http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/houseed1-20000301.htm
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>EDITORIAL • March 1, 2000
'All we have to fear'
Visit our Election 2000 page
for daily election news and analysis
One of John McCain's stump staples is a little
rhetorical number about fear — namely, why
Republican voters should not fear candidate McCain.
"Why should you fear a candidate who wants to
reform . . . ?" it goes. "Why should you fear a
candidate who believes . . . who would sign . . .who
shares your values . . . ? Join us. Join us. Join us."
This is a curious gambit. After all, how many political
candidates have ever felt compelled to assuage the
fears of their own party members? Of course, maybe
Republicans do have something to fear from Mr.
McCain, something that, in this mock-holy war Mr.
McCain likes to call a "crusade," might be thought of
as a kind of political excommunication.
Monday, it was Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell
who were cast out of the ranks, not only branded by
Mr. McCain as "agents of intolerance," but also
likened to Louis Farrakhan and Al Sharpton. The
leap of logic required to make a comparison both so
ridiculous and yet outrageous practically defies
rejoinder. But, for the record, keep in mind that
neither Mr. Robertson nor Mr. Falwell has ever
practiced the hoaxing racial arson of an Al Sharpton,
nor ever preached the anti-American hate-speak of a
Louis Farrakhan.
Fairness, however, was not the point of this
rhetorical exercise. Deep-sixing these men of the
Christian right — which the McCain campaign had
already conceded to George W. Bush —
automatically buoys Mr. McCain's standing with his
true base: the media (first and foremost), liberal
Republicans, Democrats and independents, all of
whom he needs more than ever.
The media, for one, were enthralled. After all,
Mr. McCain's bible-thumping — sorry
—campaign-finance-reform-bill-thumping speech
allowed the press to keep talking about Bob Jones
University without talking about Bob Jones
University. Not that Mr. McCain himself is exactly
letting go, concluding Monday's remarks by
declaring, "We are the party of Abraham Lincoln, not
Bob Jones." (Thanks for clearing that one up.) The
media then played the "agents of intolerance" story so
big and bold that not only was George W. Bush's
mea culpa over his Bob Jones University visit all but
forgotten — and let's just forget about actual issues
— but two other telling events of the same day were
completely overshadowed.
First, although Mr. McCain enjoys waxing
rhetorical about the "battle of ideas," he surprised
everyone — everyone who noticed, that is — by
withdrawing from a CNN Republican debate long
scheduled for Thursday night in California, where a
delegate-jackpot, of course, goes up for grabs next
Tuesday. Why did he pull out? McCain mastermind
Mike Murphy cited a Friday spot on the "Today"
show as the reason. "I'm going for the bigger ratings,
the bigger audience," Mr. Murphy told the New
York Times. How nice and substantive.
The other barely reported incident of the day was
that the co-chairman of Mr. McCain's South
Carolina campaign resigned over the campaign's
incessant attacks on his alma mater. That's right
—the now-former state campaign co-chairman is an
alumnus of Bob Jones University. "They're growing
into a national media vendetta that I cannot associate
my name to," Terry Haskins told the Associated
Press.
Of course, it's not just Bob Jones et al. that Mr.
McCain now has in his sights. While campaigning in
Alexandria before yesterday's primary, Mr. McCain
called for the defeat of the "Gilmore-Warner"
machine — named, improbably enough, for Gov. Jim
Gilmore and Sen. John Warner. As Mr. McCain put
it, invoking that great statesman Arnold
Schwarzenegger, "I say to the Gilmore-Warner
machine, 'Hasta la vista, baby.' " Gilmore-Warner
machine? No such critter. (Maybe Mr. McCain is
watching too many Preston Sturges movies.)
Strange, indeed, that Mr. McCain would attack Mr.
Warner, a fellow Republican maverick, who, with the
support of Democrats and independents, has
managed to win more statewide victories in Virginia
than any other Republican, both with and without the
support of the state'sRepublican establishment.
What's going on here? Big ratings and good clippings
aside, a loose stridency is more and more marking
the McCain campaign. As the race slouches toward
Super Tuesday, one has to wonder whether that's
any way to hold the center.[/quote]
*********
It should also be noted that Gov. Gilmore is one of the Governors unequivocally against taxing the Internet
------------------
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>EDITORIAL • March 1, 2000
'All we have to fear'
Visit our Election 2000 page
for daily election news and analysis
One of John McCain's stump staples is a little
rhetorical number about fear — namely, why
Republican voters should not fear candidate McCain.
"Why should you fear a candidate who wants to
reform . . . ?" it goes. "Why should you fear a
candidate who believes . . . who would sign . . .who
shares your values . . . ? Join us. Join us. Join us."
This is a curious gambit. After all, how many political
candidates have ever felt compelled to assuage the
fears of their own party members? Of course, maybe
Republicans do have something to fear from Mr.
McCain, something that, in this mock-holy war Mr.
McCain likes to call a "crusade," might be thought of
as a kind of political excommunication.
Monday, it was Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell
who were cast out of the ranks, not only branded by
Mr. McCain as "agents of intolerance," but also
likened to Louis Farrakhan and Al Sharpton. The
leap of logic required to make a comparison both so
ridiculous and yet outrageous practically defies
rejoinder. But, for the record, keep in mind that
neither Mr. Robertson nor Mr. Falwell has ever
practiced the hoaxing racial arson of an Al Sharpton,
nor ever preached the anti-American hate-speak of a
Louis Farrakhan.
Fairness, however, was not the point of this
rhetorical exercise. Deep-sixing these men of the
Christian right — which the McCain campaign had
already conceded to George W. Bush —
automatically buoys Mr. McCain's standing with his
true base: the media (first and foremost), liberal
Republicans, Democrats and independents, all of
whom he needs more than ever.
The media, for one, were enthralled. After all,
Mr. McCain's bible-thumping — sorry
—campaign-finance-reform-bill-thumping speech
allowed the press to keep talking about Bob Jones
University without talking about Bob Jones
University. Not that Mr. McCain himself is exactly
letting go, concluding Monday's remarks by
declaring, "We are the party of Abraham Lincoln, not
Bob Jones." (Thanks for clearing that one up.) The
media then played the "agents of intolerance" story so
big and bold that not only was George W. Bush's
mea culpa over his Bob Jones University visit all but
forgotten — and let's just forget about actual issues
— but two other telling events of the same day were
completely overshadowed.
First, although Mr. McCain enjoys waxing
rhetorical about the "battle of ideas," he surprised
everyone — everyone who noticed, that is — by
withdrawing from a CNN Republican debate long
scheduled for Thursday night in California, where a
delegate-jackpot, of course, goes up for grabs next
Tuesday. Why did he pull out? McCain mastermind
Mike Murphy cited a Friday spot on the "Today"
show as the reason. "I'm going for the bigger ratings,
the bigger audience," Mr. Murphy told the New
York Times. How nice and substantive.
The other barely reported incident of the day was
that the co-chairman of Mr. McCain's South
Carolina campaign resigned over the campaign's
incessant attacks on his alma mater. That's right
—the now-former state campaign co-chairman is an
alumnus of Bob Jones University. "They're growing
into a national media vendetta that I cannot associate
my name to," Terry Haskins told the Associated
Press.
Of course, it's not just Bob Jones et al. that Mr.
McCain now has in his sights. While campaigning in
Alexandria before yesterday's primary, Mr. McCain
called for the defeat of the "Gilmore-Warner"
machine — named, improbably enough, for Gov. Jim
Gilmore and Sen. John Warner. As Mr. McCain put
it, invoking that great statesman Arnold
Schwarzenegger, "I say to the Gilmore-Warner
machine, 'Hasta la vista, baby.' " Gilmore-Warner
machine? No such critter. (Maybe Mr. McCain is
watching too many Preston Sturges movies.)
Strange, indeed, that Mr. McCain would attack Mr.
Warner, a fellow Republican maverick, who, with the
support of Democrats and independents, has
managed to win more statewide victories in Virginia
than any other Republican, both with and without the
support of the state'sRepublican establishment.
What's going on here? Big ratings and good clippings
aside, a loose stridency is more and more marking
the McCain campaign. As the race slouches toward
Super Tuesday, one has to wonder whether that's
any way to hold the center.[/quote]
*********
It should also be noted that Gov. Gilmore is one of the Governors unequivocally against taxing the Internet
------------------
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!