So who would even qualify as an "elder statesman" Republican these days, who'd have the stature to

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

be able to take McCain to the woodshed on his miserable, disgraceful rabble rousing tactics?

No one immediately comes to mind.

Certainly not Bush. The Republican Senate and House are sorely lacking in adult figures.

Who?

[Curtland1015]

1. The CLOSEST you could get... Romney perhaps?

You're right. They don't really have much.

[AllentownJake]

25. McCain still hates Romney

He'd do the opposite of what Romney advised.

[livetohike]

2. My guess is the former President Bush

who seems to have slightly more class than his son.

[BumRushDaShow]

17. Seconded plus he's running the BFFE and is in the Trilateral Commission.

:rofl:

[AllentownJake]

26. 1988 Race against Michael Dukakis

He has more brains than his son. Certainly not more class. He is also a student of the originator of this type of Politics. Richard M. Nixon.

[AlCzervik]

3. Chuck Hagel and John Warner.

[MissDeeds]

18. Chuck Hagel would be my choice

But he's gone head to head with the Republican machine too much by saying Their War was bogus. McCain wouldn't listen to him - or anyone else at this point. Does Bob Dole have any credibility left?

[Historic NY]

4. John Warner

[elleng]

11. Good,

Historic.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Elder Statesman Republican? A moderate, of course. Actually, that's easy.

Bill Clinton.

[The Wielding Truth]

6. Chuck Hagel seems good.

[nancyr]

7. John Warner?

[SDJay]

8. Secret Service and perhaps even

Homeland Security... on the down-low, of course. If this had led to the worst nightmare scenario, there would've been serious civil unrest. This was as much a law enforcement issue as it was a political one.

[FrenchieCat]

9. Only James Baker; the Fixer

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

13. What, is he like the White Wolf or something? "Er. I shot my dignity in the face."

"It's brains are all over my car. I have only 3 weeks to clean it up."

[AllentownJake]

28. Baker loves this type of shit

Him and Atwater had a ball doing it to Dukakis in 1988.

[DJ13]

10. Former Secretary of State under Bush sr. Baker?

[AllentownJake]

24. See 1988 Dukakis: Lee Atwater

and Baker were students of Nixon they made this type of politics and artform.

[MarianJack]

12. John Warner

[Perky]

14. John Warner and Dick Lugar

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

33. Those are better than my choices. Shoulda read the whole thread. n/t

[rwheeler31]

15. A Military man Peterus.

[EC]

16. Contributors...

I think the Annenburgs got ahold of him and other Chicago big-wig Repubs...

[WindRiverMan]

19. Ah, hell, they'll just pull Reagan out of his coffin

slap a little liptsick on his corpse(Palin's new job), and call it good.

[juno jones]

20. Maybe a few fellow senators might have

had a little talk about censure, especially since Obama and Biden are both in the senate as well. McCain has to work with these guys for a couple of more years if he returns to the senate after this run (which I doubt, I think he'll retire due to his health or to be with his creepy family or something) and he is truly damaging his reputation with his peers.

On edit: Frankly, I choose ALL OF THE ABOVE. He's screwing the pooch left and right.

[saltpoint]

21. I agree -- no one springs quickly to mind.

John Danforth might have been the heart and mind of the GOP but they tossed him overboard in the Fundie Revolution.

He's essentially a conservative Christian Republican from Missouri, thought at one point to be Dubya's logical running mate, until Dick Cheney decided that he, Cheney, would be the running mate.

Danforth is likely too conservative for us but he is dramatically too moral for Cheney, and to forward-looking for the mouth-breathing cretins who form the Far Right of the current GOP.

Dick Luger, who spends 2/3rds of every day in a coma, might be the closest they've got to a seasoned adult. On down the roster, the pickins git mighty thin.

[JaneQPublic]

22. Former Missouri Senator Rev. John Danforth

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

[AllentownJake]

23. James Baker, Henry Kissinger, Bush I, Bob Dole

Who were all nasty fucks in their own right so they aren't going to tell him to stop.

[RagAss]

27. Pappy.....

[sunnybrook]

29. We are talking about the Republican Party

Elder statesmen on this issue? Trent Lott? :rofl:

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

30. Bush Sr or Howard Baker are the first two that leap to my mind

maybe James (no relation) Baker. There's nothing in the Senate, that's for sure. We have Robert Byrd and Ted K as our elder statesmen. The 'pigs have no one remotely comparable.

[Jennicut]

31. The Gop is sadly lacking these days in "elder statesmen"

and I doubt McCrap listens to anyone but himself.

[Recursion]

32. Hagel or Warner

That's all I can think of.

[TexasObserver]

34. Alan Simpson, former senator from Wyoming, is just the guy to do it

[RichardRay]

38. Simpson mosied on over to the McCain

spread and allowed as how he was pushing it a bit and he might want to rein in his rhetoric just a tad.

[Samantha]

35. No one has THAT much control within the Republican party now

and that is the problem. Only public pressure can bring about "change" (sorry) within that party. They have to start losing seats and power and then the party will self-correct. It will take a long time.

Sam

[OmahaBlueDog]

36. Richard Lugar

[GoesTo11]

37. Nancy Reagan

She knows McCain's soul, and McCain knows she knows his soul, and McCain has been talking Ronnie Ronnie Ronnie. Nancy could make a fool of him by saying that he is a disgrace to Ronnie.

[EC]

39. Nancy Reagan hates him

because she was friends with his first wife...