Chris Shays, truth teller.

Detractors are calling Chris Shays some pretty awful names these days, because he has abandoned his candidate’s sinking ship. I say his candidate, because he is Connecticut co-chair of John McCain’s campaign. Shays is no Joe Lieberman (McCain’s other CT co-chair, BFF, and rumored first pick for VP), there is no denying that. While Lieberman is merely edging one foot toward the Obama boat while staying firmly planted on the McCain dock, Shays has taken full flight, renouncing McCain to the Yale Daily News.
Excerpt:

“I just don’t see how [McCain] can win … He has lost his brand as a maverick; he did not live up to his pledge to fight a clean campaign,” Shays said. …

Shays laid much of the blame on the far right, which, he said, has “hijacked” the Republican Party, threatening to walk out if its demand are not met — despite being in the minority.

Um. Wait a minute. Isn’t that code for “it’s Sarah Palin’s fault”? But, didn’t he say that Sarah Palin was an “awesome” pick for Vice President; that she would help him in his race?



Well, I guess we won’t be seeing any more of that insipid Christopher McBama ad.

Straight talk. Sheesh.

Sources: Yale Daily News, Myleftnutmegblog.

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  • Anonymous

    Chris Shays is a decent guy but needs to be held accountable for his loyalty to Bush and his disastrous policies. How many trips to Iraq? Co-sponsorship of the Social Security Privatization Bill. What else?

    If he goes down, it will be the same way that McCain does, as a referendum on Bush. Plus the despicable McCain campaign attacks on Obama that he recently denounced.

    Anyone remember the “Coffee Talk with the Taliban” mailer that the RNC sent in the 2006 elections attacking Diane Farrell? Shays denounced that one too but barely escaped with his job. This time he may not be as lucky.

  • #28

    The quote makes me think Shays is saying McCain will lose the election, and not that he wants him to.

    Polls, polls, polls, I wonder if they’ll hold up on election night and what kind of mayhem will ensue if somehow all McCain voters show up and many independents pick him over Obama.

    The battleground states represent a huge uphill climb, but there may be some truth about respondents lying to pollsters.

    For me, someone who does not vote along party lines, the Shays vs. Himes question is the most difficult.

    I’m not a fan of hedge fund managers, but I’ll give Himes this much, HE PUTS YOURCT.COM BACK IN GOOGLE’S TOP 10.

    Touche (hint, hint)

    Someone posted a link to Hendrik Hertzberg’s New Yorker article: “Like, Socialism” the other day.

    I found, in the same issue, Connie Bruck’s story, “Odd Man Out” very telling of what went wrong on the right (and why Chuck Hagel wouldn’t run as McCain’s Veep or endorse his dear friend).

    http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/11/03/081103fa_fact_bruck

  • http://www.yourct.com Chris MC

    #28 – “he puts yourct.com back on google’s top 10″?

    Huh?

  • Anonymous

    #28: You said, “what kind of mayhem will ensue if somehow all McCain voters show up and many independents pick him over Obama.” I don’t want anyone (or me) to mininterpret your meaning, so will you please explain why there would be mayhem, and by whom?

  • anonymous

    Typical Shays. In the week before the last election, he said he supported withdrawal from Iraq. Of course, he changed his mind a week after the election (after he won). This guy will say anything.

  • dave d

    I considered Shays until I saw him spouting ridiculous stuff on CNN after the repub convention. Total garbage talking points he clearly didn’t even belive himself. I know you have to play the game but he was acting like someone who has never had an original thought. If people like him because he is a RINO why not just vote for the dem?

  • #28

    “he puts yourct.com back on google’s top 10??

    Huh?

    Yes, I typed in Himes, and yourct.com came up in the top 10.

  • # 28

    Edited dupe

  • sono resident

    how does a conscientious objector send troops in a war of choice. Shays comes off nice, but he’s disingenuous.

  • Barnstorm

    Had to laugh at the Shays mailer that implored people to not think of partisanship in the upcoming election. Sure, when the party you represent is synonimous with lying, deceit, greed, failure and (soon to be) unemployment.Now he doesn’t want you to think he’s a republican. Maybe he and Joe Lieberman ought to spend election night getting drunk somewhere. They sure won’t fit in at their respective campaign headquarters.

  • Norwalk Taxpayer #357

    Hey Duff !! YOU JERK !!!!!!!
    Thanks very much for waking our baby this afternoon (she’s been sick and it took us over 2 hours to get her to sleep!!) You and your group of idiots who drove by our home blowing those GOD Damn air horns on your 40′ motor home and yelling like a bunch of drunken punks PISSED ME OFF !!!! We wonder how much fuel you wasted today on your little caravan????? I will make sure all my neighbors know exactly who that asshole was on Sunday afternoon who disturbed our one day of peace.

  • Anonymous

    IBD Poll: McCain Only 2 Points Behind
    The table below shows results for a two-way race between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama among likely voters.

    Sunday, November 2, 2008 4:46 PM
    McCain Obama Undecided
    November 2 44.6% 46.7% 8.7%
    November 1 43.4% 47.9% 8.7%
    October 31 43.8% 48.2% 8.0%
    October 30 43.6% 47.7% 8.7%

    John McCain is trailing presidential rival Barack Obama by just two points heading into Election Day, according to a new tracking poll released Sunday by Investors Business Daily.

    Overall, McCain trails Obama by 2.1 percentage points — 46.7 percent to 44.6 with 8.7 percent not sure — in the tracking poll released Sunday by IBD and its polling partner, the TechnoMetrica Institute of Policy and Politics (TIPP).

    The latest numbers continue a tightening trend that shows McCain steadily gaining while Obama’s support around 47 percent of respondents is holding firm.

    Independents who’d been leaning to Obama shifted to McCain to leave that key group a toss-up, according to the IBD pollsters. McCain also pulled even in the Midwest, and moved back strongly into the lead with men. He is padding his gains among Protestants and Catholics, and is favored for the first time by high school graduates.

    The newest poll shows that McCain has made steady gains in the West, up from 37 percent of respondents to 44 percent. He still leads Obama in the South, 50 percent to 45, and he is tied in the Midwest, 45 to 45, with 12 percent still not sure.

    In terms of age group, McCain still is virtually tied with Obama with respondents in the categories between 25 years of age and 64. Some 9 percent are still undecided. He leads among voters 65 and over by two points, 45 to 43. It is only among the young respondents, those 18 to 24, that Obama has a commanding lead. But that group’s reliability on Election Day varies tremendously.

    Among party faithful, the poll shows that McCain is holding onto Republicans by an overwhelming margin – he has 89 percent locked up – and is winning now among self-described independents, 45 to 43 percent.

    McCain also has a 15-point lead over Obama among voters who earn at least $75,000 a year, and now holds a 54 percent to 40 percent edge among male voters, up from a 4-point lead just several weeks ago.

    The poll has a margin of error of +/-3.4 percent. According to IBD, its polling partner TIPP was the most accurate pollster during the 2004 election season

  • Anonymous

    It’s going to be interesting to see how many protest marches and massed meetings take place when Obama loses the election on Tuesday.

    Most people are expecting those protest marches to make Watts and LA look like a playground dustup compared to what will take place if Obama does not win. And if you thought the shenanigans in Florida in 2000 were ridiculous with all those “hanging chads” and incessant recounts, just wait until the end of THIS election. Bets are on that the recounts will be going on until at least March until certain people are satisfied. And how much do you wanna bet that Sharpton and Jackson want to sit in on every single recount?

  • Anonymous

    CBS News 10/30 – 11/01 Obama +13
    CNN/Opinion Research 10/30 – 11/01 Obama +7
    Rasmussen Reports Obama +5
    Gallup (Traditional)* 10/30 – 11/01 Obama +8
    Gallup (Expanded)* 10/30 – 11/01 Obama +9
    Diageo/Hotline 10/30 – 11/01 Obama +5
    Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby 10/30 – 11/01 Obama +6
    Pew Research 10/29 – 11/01 Obama +6
    IBD/TIPP 10/29 – 11/01 Obama +2
    ABC News/Wash Post 10/29 – 11/01 Obama +11
    GWU/Battleground 10/27 – 10/30 Obama +4
    Marist 10/29 – 10/29 Obama +7
    FOX News 10/28 – 10/29 Obama +3

  • anonymous

    A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words, redistribution of wealth.    
     
    She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.   
     
    One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.    
     

    Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn’t even have time for a boyfriend, and didn’t really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying.    
     
    Her father listened and then asked, ‘How is your friend Audrey doing?’ She replied, ‘Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She’s always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn’t even show up for classes because she’s too hung over.’    
     
    Her wise father asked his daughter, ‘Why don’t you go to the Dean’s office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who has only a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.’   
     
    The daughter, visibly shocked by her father’s suggestion, angrily fired back, ‘That’s a crazy idea, and how would that be fair! I’ve worked  really hard for my grades!  I’ve invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!’    
     
    The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, ‘Welcome to the Republican party.’   
     

  • Anonymous

    I love that story! Whoever wrote that gets an “A” for the day! And you don’t have to share it.

  • Anonymous

    I have no argument with the moral of that story but resent the implication that only Republicans are fiscally responsible. Look at the disaster that the current administration has wreaked on the country with its reckless spending and open door policy to corporate welfare.

    This story is another example of a desperate attempt to paint anyone not toeing the party line as a “tax and spend” liberal.

    I am going to be so, so, so glad when the country repudiates the policies and warped morals of the GOP tomorrow. And I hope the GOP continues in its deluded thinking that extremists like Sarah Palin are its future. Bring ‘em on. They’ll only hammer the coffin nails in faster.

  • anonymous

    Ron Paul ’12

  • anonymous

    17. While I agree with you that both parties are not very fiscally responsible, I feel that the “story” more accurately reflects the Democrat philosophy than Republican. Democrats tend to try to raise taxes on those who have earned their money to fund non essential social welfare programs. Republicans tend to waste money on infrastructure.

  • Old Timer

    I totally disagree with the message in that story, but it is cleverly done and I have shared it with several close friends who are nice people but dyed-in-the-wool Republicans (nobody’s perfect) I believe I am my brother’s keeper and there is a moral obligation to help the less fortunate among us. That does not make me a socialist.
    #19 has no idea how blessed he is, to be able to think of all social welfare programs as non-essential. I assume, when he gets to that age, he will refuse to accept social security and medicare, because he doesn’t believe in social welfare programs. I will also assume that nobody he cares for has ever really needed public assistance, in any form. All such programs are non-essential, until you need them.

  • anonymous

    19 here. My family came here to this country with nothing but had a few relatives and friends from their hometown. They helped my family get by until they could get on their feet, working 16 hour days. And when other relatives came over, they did the same. Sometimes there were 8-10 people sharing a small apartment with one bathroom, and they eventually bought a small multi family house and all helped pay for it. Eventually they bought another, and then a third, so all family members had their own. As time went on, they finally had their own homes, and retained their multi-family houses for income. All done without public assistance. They drove the oldest cars, shared clothes and rooms to save money for their future. There are times when members out our extended family members have struggled, and we have always helped each other out. We have also helped out friends, but always by choice, not because the government decided to take our money. Go to any public housing complex and you will see expensive cars. Look at the expensive clothes being worn there. Ask the kids how many pairs of $100 dollar sneakers they wear. Are they trying to use the government assistance to scrimp and save to make something for themselves, or are they spending it on Nikes, big screen TVs, and ipods?

  • also an immigrant

    We also came with nothing – and the family and friends who came at the same time had nothing also. It had all been taken by the Soviets or the Nazis. Everyone had nothing more than what they carried. Our lives were saved by the United Nations Relief Organization (your tax money) and I am grateful. When we came here, we were housed and clothed by strangers — a church whose members donated money to rescue a family that they didn’t know, take them in and give them work. And we were grateful.

    My family worked and struggled and eventually saved money to get their own place, a car, and educate their children. We got state scholarships (again, your tax money) because any assistance was still welcome. And we are grateful. All of us work and do not complain about paying taxes to help others. My mother now lives on social security (after having worked and paid into it for a lifetime but still, your taxes), in her own paid for home. She is frugal as are we all — but without the generosity of others, we would have died. That is a simple fact. So, I never complain about my taxes going for social services. I donate to charities when I can. What I see when I go to the grocery store and stand on line behind an immigrant woman is a coupon shopper with the economy size bag of rice and the cheapest cuts of meat. I see my mother with a Spanish accent. Yes, maybe there are some that abuse the system. But there are so many more who truly need the help.

  • Anonymous

    What about the generations of people who came here at the turn of the 20th century, who had absolutely no social services to rely on at all? They managed to make their way, learn the language, buy homes, get jobs, become citizens. All without any government safety nets whatsoever.

    My feeling is, if the generations who came here before us could do it, then the ones coming after should be able to do it as well, without the “safety net” of our taxes and programs.

    And just like our grandparents and great-grandparents, they’ll appreciate it a lot more for doing it by themselves, too.

  • also an immigrant

    To see what life was like for early 20th century immigrants, look at the photographs of Lewis Hine about the conditions on the lower East Side of NYC. Use my taxes to keep that from happening again…please!

  • also an immigrant

    I should also have mentioned the photographs of Jacob Riis, who focused more on the miserable living conditions at the time.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t know about your great-grandparents, but mine certainly didn’t live in “miserable” conditions.

    It doesn’t take money to be clean. It doesn’t take money to know to wash your clothes and your hair and your body. It doesn’t take money to keep your living quarters neat and dispose of garbage properly. It doesn’t take money to use a broom or a dustcloth.

    People who are slobs will live like slobs. Those people in those old photos who were living in squalid conditions in New York City and other areas lived the exact same way in their villages back in the Old Country. And those who were clean in the Old Country were clean after they got here.

    People who think like you do make an awful lot of excuses for slobs and degenerates. A person is what he wants to be. Throwing money at them won’t make them change their slovenly ways. It will just make them wealthier slobs.

    History has taught you nothing.