Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Requiem for Chafee

Call me sentimental, but Sheldon Whitehouse's win over Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island's US Senate race is the one Democratic victory I can't get excited about.

I know, I know--Whitehouse's victory could end up giving the Dems control of the Senate. So what's my damage? First off, when I interviewed Chafee for an article on his Republican primary race against Steve Laffey, he struck me as this odd, gentle, fragile figure. I thought Laffey (who is neither gentle nor fragile) would bump him off, and I was happy when he didn't. Now, odd as it seems, I kind of feel like giving Chafee a consolation call.

But it's more than that. While I'd like to see a Democratic Senate, I also like the idea of the moderate New England Republican tradition continuing, and Chafee was the embodiment of this dying culture. I also think it's remarkable that Chafee--despite his delicate mien--had the guts to vote against the president on the Iraq war. (He was the only GOP senator to do so.) And then there's the fact that, on the whole, Chafee is probably more progressive than Democratic Senate newbie/Rick Santorum slayer Bob Casey.

Anyway, what's done is done. I've heard good things about Whitehouse, and he may turn out to be an excellent senator. Still, I can't help wishing Chafee was going back to a Democrat-controlled Senate next year.

11/8/2006 10:54:10 AM by Adam Reilly | Comments [6] |

Wednesday, November 08, 2006 11:10:24 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Chafee should have bolted the Republican party ages ago -- it had obviously deserted him on issues that he cared about. Nice guy though I'm sure he is, he has only himself to blame.

David

Wednesday, November 08, 2006 11:27:41 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

That seems a little simplistic, David. After all, if you're a Republican who thinks your party is straying from the right path, isn't there something honorable about fighting the good fight from the inside? Plus, if this were any other year, Chafee might well have held on to his seat. Your argument seems like a variation on the Love-it-or-leave-it bunk that gets thrown at liberals for being critical of US foreign policy.

Adam

Wednesday, November 08, 2006 11:46:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

The problem is that moderate Republicans enable the hardcore rightwingers.

There will be a battle now for the soul of the Republican party, but it has to come from the 'roots on up. Just as Patrick won on that strategy of loyal support from average citizens, the moderate Republicans have got to lose in order to jolt the electorate that likes them into getting off their ass and throwing the wingers OUT. Otherwise, they'll just sit back and allow their moderate conservative leaders to enable disasterous policies of their more powerful winger peers. The underground rumble has begun. Either the Republicans will clean out the deadwood or else they will lose elections.

Lynne

Wednesday, November 08, 2006 1:06:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

The real roots ARE moderate. Everybody forgets that GWB invited Buchanan to LEAVE the GOP when he threatened to turn his ultra-conservative voters aginst him. All twelve left.

This setback has been good for one GOP faction - we who are socially inclusive and fiscally moderate. Finally, the Goldwater Theory that there ar OODLES of people dyi ng to vote for MORE consrvative candidates has been disproven.

Moderation ROCKS!

Peter Porcupine

Wednesday, November 08, 2006 2:45:06 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

The guts to vote against Iraq? It was a lopsided vote. His "no" vote was essentially a vote of protest. When push came to shove, Chafee went with the crazy right wing - just look at Samuel Alito, where he was one of two votes that put that man on the bench.

If Chafee could stand up to the right wing, it would have been one thing, but he couldn't. He (and Arlene Specter) needed to go.

Ryan

Thursday, November 09, 2006 9:28:51 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Peter,

Let's keep the revisionist history to a minimum. W's beef with Buchanan was over Iraq and imigration.

GWB and his party are the most pro-Conservative Christian in history. It's the social liberals who have been driven out, not the conservatives. Please remember that Bill Weld wasn't even allowed to speak at the RNC because he favored choice and gay rights.

Quick quiz: Which party used gay marriage as a wedge issue? And which poster named Peter was over at MassResistanceWatch slamming gay marriage?

bostonph

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