Sen. Bob Smith, The Prodigal Son?

Senator Bob Smith today has formally ended his attempt to win an independent nomination for the 2000 presidential election.

This past summer Smith, who was struggling to get any support for his campaign for a republican nomination for the presidency, severed his ties to the party. Claiming that the republican party had turned its back on its own platform, particularly on conservative issues such as abortion and gun control, he decided that he could no longer be a part of a party that avoided the very issues he held dear.

"I want my party to stand for something," he said. With that he began what could be best called a 'stealth' campaign to win the nomination from a third party.

Now after only a few months he has decided to end it saying, "It is certainly a disappointment to me, but I am satisfied knowing my campaign has brought many conservative issues to the forefront of the presidential debate."

Really? It is hard for me to agree with him here. It seems to me that the only thing that his campaign brought attention to was himself. When he left the republican party polls had his campaign so low in the race that it didn't appear as if it was going to take off at all. Smith's departure didn't seem to be that of a confident man who was ready to champion for his causes, but rather of a bitter man who was throwing a temper tantrum having apparently been ignored by his colleagues. His time was spent sharply criticising the republican party as a whole instead of trying to advance the conservative cause. His disgust with the current shape of things within the party overshaddowed the beleifs he felt that he was promoting. His actions served to only make America more aware of him than the conservative planks he was trying to carry.

His timing now to end his bid for a third party nomination serves to further the theory that his strong conservative beliefs have been overshaddowed by his ambition. With the recent death of Sen. Chafee, a committee chairmanship in the Senate has become available. While as an independent, he would not get the nod, but he would be a serious candidate if he was to return to the party. Several media sources including CNN and MSNBC have reported that Smith has been attending Republican fund raising events and has been in negotiations with senior Senate republicans. He has himself admitted as much saying he has had "extensive conversations" with GOP leaders.

Smith's behavior has been a big disappointment to me. His apparrent ego trip this summer has done nothing but damage his credibility. This is sad because Smith had previously been such a staunch supporter of conservative ideas. He could always be counted on to stand against abortion and to protect the rights of gun owners. I hope, because of this, that he is welcomed back into the grand old party. Whether or not he is, I hope that he returns to standing up for the conservative issues that I hold firm to.

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