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The Spectacle Blog
John Kerry calls it a “tragedy for the Senate.” Richard Lugar has lost the Indiana Republican primary for Senate to Richard Mourdock. It isn’t close: he’s headed to a 60 percent to 40 percent defeat. (Interestingly, his Senate colleague Dan Coats only got 39 percent in the 2010 primary with the conservative vote split between Marlin Stutzman and John Hostettler.)
Lugar had some real accomplishments, like Nunn-Lugar, which helped secure former Soviet nukes. We can remember the good times, like his ill-fated 1996 GOP presidential campaign, when he ran on a national sales tax and the argument that he had voted with Ronald Reagan more than any other senator. But he came to typify an entitled Washington insider who was part of the problem rather than the solution. Even in defeat, Lugar — attacking Mourdock’s “partisan mindset” — sounds as if he believes that Senate seat belongs to him.
Tonight he was reminded that it doesn’t. The accolades rolling in from Kerry and President Obama (whose press shop released a statement on Lugar’s “retirement”) are an example of why Republicans voted against him. The quote of the night belongs to Hoosier conservative activist Greg Fettig: “The message to the establishment is, ‘You’re our servants. We’re the masters. Do what you’re supposed to do, adhere to the Constitution or we’ll fire you.’”
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More Blog Posts by W. James Antle, III
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/05/08/the-night-they-drove-dick-luga
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Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 5.8.12 @ 9:15PM
So see you later Dick, it’s time for a new Dick!!
Clint| 5.8.12 @ 9:37PM
The Tea Party Rebellion Is In Indiana.
WL| 5.9.12 @ 12:33AM
Put aside the differences for this ONE NIGHT CLINT...
I am extremely happy about this result in Indiana...and across the board really....
SEE! I'm not a RINO-CINO after all...
I raise my glass to the Tea Party Rebellion tonight...
Long live the Tea Party!!
And damn...I hope Mourdock wins....I think he's solid.
Clint| 5.9.12 @ 7:05AM
You're A BibiBot.
WL| 5.9.12 @ 10:02AM
Amazing....
Occam's Tool| 5.9.12 @ 11:53AM
WL: follow TLP's advice. He is, as usual, correct.
I'm glad Lugar lost.
Mike 3/505| 5.8.12 @ 9:26PM
The TEA Party is dead...famous last words.
Crassus| 5.8.12 @ 9:30PM
And all the bells were ringin'
They sang, "Nah, nah, na nah, nah, nah
nah, nah, na nah, na nah, na nah, nah
na nah, na nah."
WL| 5.9.12 @ 12:34AM
Hey hey hey goodbye DICK!
ejp| 5.8.12 @ 9:32PM
Senator Lugar, like Inspector Luger of Barney Miller, was a man who had been great once, but who had stayed on well past his prime and needed to be put to pasture.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.8.12 @ 10:04PM
An esoteric reference, like Detective Dietrich might have made.
Mike 3/505| 5.9.12 @ 12:50AM
Yes, Bernice!
rick| 5.9.12 @ 8:42AM
Barney Miller the best cop TV show.
Tom| 5.8.12 @ 9:35PM
My congratulations to the good people of Indiana.
teapartydoc| 5.8.12 @ 9:41PM
Let's see if he moves back to Indiana. I've got five bucks says he doesn't.
glenny| 5.8.12 @ 9:52PM
Doc,
I have a saying, "It's not betting if it's a sure thing".
You win !
glenny
Richard Baker| 5.8.12 @ 10:21PM
teapartydoc:
He'll get himself a place at the Watergate next to Bob Dole, the famous Kansan.
RJ| 5.8.12 @ 9:46PM
Thirty-six years is more than enough, highlighted by the fact that Mr. Lugar no longer had a real residence in Indiana. Congratulations Mr. Mourdock. Its good to see the ruling class lose another race.
ggoblue| 5.8.12 @ 9:46PM
you just cannot vote for idiots like sotomayor and kagan and then claim to be a freedom loving republican...oh well, another notch in the palin belt...
Mike 3/505| 5.9.12 @ 12:51AM
"kagan"
Hate to tell you what that word is slang for in Honduras and other parts of central america
Greg| 5.8.12 @ 9:47PM
Now he's just somebody that we used to know.
Occam's Tool| 5.9.12 @ 11:56AM
Greg, I think these lines are apropos:
"Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
Part of me believing it was always something that I'd done
But I don't wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know..."
glenny| 5.8.12 @ 9:51PM
Congratulations, Indiana from Louisiana !
glenny
Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.8.12 @ 10:06PM
As I said the night Mike Castle was defeated in the 2010 Delaware Senatorial primary:
Sic Semper RINOcerus
Here's hoping there's a better outcome in the general election in November.
Greg| 5.8.12 @ 10:09PM
Mourdock has won statewide before. He's no Christine O'Donnell. And Indiana isn't Delaware.
Kenn Paul| 5.8.12 @ 10:28PM
So much work to do, so many RINOs to fire, so little time.
yips| 5.9.12 @ 12:23AM
Best quote I've read in weeks. From the Mr. Antle article -- He wrote that Greg Fettig said:
“The message to the establishment is, ‘You’re our servants. We’re the masters. Do what you’re supposed to do, adhere to the Constitution or we’ll fire you.'"
A superb slam dunk quotation that is!!!! Hoooh, Hooooh!
I can go to bed happy about something in our land tonight (and, yes, the good folks voting good in North Carolina!)
Ralph Woods| 5.8.12 @ 11:42PM
Lugar should have known his goose was cooked when he was refered to as Obama's favorite Republican. The idea that a Senate seat belongs to a certain person exist only in the minds of the liberal media.
WL| 5.9.12 @ 12:36AM
The Lugar Seat.........
The Kennedy Seat........
With a prayer...maybe the HATCH Seat....
and in a few more years...the grand poobah...
THE MCCAIN SEAT!!!
Pookieamos| 5.8.12 @ 11:43PM
Here is a song for Lugar and a song I pray we can sing to Obama in Nov. Nana na na , nanna na na , hey hey hey goodbye , repeat after me people . Kudos to the smart voters in Indiana and tea to all !
Pookieamos| 5.8.12 @ 11:46PM
I saw on Hannity , the Senate will vote on the Sea Treaty in JUNE ! It will mean a loss to American sovereignty to the United Nations , let's call our Senators and write those letters . I imagine ole Lugar will feel free to betray the American people one more time by voting for it.
David| 5.9.12 @ 12:31AM
I knew Indiana had done the right thing by the effusive praise heaped on Lugar by democrats. Warms my heart that they are his most ardent supporters, and it speaks volumes that the republican praise is absent.
WL| 5.9.12 @ 12:38AM
Am I the only one that is also really glad that Dickhead friend of Dick...Mitch Daniels got a kick in the groin tonight too???
Either way...I'm glad...I think he's a phony.
RR| 5.9.12 @ 1:00AM
WL, I am not so close to this Hoosier scene. Are you saying that current Indiana governor Mitch Daniels has been a supporter (or very active supporter?) of Richard Lugar in these past few months leading up to today/yesterday's Indiana primary?
Are you saying that Daniels and Lugar are "buds?" Just agreeable with one another? Or more deeply involved and like-minded on the issues and proper (in their minds) governance of the land?
Please bring me up to date/current on this. Thank you.
WL| 5.9.12 @ 1:51AM
I am referring to Mitch Daniels coming out and endorsing Lugar in the last week.
It seems like he always takes the road of supporting the most non-conservative candidate....
NOW, that being said, to be fair, he may not be a bad Governor for Indiana. I am not there either...and cannot judge...
But on the national scene he seems to always favor the Good ol' boys.
RR| 5.9.12 @ 4:06AM
WL, thank you for taking the time to reply. "Sigh." I cannot keep up with all of this. As we all know, Mitch Daniels was for awhile touted as one who might throw his hat in the ring to go for the presidency. And he has stayed in focus -- as he was the one to speak this year's State of the Union response in January.
So...he endorsed Sen. R. Lugar a week ago, you say.
Not very swift on his part. I just cannot imagine a good, conservative, family values (faith-based) statewide Indiana politics guy endorsing Lugar. What's he thinking? We true Americans just love guys who've been in Washington for over three decades? I hope that Hoosiers are closely monitoring Mitch Daniels. An endorsement of Lugar does not speak well of anyone who would make it.
That stated, I am now wondering if Sen. Dan Coats made an endorsement one way or the other or if he aided one campaign or the other.
(Count me as one who groaned when hearing that old fossils Dan Coats and former veep Dan Quayle would be doing "Clash of the Dinosaurs" as the ones to vie for the seat former Sen. Evan Bayh occupied.)
We really have to keep these state capital and national capitol guys under the microscope and on the permanent hot seat. What must crystallize in our minds is that they work for us, after all. [Gosh, this is just like the constant monitoring one must do for a so-so, poor work performance employee that one must closely supervise.]
Betina| 5.9.12 @ 7:46AM
No, brother. You are not alone.
Sardondi| 5.9.12 @ 12:47AM
Going back over his positions and votes, I have to ask: just exactly why did Lugar claim to be a Republican? Looks to me that if it weren't for abortion he was actually more aligned and comfortable with the Democrats. Because he's certainly acting like a jackass about the guy who defeated him....in the primary.
*sigh* Another member of the Arlen Specter Looking-Out-For-Number-One Club
WL| 5.9.12 @ 1:56AM
Since you mentioned Spector...and I have been on a tirade about how Lugar was never a statesman, but someone set up to look like a statesman....
Calling all of you Conspiracy Theorists (not a deroguatory term in this case)...think about this one....
Go back and read or find who was the young Senator who came up with the "Magic bullet theory".....
It would be the good old Arlen Spector...
Now....what is Lugars big accomplishment over the last few years....
The start treaty...
Have a little fun with that one.
Bob S| 5.9.12 @ 1:24AM
And of course, endorsements from two of the most liberal politicians in Washington in Kerry and Obama seem like no problem for an establishment politician like Lugar who has that R next to his name for decoration.
spoofproof| 5.9.12 @ 2:59AM
Unless the Good Lord cracks the sky wide open and returns to put an end to our struggle against the forces of evil it will take 40 years to undo the damage that we allowed men like Lugar to do to our Republic. Mission: Long Haul. Be of good courage! The 2010 Elections were a start and the process is building momentum. 38 years to go! Strong cuppa tea anyone? You bet! No cream, no sugar and NO MORE LEMONS!
David Shoup| 5.9.12 @ 8:09AM
Richard Lugar lost his primary bid?
Good riddance to a flaming Moderate who never had any Conservative blood in his veins.
sirbourbon| 5.9.12 @ 9:53AM
Senate races are expensive races for both the incumbent and the challenger. In many respects the media elects the US senator and defeating a lousy senator is difficult once they are entrenched.
The Founding Fathers placed the Senate in the hands of the states (State legislatures) and the House of Representatives in the hands of the people.
Along the way the forces of collectivism convinced the congress to approve of an amendment cancelling the Founders' feature of "republican" government when the 17th amendment was passed in congress and sent to the states for their approval. Once the states approved the amendment doing away with the state legislatures appointing their two US senators the state legislators ( senate and House members and assembly members) lost a great deal of relevancy to voters.
Ever since passage of the 17th amendment state legislators have little power to influence congress since the two US senators no longer represent the states but represent special interests groups like the the news media. The others are the unions and big government promoting corporations that fund senatorial campaigns that pay for the expensive TV, print and bill boards messages.
The Founders gave us a "republic" and Americans have been conned into democracy. The direct elections of senators has created another House of Representatives with one house getting 6 year terms and the other with two year terms.
The country has not gotten better with democracy but worse. The Founders warned us not to seek democracy since it would rob us of our freedom. Franklin said a republican form of government is what they had given us at the 1787 runaway Convention. Ben Franklin and others also advised that citizens stay alert to forces that would seek to destroy the republic. The direct elections via the 17th amendment was a direct hit at the Republic. That happened in 1913. In that same year more damage was done to our "republican form of government" [ look at article four section four of the US Constitution] by passage of the marxist inspired Graduated Income Tax and the creation of the Federal Reserve central bank run by a private cartel. http://www.thenewamerican.com/.....manifesto?
goldwater girl| 5.9.12 @ 10:08AM
Little Dick Lugar, I want you to meet the new Dick in Indiana!
Marko| 5.9.12 @ 10:57AM
We can now say that the (R) following Senator Lugar's name stands for Retired. Finally!
In regards to the reference to Nunn-Lugar being a good thing by the author of this piece, I feel the need to remind him of a prior piece written in the pages of American Spectator that forever turned me off of Senator Lugar:
http://spectator.org/archives/.....eductio-ad
(Note to AmSpec archivists: The formatting is a little goofy for archived articles here....)
Nunn-Lugar was used by the Russians (and still is, as is the New START) to their own advantage. Whoever does not understand that needs to be taken away from seats of influence in our government, at whatever level they exist, for our own safety and improved national security.
Thankfully, one of the authors of Nunn-Lugar has now been removed from power.