The man who should be McCain's running mate...

[Keystone Phil]

U.S. Senator John Ensign of Nevada


He's young (despite the hair), conservative, not controversial and from a swing state yet he's never mentioned. Why isn't this guy on the short list? Oh, because he's running the NRSC this year? Good reason. 






Perfect together.

[Flying Dog]

Eh...

[WalterMitty]

he is a metrosexual!

[Keystone Phil]

Eh...

See! The Obama fanatics can't even find something wrong with the guy! 

he is a metrosexual!

Oh, come on. We could just dress him up (I guess he'd like that stuff...) like we did for the NRSC YouTube header...

[Alcon]

Is it just me, or does John Ensign look disturbingly like the bastard lovechild of Charlie Crist and Mitt Romney?

[MarkWarner08]

What about Susan Collins?

Doesn't she look great with McCain?

Her hair is nice, too. LOLZ

[Keystone Phil]

I will say that I just noticed his slight "gay" lisp.

Is it just me, or does John Ensign look disturbingly like the bastard lovechild of Charlie Crist and Mitt Romney?

Oh, Christ. He does.

[WalterMitty]

phil, if ensign were arrested tomorrow for tapping some guys foot in an airport bathroom, i would not be surprised.

[Sam Spade]

Well, for Republicans, at least the gambling scions who run Nevada would guarantee the state for McCain.  Although I tend to agree with everything else that's been said.

[Keystone Phil]

phil, if ensign were arrested tomorrow for tapping some guys foot in an airport bathroom, i would not be surprised.

Funny enough, he called for Craig's resignation after that whole ordeal.

[MarkWarner08]

phil, if ensign were arrested tomorrow for tapping some guys foot in an airport bathroom, i would not be surprised.

Funny enough, he called for Craig's resignation after that whole ordeal.

Did he call for Vitter's resignation after prostitute-gate?

[YRABNNRM]

I think Ensign would be a good choice, unless there's some nasty details about him that I don't know about. He would be preferable to the other names mentioned.

I can see him running in '12 either way.

[Flying Dog]

Oh, I can find plenty wrong with him... his comments on the Iraq war have irked me some...

Saying that people like Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid 'undermine' our troops when they speak up against the Iraq occupation angers me some.

...That's standard GOP play-book material though....so, oh well.

[YRABNNRM]

Oh, I can find plenty wrong with him... his comments on the Iraq war have irked me some...

Saying that people like Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid 'undermine' our troops when they speak up against the Iraq occupation angers me some.

...That's standard GOP play-book material though....so, oh well.

Well I wouldn't expect McCain's running mate choice to swing your vote either way.

[Flying Dog]

Oh, I can find plenty wrong with him... his comments on the Iraq war have irked me some...

Saying that people like Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid 'undermine' our troops when they speak up against the Iraq occupation angers me some.

...That's standard GOP play-book material though....so, oh well.

Well I wouldn't expect McCain's running mate choice to swing your vote either way.

True that.

[Keystone Phil]

phil, if ensign were arrested tomorrow for tapping some guys foot in an airport bathroom, i would not be surprised.

Funny enough, he called for Craig's resignation after that whole ordeal.

Did he call for Vitter's resignation after prostitute-gate?

I don't know. This wasn't meant to be a debate over what he should have done though.

Oh, I can find plenty wrong with him... his comments on the Iraq war have irked me some...

Saying that people like Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid 'undermine' our troops when they speak up against the Iraq occupation angers me some.

...That's standard GOP play-book material though....so, oh well.

Well, that's simply ideological and strategic differences. I was talking about major problems with him as a candidate.

I can see him running in '12 either way.

He would be at the top of my list of candidates to support if we lose in 2008. Right up there with Pawlenty and Santorum, of course. 

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I am shocked, just shocked at some of these homophobic responses in this thread. Ensign is a very attractive man, and he could help McCain out. Some of you are just intimidated by his boyish good looks.

[YRABNNRM]

I am shocked, just shocked at some of these homophobic responses in this thread. Ensign is a very attractive man, and he could help McCain out. Some of you are just intimidated by his boyish good looks.

Is there something you want to tell us?

[Flying Dog]

Oh, I can find plenty wrong with him... his comments on the Iraq war have irked me some...

Saying that people like Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid 'undermine' our troops when they speak up against the Iraq occupation angers me some.

...That's standard GOP play-book material though....so, oh well.

Well, that's simply ideological and strategic differences. I was talking about major problems with him as a candidate.

[/quote]

Well, um....

He, um....

He's got....


Damn! There's just nothing exciting or interesting about this guy!

[Flying Dog]

I am shocked, just shocked at some of these homophobic responses in this thread. Ensign is a very attractive man, and he could help McCain out. Some of you are just intimidated by his boyish good looks.

Sure, if you like 50 year old men.

I'm also beginning to wonder.....

[Mr. Morden]

According to Wikipedia, Ensign lives in a DC townhouse subsidized by a religious organization called "The Family":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_%28Christian_political_organization%29

Sounds like something out of a John Grisham novel.  Would that go over well with voters?

[Associate Justice PiT]

According to Wikipedia, Ensign lives in a DC townhouse subsidized by a religious organization called "The Family":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_%28Christian_political_organization%29

Sounds like something out of a John Grisham novel.  Would that go over well with voters?

     I thought that "The Family" sounded suspiciously familiar, so I consulted my national security advisor, Google. He told me that they were the organization of mutants from The Omega Man.

     Do you want a vice-president who is housed by folks like THESE :

[JSojourner]

According to Wikipedia, Ensign lives in a DC townhouse subsidized by a religious organization called "The Family":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_%28Christian_political_organization%29

Sounds like something out of a John Grisham novel.  Would that go over well with voters?

     I thought that "The Family" sounded suspiciously familiar, so I consulted my national security advisor, Google. He told me that they were the organization of mutants from The Omega Man.

     Do you want a vice-president who is housed by folks like THESE :

No.  And Hillary Clinton has ties to The Family as well, one reason I was uncomfortable with her.

But there would be other problems with McCain choosing Ensign. 

1.  As chairman of the NRSCC, he has failed miserably.  If his inability to attract quality candidates to Senate races in any indication of how he would function as Vice-President or President (and it may not be at all -- I don't know), then Republicans would be wise to steer clear.  But if he couldn't convince fellow conservative Mike Rounds to challenge an extremely vulnerable Tim Johnson, he may not be able to convince voters of much either.

2.  Ensign has made animal rights a concern and, while I might actually agree with him, would the Republican base find that a bit of an odd thing?  To me, it's kind of cool -- it shows that conservatives can work with liberals on some things (He worked with Cantwell and Feinstein on this.)

3.  His opposition to stem cell research is problematic.  There are plenty of anti-choice Republicans who still support stem cell, including Orrin Hatch.  While McCain would be wise to choose a solid abortion rights foe, he could probably find one who did the right thing on stem cell research or who would have done the right thing.

4.  He voted against a bill spending a half billion dollars to beef up port security.

[WalterMitty]

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obviously most republicans support animal cruelty.

[Keystone Phil]

1.  As chairman of the NRSCC, he has failed miserably.  If his inability to attract quality candidates to Senate races in any indication of how he would function as Vice-President or President (and it may not be at all -- I don't know), then Republicans would be wise to steer clear.  But if he couldn't convince fellow conservative Mike Rounds to challenge an extremely vulnerable Tim Johnson, he may not be able to convince voters of much either.

He hasn't failed. He is dealing with a bad year and very good Democratic candidates. You have to be careful about criticizing when it comes to recruitment. Some people just don't want to run. How can you get on his case for not getting Rounds to run against a man who had a stroke (gets a lot of sympathy votes)? I can't stand Dole. She was a disaster as NRSC chair. However, I don't go crazy because she didn't convince Tommy Thompson to run against Kohl in WI. I go crazy because of her decisions during the campaigns. Ensign is doing the best with what he has been dealt.

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Not an issue at all. Santorum gained the praise and support of PETA over some puppy mill issue. Would he be abandoned by conservatives because of that? No, not really.

Oh, and spare us the "Santorum and puppies" jokes. 

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I don't think that that's a big deal especially now.

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Now that could be a problem.