The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

The $21 Million Arizona Sell-Out

Posted on | August 26, 2010 | 40 Comments

The Keen Observer at Townhall.com:

It only took a measly 21 million dollars for John McCain to buy yet another 6-year term in the most exclusive club of aristocrats the world has ever known: the United States Senate.
And all for a job that pays 174K a year, plus a few fringes. Fuzzy math indeed; but nice “work” if you can get it.
But curiously, most of the 21 milion was LEFTOVER from his bizarre presidential campaign of 2008, where McCain exhibited “extraordinary restraint” in not attacking Barack Obama head-on . . .
Now contrast with the way McCain went directly after the jugular of fellow Republican J.D. Hayworth — choosing to attack the hapless ex-congressman unrelentingly over FOUR consecutive months, in one the dirtiest, most-misrepresentative TV campaigns in recent memory.

You may read the whole thing, if you wish. My question is for Arizonans who love liberty, who care about the Constitution, who oppose John McCain’s big-government RINO agenda: Are you for sale?

Will you betray your principles for $21 million? Or is it so important to elect a senator with an “R” beside his name that you will now roll over, bite your tongues, and pretend that America will somehow be safer — our freedoms more secure — if John McCain gets re-elected?

Will you, in other words, become a willing accomplice in foisting this fraud upon your fellow citizens?

Michelle Malkin has declared, “John McCain is the problem,” and I completely agree. If we agree that this two-faced backstabbing disgrace to my family name is the problem, what is the solution? On Tuesday night, when the results of the primary in Arizona became known, I said:

Say hello to Libertarian Party candidate David Nolan. He’s also on Facebook.
David F. Nolan is a great American, and I’m his new best friend.

As his new best friend, allow me to make the proper introduction, from his official biography:

David F. Nolan is the principal founder of America’s largest and most successful third party, the Libertarian Party.
He holds a degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and enjoyed a successful four-decade career in advertising, marketing and publishing.
In 1970, he created a new map of the political world that has all but replaced the old-fashioned left-right linear model. A Google search for the phrase “Nolan Chart” recently turned up 350,000 references!
This groundbreaking achievement earned Mr. Nolan a listing in 2,000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 20th Century, published by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England.
David lives in Tucson with his wife Elizabeth.

Many of my friends, I know, are saying to themselves, “This guy can’t possibly win.” That’s what they said about Joe Miller until Tuesday night. And some of you may be looking at Nolan and saying, “Dude, he’s a hopeless geek. If we support him, we’ll look like idiots.”

Yeah? Well, let me remind you of another hopless geek:

Nov. 4, 2009
SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — If a Hollywood producer were casting for the role of a revolutionary hero, no talent agent would send Doug Hoffman to the audition. Yet the Hoffman congressional campaign has ignited a revolution within the Republican Party, the results of which are already being felt.
Even while the Hoffman campaign’s early-evening “cautious optimism” gave way to concern — with staffers huddling in the “war room” here at the Hotel Saranac — one official of New York’s Conservative Party was already in a celebratory mood, laughing as he yelled into his cell phone: “Guess who will not be representing the 23rd District? Dede Scozzafava!”

Exactly my point. We can win back the 23rd District this fall — go contribute to support Doug Hoffman now — but if conservatives are afraid to stand up for principle, if conservatives are willing to roll over and buy into the GOP establishment’s lesser-of-two-evils defense of a two-faced backstabbing RINO like John McCain, why should conservatives expect to be treated with any respect?

If not now, when? If not us, who?

We have started a revolution, and we cannot quit it now. It’s time to take a stand, my friends, to draw a line in the sand and proclaim our vow, “This far, and no further.” Who’s with me?

DAVID NOLAN for U.S. SENATE

Comments

40 Responses to “The $21 Million Arizona Sell-Out”

  1. John S
    August 26th, 2010 @ 6:33 pm

    If I were in Arizona, I would be disillusioned right now. J.D. Hayworth was not an option, but how could I consciously vote to send John McCain back to the Senate…again? Third parties are rarely the right option, but in this case I can’t see there being any other choice. Nolan is well-known in libertarian circles, and I can’t see McCain tearing him down like he did J.D. Hayworth. In fact, the worst he could do is ignore him. I guess it’s once again up to the blogosphere and grassroots activists to stage a coup. Go for it. I think the amount of support you might find for a commitment to a Nolan candidacy will be surprising.

  2. John S
    August 26th, 2010 @ 2:33 pm

    If I were in Arizona, I would be disillusioned right now. J.D. Hayworth was not an option, but how could I consciously vote to send John McCain back to the Senate…again? Third parties are rarely the right option, but in this case I can’t see there being any other choice. Nolan is well-known in libertarian circles, and I can’t see McCain tearing him down like he did J.D. Hayworth. In fact, the worst he could do is ignore him. I guess it’s once again up to the blogosphere and grassroots activists to stage a coup. Go for it. I think the amount of support you might find for a commitment to a Nolan candidacy will be surprising.

  3. Rob
    August 26th, 2010 @ 6:38 pm

    Oh Dear!
    Stacy, let the fun begin! I hope this doesn’t start a 3rd party but if anything scare the be jesus out the GOP to balance the budget, etc, etc. Let the fun begin!

  4. Rob
    August 26th, 2010 @ 2:38 pm

    Oh Dear!
    Stacy, let the fun begin! I hope this doesn’t start a 3rd party but if anything scare the be jesus out the GOP to balance the budget, etc, etc. Let the fun begin!

  5. Bob Belvedere
    August 26th, 2010 @ 6:46 pm

    Speaking of dead-brained clowns:
    One Year Ago Today At The Other McCain

  6. Bob Belvedere
    August 26th, 2010 @ 2:46 pm

    Speaking of dead-brained clowns:
    One Year Ago Today At The Other McCain

  7. Surname war! | World's Only Rational Man
    August 26th, 2010 @ 2:52 pm

    […] But I’ll defer my analysis to someone actually named McCain. […]

  8. Joe
    August 26th, 2010 @ 7:07 pm

    So what is the purpose of this? Sour grapes? I understand you do not like McCain. Okay. He sucks. He ran a bad campaign. He should have spent some of that $21 on attacking Obama not attacking fellow republicans (although in fairness Hayworth attacked McCain too). Whatever. We are past that. He is not running for President again in 2012 and will likely die in office. If he doesn’t, let’s talk in 2014 about a potential challenger.

    So Lisa Murkowski is a spoil sport? Hayworth was an exceedingly weak and erratic challenger that might not have won the general (even in a very favorable climate).

    If you are going to take out weak RINO GOP candidates in primaries, find quality candidates. Miller, for example, was a great candidate to take on Murkowski. More Millers, less Hayworths. Let’s start there.

    Here is a list of eight toss up Senate races: Cali, Colo., Flor., Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, Washington, and Wisconsin are all up for grabs. Most of them are Democrat (only Florida and Ohio are currently GOP). If we win six of them, and hold the other races, we might take control of the Senate.

    But so you have something to look forward to to make up for Mac Daddy’s victory over Hawyorth, who will be Lindsay Graham’s GOP challenger? When is he up for re-election.

  9. Joe
    August 26th, 2010 @ 3:07 pm

    So what is the purpose of this? Sour grapes? I understand you do not like McCain. Okay. He sucks. He ran a bad campaign. He should have spent some of that $21 on attacking Obama not attacking fellow republicans (although in fairness Hayworth attacked McCain too). Whatever. We are past that. He is not running for President again in 2012 and will likely die in office. If he doesn’t, let’s talk in 2014 about a potential challenger.

    So Lisa Murkowski is a spoil sport? Hayworth was an exceedingly weak and erratic challenger that might not have won the general (even in a very favorable climate).

    If you are going to take out weak RINO GOP candidates in primaries, find quality candidates. Miller, for example, was a great candidate to take on Murkowski. More Millers, less Hayworths. Let’s start there.

    Here is a list of eight toss up Senate races: Cali, Colo., Flor., Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, Washington, and Wisconsin are all up for grabs. Most of them are Democrat (only Florida and Ohio are currently GOP). If we win six of them, and hold the other races, we might take control of the Senate.

    But so you have something to look forward to to make up for Mac Daddy’s victory over Hawyorth, who will be Lindsay Graham’s GOP challenger? When is he up for re-election.

  10. Robert Stacy McCain
    August 26th, 2010 @ 7:12 pm

    If we win six of them, and hold the other races, we might take control of the Senate.

    Your use of the first-person plural implies that my cousin and I are engaged together in some project mutual purpose, an implication that I reject utterly.

  11. Robert Stacy McCain
    August 26th, 2010 @ 3:12 pm

    If we win six of them, and hold the other races, we might take control of the Senate.

    Your use of the first-person plural implies that my cousin and I are engaged together in some project mutual purpose, an implication that I reject utterly.

  12. Estragon
    August 26th, 2010 @ 7:35 pm

    “Are you for sale?”

    Despite that insult to Arizonians, we already know the answer as pertains to Hayworth: YES, he was and is for sale, and won’t return tainted funds, apologize for accepting them or doing favors for them, or comply with federal law.

    Oh, and those who are against wasteful spending, ear-marking, and pork should be celebrating that the crook was beaten.

    We can dance and laugh as long as you can whine and cry . . . at least.

    As we tried to explain to Al Gore some years ago, a sore loser is still just a loser.

  13. Estragon
    August 26th, 2010 @ 3:35 pm

    “Are you for sale?”

    Despite that insult to Arizonians, we already know the answer as pertains to Hayworth: YES, he was and is for sale, and won’t return tainted funds, apologize for accepting them or doing favors for them, or comply with federal law.

    Oh, and those who are against wasteful spending, ear-marking, and pork should be celebrating that the crook was beaten.

    We can dance and laugh as long as you can whine and cry . . . at least.

    As we tried to explain to Al Gore some years ago, a sore loser is still just a loser.

  14. Joe
    August 26th, 2010 @ 8:02 pm

    Your use of the first-person plural implies that my cousin and I are engaged together in some project mutual purpose, an implication that I reject utterly.

    Noted! Nor was that implied. Just because a pig happens to be walking on the same side of the street and the same direction as you (at least momentarily) doesn’t mean you are engaged in a project of mutual purpose!

  15. Joe
    August 26th, 2010 @ 4:02 pm

    Your use of the first-person plural implies that my cousin and I are engaged together in some project mutual purpose, an implication that I reject utterly.

    Noted! Nor was that implied. Just because a pig happens to be walking on the same side of the street and the same direction as you (at least momentarily) doesn’t mean you are engaged in a project of mutual purpose!

  16. Joe
    August 26th, 2010 @ 8:08 pm

    WTF? So a establishment GOP heir is going to run as an indie?

  17. Joe
    August 26th, 2010 @ 8:08 pm

    Excuse me establishment GOP heir LOSER.

  18. Joe
    August 26th, 2010 @ 4:08 pm

    WTF? So a establishment GOP heir is going to run as an indie?

  19. Joe
    August 26th, 2010 @ 4:08 pm

    Excuse me establishment GOP heir LOSER.

  20. Huey
    August 26th, 2010 @ 8:24 pm

    Um…not me.

    An 80% conservative is better than a 100% liberal.

    Get your head on right.

  21. Huey
    August 26th, 2010 @ 4:24 pm

    Um…not me.

    An 80% conservative is better than a 100% liberal.

    Get your head on right.

  22. Dave C
    August 26th, 2010 @ 9:14 pm

    It’s finally time to jab the collective thumb back into McCain’s eye. After all the jabs he’s given us.

  23. Dave C
    August 26th, 2010 @ 5:14 pm

    It’s finally time to jab the collective thumb back into McCain’s eye. After all the jabs he’s given us.

  24. R M
    August 27th, 2010 @ 2:45 am

    Ye Gods and Little Fishes…does Politics Have a Chance in Arizona-Arizona Means Politics for Positively Everything! Even work requires politics or one will find themselves hungry…now what about honesty?

  25. R M
    August 26th, 2010 @ 10:45 pm

    Ye Gods and Little Fishes…does Politics Have a Chance in Arizona-Arizona Means Politics for Positively Everything! Even work requires politics or one will find themselves hungry…now what about honesty?

  26. Everybody here knows what I think of Robert Stacy « Da Techguy's Blog
    August 26th, 2010 @ 11:49 pm

    […] made it clear that I preferred J. D. to John McCain, but isn’t it a contradiction to drop the republican nominee in Arizona for the libertarian, while rightfully screaming bloody murder over Murkowski in […]

  27. Erich Madden
    August 27th, 2010 @ 4:33 am

    “Or is it so important to elect a senator with an “R” beside his name that you will now roll over, bite your tongues, and pretend that America will somehow be safer — our freedoms more secure — if John McCain gets re-elected”

    Yes. Yes it is. There has never been anything so important in the history of this country. The *only* alternative here is a “D”, and that alternative is the end of this nation. We are in an election where a single “R” may decide the future of our nation, yes, even if that “R” has an “INO” after it. All of your unrealistic, wishful comparisons aside, your Libertarian will not get elected until the Founding Fathers rise from their graves to endorse him, and maybe not even then. I thank the foolish far-Leftists who voted for Ralph Nader instead of Gore, and in doing so, elected George Bush, but I will not be the right-wing version of those fools and cut off my nose to spite my face. Please put your anti-McCain vitrol on hold until we have an election where we can afford to lose a seat “on principle”, assuming that will ever be the case.

  28. Erich Madden
    August 27th, 2010 @ 12:33 am

    “Or is it so important to elect a senator with an “R” beside his name that you will now roll over, bite your tongues, and pretend that America will somehow be safer — our freedoms more secure — if John McCain gets re-elected”

    Yes. Yes it is. There has never been anything so important in the history of this country. The *only* alternative here is a “D”, and that alternative is the end of this nation. We are in an election where a single “R” may decide the future of our nation, yes, even if that “R” has an “INO” after it. All of your unrealistic, wishful comparisons aside, your Libertarian will not get elected until the Founding Fathers rise from their graves to endorse him, and maybe not even then. I thank the foolish far-Leftists who voted for Ralph Nader instead of Gore, and in doing so, elected George Bush, but I will not be the right-wing version of those fools and cut off my nose to spite my face. Please put your anti-McCain vitrol on hold until we have an election where we can afford to lose a seat “on principle”, assuming that will ever be the case.

  29. Estragon
    August 27th, 2010 @ 5:48 am

    Quite so, Erich Madden @ #14.

    In spite of the well-earned animosity against him on few particular important and high-profile issues, McCain has always maintained an ACU rating of over 80% in his voting record.

    As Ronald Reagan pointed out, “My 80% friend is not my 20% enemy.” People need to grow the flock up and accept that even on our side of the fence they will not find 100% agreement with anyone of consequence, and that losing an issue because of someone on our side defecting isn’t the end of the world.

    Unless of course they are unwilling to countenance any deviation from their own personally dictated party line, and death to the reactionaries who defy them, like Stalin.

  30. Estragon
    August 27th, 2010 @ 1:48 am

    Quite so, Erich Madden @ #14.

    In spite of the well-earned animosity against him on few particular important and high-profile issues, McCain has always maintained an ACU rating of over 80% in his voting record.

    As Ronald Reagan pointed out, “My 80% friend is not my 20% enemy.” People need to grow the flock up and accept that even on our side of the fence they will not find 100% agreement with anyone of consequence, and that losing an issue because of someone on our side defecting isn’t the end of the world.

    Unless of course they are unwilling to countenance any deviation from their own personally dictated party line, and death to the reactionaries who defy them, like Stalin.

  31. daisy
    August 27th, 2010 @ 2:51 pm

    Okay, I’ve heard this expression before and I’ve never understood it. What do you mean when you say McCain bought himslef another term? It’s not like people got cash for voting for him.

  32. daisy
    August 27th, 2010 @ 10:51 am

    Okay, I’ve heard this expression before and I’ve never understood it. What do you mean when you say McCain bought himslef another term? It’s not like people got cash for voting for him.

  33. Erich Madden
    August 27th, 2010 @ 3:53 pm

    @daisy –
    It could be meant in the traditional vote-buying Barack Obama Chicago-style politics sense – where George Soros writes a big check to ACORN and they go out and register dead people and fake names and pay homeless people to vote, but I don’t think anyone is accusing McCain of that. Despite RSM’s opinion, there is an ethical difference between McCain and Obama.

    What I believe they mean in this sense is that it takes money for campaign staff, offices, campaign materials, phone banks, tv, radio, print ads, etc. A LOT of money. No, that money does not buy votes directly, but it gets your message out, or drowns out your opponent’s message if you spend enough of it, and it doesn’t really matter if your message is blatantly false if you have enough money to “shout loader than the other guy”. If you spend significantly more than the other guy (like Obama did against McCain, or McCain against Hayworth) to make your message the only one people hear, you essentially prevent the voters (at least the lazy ones, which is a lot of them) from making an informed decision, and thus can be seen as “buying the election”.

    Personally, I think that’s (most of the time) a load of bull, because it relieves the voters of responsibility for their poor decisions – it’s always someone else’s fault.

  34. Erich Madden
    August 27th, 2010 @ 11:53 am

    @daisy –
    It could be meant in the traditional vote-buying Barack Obama Chicago-style politics sense – where George Soros writes a big check to ACORN and they go out and register dead people and fake names and pay homeless people to vote, but I don’t think anyone is accusing McCain of that. Despite RSM’s opinion, there is an ethical difference between McCain and Obama.

    What I believe they mean in this sense is that it takes money for campaign staff, offices, campaign materials, phone banks, tv, radio, print ads, etc. A LOT of money. No, that money does not buy votes directly, but it gets your message out, or drowns out your opponent’s message if you spend enough of it, and it doesn’t really matter if your message is blatantly false if you have enough money to “shout loader than the other guy”. If you spend significantly more than the other guy (like Obama did against McCain, or McCain against Hayworth) to make your message the only one people hear, you essentially prevent the voters (at least the lazy ones, which is a lot of them) from making an informed decision, and thus can be seen as “buying the election”.

    Personally, I think that’s (most of the time) a load of bull, because it relieves the voters of responsibility for their poor decisions – it’s always someone else’s fault.

  35. Kojocaro
    August 29th, 2010 @ 5:13 pm

    estragon you stupid witch he is a backstabbing rino just like you and all the other drones who insist he can do no wrong btw shall i mention the 15% where he votes with the far-left neocommies in the demonrat party

  36. Kojocaro
    August 29th, 2010 @ 1:13 pm

    estragon you stupid witch he is a backstabbing rino just like you and all the other drones who insist he can do no wrong btw shall i mention the 15% where he votes with the far-left neocommies in the demonrat party

  37. GS
    August 31st, 2010 @ 3:41 am

    Stacy, I agree with what you’ve written here to a large degree. I put in hours for the Hayworth campaign. Unfortunately, between the influx of Dem and RINO midwesterners and Californians, the old folks who just inexplicably love the crap out of McCain, and Juan McAmnesty’s (love that title) rapport with the Latino vote (yeah, they know and we know his REAL stance on immigration) it’s a foregone conclusion that he’ll take his Senate seat again. Hayworth was our shot. Real, legit Arizonans make up maybe 35% of Arizona’s population now. 5% of those are Arizona Latino that will go half and half R/D, and 2-3% of those are Indians that either vote D or stay home. The 28% of legit Arizonans vote solid R, and conservative R at that. We’re the Hayworth voters. You’ll see this lines up with the fact that Hayworth got 29% of the vote against McCain. Even if we all went for Nolan at 29%, pulled 5% of independents (which would be herculean) we’re talking about 34% (and this is a pie in the sky number). Old folks, midwest transplants, and Latino republicans are going McCain. There’s about 50% of the vote, right there. Latino dems, “new arrival” Latinos, indians (if they vote, not always a given in this state) and your California transplants round us out giving 20% to Senior Assclown Glassman. 2% vote for Mickey Mouse or Dwight D. Eisehower, etc.

    So it sounds odd, after all that naysaying, that I’m gonna do what I can for Nolan, right? Well, given the numbers I’m playing with in my head, McCain doesn’t even have to campaign. He’s got 50% of the vote on lockdown. Maybe, just maybe, we can pull 10% of his and 5-10% of Glassman’s voters. Then we’re talking possibility. It’s worth the try, because there is really no way Glassman wins. In any event, thanks for posting this. A lot of us Hayworthers have been pretty down, though we kind of saw it coming with the kind of bill that McCain threw at this race. Tell you what, Stacy. Why don’t you move on out to Arizona and just run as McCain? I’ll bet you could win on name recognition alone. We’d just have to try to keep that Speedo photo out of the MFM’s hands..

  38. GS
    August 30th, 2010 @ 11:41 pm

    Stacy, I agree with what you’ve written here to a large degree. I put in hours for the Hayworth campaign. Unfortunately, between the influx of Dem and RINO midwesterners and Californians, the old folks who just inexplicably love the crap out of McCain, and Juan McAmnesty’s (love that title) rapport with the Latino vote (yeah, they know and we know his REAL stance on immigration) it’s a foregone conclusion that he’ll take his Senate seat again. Hayworth was our shot. Real, legit Arizonans make up maybe 35% of Arizona’s population now. 5% of those are Arizona Latino that will go half and half R/D, and 2-3% of those are Indians that either vote D or stay home. The 28% of legit Arizonans vote solid R, and conservative R at that. We’re the Hayworth voters. You’ll see this lines up with the fact that Hayworth got 29% of the vote against McCain. Even if we all went for Nolan at 29%, pulled 5% of independents (which would be herculean) we’re talking about 34% (and this is a pie in the sky number). Old folks, midwest transplants, and Latino republicans are going McCain. There’s about 50% of the vote, right there. Latino dems, “new arrival” Latinos, indians (if they vote, not always a given in this state) and your California transplants round us out giving 20% to Senior Assclown Glassman. 2% vote for Mickey Mouse or Dwight D. Eisehower, etc.

    So it sounds odd, after all that naysaying, that I’m gonna do what I can for Nolan, right? Well, given the numbers I’m playing with in my head, McCain doesn’t even have to campaign. He’s got 50% of the vote on lockdown. Maybe, just maybe, we can pull 10% of his and 5-10% of Glassman’s voters. Then we’re talking possibility. It’s worth the try, because there is really no way Glassman wins. In any event, thanks for posting this. A lot of us Hayworthers have been pretty down, though we kind of saw it coming with the kind of bill that McCain threw at this race. Tell you what, Stacy. Why don’t you move on out to Arizona and just run as McCain? I’ll bet you could win on name recognition alone. We’d just have to try to keep that Speedo photo out of the MFM’s hands..

  39. Erich Madden
    September 10th, 2010 @ 4:39 am

    @GS – maybe if you work really really hard to campaign for Nolan and really give it a full effort, tirelessly, day and night, you will be able to siphon off just enough votes from McCain to put a “D” in that seat instead, barely preventing Republican control of the Senate, enabling the Progressives to undermine this country to the point of no return and bring about the collapse of America and the inevitable dictatorship (Marxist or Islamofascist, take your pick) that would follow. Then, when all of us conservatives are rounded up into camps for reeducation or disposal, if we happen to run into each other, maybe you can explain to me again how your “principles” just won’t allow you to support a RINO under any circumstances. Yes, it’s that important, yes, we are that close to the edge of the precipice.

  40. Erich Madden
    September 10th, 2010 @ 12:39 am

    @GS – maybe if you work really really hard to campaign for Nolan and really give it a full effort, tirelessly, day and night, you will be able to siphon off just enough votes from McCain to put a “D” in that seat instead, barely preventing Republican control of the Senate, enabling the Progressives to undermine this country to the point of no return and bring about the collapse of America and the inevitable dictatorship (Marxist or Islamofascist, take your pick) that would follow. Then, when all of us conservatives are rounded up into camps for reeducation or disposal, if we happen to run into each other, maybe you can explain to me again how your “principles” just won’t allow you to support a RINO under any circumstances. Yes, it’s that important, yes, we are that close to the edge of the precipice.