The mentality of the GOP continues to amaze me.
Jeffords labeled a 'turncoat' by Vermont GOP
By CHRISTOPHER GRAFF
Associated Press Writer
MONTPELIER -- In a sign of the campaign to come, the chairman of the Vermont Republican Party has labeled U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords a "turncoat" and called "despicable" his 2001 decision to become an independent.
"He betrayed President Bush and ALL Republicans," writes Jim Barnett in a fund-raising letter. "Now it is time for payback."
Although I disagree with nearly everything Jeffords stands for, he made a decision that he thought was the best and the Republicans can't stand that!
What is especially strange is that Jeffords, being a liberal, shouldn't be desired by the GOP leadership. Unless ... Republicans are all about victory at any cost rather than electing principled leaders!
If anything, the GOP should be thankful that a representative of their party who objected to most of the values the party purports to uphold decided to leave. He should have been viewed as "despicable" back when he was misrepresenting their platform, not now that he has left for a more appropriate political home.
Posted by gett0026 at March 25, 2005 3:26 PMIf I remember correctly, the "despicable" thing about his decision was that it came so closely on the heels of his reelection. If he would have run as an independent or democrat they wouldn't have been upset because they would've found their own candidate, but he ran as a republican with their support and then turned on them. I am probably a lot more in agreement with Jeffords's politics than you are, but I still think it was very shady of him to do that.
Posted by: Tim at March 25, 2005 3:36 PMI'll admit, that was pretty low of him.
Ideally, the GOP should have refused to endorse him if he was such a liberal. I didn't pay too much attention to politics back then, but there were probably signs that Jeffords was at odds with their platform. Strangely, they welcomed him anyway with the primary goal of victory over all else. Now that they're paying for their poor judgement they call him a "turncoat."
They're shifting the blame, if you ask me.
Posted by: ADG at March 25, 2005 6:41 PM