NYT Analysis: Republicans fear waning political fortunes

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., June 1 — Twelve years ago, when they gathered at their state convention, Republicans were so hungry to retake the governorship that party bosses led by Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato brokered a deal to spare George E. Pataki a primary against his fiercest opponent.

But when the Republicans met here on Thursday to choose a new candidate for governor, the party found itself dispirited and deeply divided. Last-minute efforts by Governor Pataki, a lame duck, and other party leaders to avoid a potentially damaging primary fell apart. And the leadership's favored candidate for governor, William F. Weld, finished a distant second, earning a spot on the primary ballot but failing in his bid to be the party's designee.
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Some tried to adopt a philosophical tone. "Ebb and flow, ebb and flow," said James Ortenzio, the Manhattan chairman, who supports Mr. Weld. "Twelve years, and the other party has some energy, has some vigor. But I think we need this. I think this is required revamping. Catharsis can occur. Don't know."


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/02/nyregion/02repubs.html?hp&ex=1149220800&en=3ada13239c1d9515&ei=5094&partner=homepage

He was the Massachusetts governor during most of the '90s. He ran against John Kerry for the Senate in '96, which was one of the most-watched races that year. Kerry beat him by 8 points. Later, he was appointed by Clinton to be ambassador to Mexico but his nomination was killed by Jesse Helms because of Weld's lax drug policies.

underdog to win the worthless Republican nomination. Damn, Governor Spitzer is gonna be fun!

A rarity among today's Republicans.

Having lived in MA and having had to work directly with Weld and lackeys around human service issues, I can tell you he is a dead on libertarian- he's as Republican as I am; he is a sloe-eyed opportunist, who lost to Kerry when he pulled an incredibly Roavian-like sleeze move in the debate the week before the Kerry election, and Kerry blew him off the stand with an amazing blowback response- Weld crumbled like the cheap empty suit he was, and essentially stopped campaigning. Weld literally doubled over like Kerry had punched him in the stomach; his move was despicable and embarrassing, and he hardly showed his face the last week of the race. He was slightly leading Kerry at the debate; a week later he was down nearly ten points. He conceded two minutes after the polls closed.

He's a liar with a very short attention span, he bores easily and doesn't really have an interest in managing or governing. He ran for re-election as governor promising to serve a full term, then jumped into the Kerry race almost immediately after re-election. After he allowed Kerry to kick his ass, he made a big speech about understanding that the people wanted him to be the Governor, something he promised to do. Then months later, he was nominated for Ambassador to Mexico; probably a savfvy clinton move to move Weld's shallow ass outta MA and clear the way for a real Governor of the Dem variety. Of course, Helms torpedoed Weld- NOT BECAUSE HE WAS TOO LIBERAL, BUT BECAUSE HIS POSITION ON DRUGS WAS ENTIRELY LIBERTARIAN. Actually, in one of his few honest moments, Weld called Helms on his thuglike and racist manner.

He's used to things being handed to him, he's a lazy bastard. The only positive thing I can say about him is he likes the Grateful Dead.

Oh yeah, I can say one more positive thing. He married a Roosevelt, who was and remains a staunch environmental activist and a decent human being, who is thankfully divorced from him.

All the sincerity has already oozed out him; he is empty and slack.

He had absolutely no lasting impact on politics here is MA; no legacy, and left the Republicans
a mile wide and a half-inch deep here in MA. He's as far from a Rockefeller republican as you can get- he's fiscally conservative, and believes that when it comes to helping the public, you're on your own.


He isn't a moderate, he's as far from it as you can get.
He's charming alright. Yeah. But not a rarity.

MA's loss is New York's loss. Good f'in riddance.
I know it makes me sound pathetic, but on election eve, I'll keep one eye out to see if weld breaks 20% against Spitzer. If he does that, he'll have some sort of sustaining life in New York politics. He'll look for a Senate seat next if he breaks 20%.

Whalerider

I hope we see more of it soon to come!