Are there any LIVING Republican politicans...

[Bicoastal]

...that you partially admire, respect, or at least would say "(s)he's not so bad," about?

All In the interest of fair play, of course. I'm trying to prove to a friend that I'm not completely close-minded to those on the other side of the political spectrum. At the moment, the only one that springs to mind is Lincoln Chafee.

[enid602]

1. Christine

Christine Whitman of New Jersey. Pls, don't hurl fireballs at me.

[TheDebbieDee]

5. You mean the EPA's, "The air at Ground Zero

is safe to breathe." That Christine Whitman?

No flamimg intended....just asking!

[enid602]

17. Christine

Yes, I read her book, titled something like 'It's my Party, and I'll cry if I want to,' or something like that. She was one of the first to openly criticize Bushco and to do all of the talk shows. I admire her somewhat for that.

[blm]

44. Christie still covers up for Bushes, tho. WARREN RUDMAN is a decent Republican

One of the last.

[razors edge]

2. Dr. Ron Paul n/t

[necklace]

3. Living? Perhaps Christine Todd Whitman and Colin Powell!

I believe that they are moderates!!!

:-)

[PurpleChez]

7. Colin Powell is a pig.

three thousand US soldiers and a few hundred thousand Iraqis would be alive today if that scum had used his clout and exposed *'s pre-war "intelligence" for the pile of shit that he knew it was.

[Bicoastal]

8. Powell is a toughie....

He has said, time and time again, that going to the UN and trying to sell the world a vial of snake-oil was the the worst thing he did in his political career. The Bushies, who once upheld his credibility, now despise him for any number of reasons.

Still, you can't not hold him responsible for his own actions, and for alligning with W in the first place.

[PurpleChez]

14. I have absolutely no sympathy for that piece of shit

Just the thought of that lying sack of crap makes me want to indulge in some of the most un-PC diatribes that have ever come to mind. But I can work past that. If lying to the UN was so awful THEN THE PIG FUCKER SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT. I teach eighth graders who know more about moral cause and effect than that.

[Colobo]

18. I agree with you

He obeyed his boss, that was his mistake. Still, he has admitted what he did was wrong, and that is something we will never hear from the true architects of the war.

[Faygo Kid]

19. Too late. Powell's loyalty was to the Empire, not our nation.

History has a verdict in store for Colin Powell, and it's one that recalls Robert McNamara: Too little, too late.

[niyad]

15. colin powell was instrumental in the attempted coverup of MyLai--he has been a sellout from the very

beginning of his career. He is beneath contempt.

[Colobo]

4. Hagel

[TwilightGardener]

20. Hagel and Powell...

Hagel, because I can't help but think he destroyed his political career and presidential ambitions by heeding his conscience on the war, and also because he defended Max Cleland in the face of those atrocious swift-boat ads by standing up to Bill Frist (read that today in the Esquire article). Powell because I believe his sterling image and integrity was blatantly used and abused by the neocons for their evil purposes--he will have to do everything right from now on to get them both back, but I believe he is a still a good man, though with a guilty conscience.

[Faygo Kid]

23. That's about it.

I can't think of another.

[Forkboy]

41. Not after his blame shifting comments in Esquire.

"Congress abdicated its oversight responsibility," he says. "The press abdicated its responsibility, and the American people abdicated their responsibilities. Terror was on the minds of everyone, and nobody questioned anything, quite frankly."

http://www.esquire.com/features/chuckhagel0407

Anyone who was here on DU at the time should be pissed at the comment about Americans abdicating their responsibilities.How many people marched,wrote letters,made phone calls?

Fuck off Chuck.

[jgraz]

6. If they're still Rethugs, they are beneath contempt, let alone admiration

I'm sure some very nice people got mixed up in the Nazi party when it first started, too.

[zulchzulu]

9. Lowell Weicker (R-CT)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowell_P._Weicker_Jr




Pretty moderate dude... defeated by you know who in 1989...

[Bicoastal]

13. Interesting politics in CT...

A Republican turned independent-liberal roots for the guy running against a Democrat turned independent-conservative.

It's like a game of musical chairs in the Consitution State...

[PurpleChez]

10. a native pennsylvanian, 15-20 years ago I actually voted for Arlen Specter.

I thought he was good for the state. He stood up to Reagan over Bork. But now he's just one more Pug hand on the BushCo rubber stamp.

[niyad]

11. jerry heimlicher (CS city council)--the silly man thinks the "r" after his name stands for

representative of the people.

[depakid]

12. At this point anyone who chooses to associate with the Republican party

deserves nothing more than reprobation. All of them- and all of their members.

As to Hagel, he stole himself an election using machines supplied by a company he owned! He concealed that fact for years- in violation of ethics rules (among other things). IMO, he ought to have resigned from the Senate, but having no integrity whatsoever, didn't do so.

[TwilightGardener]

27. I don't know about that voting machine thing--I've heard it, but

many Nebraskans either don't know about it or don't care, and I heard it was a rumor that's been disproved. But he didn't disclose his ownership of the company when he should have, and THAT is a no-no.

[beaconess]

16. Jack Kemp

[5thGenDemocrat]

21. Michigan's former governor Bill Milliken

One of the finest men in American politics in my lifetime.
John
Mitt Romney's dad, George, was another pretty good Republican.

[Vidar]

40. Milliken certainly is. He endorsed Kerry in 2004.

[gratefultobelib]

22. Nope--can't think of a single one. Started to say John Danforth then

I remembered how passionately he fought for Clarence Thomas. So--can't think of any.

[AshevilleGuy]

24. I know he is dead, but Barry Goldwater for saying

that he wanted to "kick Jerry Foulwell's ass". Barry's grandson is gay, and Grandpa was pissed at the bigotry and hate that pours out of that fucking pig Foulwell's maw.

[TwilightGardener]

25. Well, if we're going to include the dead, Eisenhower--

for warning us about the military-industrial complex that enables the neocons today.

[niyad]

26. yes, but he also sent the first american troops to 'nam.

[TwilightGardener]

29. So he got 'em out of Korea just to send 'em to 'nam?

Now THAT'S a Repug for you!

[joeprogressive]

28. Joe Scarborough, Pat Buchanan

I think Joe has been sticking it to his party for about a year now. I know he has said some contemptable things over the years but I think he is sincere in his disgust of the Republican party today. He still totes the party line but it said partially admire. He was even pretty good on Bill Maher recently. He has softened his image a lot.

Pat Buchanan was against the war from the beginning. That puts him in a better light than Hillary in that regard.

[Seabiscuit]

30. Repukes are all the walking undead.

Some are still going through the hideous transformation from alive to dead to undead, but they're all part of one big Chimpster rubber stamp from the bowels of the earth to me.

[recoveringdittohed]

31. Walter (Freedom Fries) Jones, R-NC

While I disagree with him on many issues, he has become critical of the * Administration of late with regard to their conduct of the Iraq War & treatment of veterans and is co-sponsoring with Sen. Webb a bill to require * to get congressional authorization before any invasion of Iran.

http://bsd.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/01/the_three_conversions_of_walter_b_jones.html

[karmaqueen]

32. Walter Jones, NC

Although I probably do not agree with much of what he does I am impressed that he has turned against the war & is not afraid to say it. he was the idiot who renamed french fries "freedom fries" now all he does is say how wrong he was. I know he has voted against the surge and personally apologizes to soldiers families for voting to send them there to begin with. He represents Camp LeJeune, NC and I think he turned on bush before it was popular. I guess he is the only republican I can think of that I can tolerate.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

33. There are quite a few

Orrin Hatch: Yes, he’s a right wing conservative on many key issues and he is on the other end of the political spectrum than I am but I still think he has a great amount of decency and integrity. I can respect someone and yet profoundly disagree with his ideology
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19990725/ai_n10547983


Bob Dole: While I disagreed with some of his policy positions, I never doubted his integrity and decency as a person. He was essentially a moderate Republican who never subscribed to the right wing philosophies of the nut job crowd and who seemed quite even handed and balanced in his ideology. I think he would have made a good President, even though I’m happy that Clinton won in 1996. I would have definitely preferred him to Reagan

Nancy Landon Kassebaum: A liberal-to-centrist Republican who was prepared to work with Democrats and who was reasonably moderate to progressive in her outlook

David Durenberger –Yes, I know had some ethical problems and he defeated some good Democrats to remain in the Senate but he was essentially liberal to progressive on quite a few issues and he endorsed Kerry in 2004.

William Milliken –Former Governor of Michigan and a liberal Republican

Howard Baker –A Senate Majority Leader who was able to forge compromise and consensus and who was respected by both sides of politics for his diplomacy, his even-handed approach and his moderate views. Another Republican who would have made a much better President than Reagan

Lincoln Chafee –Yes, yes, I know that he didn’t vote with us as often as he should have and was far too willing to compromise on certain issues. But he was much more progressive than the other “so-called” moderates in the Senate and was the only Republican to vote against IWR and to promote an emphasis on environmentalism, a balanced foreign policies and other issues important to progressives. I think he was the last truly liberal Republican in the Senate and, even as I was glad that Sheldon Whitehouse won the seat, I must concede that I was still sad to see Chafee go.

Connie Morella –A liberal Republican who indicated that she would seek to gather support for Al Gore among GOP moderates if it came down to the House to elect the President during the 2000 presidential election debacle. She was to the left of her party on many issues

Mark Hatfield –A liberal Republican from the party’s Rockefeller wing who voted against the First Persian Gulf War

Amo Houghton –Another liberal Republican who voted against IWR

John Danforth –He gets a black mark from me for so vociferously supporting Clarence Thomas’s nomination. I do admire him for his stance against the party’s Right and for his persistence in pushing for tougher sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa at a time when a significant proportion of his party opposed it.

Doug Bereuter-Another moderate Republican who was critical of his party's Right

Claudine Schneider –A liberal Republican from Rhode Island who has since become involved in progressive causes


Arne Carlson –A decent, middle-of-the-road Republican Governor who stated that the party had become too socially conservative for him

[TwilightGardener]

35. Many good choices, though I'd have to exclude

any Repug who still supports GWB's War of Terror--this means you, Hatch. And you, McCain, though I was very fond of you back in the day. Knowing everything we know, after 4 years, there's no excuse for protecting Chimpy and sending men and women to die for oil. So, yeah, the 7 R Senators and 17 R congressmen get a thumbs-up for being principled enough to stand up against the war. I admire them.

[KingofNewOrleans]

34. Pete McCloskey, John Anderson

McCloskey was a California Congressman from 1967-1983. Opposed the Vietnam War, actually ran against Nixon in 1972. Was the first Republican Congressman to call for Nixon's impeachment after the Saturday Night Massacre. Co-wrote the Endangered Species Act. Returned to politics last fall when he challenged Richard Pombo in the Republican primary (he lost 61-32) then endorsed the Democratic candidate and future Congressman Jerry McNerney.

John Anderson ran as a socially liberal, fiscally responsible Independent for President against Reagan and Carter in 1980. He tried to get a prominent Democrat the join the ticket but none would break ranks, he ended up with a former Democratic Gov of Wisconsin (Patrick Lucey) as his running mate. Early in the campaign he polled as high as 25% but he faded to 7% as the money ran out.

[thatsrightimirish]

36. Pete McClosky

Anyone that watched the CA-11 race knows what I'm talking about.

[Brad Alan-Desjardins]

37. Yes there are moderate Republican that I like

I'll list them

Senator Arlen Specter
Ex-Senator Lincoln Chafee
Congressman Ron Paul
Congressman Charlie Dent
Congressman Mark Kirk
Congressman Mike Castle

Basically and Republican that supports embryonic stem cell research

[Tom Rinaldo]

48. He's my pick also. Going all the way back to him running against Nixon n/t

[MasterDarkNinja]

38. I can think of a few

-Lincoln Chafee: Very liberal for a republican, though I wanted to see us take back the senate, I was sad to see him go because of it.

-Colin Powell: I don't like his role in getting us into Iraq, but at least he admits that he hated/regrets what he did, and speaks out against Iraq now.

-Chuck Hagel: I don't know much about him, but I've heard him speaking against the war in Iraq quite a bit and like how openly against it he is.

I used to like Arlen Spector, though I still voted against him in 2004, but not after his role in adding the provision to the patriot act that lets Bush appoint his own judges without Senate confirmation.

[Brad Alan-Desjardins]

39. Chafee was one of the few Republican ousted in 2006 I was sad to see leave

I really like Lincoln, he's a liberal Republican who wasn't afraid to speak out againist his party if he didn't liked the direction it was going n, he had alot of good opinions on certain views that I really respected in fact I just respected him in general and if i'm ever in Rhode Island and I see the ex Senator walking the streets i'll remind myself to go up to him, shake his hand and tell him what a fine upstand lawmaker he was and I was sad to see him go. I'm kinda glad I live in PA instead of Rhode Island because if I lived in RI I would of had a hard time deciding who to vote for in the 2006 senate race. Don't get me wrong I would of voted for Sheldon Whitehouse in the very end but I would feel terribly wrong after I left the voting booth.

I wish in 2002 when the Democrats offered him to switch parties he took up there offer but I know why he didn't, it's the same reason Zell Miller didn't become a Republican, family Lincoln's father John(who served in the Senate up until his death in 1999) was a Republican, his family was Republican so he's the same and I respect that cause family kinda decides what poltical party you belong to, I mean I have alot of conservative views but you'll never see me leave the Democratic Party because of my family and I think Democratic lawmakers and there voters are more nicer and compassionate then Republicans.

But I don't think Lincoln minds not being a Senator anymore I heard the only reason he stayed in it this long was because of his wife Stephanie. So whatever the case he was a decent Senator that will be missed

[lojasmo]

42. Lincoln Chafee....!!!!!!!

Better than 50% of democratic senators on most issues.

[Milo_Bloom]

43. Lincoln Chafee, Christie Todd Whitman

[mtnsnake]

45. I admire Hagel for saying things that our own Democrats are afraid to say

about what we need to do to end the war and about impeachment.

At least with Hagel, we've got one person who's willing to walk the walk when it comes to voting down any future funding surges for the war. The vote might be 99 to 1 but at least it won't be a shutout.

[Jack Rabbit]

46. I'm a believer in moral ambiguity

I am not a Christian; I don't believe in original sin. Of course, there are too many wars, too much greed, too much institutionalized and less formal racism, homophobia, misogyny or sectarian bigotry in evidence to believe that anything approaching the opposite is true.

No one, not even Dick Cheney, is pure evil. No one, not even Mother Theresa, is a pure saint.

Among living Republicans I admire are Warren Rudman, Lincoln Chaffee and Chuck Hagel. Hagel may be wrong about most things, but let's at least assume he comes by it as honestly as he comes to being right about the occupation of Iraq.

[Clark2008]

47. John J. Duncan Jr.

My US representative. Voted against the IWR and against the surge.