Our favorite curmudgeon, Bob “where’s the outrage” Dole, admits the candidacy of his favorite, John McCain, is fading, and Fred Thompson is picking up the slack:
July 27 (Bloomberg) — Bob Dole says his preferred presidential candidate, Arizona Senator John McCain, is fading and that his support is likely to be “picked up” by Fred Thompson, who is expected to announce his candidacy for the Republican nomination in September.
“My heart has always been with my good friend John McCain,” said Dole, former Senate majority leader and Republican presidential nominee. “But it’s just not happening, the buzz is gone,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s “Political Capital with Al Hunt,” scheduled to air today.
The blunt Dole also said that Thompson would likely pick up that support, because he is the kind of guy people want “around the living room.” He also dismissed critics who say Thompson is not boisterous enough:
While critics say Thompson is “too easy-going, doesn’t have fire in the belly,” the “Law and Order” actor has “kind of a nice, laid back, easy-going approach,” Dole said. “I’m not so certain people want to hear somebody scream and shout.”
He also took a swipe at Newt Gingrich and his “pygmies” remark:
Dole took issue with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who said earlier this week that the Republican presidential candidates were “a bunch of pygmies.”
“I totally disagree with Newt Gingrich,” Dole said. “I don’t know how he has set himself up as the spokesman for the world, but to say we have got a bunch of pygmies, of course unless he gets in, then there is one that is not a pygmy.”
To say Newt is egotistical is to understate the case. Nonetheless, in fairness to Gingrich, he later explained his remark was meant as a comment on the system, not on these particular candidates. Of course, the explanation didn’t get much play in the MSM.
Still, Gingrich, who is considered in many quarters to be as polarizing as Hillary Clinton, is not what the party needs at this point. As much as I agree with his ideas, and admire his intellect, his nomination would ensure the Democrats’ victory.
Bob Dole has never been one to mince words. While still in the Senate, after an “assault weapons” ban was passed over Dole’s opposition (during the Clinton administration), he - while standing on the Capitol steps - sarcastically remarked: “I feel safer already.”
I confess I’ve always been a fan of Bob Dole. (Here come the “he’s a lobbyist” attacks.) I still am.
Chalk one up for the old codger.
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Newt Gingrich once characterized Dole as the tax collector for the welfare state.
It’s not surprising to see Dole get in his digs at Gingrich. But while Dole can sometimes dish out a sardonic soundbite, the fact remains that he never has had much beyond that to offer conservatives.
Bob Dole is a great American. He has a withered arm to show for it.
Lots of respect for the guy and I don’t care if he is a lobbyist, sure he carries business on as it was intended to be.
As far as standing up and out, don’t remember much of that. Run Newt please!
Newt is no Ronald Reagan.
He already has broken the Gipper’s 11th Commandment.
And all for self-aggrandizement.
Bob Dole is an American war hero who has beared his wounds of war with exceptional dignity. He is, though, an old school Midwestern Republican whose ideological loyalties lie more with Theodore Roosevelt and William McKinley than with Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Dole was long past any window of history by the time the 1996 presidential election rolled around.
Is anyone else concerned that we don’t have a pony in the show?
There are no Republicans left in Washington. Newt may be more right than we would care to admit.
Simple
#6 golden adam
Only because so many can’t tell the difference between a pony and a jacka$$.
No John McCain? How will we survive? Has Hayseed Graham managed to get loose from that vapor lock he had attached to McCain’s backside? Poor Hayseed - probably still dreaming about what could have been - getting into J. Edgar Hoover’s wardrobe closet and wearing those fancy gowns to white house balls. And McCain talking like Crabby Appleton “…then I’ll rule the world.” Oh what could have been.
I’m adrift in this sea. Perhaps Romney; Thompson strikes me as the guy in the living room who farts unnecessarily loudly and makes jokes about it, thinking he’s a real wit.
9
Your Hayseed comments always crack me up. That’s some picture you paint right there.
10
Dang, we need more of these late night comments. Y’all are killing me.
I’ve also always liked Dole; he’s a plain speaking guy with an impressive background who made a very good senator. Of course, he also botched his 96′ presidential campaign, alienated major parts of the conservative base (i.e. the NRA), and ensured Clinton’s reelection.
Gingrich I have little use for. He was a very effective speaker, and there’s no doubting his accomplishments, but he’s egotistical in the extreme. He’s also just about the worst debater ever; I recall seeing him debate Ralph Nader on CSPAN once, and he lost because he ceded the argument that liberals were responsible for all the positive new politicies for the past hundred years. Oh, and don’t get me started about what he did to his ex-wife… This is not a guy you want to have guarding your back.
But Owen, you said that morals have nothing to do with anything. Winning is everything. So if Newt needs to stab someone in the back to win, what is wrong with that?
13. Owen
You mean “ex-wiveS”
The money quote…
“I totally disagree with Newt Gingrich,” Dole said. “I don’t know how he has set himself up as the spokesman for the world, but to say we have got a bunch of pygmies, of course unless he gets in, then there is one that is not a pygmy.”
It’s looking bleak for the Republicans as far as having a great candidate, for right now. It might be a blessing to them if the Dimwits nominate HELLary because it will definitely bring the conservatives out to vote.
15
Yeah, not exactly the essence of chivalry, eh?
Run Fred! Run!