Here's To You, Senator Chafee

[cali]

You're a truly good guy. I believe you're as honorable a person serving in the Congress as there is. I haven't a clue as to why you didn't switch to Independent; you would surely have been re-elected had you chosen to do so.

I appreciate your integrity. You put a quick stop to bush trying to ram Bolton through, and your admission that it's best for the country that the Senate is better off with a dem majority took guts.

So thanks for your service. I hope to see you in the future in public service- in a democratic administration.

[Cooley Hurd]

1. I agree - Lincoln Chaffee is a good man...

...and it takes ALOT for me to call ANY repug "a good man."

K&R!

[Supersedeas]

24. he has had his moments

[aquart]

2. This is definitely a man we need in public service.

What were his committees? What would he like to be?

[terrya]

3. I wish he had taken the route of Jim Jeffords.

I really think Chaffee was very much a Republican in the Jeffords mold. Like you said...Chaffee could have declared himself an Independent. I suspect that his voting record was more in line with the Democrats than the Republicans.

[DODI]

10. I had heard on our local radio that he was planning on doing

that after the election. I would be he didn't do it before the election so he could use RNC funds.
The radio show here in Hartford said Chaffee was asked at party "Why should I vote for you?" and his response was "Because I won't be a republican for long."

He is a good man.

[williesgirl]

4. K&R

[Stand and Fight]

5. I second that...

It is unfortunate that he had to lose. It is unfortunate that he did not come out more publicly against the Republican Party because he would have found popular support back in Rhode Island. He'd definitely not have lost his seat if he had either broken with the Republicans and become a Democrat or Independent....

Senator Chafee, do the right thing. Change your party affiliation and stay in public service. We need people like you. I would only caution that you have more backbone next time around. All the best wishes to you.

[MADem]

6. The reason he didn't do it was out of loyalty to the Rhode Island Republican Party

Who had supported him as a New England Republican. He didn't want to betray them by playing both ends against the middle.

I know it had to be painful for a LOT of RI voters to vote against the guy. He was a damned good Senator; a thoughtful guy with integrity.

Maybe Bush oughta send HIM to the UN--it might be nice to have someone with principles warming that ambassador's chair for a change.

[lukasahero]

57. I think he believes in changing the party from the inside

I grew up in RI and voted for his father - twice. Right up until election day I considered what I would do had I still lived in RI. I finally decided that I would have voted D regardless of how much I respect Lincoln Chaffee and how much loyalty I still have for his father. The stakes were just too high.

Unfortunately for Chaffee he finds himself in the same place many of us "Christians" do - how do you take your party (religion) back in an atmosphere so poisonous? Any attempt to do so will be met with distrust from those outside and scorn from those inside. He was victim of his own party while trying to change it.

His decision not to vote for Bolton demonstrates once again just how good a man he is and, under different circumstances, I would have been proud to cast my vote for him.

So there it is, my "I voted Republican" confession. Flame away if you must, but I still believe we need more Republicans of his ilk and we have to encourage those who try - just not this time.

[MADem]

59. You're not gonna take any heat from me!!!

I admire Linc Chaffee. He has genuine integrity, and he had guts when it was difficult to have them. He did try to talk sense into the Republican caucus, and they were so full of themselves they didn't listen. Bet some of them wish they had, now. Hell, maybe he will run for Governor one day. The state would be well served...and if he switched parties, he'd be a welcome addition.

[lukasahero]

65. I wasn't expecting it from you :)

However, I figure there will be plenty perusing this thread who hate all that is "R" and will question my "D" credentials for such a confession. I also figure those people didn't grow up in or near RI so they won't understand how liberal we grow our Republicans there.

BTW - assuming MADem means you are a Massachusetts Dem, howdy neighbor! (MA transplant from RI (via NH) here!)

[MADem]

68. Howdy neighbor...

MADem is actually MAD Massachusetts Democrat...I'm furious at what Monkeyboy has done to our country!

It's hard to make people from outside the region understand how a Democrat can vote for a Chaffee, or an Ed Brooke, for that matter. I will say, though I didn't mind SOME of our Massachusetts GOP governors (many did little harm, and Weld, especially, was a wit) as they were well checked by the legislature, I never could bring myself to vote for any of them, and I particularly despise old "Mitt the Shit." He is NOT a New England Republican in any way, shape or form (since he's not FROM New England, that's to be expected, I guess).

But a new day dawns, and I'm hoping Deval does great things in the corner office!!!

[lukasahero]

70. Good analysis on Mittens

who I, likewise, couldn't be happier to be rid of. It does seem that if you weren't born here, you won't understand "here".

But, hell yeah - Way to go, Deval! If America was afraid of Massachusetts before the Dems took the house, the senate AND the corner office well, they should really be shaking in their boots now. LOL.

Oh, and just to drive home the point, let's not even put this ban on gay marriage on the ballot. Making it clear we are a state (and country) of laws, not popularity contests.

[dogday]

7. I should be so lucky as to have just one

great representative like him....

[bunny planet]

8. Yes, one of the good ones on their side (though he's not really one of those

Republicans). Thank you very much for what you did and said today Senator Chafee.

[Dob Bole]

9. The only Republican to vote against the Iraq War Resolution...

Not even most Democrats did that.

Here's hoping that you run in the Democratic primary some time...

[Tiggeroshii]

11. Maybe he'll run for an open house seat as an indy somewhere along the lines? n/t

[MADem]

61. Ya never go 'down'...it's kind of an unspoken rule. The progression generally

is House, Senate, Governor, or sometimes state office, Governor, Senator, but generally not Senator to Representative. The two year terms, the constant standing for reelection, the squabbling amongst four hundred thirty five as opposed to a quiet and dignified gathering of a hundred...it's just not done. It's hard to go from the high-falutin' Senate back down to the rough and tumble House.

He'd make one helluva governor, IMO. He'll have to wait a term for it, though.

I'd like to see the Monkey send HIM to the UN, rather than try to renew Bolton during the recess.

[grasswire]

his character shows on his face

He's a natural. I admire him, too.

[tpsbmam]

12. I totally agree......

He's one man I'd like to see stage a comeback.....as an Independent.

[lapfog_1]

13. possibly even as UN ambassador -n/t

[Old and In the Way]

14. Too bad about Lincoln....

Republicans are losing their moderates in primaries or the GE....this will only drive them further to right...into oblivion. My only regret is that we didn't get to do the same to Oylmpia Snowe up here in Maine. With all due respect to Jean Hays Bright (whom I voted vote), she never got the media exposure or the DSCC money to run an effective campaign.

[renate]

15. I felt so sad that he lost

I think it was Chris Matthews who said "Innocent blood was spilled" or something like that. "Innocent" isn't a strong enough word--Chafee is one of the really good guys.

I hope we see him in public life again soon as an Independent. Bless his heart.

[theboss]

60. It gave us the Senate

It was a gift from Stupid Republicans.

As I have posted elsewhere, I don't understand why so many here seem opposed to winning. How can you possibly be upset that Chafee lost? If he wins, Dick Cheney is the tie-breaking vote.

[MADem]

62. GEEZ. No one is "upset" that Chaffee lost. Have you no capacity for NUANCE?

The sadness most here feel is that a DECENT man had to take a hit because assholes in his party are such reactionary pricks that the only way to wrest back control of the political process was to mow down a good, innocent man, who voted the way we Democrats like but who happened to be affiliated with the wrong party.

The regret has to do with the NECESSITY of taking down a good man, not with the fact that we won. We knew what had to be done.

It's like putting down a beloved pet. You don't ever want to do that, but sometimes, due to illness or age and pain, it's necessary.

[sandrakae]

16. He never voted with the Dems when we needed him the most.

He was a true Repukin.

[cali]

18. If you can't see that Lincoln Chafee

was a truly honorable guy, if you categorize him as a "repukin", you're either ignorant or rabidly partisan. In either case, I pity you.

[sandrakae]

21. I did not say he was not honorable.

He was a Republican and voted with them all the time.

[cali]

27. He did not

vote with them all the time. He was pro-gay marriage. He voted against the Iraq War Resolution. He didn't even vote for bush. That's hardly voting with them all the time. Oh, and he was a strong environmentalist. He was, in short, a Jim Jeffords republican.

[Chico Man]

45. He voted with the Republicans

Every time his vote mattered. Look at his vote for cloture on the Supreme Court justices and the patriot act.

[AspenRose]

33. Chafee was to the left of democrats Landrieu and Nelson.

eom

[Hav]

Hm that's not true. He was often the only R to vote with the Dems. Sometimes he did it when for example even Lieberman or Nelson voted with the Repubs.

I always had great respect for him and he's the only Republican I'll miss.

[AspenRose]

37. Check the Wiki link below

It could be wrong, but that's what it said:

"Chafee's more liberal stances have led many conservative public figures to refer to him as a Republican in Name Only. Most notable among these was Human Events, who named Chafee "the No. 1 RINO in the country."<5> Also, the latest National Journal congressional rating rated Chafee as the most liberal Republican in the Senate, and also placed him to the left of two Democrats, Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu.<6>"

[Hav]

41. .

No, you are most likely not wrong.
I don't know what happened when I clicked on reply, it was for post 21 and somehow my post doesn't even have a number.

Almost everything I heard about Chafee made me have more respect for him. He wouldn't have won in a state like Rhode Island without having an appeal to the Dems. He isn't following the party line when he feels that what they do is wrong and his party has obviously left him.
For example this so called torture bill, he supported all the Amendments and as the only R he voted against the bill. He is one of the very few Republicans who deserves some respect as he was often enough in support of our views.

[tomp]

49. when you're talking about control of the senate, "name" matters

the R or D after your name determines who has the majority. any republican who could stand to be in the party of bush/cheney/hastert/delay, et al., has a definite problem. he did not switch parties, he did not openly oppose bush, as all patriots did. he didn't help america when ameica needed him most. he couldn't see what was going on. he got what he deserved.

[mondo joe]

47. Please. He was a better dem than some Dems.

Too bad he didn't change parties.

[MADem]

63. Well, that's not true. He voted against ALITO, which is more than some Dems can say.

Check his record...prochoice, pro-gun control, pro-gay rights, against ANWR...and that's just for starters. He was more of a Democrat than many in our caucus. The only problem he had was that R after his name.

[AspenRose]

17. Wow

"Chafee, known for often disagreeing with the Republican Party leadership, says he did NOT cast his ballot for President George W. Bush in the 2004 election, instead choosing to write-in former president George H. W. Bush as a nod to the Republican Party of his father.<7> Chafee was the only Republican senator to vote against the authorization of military force in Iraq in 2002. He has frequently criticized President Bush's record on the environment and he also expressed concern about the 2004 Republican platform and the direction of the party. He described the younger Bush's Presidency as "an agenda of energizing the far-right-wing base, which is divisive."<8> Soon thereafter, he rejected Democratic overtures to leave the Republican Party, after appeals from other Republican senators to remain in their caucus.<9>"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Chafee

Damn.

[Hav]

35. .

I second the wow.
I'm glad we have a majority in the Senate but I'd rather have Chafee in the Senate instead of quite a few Dem Senators.
He stands up for what he believes is right instead of putting politics first. I hope he will come back in one way or another, maybe even for the Dems or as an Independent.

[ronnykmarshall]

19. I agree with that.

Lincoln is a good man. And he should have gone Indy and voted with the democrats.

[seabeyond]

20. thank you cali for this thread. i agree. he was one of the few republicans

i could respect, regardless of differing views. a republican i would have liked to see work with a dem congress. too few republicans would do that. or criticize wrong, even/especially in their own party.

and it was his party that took him down for that. (thinking of one on our side, lol)

[danalytical]

25. I agree with you 100%

I was almost sad to see him lose. But we needed his seat. I am also slightly happy to see Chris Shays still has a job although I was routing for Farrel. Shays is a true moderate in his politics. I just don't unederstand his support for the war. It's truly bizarre.

[seabeyond]

31. shays another one. when asked, i say there are two repubs i like

shay and chaffee

[MADem]

64. Especially when HE was a conscientious objector. That offends me, frankly. NT

[AlamoDemoc]

22. I second that...Kick&Rec'd

[Bake]

23. I respect Chaffee BUT WE HAVE A DEM IN HIS SEAT NOW!

So, thanks, Linc, for your service. See ya. Leave the light on when you go.

Bake

[SnowGoose]

26. Maybe president Gore will give him a cabinet spot.

Big Dog had a Republican Sec. of Defense.

[Catchawave]

28. Can we trade a Chafee for a Corker ?

[AspenRose]

30. I'd definitely second that trade.

eom

[mvd]

29. He's a good man unlike most Repukes in power

But still, he put party over country. And getting the Senate helps to turn the tide.

[Neecy]

32. update on Chafee

He's thinking of leaving the GOP...

Home > News > Local > R.I.

Chafee unsure of staying with GOP after losing election
By Michelle R. Smith, Associated Press Writer | November 9, 2006

PROVIDENCE, R.I. --Two days after losing a bid for a second term in an election seen as a referendum on President Bush and the Republican Party, Sen. Lincoln Chafee said he was unsure whether he'd remain a Republican.

"I haven't made any decisions. I just haven't even thought about where my place is," Chafee said at a news conference when asked whether he would stick with the Republican Party or switch to be an independent or Democrat.

When asked if his comments meant he thought he might not belong in the Republican Party, he replied: "That's fair."

http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/...

[mvd]

34. Good

Should have done that before. We'll take him with open arms. I felt a bit sorry for him.

[Zambero]

36. One of a kind. Hope he leaves the GOP for good and runs for office again.

It must have felt a bit strange for him caucusing with the likes of Lott, Brownback, Bunning, Inhofe et al. His sense of family loyalty might have been what kept him in the GOP. His father was also one of the good guys.

[Withywindle]

Come on over, Mr. Chaffee!

The water's nice over here.

Or be an Independent. Whatever. I would like to see him back in office again too - just not as a Repub. There used to be a place for guys like him--they left him, not the other way around.

Thanks for this thread. Very classy.

[Blue-Jay]

38. Drinks are on me, Link.

I'm glad you lost, but still a little sad to see you go. In an environment that rewards ideologues, you stood apart.

[fujiyama]

39. I think he should have known in 2k

that Bush would be much farther right than a moderate Gore administration. He should have realized his own politics were closer aligned with those of democrats.

He was probably the last decent republican senator to truly vote their conscience and oppose the most radical of this administration's policies.

He had a good chance to switch along with Jeffords. I'm sure Reid and Daschle did what they could to get him to switch.

For that reason he simply had to go. I have a lot of admiration for RI - rather than sticking with a man that votes for a Frist as majority leader (like Snowe, Collins, and Specter), they decided it's time for REAL change. I have to say they are pretty smart voters.

[wryter2000]

40. I'll drink to that

Heard today that he continues in opposing Bolton. If Bush tries to push Bolton through, Chafee won't help him out. Joe Lieberman might be looking for revenge, but Chafee will do the right thing.

[Dragonbreathp9d]

42. Agreed, K&R, its ashame we had to kick out one of the good ones

[Guava Jelly]

43. He was one of the good ones!

I felt bad that he went down.But we needed the seat..
to lincoln..
"When asked whether he felt that his loss may have helped the country by switching control of power in Congress, he replied: "To be honest, yes."
"
Man we need this man in our party!

[last1standing]

55. Then why did he run?

It seems to me he's saying that he would have continued to caucus with the repubs if he had been re-elected, and that he knew that he'd be harming the country by doing so.

Anyone care to interpret that answer differently?

[ScreamingMeemie]

44. What an appropriate name he has.

God Speed Senator Chafee, and thank you.

[roamer65]

46. I think Lincoln Chafee would make a great appointment...

...as US ambassador to the UN. He'd do a great job and be very respected.

[Blue_Tires]

48. ttt

in the past, I've spoken with Chafee a number of times (professionally), and I will be sad to see him go---he was literally dumbfounded by the extreme insanity that overtook the party he used to know

[jillan]

50. He is one of the good ones.

I actually felt bad about his loss.
You have to wonder if he was pressured into some of his votes.

[nsd]

51. He should have become a Democrat.

But he chose not to -- he chose to continue voting for Republican control of the Senate. That's enough for me. As ungracious as it might sound, good riddance is all I can say ... and congratulations, Senator Whitehouse.

[demwing]

53. If He switched to Dem just before an election

It would have appeared that he was only doing so to try to save his seat. He won his seat as a Republican, and lost it as a Republican. That's honorable, if not particularly self interested.

If he were to come over to the Blues now, we should welcome him with open arms.

[Jennicut]

52. I like Chafee

I think that unlike Joe Loserman he did the right thing during his campaign and decided not to betray the Rhode Island Rep Party. I hope he becomes an independent and can be in a future Democratic administration. The one thing that you have to say seperates him from a lot of Dems and Repubs is that he voted AGAINST the war. That is enough for me. Plus, he says he will block Bolton's nomination during this lameduck session of congress. I'm glad Whitehouse won in Rhode Island but I would rather Chafee be my senator here in CT than Joe. His record is better!

[REP]

54. A Decent Man

I don't agree with every vote he made, but I do agree he is an honorable and decent man. If all republicans were like him, the country wouldn't be knee deep in shit. I'm glad Whitehouse won, but I have respect for Chafee, and I hope he'll be around.

[Cetacea]

56. This thread should be sent to him.

He was better than some of our "democratic" senators, at least on some key
issues, like Iraq.
Class act.

K+R'd

[oasis]

58. Chaffee's a standup guy and I wish him success in the future.

[Akoto]

66. I kind of feel sorry for him, even though his seat put us in power ...

I hope that he leaves the Republicans behind and crosses over to our party. We would welcome him. The party that he was once so devoted to is no more, but at least we share some ideals with him.

[Hidden Stillness]

67. I Really Like Lincoln Chafee

I really liked, and will really miss, Senator Lincoln Chafee. A great liberal of the old-fashioned New England Republican type, a troublemaker, an educated and classy person who would have fit just great with us, and been a friend on vote after vote. I heard a debate on C-SPAN a week or so--whatever it was--before the election, when it was starting to look bad for Chafee, and Chafee was making a few negative, swiping attacks--very uncharacteristic--and getting a pained facial expression after, like, "I don't want to act like this." I also wish that Chafee had switched a become a Democrat at least a year ago, taken the heat from the Republican filth, gotten through it, and won big again on Tuesday, which would have happened. Please, Sen. Chafee, get back into politics right away--you are needed, you will be welcomed, and your principled, classy, liberal progressive type rules again.

[robbedvoter]

69. Could have been a contender. Like Jeffords. His timing sucks.

NOW he's leaving the party.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
Kinda like George Takei coming out of the closet.

[Vidar]

71. Chafee is a hero.

[Hippo_Tron]

72. When John Breaux was still in the Senate

He joked that Chafee should become a Democrat, saying, "He'd be a better Democrat than I am."

[nam78_two]

73. K&R/nt

[Auntie Bush]

74. As I wrote in another thread.

I admire Lincoln Chaffee. In fact he's the only one. He has honesty, integrity, bravery (voted against his own party in spite of retributions from Tom DeLay) loyalty and independence as character traits. Anyone with those qualities is welcome and belongs in our party. I wish the Dems could find a place for him in future. I really feel badly about his loss although I'm thankful Whitehouse won.

[Time for change]

75. Yeah, I'm kind of sorry to see him go

I wouldn't mind seeing him make a comeback as a Dem or independent.