Like I said last night, it looks to me that Bill Frist has some polling data that shows there is no chance in hell he will win in ’08, because the expected threats over his reversal on the stem cell issue have begun:
Focus on the Family Action founder and chairman Dr. James C. Dobson issued the following statement today after learning that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., had come out strongly in favor of increased federal funding for destructive embryonic stem-cell research:
“It is an understatement to say that the pro-life community is disappointed by Sen. Frist’s decision to join efforts to void President Bush’s policy limiting the funding of embryonic stem- cell research. Most distressing is that, in making his announcement, Sen. Frist calls himself a defender of the sanctity of human life — even though the research he now advocates results, without exception, in the destruction of human life…
“The media have already begun speculating that Sen. Frist’s announcement today is designed to improve his chances of winning the White House in 2008 should he choose to run. If that is the case, he has gravely miscalculated. To push for the expansion of this suspect and unethical science will be rightly seen by America’s values voters as the worst kind of betrayal – choosing politics over principle.
The Christian Defense Coalition is equally clear:
“Senator Frist cannot have it both ways. He cannot be pro-life and pro-embryonic stem cell funding. Nor can he turn around and expect widespread endorsement from the pro-life community if he should decide to run for president in 2008.” — Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition.
I am sure there will be more reactions like this…
*** Update ***
Weird. Almost the same damned post as here. I guess I was channeling evil libruls today. Heh.
John S.
I guess what they say is true…
You really can’t serve two masters.
I wonder if Frist will be able to keep his Presidential hopes alive as he continues to burn the candle at both ends.
Oberon
Doesn’t matter. My dark horse bet for President in 2008 — Al Gore.
metalgrid
They’re politicians. They only need to say one thing in order to do another.
Steve
There’s only room for so many 2008 candidates to represent the Religious Right. Actually, of all the politicians who can claim to represent that constituency, I think easily the most underrated is Sam Brownback.
Mike S
Stolen or not, I think many would agree that it was a “catastrophic success.”
Mike S
Oops. The danger of Firefox is that you sometimes post in the wrong tab.
Don
John S – I’da gone with “Lie down with dogs, stand up with fleas” personally.
I don’t see what difference it’s gonna make who the R’s field if this Hillary nonsense continues. One can only hope she hires someone who can count to explain to her that she can’t win.
Jorge
Can Hillary win in Ohio? Because I can’t see her losing any of the states Kerry won. Unless the candidate is McCain. If McCain can get past the attacks from his own party’s extreme in 2008, he’ll sweep the center. Heck, my dream is to have McCain in the White House and the Dems controlling the hill.
SeesThroughIt
That would be a pretty nice situation right there.
I have to admit, my new favorite spectator sport is watching the far right, the Dobsonites, and the various wingnut factions go apeshit over this. Anything that pisses them off is A-OK with me, but the fact that’s coming from somebody in their own ranks? Delicious. I’m just disappointed my favorite site for far-right lunacy, blogsforbush, hasn’t registered its sure-to-be-apoplectic take on this yet.
ppGaz
Yes, that has a ring to it. But be careful what you wish for. As an Arizonan (ergo, the ‘az’) I am pretty familiar with the guy.
While I find him likeable in a lot of ways, make no mistake, he is a consummate DC insider, even though he works hard to appear otherwise. He is a master big-boy powergame player, and for me, that’s a deal breaker. I’ve had my fill of these arrogant big shots, all of them. I’ve often thought I might vote for him, and since the presidential race is always a Lesser of Two Weevils contest, it would depend a lot on who was running against him. I go McCain over Liberman, or Biden. Weeping while I did it, of course, and then only if I thought the Dems would have at least one house of Congress. I have also had it with one-party rule, regardless of the party.
Jeff Maier
Yep. I posted a similar comment at Redstate this morning. I’d say Frist is stepping away from the campaign in 2008. In fact, he might be slipping out of politics all together. I wouldn’t be surprised. He doesn’t act much like he cares for his current position and if he isn’t running for Pres, it might be time to enjoy a youthful retirement.
Jorge
I don’t see any candidate for President that isn’t beholden to special interest or isn’t part of the business as usual crowd. I think that widespread grass roots movements can build candidates that are more beholden to the people than they are to the party, the beltway or special interests, but it won’t be until 2012 at the earliest before any of them are ready for the White House. My bet is that if Hacket somehow wins in Ohio next Tuesday, there will be a strong push for him and Obama in 2012.
So, for now, its all about which insider I can stomach. McCain pisses me off during election cycles because that military instilled loyalty kicks in and he ends up campaigning for whoever the Reps put up. But he’s still twice the man of any of his peers.
Brian
Frist should go back to doing heart transplants. Seems like a tragic waste of talent to go from that to being an errand boy for Bush.
I want a R president and a D congress, or a D president and a R congress. One party rule is a disaster.
Zifnab
Honestly, I think Frist has finally woken up to the fact that the religious right isn’t the powerhouse it pretends to be. Right now, the Dobosonites have sold their collective souls to the Republican majority. They’ve burned their bridges. Frist’s a savy politican and he knows what he can get away with. Smart money says the Biotech lobbies finished doing the math and found that stem cell treatments mean big $$$, so they cut Bill a check and said “You’re our boy now.”
Shavio was a failure and Frist needs to make himself look like a doctor again. This is pure politics and I think Frist’s math says supporting this issue won’t cost him anything in the long run.
Gamer
If Frist is considering a run in 2008, then he might be considering a challenge to the McCain position in the center. Any candidate that plays to the Dobsons will have as much luck as the Democrats who played to the Loony Left. Allowing the Far-Right to radicalize the party is the sure path to a string of losses.
Anderson
Knowing Frist, he will have changed his position by Monday.
KC
I would like to see Frist win. Wouldn’t he be a great President?
Anderson
Does “KC” stand for “Kan’t be Cerious”?
Geek, Esq.
I’m bitterly disappointed that Senator Cat Killer isn’t going to be the Republican nominee. He would have gotten trounced in the general election.
Stormy70
Frist was never a serious contender for President, because he is a Senator. Senators, as a whole, suck. ppgaz, McCain is an egotistical creepy dude. I don’t like him, and I agree with your assessment of him. He’s icky.
I don’t mind embryonic stemcell research, I just don’t necessarily want to be funding it, but I don’t want the government funding most of the crap it does.
Jimmy Jazz
Originally posted by Stormy70, January 11, 2007
Stormy70
No way will I ever vote for McCain. I will vote the rest of the ticket and skip over his name. He can run for the media party.
DougJ
I’m with you Stormy. I would vote libertarian first. Heck, I might vote Democrat first. McCain stabs you in the back, the Dems merely spit in your eye.
I’m through with Frist too. I always thought he was a fake and now he’s proved it.
I’m still holding out hope that Cheney will run, but I’d settle for George Allen. And there’s always Condi…
Sojourner
Separated at birth.
DougJ
Actually, Sojourner, I think you’ll find that Stormy and I aren’t all that alike in our opinions. For example she supports gay marriage. I believe in protecting the sanctity of marriage.
And, again, you can do better than that, Sojourner. That’s really a pretty weak putdown.
Sojourner
Actually, I was serious.
Tractarian
Funny, I thought those positions were compatible?
Seriously, it is sad to see a politician brave enough to go against party orthodoxy called a “back-stabber” or a “fake.” To me, the most honest and “real” politicians are those who don’t automatically toe the party line – I’m glad that we can apparently now add Frist to that category.
Sojourner
How do you know that his position is honest and not based on a review of the poll numbers on this issue?
ppGaz
Then you should bring that up at your church. “Sanctity” is a religious expression. Government has no business with it, and no right to even have an opinion about it. We do not live in a theocracy, and we won’t live in one. Take that to mean whatever you want it to mean, but I mean it literally. We will not live in a theocracy.
S.W. Anderson
ppGaz wrote: “While I find him likeable in a lot of ways, make no mistake, he is a consummate DC insider, even though he works hard to appear otherwise. He is a master big-boy powergame player, and for me, that’s a deal breaker.”
This line of thinking always strikes me as curious. Maybe that’s because I recall so clearly that people who had expressed the same thought were among the most vociferous in condemning Jimmy Carter, who was an outsider when he ran for president.
I also find in curious in light of what we have for a president now. Bush came to Washington as an outsider and has set a new benchmark for lousy leadership. Indeed, “W” stands for wrong.
Although I’m not of his party, I’ll credit McCain with being one of the best, probably the best, the GOP has to offer. But the GOP has sold its soul to far-right and religious-right extremists, in addition to its traditional pimping for the malefactors of great wealth. To get the nomination, McCain would have to engineer and then survive a wholsale break with them, which seems improbable.
S.W. Anderson
Gamer wrote “Allowing the Far-Right to radicalize the party is the sure path to a string of losses.”
Isn’t that like saying if we’re not careful we’re liable to have some real trouble with that Osama guy one of these days?
I mean, what do they have to do to peg the needle on your radicalization meter, wear brown shirts and swastikas? Sell the Pentagon and contract-out national security to some rent-a-cop outfit?
Whew.
Tractarian
I don’t know that… but regardless of his reasons, I respect the fact that he had the courage to go against the WH and the extreme wing of his party.
Sojourner
I don’t think it’s courageous if it’s done for self-serving reasons.