Thank you, Rick Santorum, for this timely reminder as to why the right is discontented with John McCain. Not because McCain is a moderate, let alone a liberal, but because America's "conservatives" are tightly wrapped up in reactionary delusions. What, exactly, is it that "conservatives" have actually made any effort "to conserve and improve?" Judeo-Christian values, capitalism, limited government? Don't make me laugh. "Sovereignty" and "courage to" blah blah blah, perhaps, if by those terms you mean a world where the narrow interests of American corporate power are placed ahead of everything and everyone else.

Why don't the Republicans just go with their real standard-bearer for Santorum's alleged "values," and draft Dick Cheney? Oh, that's right, he doesn't really care for the draft...

Sent by MJ Kuhns | 12:24 PM ET | 02-15-2008

Rush Limbaugh has a declared war going against McCain. While Air America Radio is struggling with bankruptcy.

Sounds like more gridlock to me.

Political gridlock is essentially the Wall Street investor's dream. For as long as the middle and lower classes are mired in 'right versus left' gridlock, the economic market is that much easier for venture capitalists to predict.

Ergo, the rich get richer, while political gridlock is firmly in action. The problem with the rich getting richer is that the poor get poorer.

All of this is linked to the middle class pulling itself out of right versus left gridlock...while the middle class continues to shrink in size.

Goes back to Rush Limbaugh and the Air America Radio maquette in the election.

It does seem that the more difficult it becomes to find an Air America affiliate in local areas, the former Air America audience drifts toward NPR.

While Limbaugh seems to be doing his best to alienate his neoconservative audience toward McCain.

There's some pretty nifty psy-ops finagling and sleight of hand going on here.

No wonder so much of the American audience prefers American Idol to the left versus right folderol. Just seems to be a little more honest and a little less psychologically manipulative in that direction.

fred camorra call

Sent by fred camorra call | 7:33 PM ET | 02-15-2008

"In the end, Santorum writes, conservatives have yet to see how McCain will embrace those values listed above."

In the end analysis there is no real mystery. It's McCain or Hillary Clinton. Take your pick. If GOP conservatives want to follow Rush Limbaugh into a boycott, you got your first female president. There's no rabbit being pulled out of the hat. Simple as that.

And this whole conversation prattles on into redundancy. Making it harder and harder to find interesting topics of political conversation. Trying to create mystery out of the obvious makes us all just a little more brain dead. The Dumbing Down of America has already taken a heavy toll on the misspent intellect.

It's as though the Fox neoconservatives are being spoiled and cranky by trying to hold their party up for ransom: "My way or the highway," attitude. The neocconseratives maybe have had their own way for too long. Or, maybe they think that the list of Democratic nominees is so dismal that they can afford to play chest-thumping games with each other.

It's genuinely a shame that the Democratic party couldn't come up with strong candidates. They could have won this election easily. Maybe even with Al Gore. The entire concept of putting up candidates whose credentials are gender and race backed by little real experience doesn't offer much substance. Though it would be exciting for some to see what it would be like to have a woman as president.

In Florida, Hillary showed everyone that she is that much more resilient than Barack in the later rounds. She granted Barack South Carolina, while she stole Florida hands down.

Plus, there are those who wouldn't mind seeing Bill Clinton be the first president since FDR to serve three terms. Bill Clinton has become so much like George Bush that there almost be like no change in the White House.

Barack is an impressive man. He needs experience. That takes time. Thus far, the best he's been able to accomplish is to attempt a likening to Martin Luther King or the Kennedy brothers. There are times I have images of Muhammed Ali mentoring Barack on the teachings of Malcolm X. The truth is, Barack is no MLK or JFK of RFK or X. He might become his own man down the road. But that's later in the game. He's young and he's got resilient political legs.

So, if spoiled conservatives can't see any way to support John McCain, they will have four years to complain about Hillary Clinton.

That promises a rehash of the Monica Lewinsky/Whitewater/Vince Foster type rhetoric. Which, when talking about boring blather, the Bill Clinton scandal got as boring as it gets.

All the same, the liberals had eight years of moaning about George Bush. What goes around, comes around. Let the neocons have four years of complaining about Hillary.

In fact, such a scenario would mightily boost Rush Limbaugh's ratings. As neoconcs would be flocking to their favorite radio station to pitch their complaints 24/7.

fred camorra call

Sent by fred camorra call | 7:46 AM ET | 02-17-2008

Wait a minute...didn't Santorum LOSE?

Sent by history professor | 8:47 PM ET | 02-18-2008

What truly blows my mind is that Ron Paul stands for everything that conservatives say they stand for yet he is ignored by so many.

Sent by Lisa | 10:22 AM ET | 02-19-2008

DEAREST FRED...
I HAVE BEEN WRECKING MY BRAIN CONSISTENTLY WITH A QUESTION THAT I BELIEVE YOU MAY BE THE BEST AT ANSWERING FOR ME. I HAVE WATCHED YOUR BLOG ENTRY'S FOR SOME TIME NOW AND HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT YOUR PROBLEMS WITH THE DNC IS THE WAR AND SOLDIERS. THIS IS WHY YOU ARE SUCH AN ARDENT SUPPORTER OF MCCAIN. RIGHT? MY QUESTION IS WHAT EXACTLY IS IT ABOUT MCCAIN OR WHAT HE HAS SAID ABOUT THE THIS WAS THAT MAKES SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL HE IS EVEN THE BEST QUALIFIED TO LEAD OUR NATION IN OR OUT OF BATTLE? I MEAN I HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD MUCH OUTSIDE OF WE'RE GONNA GET'EM FROM HIM AND THAT SEEMS LIKE A STRANGE POLICY.THE FACT IS THIS WAR HAS GONE ON FAR LONGER THAN IT NEEDED TOO AND WE ARE UNNECCESARILY DEPLETING OUR COMBAT TROOPS AND THE POSSIBILTY OF HAVING THIS WAR GO ON MUCH LONGER PREVENT'S US FROM BEING ABLE TO REPLENISH THOROUGHLY WITH QUALITY SOLDIERS. HE HAS BEEN HEARD SAYING THINGS LIKE "I DON'T CARE IF IT TAKES 100 YEARS WE ARE NOT PULLING OUT OF IRAQ." THE ONLY ONES APPLAUDING THESE KINDS OF STATEMENTS ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE RETIRED FROM THE MILLITARY OR HAVE NO INTENTION OF FIGHTING IN THIS WAR THEMSELVES. ALL OF THE YOUNG POTENTIAL SOLDIERS THAT ARE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL ARE THINKING I WOULD RATHER FLIP BURGERS AT THE LOCAL MCDONALDS THAN GO INTO THE MILLITARY AND RISK DYING ON SOMEBODY'S BATTLE FEILD OVER A WAR THAT I AM NOT EVEN SURE OF WHY I'M FIGHTING. WHERE IS SENATOR MCCAIN'Z SUBSTANCE. IS IT BECAUSE HE WAS A SERVICE MEMBER? AND YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE. WOULD YOU VOTE FOR ANYMAN FROM YOUR DIVISION FOR PRESIDENT JUST BECAUSE HE WAS IN A WAR, OR WOULD YOU EXPECT MORE OF HIM? HOLD HIM TO A HIGHER STANDARD BECAUSE HE WAS A SERVICE MEMBER AND SHOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH WHAT THE MEN AND WOMEN SERVING THIS COUNTRY ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW?

Sent by J.A.WILSON | 5:53 PM ET | 02-19-2008

@Lisa That is why that movement is going to die, because it is not about those things. It is not about being a conservative. It has been for a long time about being contrary to perceived liberalism. Neoconservatives are liberals that deny being liberals. Ron Paul makes an ideology of those principals instead of just lip service.

Sent by Shawn | 7:24 PM ET | 02-19-2008