Are there any Republican politicians you respect

[Mike Daniels]

or at least don't consider to be evil?

I have to say there are two for me. Besides John McCain who I can at least respect for being a constant thorn in Bush's side on various issues there is one other Republican I can honestly say I respect if only for one thing he did.

That would be John Warner who effective kept Oliver North from becoming a Virginia Senator. By refusing to endorse North and encouraging another Republican (Marshall Coleman) to enter as an Independent, Warner was able to keep enough votes from going to North and thereby guaranteed that Robb would remain Senator. If you doubt how close North came to winning, here are the results...

Sen. Charles S. Robb (D) beats Oliver L. North (R) and J. Marshall Coleman (I). Robb receives 45.6 percent of the vote; North 42.9 percent; Coleman 11.4 percent.


I think it's a safe bet that most of the votes Coleman got would have probably gone to North and probably pushed him over the top in a two person race.

So, to John Warner, you have my undying gratitude for keeping Oliver North out of the Senate.

[mikey_1962]

1. Dirkson was ok

[KissMyAsscroft]

2. McCain.

I wouldn't vote for him and I abhor a lot of his views but I think he has integrity.

[GiovanniC]

8. I Feel the Same Way

And submit Rudy Giuliani as well, with the same caveats.

Richard Clarke and Paul O'Neil, as well. It takes some courage to stand up to an admin that is hell-bent on taking down anyone who dissents.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

Chaffee and Snowe: Liberal New England Republicans

[myomy]

31. They both have my vote.

McCain still has that Rethug mine set.

[neverforget]

3. The one's that have pleaded guilty in court!

:evilgrin:

[jobycom]

4. I will respect any who admit Bush lost, lied, and murdered 100,000 people

and then vote to impeach him and call for his public arrest and imprisonment. Until then, no.

[bif]

5. Lincoln Chaffee and Olympia Snowe (I think that's her first name)

[maggrwaggr]

6. Richard Clarke, Dick Riordan (former Mayor of LA)

aside from that I'm having a tough time

[DBoon]

18. I'd second Dick Riordan

If CA Republicans had any brains at all, these are the sort of people they'd run for statewide office. Only true wingnuts seem to get past the repub primary, only to get crushed in the general election.

[Katha]

32. I like Riordan a lot

and I would've voted for him as governor in a heartbeat if he'd run against Davis. He's a good guy.

[maggrwaggr]

38. me too. n/t

[yardwork]

7. In general, I try not to assume that Republicans are evil.

Although sometimes it is difficult, I try to remember that most Republicans are probably just as decent as most Democrats.

I think that most politicians are generally untrustworthy. They lie, they dissemble, they're big on themselves. Most of them probably have traits associated with narcissistic personality disorder.

We're stuck with politicians.

[Centre_Left]

27. Hit the nail on the head

That is why I find the "scandal" regarding Bush's manipulation of the estimated costs of the prescription drug bill so ludicrous. The US has a proud tradition of politicians, both liberal and conservative, lying about the costs of their programs to garner more votes. Does anyone actually believe that the spending estimate would have accurate even if Bush had acted entirely in good faith?

[DoctorMyEyes]

9. Chafee, Snowe,Paul, McCain, Hagle, Castle

not always on all issues of course - but I would trade ole Zell for any of those.

[buff2]

10. A resounding.........

NO!!!!

[papau]

11. On Talk Radio - WBZ1030 - Boston- David Brudnoy

Very smart man - treats people fairly - and uses logic!

I disagree with him often - but I have been a fan for a few decades.

[Skittles]

12. NO

NONE OF THEM DESERVE *ANY* RESPECT BECAUSE OF THE COMPANY THEY KEEP.

[sangh0]

26. If they had any integrity

they'd join a party that is truly conservative, instead of one that's fascist

[redqueen]

13. Ron Paul, for one!

I'll go with you on McCain -- he's not bad.

Also the easy answers: Chafee, Snowe...

[absyntheNsugar]

34. Yes Ron Paul

but he used to be a Libertarian.

I know VelmaD's gonna kill me but I love Paul's plan to legalize :-D

[redqueen]

36. Why would she kill you?

Ron Paul was speaking out against the Iraq War, against the Patriot Act... IMO he's a good egg on the major issues. Then again maybe there's some nefarious background info I'm not aware of. :shrug:

I just thought he was sooooo wonderful to have spoken out against bush. :)

[elperromagico]

14. Mostly dead ones.

I find most of the living ones difficult to respect or admire.

[rock]

15. The Republican party is a failed party

It is no longer viable in a democracy. Therefore any politician who cleaves to it is not worthy of any respect.

[blackcat77]

16. A whole bunch of them...

Chaffee, Snowe, McCain, Lugar

Historically, Everett Dirksen is at the top of my list.

Not every Pub is a rightwing nutcase.

[IronLionZion]

17. Mayor Mike Bloomberg

absolute RINO. George Pataki is ok. Arlen Specter is tolerable. Lincoln Chafee, Olympia Snowe, are good RINO's. I like Tom Golisano because he's donated so much money to my school.

[sangh0]

23. So you don't mind how he lied about the EPA report to protect Bush*?

Hundreds and possibly thousands of lives were endangered by the toxins released by this catastrophe, and the EPA lied about. Once the lie was revealed, Bloomberg came out to defend Bush* saying Bush*'s EPA wouldn't lie about this.

But he's not so bad. After all, it was only a few thousand lives at stake

[mmonk]

19. Let's see

republican, respect.......republican, respect.......republican, respect.....

[tom_paine]

20. McCain. Of course, his honest, integrity and patriotism

is precisely why the Busheviks Loathe him. And, as a result, so do all the Freepers/Dittoheads/Brownshirts (though I repeat myself) who will think and do anything their Busheviks Masters tell them without consceince or remorse or question.

[Bandit]

21. Gergen and Cohen come to mind

:shrug: There are not many and that is a very sad commentary.

[Beacho]

22. Gotta go with some others

McCain

Chaffee runs a close second

[Beacho]

24. Not a GOPer anymore

But Kevin Phillips definitely deserves a mention

[sangh0]

28. Not a politician either

He's an economist

[Triple H]

25. Um...no.

A Republican is still a Republican...anyone with the (R) behind his or her name is still evil...some more than others, though.

[Woodstock]

29. McCain

except for his position on choice which is indefensible

The ladies: Snowe, Morella

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

30. Rick Santorum

Just kidding - it IS Friday afternoon, you know...

[absyntheNsugar]

33. Not a politician but a pundit

William F Buckley. Always uses reason, even though he's WRONG :)

And never ever got into screaming matches on Firing Line. The Buckley/Vidal debates are classic and should be required watching for anyone to ever become a pundit.

[redqueen]

37. He's right about one thing: ending the drug war

I gotta give him respect for that, at least. He's been aware what a monumental waste of resources it is for a long time, and says so.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

35. Senator Mark Hatfield

the only Republican I ever voted for, because of his anti-interventionism and his support for the environment. He was one of the last of the old-fashioned Oregon Republicans.

(I am proud to say that I NEVER voted for Bob Packwood, unlike some of my friends who supported him because of his pro-choice stand. My protests that his Dem challengers were pro-choice, too, never seemed to carry much weight. I refrained from saying "I told you so" when Packwood's "feminism" was revealed.)

[Bill Todd]

39. I'm glad someone mentioned Bill Cohen

I lost a lot of respect for him for failing to stand up to Bush about the Iraq war. But I still respect him more than all the Democrats who did the same: they were obligated to, while he, being retired (and also to at least some degree out of the loop), was not.

- bill

[Daisey Mae]

40. Lincoln