GOP In Meltdown Mode, Dole Tries to Reign in Rush Loudmouth

[propol]

The Dole-Rush Letter


There's been a lot of talk about the letter that Bob Dole sent to Rush Limbaugh. Here it is, as it was sent to me by the McCain campaign:


Rush,

I have not seen you in a long time but I do hear you frequently and I know that you have serious reservations about Senator McCain.

Not that many care but I have been involved in the Republican Primary contest because Elizabeth, a good conservative, is running for reelection in North Carolina where Romney, McCain and Huckabee each enjoy considerable support.

I was the Republican Leader from January 1985 until I left the Senate voluntarily in June 1996. I worked closely with Senator McCain when he came to the Senate in 1987 until I departed. I cannot recall a single instance when he did not support the Party on critical votes. (At my age, I cannot be entirely certain but here are a few key conservative examples:)

1) Consistent pro-life record
2) Strong advocate for strict constructionist judges (We were misled on the Souter nomination)
3) Supported voluntary school prayer
4) Supported Constitutional Amendment for a Balanced Budget (needed two-thirds and lost by one vote — 66-34)
5) Strong advocate for reducing spending and opposing pork barrel "ear marks" which has, I might add, angered some of his colleagues
6) Consistent on defending Second Amendment rights
7) Opposed "Hillary Care" which would have been devastating
8) Probably the Senate's strongest advocate for strong national defense
9) Of course he has cast many votes since I left. I totally disagreed with the McCain-Feingold legislation. On immigration, Senator McCain was not in the Senate when Congress passed President Reagan's immigration legislation which passed overwhelmingly. It granted amnesty to 2.7 million illegals. It was not much different than the 2007 McCain, Kennedy, Bush effort.

I disagree with his votes against the Bush tax cuts but I believe his pledge to make them permanent and I do not agree that Governor Romney ever suggested a timetable for troop withdrawals in Iraq.

McCain is a friend and I proudly wore his P.O.W. bracelet bearing his name while he was still a guest at the "Hanoi Hilton." I believe our major candidates are mainstream conservatives and that our nominee will address our concerns by keeping taxes low, reducing corporate taxes, protecting and assisting the vulnerable, strengthening our traditional values, and above all, keeping America strong militarily, whatever the cost.

Whoever wins the Republican nomination will need your enthusiastic support. Two terms for the Clintons are enough.

God Bless America,

BOB DOLE

P.S. Rush, I just came across a document from the Senate Library which shows Presidential Support scores. Let me give you ratings for "Mr. Conservative" Senator Helms through 2002 (Helms retired in January 2003) and Senator McCain through 2004.

"Presidential Support"

Senator McCain Senator Helms
Support Oppose Support Oppose
1987 65 24 77 22
1988 70 23 60 26
1989 91 9 71 28
1990 74 25 68 32
1991 86 14 84 11
1992 75 25 62 15
1993 27 70 11 84
1994 42 53 18 76
1995 35 63 20 76
1996 31 66 25 75
1997 68 29 44 51
1998 46 47 25 53
1999 38 62 18 82
2000 38 62 31 69
2001 91 9 96 4
2002 90 10 100 0
2003 91 9
2004 92 8

Source: CQ Press

[TwilightGardener]

1. Dole supports this year's Dole. That's nice. Kinda like voting for yourself.

[yardwork]

11. Dole's jealous that first Bill got the White House and now Hillary might get it.

Dole and Dole never got the White House.

[Ian David]

2. When Bob Dole sees his shadow, that means four more weeks of Norm MacDonald!

"I'm Bob Dole! Bob Dole says leave John McCain alone! Bob Dole is angry! I'm Bob Dole!"

[propol]

4. Bob Dole says six more weeks of winter!

[Hoof Hearted]

16. eeeew. and one more pound of makeup.

gross.

[Coexist]

19. lol!

[TornadoTN]

3. Bob's back on the Viagra again

Someones getting feisty! Tell Liddy to watch out!

[propol]

6. we needed a good Dole thread today

[Ian David]

7. John McCain doesn't need Viagra-- he has Iraq.

"McCain, like Turgidson, has a disturbing displaced ardor for war. Although he'd be the oldest person ever elected president, he doesn't need Viagra -- he's got Iraq. Call your doctor if your erection lasts longer than four hours -- or your war lasts longer than 100 years."
-- Ariana Huffington
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/bush-and-mccains-displac_b_83870.html

[saltpoint]

5. You know the Republicans are in desperate straits when a hapless old

nobody like Bob Dole is dispatched to get Limbaugh to quiet his rancid tongue.

[Ian David]

8. Let me know when MSNBC gets Norm MacDonald on the air to talk about this. n/t

[saltpoint]

12. Yes. Hi, Ian. I'd tune in myself.

[propol]

10. He's tanned, rested and ready for 2008!

[saltpoint]

14. !

[hedgehog]

9. I heard something the other day that made me turn to my husband and

comment that the Republican Establishment was trying to take back control from Right Wing radio. It reminds me of the Reign of Terror in France when the leaders of the Revolution finally found themselves facing the guillotine.

[yardwork]

13. The Republican establishment created right-wing radio and now they're stuck with it.

The Republicans created the far-right Dominionist conservative Christian movement too, and now they can't control that either. Too bad for the Republicans! LOL!

[calmblueocean]

24. That is a very astute observation.

I might borrow it. :) Thanks!

[Silent3]

15. This is why I'm mystified that anyone's all that worried...

...about the supposed "electability" of any of our Democratic candidates.

Yes, I know, we should never take any election for granted, and we need to fight like we're coming up from behind no matter what... but, come on, people! Stop and smell the roses! Take a moment from the frenzy of the campaign to appreciate the great position we're in. The Republicans are divided, dispirited, and eating their own right on the public airwaves (as opposed to the way DU eats in own in a fortunately more obscure corner of the internet).

These way-before-November polls of Obama/Clinton vs. McCain/Romney don't mean a thing. Even the most vituperative Republican anti-Hillary hatred (DU's most feared cause of '08 electoral failure, apparently) isn't going to be enough to get Republicans out to the polls to vote in overwhelming numbers for either McCain (who's way too liberal in the bizarre wingnut view of the world) or Romney (whose Mormonism might as well be Satanism for a big chunk of the Christian Right).

Our Democratic candidate, whoever he/she might turn out to be, is practically going to have to bite the head off of a puppy on live TV in order to lose to any of the Republicans.

[TexasObserver]

17. If your erection lasts more than four hours, write Rush Limbaugh

Bob Dole is erect and ready for service.

[Hoof Hearted]

18. Too bad, they should have reigned that hillbilly crack whore in a long time ago.

They can file this one under "be careful what you wish for."

[IsItJustMe]

21. Love your description of Rush. Short, precise, sweet, and to the point.

[Radical Activist]

20. I still think the whole thing is staged.

Rush isn't a free-thinker. He's bought and paid for. He's trying to make McCain look more appealing to independents by saying he's not conservative.

[IsItJustMe]

22. I have thought of that also, but at the same time he is having a negative effect .

on the true believers. Maybe it's a risk they are willing to take.

[calmblueocean]

23. love it Love It LOVE IT! Our uproar is no match for theirs!

The Nationwide Republican Hate Squad is going to have to swallow their own shit if they want to support Old Walnuts.

At least we have two candidates most of us can accept -- they have NONE!

To quote a scholar: "Bwahahahahahahahaaahaaa... hee hee!"