# A moderate Republican quits **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 5, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514 "2008-10-05T02:07:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/1 "2008-10-05T02:07:57Z")
The NY Times Magazine has an article this week about Tom Davis, a moderate Republican congressman from Virginia who has decided not to run for re-election. His opinion is that the more extremist Republicans have poisoned the political atmosphere enough that it’s just not worth the effort any more. I don’t really have a debate position on this–just posting the link since I thought some of you might find it interesting. [Tom Davis Give Up](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/magazine/05Davis-t.html?pagewanted=1&ref=magazine) ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/2 "2008-10-05T02:32:57Z")
I don’t know whether to be glad or sorry. On the one hand, this may help to hasten the implosion of the far right Republicans, which would be good. On the other hand, heaven knows we can use all the moderate Republicans we can get these days, and while I prefer the Democrats, I don’t want to go to a one party system, even the party I quite consistently prefer. Uncontested power is not safe for anyone, no matter how well meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/3 "2008-10-05T03:03:06Z")
I have no very deep thoughts on the article, but my father ran against Tom Davis in 2000. He seemed like a pretty decent, gracious guy when I met him (though, of course, it’s easy for people who get over 60% of the vote to be gracious :)) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/4 "2008-10-05T04:24:51Z")
I read this piece earlier and found it very interesting. Davis did not only blame extremist Republicans for what’s going on, although he apparently has been no favorite of their and wasn’t shy about criticizing them. The most telling and incisive remarks, as far as I was concerned, were what the author summed up as “Congress has become so infected with a win-at-all-costs mentality,” and this: > [@](#): > > “The electoral campaign has infiltrated the legislative process,” Theriault told me. “Congressmen used to campaign at home, win elections and then come to Washington” to grapple with the issues of the day. Now, he said, “They’re just looking to gain advantage wherever they can.” > > This evolution has been fueled by migration patterns, demographic shifts and, many argue, redistricting. Most lawmakers represent safe districts, giving them little incentive to tack to the center and work together. Indeed, many incumbents worry more about “being primaried,” as they put it, drawing a primary challenge from within their own parties for being insufficiently orthodox. ---
**Author:** ![Linear\_Crack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Linear\_Crack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linear_Crack)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/5 "2008-10-05T04:40:41Z")
Tom Davis announced that in January 2008 he would retire at the end of his current Congressional term. This is old news. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/6 "2008-10-05T05:19:09Z")
Sorry, I got to page 2, read that he’d vote for W again against John Kerry, and decided his opinion on anything was worthless. Anyone who can still say that, after the damage Bush has done to our nation, isn’t worth a teaspoon of warm spit, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/7 "2008-10-05T05:20:49Z")
> [@Linear\_Crack](#): > > Tom Davis announced that in January 2008 he would retire at the end of his current Congressional term. This is old news. It’s not news that he’s quitting. I think the OP wanted to discuss Davis’ parting thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/8 "2008-10-05T05:28:08Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Sorry, I got to page 2, read that he’d vote for W again against John Kerry, and decided his opinion on anything was worthless. Anyone who can still say that, after the damage Bush has done to our nation, isn’t worth a teaspoon of warm spit, IMO. That was were I clicked the X on the page too. Tom Davis is so full of it. Good riddance I say. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/9 "2008-10-05T05:30:30Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Sorry, I got to page 2, read that he’d vote for W again against John Kerry, and decided his opinion on anything was worthless. Anyone who can still say that, after the damage Bush has done to our nation, isn’t worth a teaspoon of warm spit, IMO. That is an opinion, but Kerry was such a worthless piece of crap, barely more intelligent than Bush himself and with a joke of a VP selection, that voting for Kerry last time was one of the hardest things I ever did. I came damn close to not voting. Be happy you have a smart, intelligent candidate that raises the bar of debate and intellectual intercourse this time. Kerry was a complete dud and it took a complete dud to somehow lose to Bush. That was one of the worst campaigns I have ever witnessed. Dukakis did a better job. Bob Dole did a better job. To completely disregard Tom Davis’s opinion as he could not vote for Kerry probably says more about you than him. A lot of people voted for Bush, they are not all worthless. Some regret it and some do not. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/10 "2008-10-05T05:37:10Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > That is an opinion, but Kerry was such a worthless piece of crap, barely more intelligent than Bush himself and with a joke of a VP selection, that voting for Kerry last time was one of the hardest things I ever did. I came damn close to not voting. > > Be happy you have a smart, intelligent candidate that raises the bar of debate and intellectual intercourse this time. Kerry was a complete dud and it took a complete dud to somehow lose to Bush. That was one of the worst campaigns I have ever witnessed. Dukakis did a better job. Bob Dole did a better job. > > To completely disregard Tom Davis’s opinion as he could not vote for Kerry probably says more about you than him. A lot of people voted for Bush, they are not all worthless. Some regret it and some do not. > > Jim Sorry, but knowing what I know now, I would have voted for John Kerry, even Cock-a-doodle doo over George Bush or any derivative of a Bush in any form or specie. Gimme a break. The fact that loser Tom Davis is running away from the problems of his party rather than running for re-election, and trying to repair his party’s image says a lot about how much of a loser he is. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/11 "2008-10-05T05:39:32Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > The fact that loser Tom Davis is running away from the problems of his party rather than staying running and trying to repair its image says a lot about how much of a loser he is. Based on the article, it seems to me that they don’t want his help repairing their image - in fact they don’t seem to think it needs that much repair. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/12 "2008-10-05T05:43:43Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > Sorry, but knowing what I know now, I would have voted for John Kerry, even cock-a-doodle doo over George Bush or any derivative of Bush in any for. Gimme a break. > > The fact that loser Tom Davis is running away from the problems of his party rather than staying running and trying to repair its image says a lot about how much of a loser he is. Out of a pool of 100s, the democratic party picked Kerry & Edwards. This was not a ticket to draw Independent and Republican votes. This was a pick that could only look good to Democrats. As a Republican I hated Bush/Cheney so much that I did vote for Kerry/Edwards but their only redeeming qualities were not being Bush/Cheney. Now I was an old school moderate Republican, which means I am to the left of Davis and I was just barely able to vote for the Democratic ticket. How can you expect someone to the right of Nixon to vote for them? ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/13 "2008-10-05T05:46:28Z")
In that case he should make the case that “they” should be exorcised from the Republican party. America needs at least a 2 party system that works with principled statesman/women politicians willing to debate, negotiate and compromise to form a greater union of States. Sadly what we’ve had for quite sometime in the Republican party are extremist Right wingers and GOD complex politicians who think they have an inside track to all of the truths of the universe. Yes, Tom Davis is a quitter and that makes him a loser in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/14 "2008-10-05T05:48:02Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > In that case he should make the case that “they” should be exorcised from the Republican party. How’s that going to work exactly? If you’re calling him a loser, I guess that’s literally true: he’s taken on his superiors to some degree and ultimately concluded that the fight is lost. Why that means you can’t read the rest of the piece, I’m not sure. > [@What Exit?](#): > > Out of a pool of 100s, the democratic party picked Kerry & Edwards. Well, strictly speaking, they picked Kerry out of a pool of about ten, and Kerry picked Edwards. ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/15 "2008-10-05T05:51:08Z")
As a Republican, you saw something about George Bush then that caused you to vote Kerry/Edward even though you thought he ran a bad campaign, but my argument is that Tom “loser” Davis in hind sight would still vote for an extremist and a liar like George Bush. Geeesh!! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/16 "2008-10-05T05:53:42Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > How’s that going to work exactly? > Well, strictly speaking, they picked Kerry out of a pool of about ten, and Kerry picked Edwards. That was a pretty shallow pool as most Congressmen, Senators and Governors would have been about as good a choice if not better. Not the 11 that chose to run were great. It was hit or miss. U.S. Senator John F. Kerry (Mass.) U.S. Senator D. Robert Graham (Fla.) Former Ambassador and former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun (Illinois) U.S. Rep. Richard A. “Dick” Gephardt (Mo.) U.S. Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.) Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark of Arkansas Former Vermont Gov. Howard B. Dean III, M.D., U.S. Senator John R. Edwards (N.C.) the Rev. Alfred Sharpton Jr. of New York U.S. Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (Ohio) the Hon. John D. Marx (Mass.) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/17 "2008-10-05T05:56:26Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > That was a pretty shallow pool as most Congressmen, Senators and Governors would have been about as good a choice if not better. Not the 11 that chose to run were great. It was hit or miss. Like I said in another thread yesterday, it really was a weak field in retrospect. Kerry did beat out the competition. Maybe stacking the primaries early gave him too much of an advantage, but he probably would have won anyway. Among the candidates who had a real chance, Dean failed to put together the kind of organization he needed, Clark was great on paper but did a lousy job campaigning, and Edwards has now proved beyond a doubt tha the didn’t have any substance. ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/18 "2008-10-05T05:57:10Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > How’s that going to work exactly? If you’re calling him a loser, I guess that’s literally true: he’s taken on his superiors to some degree and ultimately concluded that the fight is lost. Why that means you can’t read the rest of the piece, I’m not sure. I have just that much amount of time left using my eyes and noggins that once I’m able to determine that I’ve read enough, I look for more interesting and challenging data to occupy the remainder of my time. I do the same these days every time I see W or Jesse Jackson behind alive microphone. Click!! Next. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/19 "2008-10-05T06:00:49Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > As a Republican, you saw something about George Bush then that caused you to vote Kerry/Edward even though you thought he ran a bad campaign, but my argument is that Tom “loser” Davis in hind sight would still vote for an extremist and a liar like George Bush. Geeesh!! I haven’t seen much to recommend Kerry/Edwards in the last four years either. This is really a degree of how bad these four men are. We had 3 good candidates in 2000 and got the one dud. In 2004 the Presidential Candidates were bad and the VPs were terrible. I will concede that Davis should be able to admit that Kerry could not have done a worse job, but despite him being called a moderate in this thread, he is only a moderate by today’s frightening standards. He is to the right of the Rockefeller Republicans that use to be the moderates. I just can’t see dismissing all of his views as he still thinks Kerry would’ve been worse. I don’t agree with him, but I am willing to listen to someone that has had to deal with the theo-cons and neo-cons that successfully hijacked the Republican party as he overall disagrees with their methods of staying in power. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514/20 "2008-10-05T06:36:33Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I haven’t seen much to recommend Kerry/Edwards in the last four years either. What, now you don’t like botched Iraq jokes and infidelity either? Partisan hack. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-moderate-republican-quits/466514.md?page=2)