Ace of Spades HQ

September 05, 2008

"Proud of the GOP:" Bill Whittle's First Article for NRO
— Ace

Here's his blog post describing how proud he is of himself, for getting into NRO.

And here's the article itself. I won't quote his bit on his own Palinmania because 1) that's what'll get the article clicked on and 2) I have to tell you, I love her, but I need to take a break from Palinmania. So I'll quote some McCain parts (prominently featuring Palin -- hey, she's unavoidable.)

I have personally seen hundreds of crusty, old-school paleocons who despised McCain now saying He finally listened to us. By picking Palin instead of Lieberman, who we all know he wanted he has told conservatives that he gets it. Theyre not holding their noses and voting any more. They want yard signs and bumper stickers they cant wait to vote GOP. And the proof of the pudding is in the tasting, folks: they are writing checks.
...

John McCain got me to believe tonight what I never really believed about him before: he is serious about changing Washington. He is serious about getting the GOP back to basics. John McCain wants to repair the brand. Claiming to want to do something is talk. What I think will cause many to believe him is something more than talk: McCain decided to man up. Its our fault. We lost the confidence of the American people. We said wed be true to our principles, and we werent. The Democrats didnt make us do it. We did it to ourselves.
That has the ring of truth to it. It is a grownup accepting responsibility for a mistake not of his making and asking for the chance to rectify it. I dont know how much of the country will believe him. But I did.
If McCain can get close just close to convincing the American people that real reform is possible with Republicans and not just the Democrats, then they are left with a decision of who they feel safest with, and who actually walks the walk. The GOP owns that ground. Thats victory in November, and its the only way to victory in November. We are an optimistic, hopeful country. We will not prevail by convincing people why they should not vote for the other guy. People need to vote for something . I think John McCain gave us that on Thursday night.

Yes, that's what drew me in (apart from biography). One makes compromises in politics, of course, especially when a crucial issue such as war is at hand, but in these past few years we've all gotten a sick of the endless compromises. And I don't mean RINO-type compromises here; I mean compromises of integrity, having corrupt bastards in positions of power in the party, having a leadership willing to overlook some very serious rumors swirling around Mark Foley. Having to just look at Trent Lott.

You can't get rid of all of that, of course, but damn, it would be great to at least have a party trying to drive them out.

H/t Rachel Lucas, who's got a fever, and the only prescription is more Palin motivational posters.

Posted by: Ace at 06:03 PM | Comments (51)
Post contains 542 words, total size 3 kb.

1 Dafydd has a really good article on how he's come around to support McCain. Basically, he opines that McCain has changed, not us.

Posted by: Mrs. Peel at September 05, 2008 06:07 PM (Tns7s)

2 Corruption and graft is the issue. When the Repubs avoid it they win, when they don't...

Posted by: The Obvious at September 05, 2008 06:13 PM (1g+FW)

3 John McCain got me to believe tonight what I never really believed about him before: he is serious about changing Washington.

Yeah but I'm not so sure conservatives will like how he would change things. He changed campaign finance laws. Not for the better.

If given his druthers he would have changed immigration laws. I don't think a lot of conservatives would love that.

I'm not sure the change he has in mind for dealing with 'global warming' will meet with lots of cheers around here.

Earmarks are great to go after but you aren't going to get control of the federal budget with them.

One thing he doesn't seem to interested in changing is the tax code. When was the last time a Republican ran without embrasing some kind of tax cut? You could say Bush in 04 but that was because he just got a big one passed.

I'm not saying McCain isn't preferable to Obama and Palin helps it go down easier for sure but McCain is still McCain, warts and all, and Palin is still just the VP.

Posted by: DrewM. at September 05, 2008 06:16 PM (hlYel)

4 I'm loving McCain - and so many people I talk to are so surprised to learn what an amazing story he has in his own right - possibly because he's not a media made publicity whore? Arrogant obsessive auto-biography writer?

Here, let his best campaigner tell you for the 100th time -- it's a series

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/oh-that-joe-n-4.html

Posted by: Topsecretk9 at September 05, 2008 06:20 PM (Lzdny)

5 This is astounding. I didn't know NRO had enough electrons to supply a Whittle column! (and I say this as a Whittle fan)

Posted by: Arthur at September 05, 2008 06:22 PM (5dNhb)

6 DrewM

I have many of your concerns, but I sense he's seen he's been in a bubble too. I did talk today to a woman (mom) who does business in Arizona and she noted to me that he's an Arizona senator and much of their economy relies on immigrant workers, more so than California, mainly because it's a huge retirement community on fixed income that tighten up if need be. She made a good point - the border needs to sealed up mainly to stop the drug movers that come in and out at will - then we will deal with the other end. And no benefits for immigrants would be a good start too.

Anyway, I sense McCain is on the national stage now and has to see all states concerns in the mix, not just Arizona. He's smart enough to get that - I think (hope)

Posted by: Topsecretk9 at September 05, 2008 06:34 PM (Lzdny)

7 "he's an Arizona senator and much of their economy relies on immigrant workers, more so than California"

Illegal.

My fucking god.

Posted by: 13times at September 05, 2008 06:40 PM (1i15z)

8 Sure, McCain is still McCain, but he's in it to win and driving liberals batshit crazy in the process. I dig that shit.

Posted by: Manco at September 05, 2008 06:50 PM (OdmIm)

9 Read the Article, if you haven't. It's pretty good.

Posted by: erik at September 05, 2008 06:54 PM (hblvb)

Just saw this from the brain-dead troglodytes at Pandagon:

After Obama won the primary:

So Sambo beat the bitch!

Apparently.

Update: Oh fine, if you insist I behave responsibly, Ill point out that this is just one story, with less-than-authoritative sourcing. It may be that Sarah Palin is utterly racially tolerant and feministically upright.

Man, they are scared.

Posted by: marcus at September 05, 2008 06:55 PM (/NgrF)

11 Am I the only one not buying this widely-held belief "McCain really wanted to pick Lieberman?"

1) McCain wanted to pick whoever helps him the most to win.
2) McCain considers a lot of his Democrat colleagues as close friends.
3) McCain is not so much of compromiser to know his limits -- he's not going to pick a Democrat such as Lieberman no matter how close they are as friends. We're not going to see Lieberman pull a Jim Jeffords and give control back to Republicans in the Senate. Joe Lieberman, like John McCain, knows when to put the breaks on when it comes to drastic political moves.

Posted by: Bart at September 05, 2008 06:58 PM (I+NO0)

12 Bart,

After his speech Lieberman said Rick Davis told him he was one of the final 3 and was being seriously vetted. Lieberman claims he said, if McCain is doing this as a favor to repay his support don't bother because it's a lot of trouble to go through. In Lieb's telling of it Davis said, nope you are really one of the 3 under consideration.

Now does that mean McCain went with choice 2? I don't know. Either way, it's uncomfortably close and telling about McCain.

Posted by: DrewM. at September 05, 2008 07:04 PM (hlYel)

13 I find the fluidity of some people's thoughts interesting.

Go back and reread some of the Palin related comments through the course of her being named, to being worried about, to her speech, to her now universal applause. It's not that hard to figure out who has a clue around here.

Posted by: Anyone else? at September 05, 2008 07:04 PM (8/0ME)

14 That there what Bart said? That's called "professionalism." It's like McCain's unstated platform, or sump'n. That's my thesis; that he's hoping to win by behaving more professionally, during the campaign, (independent of his policy positions), because he's betting that we'd rather hire a reliable stable professional to run the show than ... well, than Obie.
He'd better be right. Right now, it looks like he's right.

Posted by: Stoop Davy Dave at September 05, 2008 07:09 PM (hFY+e)

15 Bart

I didn't buy it from the minute it was floated. Lowering expectations has always been a money maker. And my god, you can see how the media reacted to not knowing, you think they'd even whiff a name beforehand so the media could Palinize them?

They know the game.

Posted by: Topsecretk9 at September 05, 2008 07:09 PM (Lzdny)

16 Either way, it's uncomfortably close and telling about McCain.

Indeed. And I don't see the point for Lieberman to divulge that information. (Other than to make me look ridiculous at this very moment).

Posted by: Bart at September 05, 2008 07:11 PM (I+NO0)

17 Well, that was fun, just had 4.2 quake here in the East Bay

Posted by: Mbruce at September 05, 2008 07:14 PM (h/5U0)

18 So, then, where are we?

Either McCain and Rick Davis let that information go because:
1) It's true, and they don't care if everyone knows
2) To make an old Joo feel good
3) To make people think "damn, he really is a maverick!"

All three?
None of the above?

Posted by: Bart at September 05, 2008 07:19 PM (I+NO0)

19 No, it was Lieberman responding to a question about it right after his convention speech.

Posted by: DrewM. at September 05, 2008 07:20 PM (hlYel)

PALIN/McCAIN!

Um, I mean, McCAIN/PALIN!

Posted by: Wilhelm Klink at September 05, 2008 07:22 PM (GGhvX)

21 Good read from Bill, if only he would update his site more than twice a year.

Posted by: TJ at September 05, 2008 07:24 PM (W4Ivi)

22 As long as he does not touch immigration. If he does, ka-boom!, his support goes to 20% and he gets nothing else done.

Posted by: Ray at September 05, 2008 07:26 PM (ix3FU)

23 It's possible -- extremely unlikely, but possible -- that McCain has been disabused of his lunatic notion that the MSM liberals and democrats are his "friends."

He may also be beginning to appreciate that conservatives are the intolerant assholes he sometimes acts as if he thinks we are, and that maybe he'll need us if he's to be a successful president.

Posted by: ace at September 05, 2008 07:36 PM (1WR4H)

Hey! !Hey! HEY!

Where is the Sullivan post? I left a good comment, you know about the picture of that fuckwit Andy Sullivan (self-proclaimed conservative actually liberal so he can get onto MSM shows) looking like he is taking a dump, getting head, and taking it up the ass, simultaneously.

Good times! Why did you take it down?

Posted by: Jack at September 05, 2008 07:52 PM (Ss83y)

25 On Conan O'Brian, Triumph the insult dog was at the GOP convention. He was talking to Anderson Cooper, and asked, "Did you watch Obama's speech? I heard Matthews and Olbermann climaxed together.".

AC acted modest, but I could see the huge smile he was trying to hide.

Earlier, O'Brien was talking about the Heckler at RNC, and said that the authorities have sent him to MSNBC. Then he speculated that he will get a call from Olbermann soon.
Even NBC folks are making fun of MSNBC now.

Posted by: Tushar at September 05, 2008 07:52 PM (PTWes)

26 As Napoleon said, politics is the art of the possible.

The VP slot is essentially a sinecure, it's a nice shaded parking place for someone either on their way up or their way out.

Palin's on her way up and the VP slot provides a good opportunity for her to build cred in areas where she's now weak; I don't think anyone considers Lieberman a serious candidate for the top slot.

Lieberman's traction over Democratic voters is limited; Palin has a different if somewhat overlapping (Hilary voters) potential constituency.

If Lieberman were to exit the Senate he'd be a useful Secretary of State. That would put him in a role where his foreign-policy skills could be used, and his less desirable positions on domestic issues irrelevant.

Posted by: mrkwong at September 05, 2008 08:25 PM (G8Eo0)

27 > Where is the Sullivan post? Ace occasionally suffers attacks of "integrity" and "conscious," as Mr. Paul Anka would put it. When this happens it is good form to find something intriguing in the distance and stare fascinatedly at it.

Posted by: The Chap in the Deerstalker Cap at September 05, 2008 08:33 PM (EYePO)

28 Mbruce said: 17 Well, that was fun, just had 4.2 quake here in the East Bay Excellent. That gives me the time, location and the intensity. Could you please post the duration before my next ranging shot?

Posted by: Mad Scientist at September 05, 2008 08:49 PM (5dNhb)

29 And I'll close the italics to thank you in advance.

Posted by: Mad Scientist at September 05, 2008 08:50 PM (5dNhb)

I watched Hannity and Colmes this evening. The show was hosted by Allan Colmes. Hannity was out of town. Colmes introduced one segment, and I am paraphrasing here, by talking about the media's treatment of Palin, "from accusing her of having an affair to the pregnancy of her 17 yr old daughter." Of course, Colmes left out Trig, Palin's fifth child. Care to ask why? Because, Colmes had already been blogging about Trig.

He didn't mention Trig because on HIS OWN COLUMN, ON HIS BLOG, he had implied that Trig's down syndrom was caused by poor pre-natal care on the part of Sarah Palin.

Sean Hannity hasn't called Colmes on this. No one has, except a bunch of commenters on the "LiberalLand.com blog" (I won't link that twisted, vile fuck) Neither Sullivan nor Colmes deserve any forgiveness for their actions. Good God almighty, why aren't they being held accountable? If the crazy guy kills your girlfriend, we still want the crazy guy put away, for pete's sake.

The only reason I haven't said that I want Colmes, his wife, children, family, neighbors and friends to by judged by God and condemned for eternity to the lowest pits of torturous hell is, because by my own standard, I'd have to be put right beside them.

Ace isn't suffering from "integrity and conscience", he is having an attack of guilt. (I bet Ace is reliving some event in his own life, of which he is deeply ashamed.)

If making anonymous accusations is beyond the pale, and I think it is, why is it OK for 'journalists' such as Colmes and Sullivan to make totally false statements and yet get away with it. FUCK THEM. And Ace, I hope that you can make them pay.

Posted by: Jack at September 05, 2008 09:03 PM (Ss83y)

31 Anyone else? (#13). The best that can be done is to continue leaving the trail of breadcrumbs. This situation isn't the first political labyrinth to be subject to mapping. We do have what 60 more days of this play, and so long as the denouement is thrilling for voters, the things in the bag. Obviously, there are questions of bad timing, an unconvincing hero-villian, and the like, but things look like they will dovetail into a solid victory for America, regardless of who wins what, and the audience called the populace should get their money's worth, and walk away with new aspirations. If these guys here think this is all weird, they should read the secondary sources and compendiums for works of Shakespeare, Milton, Shelley, Blake. These fellahs were political theorists of the highest order. They understood that making history is about creating a narrative or metaphor-matrix that explains the mutations of political thought as much as political action. Macbeth may strike you one way or the other, but outside the context of the struggles of James I to consolidate power, it is a play. Understood rightly, it is a brilliantly creative documentary record of real world thoughts and actions. The Adam and Eve story that Milton created in Paradise Lost makes for difficult reading indeed, but outside the context of the Puritan Revolution and its failure you see only the hem of the Lord's garments. Am I gonna tell you how he got to be the Shake-spear? Well, no. Ask the Crown. Maybe you will see what a spear-shaker does in real life.

Posted by: Music at September 05, 2008 09:16 PM (4gKQm)

32 I've been a Whittle fan for a long time and have always recognized he is a real talent and an incredibly intelligent and articulate guy. I've sent countless people over to check out his blog, and they always emerge Whittle converts. Great news he's writing for a high-profile site. He's a great advocate for the good guys.

Posted by: docweasel at September 05, 2008 09:50 PM (6TrvL)

33 Whittle's fun at times, but he's a verbose blowhard.

Posted by: someone at September 05, 2008 10:10 PM (2z2WN)

34 Wait, I missed another Sully rip? Boo...

Posted by: someone at September 05, 2008 10:11 PM (2z2WN)

35 If he's going to win this, we need to get more freaking Republicans into Congress. A lot more.

Posted by: Al at September 05, 2008 10:48 PM (Lk931)

36 Whittle is the new Palin of the NRO staff.

Brilliant, and about time.

Posted by: mesablue at September 05, 2008 11:18 PM (5yNaE)

37 re: someone Translation: Whittle is verbose = too many big words! no pictures! this is long, I'm bored! /reads comic book

Posted by: docweasel at September 05, 2008 11:29 PM (6TrvL)

38 Yeah, someone, wtf?

Whittle's posts are few and far between. But, usually blog candy. Better than most anything around for it's straight out clarity -- in a slightly verbose kind of way. Sort of the point.

Me likee.

Posted by: mesablue at September 05, 2008 11:33 PM (5yNaE)

i know this doesn't apply to this thread but......

i am watching 300 and the queen of sparta reminds me of Sarah Palin

Posted by: debra at September 05, 2008 11:36 PM (VlgvN)

40 One thing at a time. I remain optimistic about a McCain victory, but I don't know if he'll be able to develop coattails significant enough to bring the House back as well, or at least closer. The Senate is right out.

Posted by: Dr. Remulak at September 05, 2008 11:39 PM (vVUHQ)

41 2) I have to tell you, I love her, but I need to take a break from Palinmania. I'm not sure there is any effective treatment for Sarahphilia.

Posted by: Elliott W. at September 05, 2008 11:47 PM (Cczxs)

42 Dear Mr. Obama: Freedom Is Always Worth the Price

Posted by: kat-missouri at September 05, 2008 11:51 PM (io+Si)

43 "But, usually blog candy."

Candy is right. I read Whittle from his very first posts ever, and... he's always sweet and inspiring, but you realize afterwards that there's no nutritional value. Try actually pinning down his arguments, and you'll see he lays the cute details on thick but elides lots of what really needs establishing, particularly since each post has a new grand theory of theoriness.

Wretchard is brilliant. Whittle is showy.

Posted by: someone at September 06, 2008 12:10 AM (2z2WN)

44 Whittle is pretty smart but he missed the Big Deal in the speech.

It was the opening shot in the war on the Culture of Victimhood.

Whittle is turning into a hack.

Click on my name and scroll down for "The Sermon"

Posted by: M. Simon at September 06, 2008 01:53 AM (OANt1)

45 Dare I say, I am so utterly and unabashedly proud of Bill Whittle, that my words haunt and mock me for their pale weakness and shameful inadequacy.

I've known his destiny, since Sept. '05.

And, because I'm a hopeless plagiarist, may I add; The Cream Always Rises to the Top.

Posted by: franksalterego at September 06, 2008 03:22 AM (QdFjo)

46 I too recall several "sit this one out and wait until 2012", especially in states that won't be in play either way, going after Whittle back in February when he started writing these themes. Where are they now?

But, it took somebody as powerful and awesome as B.W. to write this article and theme for many to listen.

This move by NRO almost makes up for K-Lo and Derbyshire.

Posted by: eddiebear at September 06, 2008 04:52 AM (THTc7)

Heh. Re: Rachel Lucas' v i a g r a post...

I was im-ing with a friend during Big Mac's appearance yesterday and was just typing that Sarah seemed to be working like political viagra on him, when he started talking about bringing to America "renewed strength, renewed vigor, renewed vitality"

I think we're onto something.

Posted by: Prufrock at September 06, 2008 06:44 AM (vISQb)

48 Whittle's article was good, but I'd have stricken virtually all of the italics out of it. Markup is a rhetorical bludgeon.

Posted by: David Gillies at September 06, 2008 08:07 AM (9RPWx)

49 I've enjoyed Bill Whittle's writing over the past few years, but there was one period which profoundly depressed me. He'd been building up anticipation for some Big New Development in his blog, something which might actually be transformational and real-world important. I was all ears (all eyes?) of course, and eagerly checked when he rolled it out. What would it be? A new political party? A call for armed insurrection? And it was . . .

. . . a "virtual community" for conservatives. In which we could trade our valuable skills in, um, middle-class white-collar jobs, minor hobbies, half-remembered Boy Scout training, and, um, blogging. That was it. There were some cool graphics.

I was depressed and angry. This was 2007 -- the Surge was just beginning so the media were still laying on the doom & gloom as thick as Ariana Huffington's mascara. Congress had just fallen to the Evil Party. We needed something big -- and the best he could come up with was a Red State Second Life?

I'm very glad he seems to have ditched that particular idea, and I look forward to seeing more of his work at NRO. But I know he's fallible.

Posted by: Trimegistus at September 06, 2008 08:20 AM (x5VrF)

50 The best that can be done is to continue leaving the trail of breadcrumbs. This situation isn't the first political labyrinth to be subject to mapping. We do have what 60 more days of this play, and so long as the denouement is thrilling for voters, the things in the bag. Obviously, there are questions of bad timing, an unconvincing hero-villian, and the like, but things look like they will dovetail into a solid victory for America, regardless of <a href="http://www.china-casting.org" title="sand casting" target="_blank">sand casting</a> who wins what, and the audience called the populace should get their money's worth, and walk away with new aspirations.

Posted by: ivy at September 27, 2011 08:19 AM (By3WJ)

51 Thank you for your analysis and sharing, from your article I learned more.

Posted by: doudoune ralph lauren at November 10, 2011 11:15 AM (E5A7m)

Hide Comments | Add Comment