Meghan McCain: "Old School" Republicans Are "Scared Shitless"

[hugolp]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/18/meghan-mccain-old-school_n_188636.html

Meghan McCain: "Old School" Republicans Are "Scared Shitless"

April 18, 2009 09:46 PM

Speaking to an affectionate crowd of Log Cabin Republicans on Saturday evening, Meghan McCain ridiculed the party her father headed this past election, declaring that "old school Republicans" were "scared shitless" of the changing landscape.

The Senator's daughter, who has quickly become something of an iconic figure in the gay conservative community since the end of the election, took repeated shots at the GOP for its antiquated mores.

"I feel too many Republicans want to cling to past successes," said McCain. "There are those who think we can win the White House and Congress back by being 'more' conservative. Worse, there are those who think we can win by changing nothing at all about what our party has become. They just want to wait for the other side to be perceived as worse than us. I think we're seeing a war brewing in the Republican Party. But it is not between us and Democrats. It is not between us and liberals. It is between the future and the past."

Later, she called out those officials in the Republican tent who insist that tactical improvements, technology and brass-knuckle politicking are the path back to relevance.

"Simply embracing technology isn't going to fix our problem," she said. "Republicans using Twitter and Facebook isn't going to miraculously make people think we're cool again. Breaking free from obsolete positions and providing real solutions that don't divide our nation further will. That's why some in our party are scared. They sense the world around them is changing and they are unable to take the risk to jump free of what's keeping our party down."

The remarks, delivered at the Log Cabin Republican's national convention in Washington D.C., drew healthy applause and the occasional high-pitched whistling. McCain, at one point, declared herself a proud member of the GOP. But her pot shots at the Republican Party and its flashier figures were not thinly veiled. Describing her public tiff with Ann Coulter as non-delicate, she went on to refer to the brash conservative talker as "overly partisan and divisive." Later in the speech she insisted that "most of our nation wants our nation to succeed" - a pretty clear dig at the now-infamous remarks of talk radio host Rush Limbaugh.

As for the GOP establishment, McCain described it as a "party that was thriving at one point on a few singular issues" but could no longer "see long-term success."

"We've seen how it has contributed to some serious problems in our nation and world," McCain said, in an apparent reference to the government under GOP control. "Let me blunt, you can't assume you're electing the right leaders to handle all the problems facing our nation when you make your choice based on one issue. More and more people are finally getting that."

[Reason]

Interesting...

[american.swan]

I find it interesting that the piece said absolutely nothing. What is a reader to do; read between the words, much less the lines?

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

I think the Log Cabin Republicans are one group the Campaign for Liberty could reach out to and co-opt. Selling the message that the government should NOT be involved in marriage at any level would work, I think. No one needs to get their panties in a wad as it would be up to religious institutions and there are now plenty of Christian churches that perform gay marriages. Civil unions would be for contract enforcement, nothing more, nothing less. Everyone gets something and no one's rights are trampled on.

[brandon]

I find it interesting that the piece said absolutely nothing. What is a reader to do; read between the words, much less the lines?

Seriously, I read that whole thing and it didn't tell me a damn thing.

The only things I took from that article were:
-Meghan McCain might be gay but I don't know because the article left that piece of information out
-McCain took a "dig" at Rush and Coulter during some speech while gay men whistled at her.

[Cowlesy]

She wants the party to become more progressive, like her dad.

Meghan McCain = fail.

The founding principles of our nation WORK, and TRANSCEND time. We don't need to change them. The problem is these "old school" republicans in her view have been representing those, which they clearly have not been doing so.

[ChaosControl]

She thinks being more 'conservative' only means more socially conservative.
How about being fiscally conservative or having a conservative foreign policy instead spending us into bankruptcy and fighting the world? Yes the GOP CAN win by being more conservative, that is when you take conservative to mean what the dictionary says it means in distrusting of government and in favor of small government.

The funny thing is, the GOP could go the other way and probably win on a social "conservative" message, if it new how to target minorities given that minorities are typically more socially conservative. Not the direction I want it to go, but it is just a different route they could take and still win.

You know the funny thing is, I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 years the Democratic party is the party of social "conservatism" and fiscal "liberalism", while the GOP is the party of social "liberalism" and fiscal "conservatism". The GOP has to change if it wants to win, if it does change it will probably grab a good number of typically Democrat voters on the social issues. The Democrats will then probably have to change their message and may change to social "conservatism" in order to grab the fundamentalist base.

[A. Havnes]

Did we expect intelligent politics from McCain's daughter?

[sparebulb]

Meghan McCain? Wasn't she the chik that did the low light sex tape where she looked like a racoon? Nevermind, that was Paris Hilton. Same political significance.

[FrankRep]

Why would the "Old School" small government Republicans be scared?
The new Big Government neo-cons are on the chopping block.

[ItsTime]

Why would the "Old School" small government Republicans be scared?
The new Big Government neo-cons are on the chopping block.

I think she meant the neo-cons are scared? I dunno that piece sucked.

[ChristopherJ]

Why would the "Old School" small government Republicans be scared?
The new Big Government neo-cons are on the chopping block.

This article is very confusing. The least they could do is explain what her definition of old school republican is so I'm not left to guess what the hell she is talking about.

[micahnelson]

Like most people, she is only looking at the party through the lens of her own experiences. She obviously has no point of reference for traditional republicans and her consciousness probably begins around the moral majority- or possibly even Newt's Contract with America.

To her, Goldwater is probably a James Bond villain. It could also be that the reporter is clueless and thus incapable of passing on accurate information due to the reporters own ignorance.

[brandon]

So, is she gay or not?

[DirtMcGirt]

yawn, she really needs to get off the stage.

If the Repubs want to regain their strong hold they need to plain a simple say we will keep a "balanced budget" and protect freedom.
If they want to still have talking points on abortion that is fine but we need to realize it basically is supreme court issue (IMHO). They also need to compromise and except civil unions and explain why we they will allow gay partners rights but not call it "marriage".

[Athan]

The article doesn't give much insight. I don't think this speech is even relevant to us since we are not neo-cons and have never been allowed to have a previous political say because of them.

In fact, I think this is another salvo against the neocon reich by the so called "moderate" republicans. I think the moderates blame the neo-cons for the lack of support. Its a three way split between the heroic Champions of the Constitution, neo-con Reich, and the illusion of grandeur deluded moderates.

[angelatc]

I think the Log Cabin Republicans are one group the Campaign for Liberty could reach out to and co-opt. Selling the message that the government should NOT be involved in marriage at any level would work, I think. No one needs to get their panties in a wad as it would be up to religious institutions and there are now plenty of Christian churches that perform gay marriages. Civil unions would be for contract enforcement, nothing more, nothing less. Everyone gets something and no one's rights are trampled on.

The Log Cabin Republicans have been savaged by money. I just read an article about that last night - Ah ha! Found it! : http://www.washingtonblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=24936



Former president Patrick Sammon left Log Cabin at the end of January, and the group has yet to announce a new leader. As of the end of January, the Log Cabin has been functioning with no full-time staff.

Barron and LaSalvia each applied to succeed Sammon, but both were told they were eliminated from the selection process during early rounds of consideration.

A recent Blade report raised questions about the extent of influence that Tim Gill, a wealthy gay Democratic donor, has over the organization. Sources said Gill Action Fund contributed $250,000 annually to the organization in 2007 and 2008 — about one-third of the group’s budget — and that Gill Action was involved in decision-making at Log Cabin.

Meghan McCain is a liberal darling. She's her Daddy's girl. The left will love her as long as she refutes all things conservative.

[Working Poor]

she sucks...what I don't know

[dr. hfn]

Ron Paul Revolution or bust

[Reason]

YouTube - CNN Reports On Meghan McCain & Gay Republicans (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zMfXTPIfBE)

[Dripping Rain]

wtf is a log cabin republican? :confused:
ps mccain is a liberal just like her father. yes she scares me shitless. old school republicans includes ron paul. shes not after the neocons. shes after the old right

[Reason]

wtf is a log cabin republican? :confused:
ps mccain is a liberal just like her father. yes she scares me shitless. old school republicans includes ron paul. shes not after the neocons. shes after the old right

The Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) is a federated gay and lesbian political organization in the United States with state chapters and a national office in Washington, D.C. The group's constituency supports the Republican Party and advocates for LGBT rights. The organization itself has long been more committed to that party than the specific issue.[1][2]

In September 2008, the group voted to endorse the John McCain and Sarah Palin ticket in the 2008 presidential election. LCR President Patrick Sammon said the most important reason for their support was McCain's opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.[39]

[He Who Pawns]

Her looks are teh hotness, but her brain is very limited in power.

She seems more like Democract than anything else. Apparently she's Anti-Abortion, so I guess that's one thing she agrees with many Big Federal Relgion GOPers on.

[Theocrat]

Meghan McCain makes this separation between past and future as the difference between those of us who agree with "old school" principles and those who follow, I guess, what she would label as "progressive" ones. However, the problem is because people generally don't learn from history, they usually repeat its mistakes. The path Meghan would have us walk towards is not a bright future, at all. It is just a repeat of the hedonism experienced during the French Revolution of the 18th century, where those who stood up for moral values and religious faith were sent to the guillotine as outlaws of the State. Instead of a guillotine, this time around we'll have a gavel and a cell for "dissenters," while the libertines are allowed to experience freedom under the protection of the State. In any case, the GOP is dead already, so it makes no sense for them to backtrack towards their former principles when they suffer moderates, like John McCain, into their chambers. You can't be scared shitless when your party is full of shit.

[xd9fan]

You can't be scared shitless when your party is full of shit.

and she can put down the shovel anytime.........

she is meaningless to me......

track records people....follow the track records..........

[jonahtrainer]

Meghan McCain = fail.

Yep. Fail, Fail, Fail!

http://www.runtogold.com/images/political-pictures-treasury-department-hearing-fail.jpg

http://www.runtogold.com/images/Gold-Silver-Bailout-Country.jpg

http://www.runtogold.com/images/guillotine.jpg

[SWATH]

Isn't she the chick who was getting nailed by a Ron Paul supporter during the primaries?

[acptulsa]

Interesting idea to go after non-heterosexual Republicans--and a good one. Perhaps they're getting sick of the Log Cabin usurping their cause. Simply put, if we get rid of the income tax the government no longer has any business in seperating the married from the unmarried. And once it gets out of the business, either insurance companies get to divide churches whose opinions matter to them from those whose opinions don't, or the insurance companies find another way to define who gets on a 'family policy'. And that seems good to me.

[dannno]

"Simply embracing technology isn't going to fix our problem," she said. "Republicans using Twitter and Facebook isn't going to miraculously make people think we're cool again.

Yep, that's very true.

I remember there was a story about Bush Sr. embracing technology by getting an IBM PC back during his Presidency. At first everybody thought he was cool until he broke the cup holder :cool:









(......that didn't really happen)

[mczerone]

I find it interesting that the piece said absolutely nothing. What is a reader to do; read between the words, much less the lines?

I read it as though she was calling for the GOP to jump on the Obama bandwagon is all aspects as a starting move, then to differentiate a few issues that would be important for the members of the GOP. Which would probably 'family values' and abortion.

So basically, the GOP should stay the course: be a party that rides public sentiment, but be close-minded to any societal changes that conflict with your WASPish religion.

We must be there to provide a consistent, prosperous and ethically stable ideology to whatever party emerges, be it the same old GOP, a newly branded one, or an emergence of new parties.

[acptulsa]

So basically, the GOP should stay the course: be a party that rides public sentiment, but be close-minded to any societal changes that conflict with your WASPish religion.

If that's the best the people the neocon herd chooses to follow can come up with, then the party ought to be scared. Because they're going nowhere, and they're going to get there fast.

[kahless]

I see the MSM is still trying desparately to keep the McCains in the spotlight to further destroy what is left of the party. Conservatives-Republicans need to unite to make it known to the media that the McCain's are not welcome in the party.

Perhaps the next protest event people could hold up some anti-McCain signs along with the anti- MSNBC and CNN signs.

[angelatc]

I am curious as to how she could define the differences between conservatives and liberals?

[acptulsa]

Perhaps the next protest event people could hold up some anti-McCain signs along with the anti- MSNBC and CNN signs.

McCains
Suck for
Not
Being
Conservative!

(No wonder GE loves them!)

[kahless]

McCains
Suck for
Not
Being
Conservative!

(No wonder GE loves them!)

Perfect. I was thinking one of my next Tea Party signs might be along these lines.

Real American Conservatives
Against
MSNBC, CNN
The McCains and
the Bush family


This makes the point about the media bias and that the McCain's/Bush family are and have never been Conservative all in one sign.

[purplechoe]

Wow, that article was a waste of time. What's the purpose of posting it?

[jsu718]

You know, she actually wouldn't make that bad of a Libertarian if her stances were of government doing less instead of government doing more. She wants most of the same outcomes, she just doesn't really realize yet the right way of going about doing it.

[asimplegirl]

I don't really understand the difference in "log cabin" republicans, "old school" republicans, regular republicans, etc... so I didn't get anything out of this...

and what group would her dad be in? Cause I am sure I would disagree with it...whatever it is.

[Minarchy4Sale]

Like the republicans are all gonna get elected if they each do a '***** eye' episode... please...

[jsu718]

I don't really understand the difference in "log cabin" republicans, "old school" republicans, regular republicans, etc... so I didn't get anything out of this...

and what group would her dad be in? Cause I am sure I would disagree with it...whatever it is.

Log Cabin = gay friendly
Old School = Not neocons, actually for small government
Regular = Dying out, jumping back to the Dem side again

[asimplegirl]

So which does she claim her dad to be?

(I am sure I will disagree)