men in airport men’s rooms.
Now, there is a chance that image will be shattered. If so, and if those admirers of the Sun King are confined to the margins, we shall all–all Americans that is–be better off.
Leslie–
Oh, dear. If this means that the conservative base is moving to the left, it’s the worst news that I’ve ever heard.
People have stopped voting Republican because the party was already too far to the left. If this moves it farther in that direction, we all might as well lie down and die right now.
Trish contends:
Quick everybody! We have to save Trish! Come on, now! “Wine her! Dine her! Bring her roses! Bring her chocolates. Bring her good cheer!
But seriously, Trish–it’s not a matter of the conservatives moving to the left. It’s letting in new people like Palin and Jindal, etc. who can get beyond the battles of the past.
And, yes, if that means you have to accept people who agree with you 90 percent of the time, I say do so. When you have 100 percent agreement, you don’t have a movement; you have a cult.
The 1960s are long over, and after 40 years of this constant battling, it’s time for the people who wore their hair short and went to Vietnam to stop sniping at the ones who wore it long and went to Canada. It’s over. It’s a new century, there are new issues, and new voices are needed to bring those issues to the attention of the public. Conservatives have to speak out, and not only against the nanny state advocates, the Kossacks, and other assorted whiners, but also against some of the vile and disgusting people on their own side who have brought the movement down.
Reagan made it Morning in America. Some of his successors turned it into Halloween in America. It’s time to polish up that city on the hill again, because the shine has gone.
Don’t wine me. Don’t dine me. Don’t bring me roses. Don’t bring me chocolates. Don’t bring me good cheer.
Bring me real conservative candidates, not left-wing flakes. Conservatives do have to speak out–against those who have been trying to move the party to the left, even to the point at which they can actually consider a liberal candidate such as McCain far-right-wing.
It isn’t about “letting in new people” who can “get beyond the battles of the past.” It’s about returning to the real values that the good people of this country share, values that the Democrats and Republicans have both abandoned in favor of left-wing elitism and hypocrisy. It’s cute to talk about how the base has “exiled” people “whose politics seemed to be to the left of Louis XIV,” and claim that real conservatives are just battling the 1960s draft dodgers and have no real grasp on current reality. It’s cute, but it’s incorrect. It’s a good way of avoiding the real issues, though; ad hominem arguments usually are.
Hey Trish…Well said….
/
Trish,
If you think McCain is a liberal, there’s really nothing further to be said.
“I don’t judge people. I just watch them until it’s time to look away. . . . I want to look away now.”
–Kristin Hersh.