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TexasTowelie

(127,395 posts)
Fri Dec 11, 2015, 06:55 AM Dec 2015

Bob Dole: Obama Is A "Good Man," Cruz Is "So Extreme" And Trump is "Over The Top" [View all]

Former U.S. Senator and Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole, like so many other Reagan-era Republicans, has sharply criticized the ignorance, bigotry, and extremism of this year’s rancid crop of Republican presidential candidates. In an interview on MSNBC today, Dole bemoaned the current state of the Republican party, which he said had become “an extreme group on the right.” Dole joined the growing chorus of Republicans who have harshly criticized fascist front-runner Donald Trump in the wake of his proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the United States. Dole called Trump “over the top” and set that he “couldn’t understand” how people supported him.

Dole also had harsh words for the much-hated egomaniac and unabashed religious extremist Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who pulled into first place in a poll of Iowa Republicans released yesterday, saying “Cruz is so extreme, he’s not a traditional conservative” and roundly criticizing his so-called Senate “achievements” of shutting down the government twice and calling Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) a liar on the Senate floor. Dole, like many traditional and Reagan-era Republicans, represent an era that modern conservatives constantly idealize but is seriously disillusioned with the current extremism and ignorance of the Republican Party, which he’s said is “out of ideas.” Dole also said that he doubted Ronald Reagan would win the nomination if he ran in the current extremist climate of the Republican Party.

In a refreshing break from the traditional rhetoric of the Republican Party, where acknowledgement of even the slightest positive achievement by President Obama is seen as heretical, Dole also praised the president as a “very good man.” While saying that he probably wouldn’t support Hillary Clinton in a potential general election matchup with Trump or Cruz, Dole suggested that he wouldn’t be able to bring himself to vote for either of those Republican demagogues, saying with a laugh that he “might oversleep” on election day. The Republican Party certainly needs more people like Dole, who, despite their flaws, are at least sensible enough to see and call out blind hatred and extremism when they see it, and who work towards unity and compromise rather than divisiveness and confrontation.

http://www.occupydemocrats.com/bob-dole-obama-is-a-good-man-cruz-is-so-extreme-and-trump-is-over-the-top-2/

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The republican party has been decimated by the teabaggers. liberal N proud Dec 2015 #1
Bob Dole Warren DeMontague Dec 2015 #2
A fairly decent American. Republican or not. n/t nomorenomore08 Dec 2015 #25
Dole would have been chased out of the GOP - with pitchforks - Betty Karlson Dec 2015 #3
Reagan too underpants Dec 2015 #31
And Eisenhower would be to the left of Clinton... Betty Karlson Dec 2015 #32
Probably not. At least it's not as simple as you make it out to be stevenleser Dec 2015 #38
I didn't know thatb they were. Thanks for that information! eom Betty Karlson Dec 2015 #39
he would have enjoyed Bill's balanced budgets virtualobserver Dec 2015 #47
I remind my Rethug friends of this all the time. ffr Dec 2015 #49
If the Democratic nominee doesn't run that ad over and over again..... virtualobserver Dec 2015 #51
I'm not sure I agree with that... tex-wyo-dem Dec 2015 #50
There is one quote where he warned against the idea of a MIC. But he was also for a strong military stevenleser Dec 2015 #55
I have also read that Eisenhower was quite the racist. MoonRiver Dec 2015 #53
He could have done much more for civil rights SusanaMontana41 Dec 2015 #63
Love love LOVE the podcast! SusanaMontana41 Dec 2015 #62
EITHER Clinton for that matter. RoccoR5955 Dec 2015 #71
Hell, Bush in 2000... Drunken Irishman Dec 2015 #43
What???????!!!!????!!!! liberalnarb Dec 2015 #59
Bush in 2000 is much more moderate than the GOP today. Drunken Irishman Dec 2015 #61
The shrubs administration was just plain evil. liberalnarb Dec 2015 #64
2000 Bush. 2000. TWO-THOUSAND. Drunken Irishman Dec 2015 #65
The American public sure seemed to think he was too crazy. liberalnarb Dec 2015 #66
He lost...but barely... Drunken Irishman Dec 2015 #68
No no no no no. liberalnarb Dec 2015 #58
And Ike's 1956 platform would really drive them wild Faryn Balyncd Dec 2015 #36
See response #32, please. n/t Betty Karlson Dec 2015 #37
beat me to it Faryn Balyncd Dec 2015 #70
They already did. Act_of_Reparation Dec 2015 #67
Dole knew how to be a PRICK, but... MarianJack Dec 2015 #4
+1 TheBlackAdder Dec 2015 #6
I remember after he lost the election, he was on Letterman GusBob Dec 2015 #7
+2 What used to be our honorable opposition became dishonorable Hekate Dec 2015 #13
+1 that. n/t Beartracks Dec 2015 #15
Remember when he went on the floor to beg the current asshats to support people with disabilities Egnever Dec 2015 #24
Senator Dole was a big supporter of the Americans with Disabilities Act thucythucy Dec 2015 #48
Not voting SCVDem Dec 2015 #5
This ^^^ sdfernando Dec 2015 #9
And to think he was far right in 1996. LW1977 Dec 2015 #8
Its their own fault though, alot of people tried to warn them about the risk they were taking by cstanleytech Dec 2015 #12
He was never far-right Reter Dec 2015 #19
Dole always struck me as a reasonable person. BlueCheese Dec 2015 #23
I never thought I'd view the man in a semi-positive light, but he seems like a breath of fresh air nomorenomore08 Dec 2015 #27
He still doesn't fit in because he's a paleo-con, which are anti-Israel Reter Dec 2015 #29
Agreed. In fact, had Dole won in 1996 and I doubt his presidency is much diff than Clinton's. Drunken Irishman Dec 2015 #44
It's what they get for courting the religious right Matariki Dec 2015 #10
And for courting the white supremacists. Dont call me Shirley Dec 2015 #17
"he “couldn’t understand” how people supported him." Really? You cant understand that your party cstanleytech Dec 2015 #11
Fuck you, Bob Dole. Your fingerprints were found at the scene. n/t Orsino Dec 2015 #14
I guess retired republicans can sometimes speak the truth MariaThinks Dec 2015 #16
Hell if Dole had won in 96 47of74 Dec 2015 #18
Maybe he should have won in 1996 Reter Dec 2015 #20
What? What are you saying? Are you blaming Clinton for 9/11? yardwork Dec 2015 #40
No. He's blaming Bush. Drunken Irishman Dec 2015 #45
No Reter Dec 2015 #46
Did Dole find a soul? tabasco Dec 2015 #21
The thing is that at the time, various Republicans seem awfully conservative. BlueCheese Dec 2015 #22
And he never seemed to especially dislike gays or Mexicans either. nomorenomore08 Dec 2015 #26
Oh, that makes it ok then? yardwork Dec 2015 #41
I agree. It's just rather astonishing that some of the current Republicans make him seem nomorenomore08 Dec 2015 #57
W defended his business partners the Saudis. It's all about the money. yardwork Dec 2015 #42
The Fact That Even Bob Dole Thinks Most GOP Pres. Contenders Are Extremists Ought To Vogon_Glory Dec 2015 #28
Dear Bob Kalidurga Dec 2015 #30
Nice to see Bob stand up for Obama.... Spitfire of ATJ Dec 2015 #33
Dole and his ilk SHRED Dec 2015 #34
Bob Dole in 1996 had support from Italy, where he had been wounded after liberating the city: happyslug Dec 2015 #35
Sounds like an old man concerned about getting into Heaven. bullwinkle428 Dec 2015 #52
Ultra right wing Republicans has begat conservative Democrats. jalan48 Dec 2015 #54
That about sums it up swilton Dec 2015 #56
Veteran Dole would be disliked by the chickenhawk repugs. kairos12 Dec 2015 #60
Awkward! Fearless Dec 2015 #69
So I guess he's backing Clinton this time RoccoR5955 Dec 2015 #72
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