Limbaugh, Palin Urge Right to Purge Moderates From Republican Party
BY Elizabeth Benjamin
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Right wing purists egged on by Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin fought to capture an upstate House seat Monday and electrify their drive to purge moderates from the Republican Party.
With Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman jumping to the lead in a new poll, the hard-core right smelled a chance to remold the GOP in the image of raucous town hall protests and "tea party" rallies of the summer.
"Moderates by definition have no principles," Limbaugh huffed on his radio show yesterday. He predicted that "RINOs" - a putdown acronym of "Republicans In Name Only" - "may become extinct."
Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava quit the race Saturday after relentless attacks by Hoffman backers, who called her too liberal.
Democrats, led by the Obama White House, aimed to exploit the turmoil by winning a district their party hasn't held since the 19th century.
"The most extreme wing of the Republican Party made it clear in this campaign that they're not going to tolerate any dissent," Vice President Biden said as he stumped in Watertown, near the Canadian border, for Democratic candidate Bill Owens.
Biden mocked Palin, his 2008 vice presidential opponent, who backs Hoffman.
"Sarah Palin thinks the answer to energy is 'Drill, baby, drill,'" Biden said. "It's a lot more complicated, Sarah."
The former Alaska governor retorted on her Facebook page: "There's one way to tell Vice President Biden that we're tired of folks in Washington distorting our message and hampering our nation's progress: Hoffman, Baby, Hoffman!"
A Siena poll shows Hoffman leading by 5 points, with 18% of voters undecided.
Biden urged centrists to vote for Owens to "teach a lesson" to the right. Meanwhile, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani made robocalls for the Conservative.
GOP leaders gradually abandoned Scozzafava after Limbaugh and others, including Fox News' Glenn Beck, hit her as too liberal for her record of voting pro-labor, pro-choice and pro-gay marriage.
Since her withdrawal, they have united behind Hoffman. Scozzafava, wooed by the White House, backs Democrat Owens for the seat, which was vacated by former Republican Rep. John McHugh.
Reader Comments
Centrist sensibility is needed
For some issues a conservative position is useful. For some issues a progressive stance is useful. Adopting prejudiced or extremely partisan positions (too much to either side) will not be in the best interest of the country. If we are truly "one nation under God." then we do have to believe in sharing and providing for our needy. Sometimes a reasonable level of government moderation to facilitate providing for the needy is a good thing. That shouldn't be confused with (or intentionally decried as) communism. Of course, governmental facilitation of providing for all the people should be done in a balanced way so that the population doesn't feel excessively taxed.
Excessive capitalism erodes individuality as much as communism, believe it or not. I hope the people of this great country don't get quagmired in mindless bickering and lose sight of actual issues that need to be addressed for present and future national prosperity and progress.
Moderate?????
Nothing I can find about Ms. Scozzafava would fit in the definition of "Moderate." Spin, Spin, Spin.
Which is it?
Did Scozzafava "quit" (not that she's being called a "quitter" either) due to "relentless attacks" or was it, as you later note and she stated, lack of support?
To Purge, Baby, Purge... I have to wonder about all these non-conservatives who are just SO worried about us poor conservatives losing if we kick out all the turncoat phonies like Scozzafava. Said RINO, who wouldn't even pledge to remain a Republican while she was running, was happy to accept GOP monies while married to a union guy who supported the Dems, then throws her increasingly dwingling support behind her one-time opponent at the behest of Dems. Now she endorses the Dem. There's loyalty and commitment for you.
Y'all just go on and slam Palin. "They" told Reagan he was too conservative, too old and merely a washed up bit actor three decades ago.
As for Hoffman's campaign, they told Dede NOT to endorse Hoffman, as they didn't want her support in any fashion. Something called integrity.
I agree with the "drivel" commentary. Perhaps US News could stop listening to the "experts" and get a clue before no one comes here other than their mothers and as a result or a link.
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