Comments on: Judd Gregg for President!

By: Joan

Joan — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:41:05 +0000

Like you I was surprised to find that there are so many others who feel as we do…Gregg for President! From afar, he appears to have the experience, philosophy and character to make a great president. What a relief it would be to have someone in the top job who actually thinks about what is needed to put the country on a fiscally sane path instead of just pandering to certain groups.

Other than this website are you doing anything else to encourage Gregg? Any ideas?

By: Occam's Beard

Occam's Beard — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:42:13 +0000

I want candidates to tell me with which set of governing principles they are aligned—it’s not as though there are no differences beyond what sounds nice.

Quick shibboleth: look at the endorsements. Not to outsource one’s thinking by subscribing to them, but using them to sniff out the Reds. Their endorsements invariably include some such as “American LGBT Mothers United for Peace, Social Justice, Fighting Income Inequality, and Saving Polar Bears.” Bingo. Saves a lot of reading, and never fails.

By: betsybounds

betsybounds — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:34:47 +0000

SteveH,

Now THERE’S a thought. I like it. I like it a lot.

I don’t understand why the Republicans are so skittish about being called the party of “No.” The American people are screaming “NO!” so loudly that it would take a deaf man not to hear it. Some brave soul needs to take them up on it. Shoot, it shouldn’t even take that much courage, just ambition ought to do it.

By: SteveH

SteveH — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:27:14 +0000

Gregg is being interviewed on fox as i type. I’m not too keen on his idea to revive health care. This issue has become radioactive. I don’t think he understands that an ovewhelming majority of Americans don’t think Washington should, or is even capable, of affecting positive changes to healthcare.

How about we have healthcare summits with healthcare professionals and don’t invite a single govt official….Wow, what a concept…Solving problems without the input of politicians who are running our society into the ground.

By: Assistant Village Idiot

Assistant Village Idiot — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:36:25 +0000

Occam’s Beard – “intellectually curious” = wants to try socialism. Happy to clear that up for you.

Loved the comment about Feynman, BTW.

By: Oblio

Oblio — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:14:55 +0000

Betsy, I didn’t mean to suggest that a certain heritage causes certain outcomes. That would be silly.

I would like a throwback not to politicians as they were–they have always been wretched–but to the expectation that our leadership as a group would know the classical principles and at least show a familiarity with unfashionable knowledge and our cultural and intellectual heritage, including a decent respect for religion. It would be great if at least some of them tried to apply these precepts in practice: for example, non sibi sed patriae (“not for self, but for country”) is inscribed over the entrance to the chapel at the US Naval Academy.

As it is, Exeter is one of the great nurseries of the liberal, meritocratic elite. The Manchester Union Leader once referred to it at “the Little Red Schoolhouse.” If Gregg passed through it and then Columbia without losing his bearings, then it speaks well for the independence of his mind from an early age.

By: SteveH

SteveH — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:43:42 +0000

I just hope its not like 2008. I turned away from the news for a few days to discover John McCain went from relative obscurity to “our man”. Reminded me that if politics were a game of blackjack the republicans just said “i’ll stick” at 14.

By: LB100

LB100 — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:27:56 +0000

Neo: I think the “in retrospect” qualification was a mistake. It was obvious at the time, and I would have a hard time getting behind anybody who could be bamboozled by such a transparent, dangerous phony. During the last campaign, I had no doubt that this country was on the verge of making an epochal mistake, and I’m under the impression you had a similar reaction. This was clearly not a man we could “work with,” and, barring some very convincing explanation, I would would have suspicions about Gregg’s understanding of what this country is up against. And call me cynical (I am), but I had no confidence whatsoever that the Lynch appointee would be any stronger, faithful or resolute than Spector or Dede Scozzafava. You simply cannot trust these guys.

Betsybounds: Yes, it’s to Gregg’s credit that he came to his senses. But the fact of the matter is that he came close to making what I believe could have been a catastrophic choice, one that would have made Scott Brown the 39th de facto Republican senator. I agree that he is probably more astute than those whom you deem the Old Guard, and I think he’s probably a very good and honorable man. However, I want somebody who is even more perceptive and, as I said earlier, who will fight.

By: JohnC

JohnC — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 05:45:41 +0000

I don’t know. I own property in NH and listen to the Howie Carr show frequently when I’m there. I’ve listen to Carr interview Gregg at least a couple of times and he (Gregg) comes across well overall. In fact, my impression is that he is an able legislator and very honorable and conscientious man. I deeply respect those qualities. But that doesn’t alleviate my concerns. One of those concerns is that Gregg’s narrative just does not have the appeal of a Brown, unfortunately. Call it a lack of charisma or a lack of charismatic energy on the part of Gregg. Brown was able to ignite a grass roots feeling that helped him undermine attacks of all kinds from the Mass liberal inertia and from the Obamites. I don’t think Gregg has the personality to do that outside of NH., a state where his understated personality is obviously appreciated. Brown represents the new. Gregg sorta represents the best of the not so new. My second concern is related to the first. I agree with a commenter above that Gregg appears to be from a different era of politics. I’m not convinced – despite Neo’s counter arguments – that he is as savvy as he needs to be in his dealings the Obamites; not as a Republican legislator nor a presidential Rep candidate. Maybe he can grow, but I don’t think so. In short, I’m concerned that he can be used and abused because of his essential, inherent goodness and his expectations of the same from others. But this isn’t Kansas anymore. That doesn’t work with the Obama crowd. Show me that he understands fully and can deal with vigor in a systematic way with the politics and tactics of the 21st century liberals. I want to believe.

By: betsybounds

betsybounds — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 05:03:58 +0000

J.J., I quite agree with you. For now, we must focus on the more local levels. Congressmen are key–shoot, even dog-catchers. I’d like to see someone focus on getting party IDs re-inserted in local elections. In ours here, and I understand in others around the country, local elections have emphasized such things as “working for the local community” and “interested in family concerns,” and have eschewed party associations. This practice is not helpful. Anyone can make such claims; I want candidates to tell me with which set of governing principles they are aligned–it’s not as though there are no differences beyond what sounds nice. The rest isn’t useful to voters. Independence is nice, and no one wants to be thought of as a pawn, but it reminds me of the G(od) D(amned) I(ndependent) movement on college campuses that was designed to undermine the Greeks. There’s no real public office use in it, it’s just a way to obfuscate.

Like you, I don’t much care about charisma. But at the same time, we must recognize that it has power for the electorate and the GD media.

Incidentally, I understand that Daniels is an avid motorcycle rider. Could that not be the beginning of charisma?