CBS Political Analyst: McCain Critics are Conservative ‘Crazies’

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NewsBusters.org - Media Research CenterOn Wednesday’s CBS "Early Show," co-host Harry Smith discussed the ‘Potomac Primaries’ with Democratic Strategist Dee Dee Myers and Republican CBS Political Analyst Nicolle Wallace, a former Bush Administration Communications Director, who said of John McCain’s conservative critics: "The more that we see kind of the crazies like Ann Coulter out attacking John McCain, the better Republicans feel about their chances in the general election."

This attack upon conservatives critical of McCain, who include Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham, and others, was prompted by Harry Smith asking about Mike Huckabee’s continued support in the race:

SMITH: Nicolle, let's talk about the Republicans, because McCain, he said himself a week ago, now I'm the frontrunner. This lingering Huckabee thing. Huckabee got a lot of votes in Virginia. These conservatives they're -- they're still -- they're not happy. They're not happy about this guy.

NICOLLE WALLACE: And, you know what, Republicans are beginning to say that's okay.

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SMITH: Oh, okay.

WALLACE: The more that we see kind of the crazies like Ann Coulter out attacking John McCain, the better Republicans feel about their chances in the general election.

SMITH: Right.

WALLACE: The McCain camp has tremendous respect for the process. You hear them talk a lot about the process when you ask them about Huckabee continuing to win. But McCain did what he needed do last night. He swept all three contests, and I think acknowledging that Huckabee still has a great deal of support is eventually going to accrue to their benefit, and that they hope to make those supporters McCain supporters.

Here is the full transcript:

7:10AM SEGMENT:

HARRY SMITH: Now on to the results of yesterday's primaries. Joining us, Republican strategist and CBS News Political Analyst Nicolle Wallace, and Democratic strategist Dee Dee Myers. Morning to you both.

NICOLLE WALLACE: Good morning.

DEE DEE MYERS: Morning Harry.

SMITH: Dee Dee let me start with you. Hillary Clinton got crushed yesterday. There was an anticipation that Barack Obama would do well, but there was not a shred of good news that she could pull out of anything that happened yesterday. How does she soldier on out of this?

MYERS: It was a very tough night for Hillary Clinton. It's hard to remember that Super Tuesday was just a week ago. You know, a week ago today we were saying, boy, mixed results coming out of Super Tuesday, need to go on. Since then Barack Obama has swept every primary and caucus. He's building up both a substantial -- or sizable, not substantial yet -- but a sizable lead in delegates and in money, and now for the first time I think we see real momentum in this race, and I think the headline for Democrats this morning is for the first time since Democrats started going to the polls and the caucuses, we have a bonafide frontrunner in the Democratic race for president.

SMITH: Front -- wow. Dee Dee Myers, you heard it here first.

MEYERS: You heard it here first.

SMITH: 'Barack Obama's the -- alright, write it down everybody. Nicolle, let's talk about the Republicans, because McCain, he said himself a week ago, now I'm the frontrunner. This lingering Huckabee thing. Huckabee got a lot of votes in Virginia. These conservatives they're -- they're still -- they're not happy. They're not happy about this guy.

WALLACE: And, you know what, Republicans are beginning to say that's okay.

SMITH: Oh, okay.

WALLACE: The more that we see kind of the crazies like Ann Coulter out attacking John McCain, the better Republicans feel about their chances in the general election.

SMITH: Right.

WALLACE The McCain camp has tremendous respect for the process. You hear them talk a lot about the process when you ask them about Huckabee continuing to win. But McCain did what he needed do last night. He swept all three contests, and I think acknowledging that Huckabee still has a great deal of support is eventually going to accrue to their benefit, and that they hope to make those supporters McCain supporters.

SMITH: In one sentence, If you're Hillary Clinton, what do you do for the next week?

WALLACE: I think you've got to fake it. You've to buck up. Act like things aren't as bad as they are. You know, firing your campaign manager, letting the deputy go, those are all things that project weakness.

SMITH: And Dee Dee, how about you? If you're -- if you're Hillary Clinton, how do you get -- how do you get the mo back? Real quick.

MYERS: Right. You've got to go to Wisconsin next week, campaign hard, and try to win there. She had a great crowd last night in San Antonio, but that's not going to be enough. She needs to win someplace.

SMITH: Yeah, it's the Rudy strategy, don't wait until Florida, could be all over.

MYERS: Right.

WALLACE: Right.

SMITH: Alright. Nicolle, Dee Dee, thank you both very much for being here this morning, do appreciate it.

MYERS: Thanks Harry.

WALLACE: Thanks Harry.

—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.


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Just call me crazy for Jesus, the Constitution and Liberty

Yup that is me, crazy for love of the Republic and talking heaps about John McCain taking money from George Soros and that loon Theresia Heinz Kerry.

Always give all glory to God when people start calling one nuts when it is in defense of Truth and Liberty.

I believe Barry Goldwater said something like that.

 

*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS

Good thing there wasn't a media-blackout (largely-ignored-here)

On the only candidate even vaguely-resembling Barry Goldwater, eh?
JMR

If this is winning, I think I'd rather lose...

It's amazing how liberals are experts on Conservatives

It's amazing how liberals are experts on Conservatives. Conservativism is something they simply do not understand. They do not understand the concept. They have yet to become wiser that comes with age and experience. To understand conservativism would mean they must think for themselves and thus they would be conservative themself.

Didn't a lot of here predict

Didn't a lot of here predict that once McCain got the nomination (or had it wrapped up anwyaty) the MSM would raise the stakes on marginalizing the conservatives in the party and making them out to be extremists as opposed to McCain, a "real" Republican?

 He's almost a 'good'

 He's almost a 'good' Republican- but this would be an oxymoron to the MSM......he's against tax cuts, he likes amnesty for illegals, he is the best bud of libs, he likes big government and who could ever be against McCain/Feingold- the Media's darling!

Anyone who says they support the troops but not the mission is a liar. 

Correct you are mother!

Correct you are mother! Furthermore, Miss Wallace at CBS should have ample opportunity to identify with a whole room full of crazies.

If they think they are marginalizing Conservatives they're just whistling pass the graveyard, if any one remembers what that means they'll know what I'm talking about.

"Raise the stakes"? I've

"Raise the stakes"? I've openly said that the marginalization of conservatives in the GOP was the primary purpose of this election cycle for the left, and I still believe that.

www.rhjunior.com Great comics with a hefty dose of Christian and anti-nutjob goodness.

"With your mind as high as Mt. Fuji you can see all things clearly. And you can see all the forces that shape events; not just the things near to you." -Miyamoto Musashi

Well this conservative says...

This kind of arrogance is the reason why Republicans lost Congress in 2006 and will likely lose the White House in November. See how the RNC and McCain will do without contributions from conservatives, except to help out conservatives in Congressional races. 

Yeap, that's the MSM plan,

Yeap, that's the MSM plan, get McCain to believe it.  And just like in 2006 the conservatives will stay home.  The question still stands, McCain, do you really believe you can win the 2008 election without us???? 

So MSM, I up your head game with my own, how many Dems will be voting in the general election if Hillary get's the nomination by using the super delegates and the Florida and Michigan delegates?  Choke on it!  

 Lord Sidious / Darth Vader 2008  Long Live the Empire!  Come to the Dark Side, it is your Destiny.

Oh Nicole and Harry how

Oh Nicole and Harry how enlightening...I feel so much better now...yep, that did the trick...I'm a huge McCain supporter now.

Not.

Just call me a crazy...wouldn't be the first time, or the last most likely. 

Crazies, now is it?

So, I suppose if I were to list out some evidence of Liberal/RINO craziness in order to demonstrate the vacuity of Liberal/RINO accusations of Conservative craziness I'll be accused of fallacious reasoning...

ha ha "crazies"

They sure didn't think Ann Coulter was crazy when she helped impeach Bill Clinton. GOP leadership loves us when we agree with them, but as soon as there's a rift, they turn on us and call us crazy.

There's a term for people like that: fair weather friends.

Send in the clowns

Harry Smith, Dee Dee Meyers, and Nicole Wallace ... discussing conservatives ... boy, talk about "the outside looking in!"

This is like watching the ladies' garden club analyzing the Super Bowl. Or a NASCAR pit crew discussing a fashion show.

That is a good vis. NASCAR

That is a good vis. NASCAR guys sitting around looking at dresses..

Spot on.. 

Ahh NASCAR, the only thing that gets me from the end of football season to the start of football season.. 

 

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party,the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

Crazy Dreams linger on, as I

Crazy Dreams linger on, as I face an empty dawn
With no end to it all, can I see
For I've surely reached the end, lost your love to a friend

Just another Crazy Dream for me.

Patsy Cline..... "Crazy Dreams." 

WE ARE NOT CRAZY, Its called.. being principled. Maybe the RNC should try it.

 

 These people have no idea just how pissed we are. Not a clue.

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party,the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

I'll take "crazy" conservatives over lunatic McCainiacs any day.

Even crazy conservatives have principles.

Obama: Elect me and I'll lose the war AND raise your taxes! - Bryan/HotAir.com

Me too.    Ronald Reagan,

Me too. 

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party,the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

I was looking at the

I was looking at the results of the NY Republican primary, which was supposed to be a closed primary, and saw some surprising results.  Voters were asked to complete a questionaire, and the answers provided were very enlightening.

48% of "Republican" voters considered themselves as either Very Liberal, Liberal, or Moderate. 

51% thought that abortion should be legal.

48% thought that we were wrong to invade Iraq and should leave.

The order of issue importance was the economy first and national security last.

McCain got 52% of the Republican vote.  Do these "Republican" voters sound like the Republicans you know???  I know I haven't met very many pro-abortion, anti-Iraq, Republicans in my travels.

Must be the Bloomberg

Must be the Bloomberg contingent.

Pulling a Florida, I guess.

Pulling a Florida, I guess. They need to reform the freakin' primary laws.

This exchange is a perfect

This exchange is a perfect illustration of the attitude of the McCain camp towards conservatives.  They actually think that they can advance their cause by condescending to and insulting conservatives.  They take conservative support for granted because they believe conservatives will eventually "come to their senses" and that McCain's true growth potential stems from the "middle" and left.  And, they believe it's our obligation as conservatives to come around and support McCain rather than the other way around.  McCain is actually laying the foundation for his own demise and he's looking to set it up so that he can blame "disloyal" conservatives for his defeat should his calculations fail him.  To paraphrase Al Franken's Stuart Smalley, "when you point the finger at someone else, you have 3 others pointing right back at you." 

That’s interesting.

That’s interesting.

Have you look at the primaries comparing the Dems and Rep.The Dems are out voting us by 2 to1 sometimes 3 to1 and yet, Mc Cain, Bush, and Co. continue to flip us off.

Their base is pumped, our base is pissed. Does that soundlike the way to win??  When we have won, is  it despite of the base –OR-because of the base.

 

Well when OB wins, I will be waiting outside for the gumdrops to fall and trying to catch a sight of the leprechaun riding the unicorn, and other pipe dreams that he will promise.  

 

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

Gee...I wonder

What would happen if Nicole Wallace called Chelsea Clinton crazy. 

 

Victory in Iraq.

 

Couldn't help but notice

The MSM are now seperating "conservative" from "Republican". It looks like the GOP is being re-configured whether conservatives want it to be or not.

The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.

Well, yes, c5, there are

Well, yes, c5, there are now "conservatives," "moderates" and "Even Republicans."

And the best part is that Liberals get to decide who fits into which category!!

I now fully understand Ronald Reagan's comment

The one that USA4Freedom uses as his 'trailer":

I didn't leave the Democratic party, the party left me.

 

The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.

So is a Dem a liberal, or is

So is a Dem a liberal, or is that question off limits?

"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest". Mark Twain

I don't really mind being

I don't really mind being called one of the crazies, at least I have some really outstanding company!

This woman is a Republican, but probably not a conservative. Anotherwords, a perfect McCain supporter. 

Set the GOP back on the right course. http://gopteaparty.com/

Crazy is as crazy does

Crazies one and all. I'm just crazy enough to believe that this country is slip sliding away toward the socialist abyss. I'm just crazy enough to believe that a flood illegal immigration is bad. I'm crazy enough to believe that Islam isn't the religion of peace and that a disproportionate number of those practicing this religion want to kill western civilization and the inhabitants thereof. And I'm just crazy enough to believe that Iran will soon have a nuclear capability and I'm just crazy enough to believe that they're crazy enough to use it. Its all crazy.

Don't even get me started on taxes. I wonder how much coin Al Gore made this week from global warming. That crazy climate change sure has paid off nicely for him. Crazy.

Is it crazy to wonder how many Einstein's were aborted this year? 

Can you imagine Hillary in charge of the military? Or Obama? It boggles my mind that the greatest military power on the face of the planet could likely be in one of their hands soon. Is that just crazy?  

Why We Are So Screwed with these Candidates

I can sum up why we are so screwed with these candidates...

The Candidates Want Change: Climate Change (Video)

Higher energy prices (gas, diesel, natural gas, heating oil, electricity ect..) here we come!

There is nothing crazy about understanding how climate models work or in this case don't. Maybe is the MSM would watch another video besides 'An Inconvenient Truth'.

Censored Global Warming Videos (Videos)

The Anti 'Man-Made' Global Warming Resource

I hate to say this, but...

We will have the choice of a Socialist (McCain) or a Fascist (the other side) - bloody wonderful!

John McCain is about as conservative as Hitlery. I hate to say it but after the Republicans repudiated their conservative morals and subsequently lost the 2006 election, America is now headed for twenty years of darkness. We will get national health care, trashing of the Second Amendment causing an endless rise in violent crime, an ending in Iraq like in Viet Nam where we pull the plug before they are able to stand on their own, and other leftist, "French" political ideas. We will slowly become uncompetitive in the world economy as government and socialist redistributionism waste trillions of tax payer dollars.