Bob Dole, the guy who was nominated by the Republicans in 1996 because people felt "it was his turn," lashes out at those who feel McCain is benefitting from the same guilt idea of it being "his turn":Bob Dole, the former Senate Republican leader, wrote an insistent letter to Rush Limbaugh on Monday and suggested that for the good of the party, the conservative talk-show host should stop his strafing of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
On Monday's show, Limbaugh asserted that McCain has "lied about his reason for opposing the Bush tax cuts," and added: "I think McCain has an animus toward the Republican Party. I think ever since South Carolina 2000 he's had it in for the Republican Party, and one of his objectives is to destroy it and change it."
McCain, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, has always had a shaky relationship with the party’s conservative base.
In a letter released Monday evening by McCain's campaign, Dole strongly defended the senator’s conservative credentials, noting that his voting record is opposed to abortion and supportive of gun-owner rights.
Bob, you in part are why we are in this mess. If you would never have ran at your advanced age and we would have gone younger, we might have a better bench right now. You took a Republican party with Conservative momentum and, well, paralyzed its arm.
Sir, I honor your service to your country in battle and in government service. However, if Mr. McCain cannot stand criticism by Rush Limbaugh, how could he stand the rigors of making really tough decisions?
Sir, please, stay in retirement. You are a symbol of failure to take momentum, and a symbol of the sense of entitlement some Republican leaders have.
