The Senescent Man

My esteemed colleague, Gary Boden, is steamed (see post below).

So is Justin Katz at Anchor Rising.

Many who regularly post comments there are likewise steamed. And so am I.

I not only anticipated a victory for Steve Laffey, but a victory by a sizeable margin. I determined he had the Big Mo. But as others have noted we were fooled by the normal effects of heavy negative campaigning – and negative campaigning that essentially was not rebutted. It took its toll. That, along with the huge “Independent” vote which Laffey had aimed at with his admixture of populism and conservatism – which, in Rhode Island, I would have thought an absolutely winning strategy. But it was not. The Independents went with Chafee. We have to admit it.

I am just now listening to the calls on my answering machine, and one by one I have deleted my messages, but, in retrospect, I should have saved them for posterity because there were messages from so many celebrities, and all on one tape! I mean I had calls from Elizabeth Dole, John McCain, Christy Todd Whitman, Lincoln Chafee, and many, many others.

Sure, I think Chafee's voting record is an absolute disgrace. I also agree that we'd be better off with a Democrat who is at least vulnerable in 6 years as opposed to 6 more years of Chafee. I mean, I’ll have wait 12 years to see a chance at a real Republican in that seat. By then I'll be gumming my food and too arthritic to write a word.

But anger will soon give way to resignation. So I have determined a rather, and in my humble opinion, modest proposal for my brethren:

Chafee could sure use my disgruntled vote. He needs my vote now more than ever. If I were to give it, I’d want to know that I'm going to get something for it. N’est ce pas?

I want him to support Bush's court appointments. That's not asking a whole lot.

I’ll begrudgingly acquiesce in his absolutely foolish view of taxes. I will hold my nose at his egregious pork barrel projects. Heck, he can even remain as environmentally green as he wishes. Just give me the judges.

I’m calling out for a team effort here.

I propose a strategy with my fellow anti-RINO, conservative Republicans who are considering either not voting in the U S Senate race at all, or even going so far as voting for Whitehouse.

Chafee needs us in a race that will remain close.

He claims he can bridge the divide. That he's a good horse trader, a negotiator, and a go-between.

I say prove it.

Let’s see you bridge this divide. Yeah, bridge this!

Fellow conservatives:

Let us band together and offer our vote to him as a block with the firm if-and-only-if proviso, signed-in-blood commitment by him, to vote for all of Bush's nominees for the remaining 2 years. And, if the next President is a Republican, to vote for his nominees as well over those succeeding years.

With that firm commitment, I will, with great agony, commit to voting for Chafee – and not to write in John H. Chafee as I suggested I might do, but for (hold your breath) the knuckle headed son, Linc.

But I don’t think he’s going to go for it. I haven’t seen him so much as life a finger to an olive branch towards us. Have any of you? But the question is: what would he be willing to give to get our votes? Anything? Nothing?

Let’s throw it out there and see what happens.

What say you?

// posted by The Senescent Man @ 8:32 PM