GOP elephant

Friday February 8, 2008

February 8, 2008

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday February 8, 2008

McCain rallies Republican die-hards

Senator John McCain on Thursday fought for the backing of his foes in the Republican Party’s conservative base, hours after rival Mitt Romney quit the race, clearing his path to the White House.

Addressing the annual gathering of fervent Republican activists, McCain sought to shore up his conservative credentials and allay fears over his stand on some key issues, as he seeks the party’s presidential nomination.

“It is my sincere hope that even if you believe I have occasionally erred in my reasoning as a fellow conservative, you will still allow that I have, in many ways important to all of us, maintained the record of a conservative.”

With former Massachusetts governor Romney dropping out of the race on Thursday after a slew of poor Super Tuesday showings, McCain’s path to the Republican ticket is suddenly a lot clearer.

But recognizing the crucial support he needs from the party’s conservative base to win the nomination for the November elections, the Vietnam war veteran called for its backing in defeating the Democrats.

“I am acutely aware that I cannot succeed in that endeavor, nor can our party prevail over the challenge we will face … without the support of dedicated conservatives.” (Source: Sydney Morning Post) 

 

Friday May 25, 2001

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 25, 2001

Jim Jeffords hands Senate power to Democrats

President George W. Bush went on the defensive yesterday after a senator bolted Republican ranks, tipping the balance of power in Washington.

In Cleveland, a sombre Bush was swift to defend his policies and his view of himself as a conciliator. He said he respected Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords, whom he called a “distinguished United States senator.”

“But respectfully,” he added, “I couldn’t disagree more (with his views). Our agenda for reforming America’s public schools and providing tax relief for every taxpayer represents the hopes and dreams of main-street America. Our agenda for reforming our military . . . represents the best hope for peace.”

“I was elected to get things done on behalf of the American people and to work with both Republicans and Democrats,” Bush said, “and we’re doing just that.”

It was Bush’s right-wing agenda that Jeffords could not stomach and which triggered his actions. In rebelling against his party, Jeffords ensured himself a place in the political history books.

His move to become an Independent marks the first time in U.S. history that the defection of one congressman switched the balance of power on Capitol Hill.

No later than June 5, Democrats will assume control of the Senate and the political agenda in this country in what amounts to a colossal blow to Bush’s plans.

What had been a 50-50 Senate controlled by Republicans with Vice-President Dick Cheney’s tie-breaking vote now becomes a 51-49 Democratic majority with Jeffords’ support. (Hamilton Spectator)

 

Saturday November 4, 2000

November 4, 2000

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday November 4, 2000

Bush admits ’76 drunk driving; Revelation expected to dominate crucial final weekend of campaigning

A deadlocked U.S. election campaign was jarred yesterday by the revelation George W. Bush lost his driver’s licence after pleading guilty to driving while drunk in 1976.

The Texas governor has admitted he had a problem with alcohol in the past but his arrest had been a closely guarded family secret.

“I’m not proud of that, ” the Republican nominee said during a rare news conference in Wisconsin. “I’ve often times said that years ago I made some mistakes. I occasionally drank too much and I did.”

“I regret that it happened.”

With the see-saw presidential election just five days away,  Bush’s campaign team was fretting about the effect of the revelation on voters. “I hope this mistake the governor made 24 years ago would not have an impact in the final days of this election, “said Bush spokeswoman Karen Hughes.

Bush, who campaigned in Missouri before moving on to Illinois and Wisconsin, was arrested in Maine about two kilometres from his family’s retreat in Kennebunkport when he was 30 years old after police noticed he was driving too slowly.

He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour charge of driving while under the influence, paid a $150 US fine and had his licence suspended in the state of Maine for “a period of time, ” Hughes said.

Bush, holding his first news conference in over a month, said it was no coincidence word of his arrest was made public in the final days before Tuesday’s vote.

“Why now . . . (five) days before the election? I’ve got my suspicions, ” said Bush, not sharing them with a crowd of reporters surrounding him.

Bush had kept word of his arrest a secret from his twin daughters. He insisted he had “been straight with the American people” about his past but he had steadfastly refused to answer questions about his “youthful indiscretions, ” including whethe r or not he used drugs.

The revelation may not put a significant dent in his support but questions about the incident will likely dominate the crucial final weekend of campaigning.

Foremost among those queries might be why Bush chose not to disclose the incident until it was flushed out by a Portland, Me., television station. That kind of attention may put raise questions about his credibility.

Most polls suggest Bush had a slight lead over Democratic nominee Al Gore going into the final weekend of the campaign. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

Thursday August 3, 2000

August 3, 2000

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday August 3, 2000

Republicans’ commitment to reform open to question

This year’s Republican convention is proving to be all lovey-dovey and full of enough platitudes to inflate the Goodyear blimp. The Republicans hope to regain the White House by replacing their image as hardline conservatives and reinventing themselves as an inclusive political party with mainstream appeal. So far, the strategy of avoiding controversy at all costs seems to be working, as suggested by the lead that presidential nominee George W. Bush has opened over his Democratic rival Al Gore in opinion polls. The big question, however, is whether the Republican makeover is for real or simply designed to get the party through the election campaign, with no true commitment to reform.

U.S. politics: Front-runner Bush may peak too soon

Bush’s middle-ground approach has the upper hand, for now, in what is an ongoing struggle for the philosophical soul of the party. Gone is the extremism of Pat Buchanan, who spoke about a cultural war between left and right at the 1992 convention. Newt Gingrich, the anti-government zealot who led the Republican takeover of Congress in 1994, is out of the picture. The Grand Old Party is going out of its way to showcase visible minorities and women. But there is still a disconnect between what the party purports to be on the stage and how it looks on the convention floor. Eighty-three per cent of the delegates are white, while only 3.7 per cent are black. The majority of delegates are upper middle-class to wealthy, comfortable with owning guns, and not very concerned about the rising, unhealthy influence of corporate fundraising in politics.

The tension in the GOP family was evident this week when retired General Colin Powell, the African-American who is the most popular non-candidate in the land, took the spotlight. He delivered an electrifying speech, imploring his party to reach out to minorities, spend more on education, and share more of the nation’s wealth with the disadvantaged. The reaction ranged from tumultuous applause to dead silence, as when Powell chided Republicans for condemning affirmative action to help black youngsters get an education but saying little about “affirmative action for lobbyists who load our federal tax codes with preferences for special interests.”

There are more contradictions. Bush is promoting an activist role in education and suggesting that no child will be left behind. Yet the party platform outlines a diminished role for government and returning control to parents, teachers and school boards. Bush has a competent, respected running mate in Dick Cheney. But the vice presidential nominee’s ultra-conservative voting record as a former Congressmen — including opposition to funding the department of education, gun control and even the release of Nelson Mandela — raises questions about how broad Bush’s tent will be.

Unless Bush defines what he means by compassionate conservatism, he could be at risk of peaking too soon. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial, A10, 8/3/2000)

 

Thursday February 24, 2000

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday February 24, 2000

Like his namesake, McCain fights back

Say what you will about the American primaries — and there is a lot not to like — no one can dispute that the all-out brawl for the Republican nomination is the most fascinating political contest in years, probably since the 1952 Republican nomination battle between Dwight Eisenhower and Robert Taft.

Like the Hollywood legend whose name he bears, Senator John Wayne McCain proved again this week that Governor George W. Bush can beat him up with the political equivalent of bar room stools and gun butts, but McCain will get back up and throw another punch.

McCain’s most recent blow landed solidly. His success in Michigan and Arizona confirm that the fight for the Republican nomination is far from over. As importantly, it is further evidence that McCain’s anti-establishment rhetoric and promises to cleanse politics reson ate clearly with a cynical American electorate. McCain’s candidacy can never again be considered a fluke, especially considering that in Michigan he had the entire state Republican machine working against him. State Governor John Engler endorsed George W. Bush, as had other state officials, and Bush also had the continuing support of pro-life and Christian conservative organizations. That all this armament couldn’t even buy him a draw is terrible news for his campaign.

The challenge for the Bush campaign is formidable. The Bush strategy of portraying McCain as an unacceptable centrist is backfiring in that, by default, it portrays Bush as an inflexible conservative. Bush must also demonstrate, quickly, that he can win a battle on his own, without the support of local Republican bosses.

McCain’s challenge is much different, but no less daunting. He has succeeded so far due to his his disarming sincerity, but the closer he gets to all important Super Tuesday on March 7, the more his affable lack of certainty may hurt rather than help. If he evolves too much into a more traditional political model, he risks losing the appeal that has fired his success among moderate Republicans and disaffected Democrats. But unless he moves some distance, McCain will remain anathema to traditional Republicans, and probably won’t last much beyond Super Tuesday. (Hamilton Spectator Editorial, A12, 2/24/2000)