NRCC Media conference call
posted at 1:30 pm on May 14, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Tom Cole, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, held a press teleconference today in response to the third straight special-election loss this year. Losing Roger Wicker’s Mississippi seat stunned the House GOP caucus, which now has three more seats to recover in what looks like a very bad year for Republicans. They elected to go directly to Q&A after an initial greeting from Rep. Cole.
- Pacifica Radio: How do you change the strategy after MS? — Cole says he needs to take a long, hard look to see if something’s wrong with the product. He thinks the voters mostly agree with Republicans but simply don’t trust the GOP to follow their own rhetoric. The conference needs to do a better job establishing credibility, and McCain could help with his own personal integrity. The caucus needs to fight on principle. He notes that the Democrats who beat them mostly ran against their own party.
- Chuch Rausch, Gannett: Do the Democrats have an organizational advantage? — Yes; the presidential campaign has not divided the Dems on policy. He sees an advantage in their media domination, thanks to the extended primary, without getting a lot of competition from Republicans.
- Jim Engle, Fox: Dems cast themselves as “the party of change”; how can Republicans compete? — The change will happen regardless, but the Dems who won these elections haven’t run on change. They’ve been pro-life, pro-gun, anti-tax. The problem isn’t change but credibility. They will roll out policies on family values later today, and the debate will make differences plain. Can McCain be a candidate of change as a Republican? — McCain has “his own brand” and is running credibly as an agent of change. He’s running remarkably close at this stage.
- Ron Brownstein: How did it work to connect Obama to the candidates, and how did Bush affect the races? — Tying Obama to the candidates help in subtle ways for the general election, and it forces Dems to distance themselves from the party and its leadership. Cole thinks history will treat Bush well, and doesn’t see an advantage in debating Bush. What matters is where we go after Bush. Bush hasn’t bent much to the Democrats; would it help his approval ratings to compromise in the next few months? — The Democrats should be asked that question. They didn’t cooperate on Social Security and immigration, for instance. They’ve been dragging their heels on FISA. Bush needs to continue doing what he thinks is right, not politically expedient.
- Daniel Nafsal, Guardian: How can the GOP fight against conservative Democrats? – Electing Democrats supports Nancy Pelosi. She controls the agenda when Democrats have the majority. The Blue Dogs have not had an impact on legislation, and Heath Shuler’s stalled immigration bill is one example. The NRCC needs to emphasize that fact.
- Paul Kane: What internal changes will come at the NRCC? — It’s a mistake to think that staff tweaking is the answer. The same staff won all three special elections last year. It’s about the credibility of the party and the candidates. Again, the Democrats that won did so on conservative platforms. That will eventually degrade the Blue Dog credibility, too. Democrats have had the advantage of “being in the negative”, and have not really laid out any grand agenda — they run against Republicans, and that won’t last much longer as a strategy.
- Reid Wilson: Does this mean that the NRCC will remain on defense? — No, Cole sees opportunities for take-aways, too. They will continue to press Democrats to defend seats. This “Do-Nothing” Congress has essentially wasted time for two years.
- Me: How does the caucus go about establishing credibility as reformers, as John Boehner noted? — He doesn’t see the Appropriations assignment has much impact on political support (I asked about Jeff Flake). He doesn’t want to comment on committee assignments.
- Rich Lowry, National Review: How did the Republicans lose this credibility? — The war, the economy, and a failure to live up to our own ideals. Governing takes its toll, as compromises have to made from a governing position. The American people are fundamentally fair, and that the caucus needs to return to its principles.
This was an interesting call. Cole repeatedly talked about credibility and how important it is in winning these elections. He somewhat avoided the question as to how the House GOP caucus could re-establish credibility in the next few months to allow the NRCC to succeed in at least holding the line in November. That question should really be directed to John Boehner, and perhaps it will be in the next few days.
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Now he figures it out! We can only hope that the message gets out, but I doubt tit will happen.
Harpoon on May 14, 2008 at 1:41 PM
This is what Bush (and I supported him for years) has done. He left the conservative party with his illegal immigrants policy and open border policy, capitulation to the left wing, global warming, etc.
People don’t trust what he says.
right2bright on May 14, 2008 at 1:42 PM
FINALLY after 12 years of battling the RNC over this issue they admit they are being murdered by the democrats in this area.
I fought and have been ignored for over a decade over this battle with theRNC.
But Im still willing to bet that they get the message but not the solution.
Reaally should push the RNC again and see what I get. Gonna take a trip up to Boehner land and see if I can get a hearing. More likely I will get the same “Thanks for tyour opinion do you want to contribute to the RNC or be a volunteer ?”
Which is the standard “We didn’t hear what you had to say because we werent listening”
William Amos on May 14, 2008 at 1:43 PM
I would submit to you that most Americans do not blame the Bush administration or the Republicans for the crisis in the mortgage industry or for high gas prices; they recognize that the banking industry is largely at fault for the former and that global economic factors largely influence the latter.
The war, well, if we were able to actually say who we were fighting it would help, but how can you expect people to support a war when you are not willing to identify the enemy?
Failure to live to our “ideals?” And what would those be? Would have been nice if Rich Lowry had followed up and asked what the party leadership considers those to be at this point.
BigD on May 14, 2008 at 1:43 PM
This is a disaster and there is no “change” in sight.
It doesn’t sound from the call that they have any answers.
I hope I am wrong.
gatewaypundit on May 14, 2008 at 1:43 PM
Tit does happen sometimes. And when it does, I smile.
fossten on May 14, 2008 at 1:44 PM
The division within the GOP is nearly all of the leadership on one side, and nearly all of the rank and file (and independents) on the other for issue after issue. Immigration, credit bailouts, and earmarks as a start.
The GOP will continue to tank until the RINOs (Rockefeller Republicans, to us old hands) are removed from the leadership. Secure the borders, kill all earmarks, and tell the over-borrowers and the banks to ‘Suck.It.Up’. Do that and do it consistently and the GOP might survive.
michaelo on May 14, 2008 at 1:44 PM
Hey Rich the Dems control Congress why are the Republicans still getting hammered over this ? Why is the republican party so silent ? Why is the republicans only solution to their losses simply to echo “We want change” off the democrats ?
Being contrite is nice but its not solutions
William Amos on May 14, 2008 at 1:45 PM
We should drop the elephant and adopt the R
hino as our mascot.The Race Card on May 14, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Right now the ostrich is a better animal to represent the Republican party
William Amos on May 14, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Maybe by nominating a lib for POTUS this year?
EJDolbow on May 14, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Gee, ya think?
amerpundit on May 14, 2008 at 1:48 PM
We lost the Congress in ‘06 and were losing credibility before that. It started well-before McCain was even considered a plausible nominee.
amerpundit on May 14, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Duh…after countless ethical lapses and failure to lead, they now think they have a credibility gap?
The leadership of the NRCC and the GOP know who the scum in their party are. They need to get rid of them and do a good faith search for top caliber replacements.
The good ole boy network is crumbling.
eaglesdontflock on May 14, 2008 at 1:54 PM
I have to diagree with you…
Repubs ARE to blame for both the banking and economic problems…
Banking because a LOT of the subprime problem is caused by document fraud, which the administration did not do anything about because it would catch illegals. That and the fact that its the administration that was asleep at the swith on the subprime problem…
Add in a lack of any coherent energy policy even when the Repubs had power in the house and senate? I mean we had the Presidency, House and Senate and still can’t drill?
Repubs had a chance to make change, and didn’t, and the SAME leadership wants power back again. Its a trust issue.
Only chance the Repubs have is to CHANGE leadership, and messege, and run on a PROMISE of conservative principals… Get rid of Pork, Smaller Government, DRILL for energy, Nuc Power… Problem is that the Repubs are trying to out Dem the Dems….
Romeo13 on May 14, 2008 at 1:54 PM
This is going to keep happening until Bush is out of office. He is deeply unpopular, even in Republican areas. When people can’t vote directly against him they will vote against his party. There is nothing the NRCC can do to prevent another disaster in November.
The NRCC also has to wake the hell up and realize that people in this country are really sick of seeing nothing but cheap attack ads coming from Republicans. That’s all the NRCC knows how to do to “help” its candidates. The Obama thing backfired in that Mississippi election bigtime. It simply is not credible to try to tie a good old boy country sheriff to Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright. This kind of crap turns off independents in droves and even some Republicans.
Republicans have got to start giving voters something to vote FOR. Democrats don’t seem so scary to them anymore; we tried to scare them about Nancy Pelosi and Charlie Rangel and Barney Frank, and they haven’t run the country into the ground yet.
rockmom on May 14, 2008 at 1:56 PM
That is something that must be emphasized to the voters. All they have seen and heard is “culture of corruption” and Bush lied. The Dems have been in charge of the Congress now for 2 years, and things have deteriorated horribly since. Republicans lost the majority because they acted like Democrats and spent money like crazy. However, the nightmare began when the Democrats took control.
Rick on May 14, 2008 at 1:57 PM
So their big plan is to be more like John McCain? Does that fill up our cars with gas? We need to run like hell away from his enviro-wacko energy policy, not be more like him.
The other big issue is health care but McCain is too busy playing the role of Al Gore’s puppet to talk about that.
Buy Danish on May 14, 2008 at 1:57 PM
Rich Lowry, National Review: How did the Republicans lose this credibility?
Denny Hastert. Gang of 14. John McCain. Joining in the Dem Chorus of denigrating President Bush for our waging war against terrorism.
Every Republican who loaded up on pork, who went against smaller government, fiscal conservatism is part of the problem of the loss of credibility.
The Republican leadership just doesn’t get it. Every time they reach across the aisle with an olive branch they are met with a flamethrower.
Doug on May 14, 2008 at 1:59 PM
He thinks the voters mostly agree with Republicans but simply don’t trust the GOP to follow their own rhetoric.
His latest NRCC mailing for funds had a vast void when it came to positive Republican rhetoric, but filled pages with hysterics about the horrible Democrats and the evil Pelosi instituting horrible policies if the Democrats win.
Cole’s a slick talker, but if he can’t keep a dozen reasons for voting R over D in his forebrain, and use them when on a public platform, he’s clueless when it comes to defining positive Republican rhetoric. Let’s have some, and if he can’t supply it let’s get someone who can.
Insufficiently Sensitive on May 14, 2008 at 1:59 PM
I forgot to ask - why is proudly Progressive Pacifica radio in on these calls? This is the radio that people like Bill Ayers listen to.
Buy Danish on May 14, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Turns out we do NOT wnat the democrat party of the 1960s which is what they have become.
jukin on May 14, 2008 at 2:02 PM
rockmom on May 14, 2008 at 1:56 PM
“until Bush is out of office”
the count down is on
maverick muse on May 14, 2008 at 2:03 PM
I am so dang tired of “change”.
How about the GOP and the RNC, the Republicans, Conservatives and any others who agree Stand together and figure out something called.. STABILITY!
Or am I the only one who wishes for it?
upinak on May 14, 2008 at 2:03 PM
McCain will be like Bush, ‘try to play nice to get along’ with the Dem’s. You can not play nice to a pit viper, they will bit you and in a few hours you be dead. The dem’s have no intentions of ever letting go again if they get the congress and WH. This country is going to be a fond memory if that happens.
L
letget on May 14, 2008 at 2:05 PM
Rich Lowry, National Review: How did the Republicans lose this credibility?
Maybe by nominating a lib for POTUS this year?
EJDolbow on May 14, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Es verdad, mi amigo! Or as we say in ingles - D’Oh!
Occam’s Razor at work here.
Instead of worrying about single seats in Mississippi, this NRCC clown should be concerned about marching behind a loose cannon of a nominee who shoots at his own troops. Over 20% of conservative Republicans now say that they are going to stay home, and that number is imncreasing every week. It really spiked after McCain’s terrifying Monday speech, the most socialistic and internationalistic speech ever delivered by a Republican candidate for President.
That means lots fewer votes for the poor chumps he represents.
TexasJew on May 14, 2008 at 2:06 PM
We Ace of Spades morons have been using a pig as the new GOP symbol.
doubleplusundead on May 14, 2008 at 2:07 PM
McCain will be like Bush, ‘try to play nice to get along’ with the Dem’s. You can not play nice to a pit viper, they will bit you and in a few hours you be dead. The dem’s have no intentions of ever letting go again if they get the congress and WH. This country is going to be a fond memory if that happens.
L
letget on May 14, 2008 at 2:05 PM
McCain will not be “like Bush”. He is SO far gone that it is simply suicidal for the Republican party to nominate him.
TexasJew on May 14, 2008 at 2:09 PM
By avoiding Ed’s questions about committee assignments, it tells me that they’re still not serious about real reform.
p0s3r on May 14, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Dang you’re good.
RushBaby on May 14, 2008 at 2:10 PM
rockmom “we tried to scare them about Nancy Pelosi and Charlie Rangel and Barney Frank, and they haven’t run the country into the ground yet”
If Nancy had her way, what of her attempts to pre-empt the POTUS and Sec./State in foreign travels and meetings? Look out driving on her sheet of ice, because once the collision occurs we have run into the ground.
The reason lousy GOP candidates get on the ticket is most likely lack of competition from conservative GOP candidates at home. Operation Chaos didn’t help the local elections at all now. We are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and need to improve our conservative social networking to compete.
maverick muse on May 14, 2008 at 2:10 PM
Well this is what happens when the RNC lets the Democrats trash your brand name without responding year after year..
Time to do something about it.
Chakra Hammer on May 14, 2008 at 2:11 PM
TexasJew on May 14, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Hope beyond hope for a realistic VP.
maverick muse on May 14, 2008 at 2:11 PM
I think it’s high time for another Contract With America.
Kafir on May 14, 2008 at 2:12 PM
“How did the Republicans lose this credibility? —
The war, the economy,EARMARKS, PORK, WASTE, REGULATION, MASSIVE GOVERNMENT EXPANSION and a failure to live up to our own ideals. Bing Bing Bing Bing and like BigD I would like to know what he considers “Ideals”, Global Warming our way, National Health care our way, bowing to idiotic pansy demands? Governing takes its toll, as compromises have to made from a governing position ERRR Red Alert Red Alert, No dum f*ck Free Capitalist Small Government and Nanny State Socialism has no middle ground to compromise.. The American people are fundamentally fair, and that the caucus needs to return to its principles.”I want to see a tangible list of ideals and then proposals that will be done to achieve those ideals. i.e. Contract with America 2008.
-Win the GWOT and make it clear that Sedition will be called out and surrender or defeat will not be allowed.
-End Earmarks
-Drill Oil everywhere
-Deregulate everything
-Fully audit all Government programs and begin revote on each one with the goal of eliminating them.
-End corporate & citizen welfare. PERIOD
-Re-assess all foreign aid ending any aid for every nation that is not or was not actively assisting in the GWOT. Being allies and helping each-other out is a two way street.
-Enforce Immigration laws and secure the border.
-Simplify the criminal Legal system. Mandate written laws with written exact punishments. End all cop-outs and plea agreements. A rich person with a A+ lawyer should be allowed to get off with probation when the poor lump forced to a PD gets 24 months state.
I could go on but they get more controversial, the top 6 should be a pretty easy sell to get started with and build credibility for the next more controversial ideas.
C-Low on May 14, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Shhh, we aren’t suppose to know that remember!
upinak on May 14, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Get the slogan RIGHT.
maverick muse on May 14, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Sorry I screwed the pooch on the bold attempt?
“How did the Republicans lose this credibility? —
The war, the economy, EARMARKS, PORK, WASTE, REGULATION, MASSIVE GOVERNMENT EXPANSION and a failure to live up to our own ideals. Bing Bing Bing Bing and like BigD I would like to know what he considers “Ideals”, Global Warming our way, National Health care our way, bowing to idiotic pansy demands? Governing takes its toll, as compromises have to made from a governing position ERRR Red Alert Red Alert, No dum f*ck Free Capitalist Small Government and Nanny State Socialism has no middle ground to compromise.. The American people are fundamentally fair, and that the caucus needs to return to its principles.”C-Low on May 14, 2008 at 2:16 PM
C-Low for President! C-Low 2008! Change you can believe in! YES, WE CAN.
(Hey, I can dream, can’t I?)
Laura on May 14, 2008 at 2:16 PM
Sorry, but I CAN NOT vote for bho or hc. I know jm is bad, really bad, but I just will not stay home and let bho or hc get in.
L
letget on May 14, 2008 at 2:19 PM
Yikes. I think you might put that in an e-mail note to Cole w/ a cc to McCain.
For what it’s worth Holman Jenkins cremated McCain in today’s WSJ over the global warming speech.
BigD on May 14, 2008 at 2:21 PM
For all of you that are voting for mccain because of continuing the war in Iraq…. how long do you think the funding for that war will continue under mccain when congress cuts funding?
How many conservative supreme court justices do you think mccain will be able to get through a democrat congress and senate.
It looks pretty bleak. Still, Johnny is pandering to LaRaza. Funny, they must not be contributing much to the RNC.
stenwin77 on May 14, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Sounds like they are going throttle up while still pointed straight at the ground.
ronsfi on May 14, 2008 at 2:23 PM
Does anyone have an email link to Clueless Cole?
stenwin77 on May 14, 2008 at 2:24 PM
Let’s face it. They deserve to lose. They failed nearly across the board. Don’t let the door hitcha’.
ronsfi on May 14, 2008 at 2:25 PM
C-Low
Yes, start with ground swelling support.
1. “Conclude the welfare period,” whether an ear-mark, corporation bail-out or subsidy, or enforcing broken dysfunctional homes for citizen benefits rather than providing training for jobs, or promoting the flood of illegal alien problems.
2. Border Security
3. Remove the additional bureaucracy that the Patriot Act enacted, as the responsibilities were already in previous government employee job descriptions.
So far, there ought to be bi-partisan support.
(Keep the policies but not the additional employees, rather get the CIA/FBI/NSI act together–one entity, cut out the surplus pencil pushers who won’t learn MidEastern languages, correlate their network without further bungling bureaucrats. There will be tantrums and intrigue from vested interests.)
maverick muse on May 14, 2008 at 2:30 PM
here’s an idea, all these blue dog Dems, make ads with their Face and Name right smack next to Pelosi’s Mug. And simply explain a Vote for the Blue Dog is ultimately a vote for Pelosi and San Fran Values!
If anything, it’ll force the Dem to reject Pelosi publicly so even if they get elected they’ll be a lame duck in 2010
jp on May 14, 2008 at 2:32 PM
…bipartisan support toward clearing out Mr. Czar’s top layer of bureaucracy…
yeah, I know that welfare’s a Democrat bitch.
maverick muse on May 14, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Welfare is a democrat bitch that the GOP should cut loose in general elections, but the Patriot Act’s additional bureaucratic Czar fest is fat that would get Democrat bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.
maverick muse on May 14, 2008 at 2:35 PM
I’m going with them, Atlas Shrugged. May Obama win, and may the Congress double its liberal size, house and senate. I wish it on every liberal and on every conservative.
I feel for the country, but it’s too consuming to watch so much idiocy.
Entelechy on May 14, 2008 at 2:37 PM
Can someone decipher that for me?
BigD on May 14, 2008 at 2:38 PM
Wait for the platform committee fight in the run-up to the Republican National Convention. McCain has the ability to make the platform all about national security and earmark limits, but no other reforms. If the others on the GOP congressional side either try to derail that, or if they don’t push McCain to allow other reforms such as on immigration, along with pledges to extend the Bush tax cuts when they expire in 2010, there’s going to be no chance of getting any sort of momentum going for November, and they’ll just have to hope Obama runs the worst general election campaign ever and hope to win as the least undesirable option.
jon1979 on May 14, 2008 at 2:40 PM
How about two mascots, then? The Invisible Man works for me…
Jaibones on May 14, 2008 at 2:40 PM
is there software for face morphing? like how the Dems took Bush’s face and in a .gif file make it morph into Hitler.
We should do this with each blue Dog Dem and explain the “game” of politics briefly and how its a Team Sport.
jp on May 14, 2008 at 2:41 PM
I think Rush Limbaugh needs to take philosophical leadership, move his show to the Steps of Congress for awhile and give daily press conferences. until the GOP gets its act together.
jp on May 14, 2008 at 2:46 PM
I re-read that not long ago and was amazed at how prescient Rand was. So that makes you Francisco, I guess? :-)
Laura on May 14, 2008 at 2:46 PM
I interpreted that statement as “they” - RNCC - will start to trumpet the “Family Values” spiel again today - abortion, traditional marriage, anti-drug, controlled federal spending (?!),etc.
I suspect that having a bunch of drunk, gay or thrice-divorced congressmen who like to have sex with their 17 year old interns while writing billion dollar earmarks is going to undermine that message somewhat, Tom.
But maybe I misunderstood.
Jaibones on May 14, 2008 at 2:46 PM
Sadly, it’ll take an 18 month voting record for these lying douches to have to run for reelection defending those votes. Time moves slow in this sense, and giving them a big majority will provide the Blue Dogs with a lot of wiggle room on votes.
Jaibones on May 14, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Gah, Bushy just declared the Polar Bear endangered… due to Global Warming…
No drillin gonna happen now… and they just made it so the courts can now kill anything they please, due to its impact on global warming, and thus the poor polar bear…
Romeo13 on May 14, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Sure thing…changeity-change-change-change, change change. The Dems want not only change, but also the credibility of changing the change. Of course the greater issue is how the change changes the change agent’s policies, whereas real change based on family values can simply go change itself.
…
San Dimas High School football rules!
James on May 14, 2008 at 2:49 PM
They still don’t get it. The beating Rush is giving them today may enlighten them.
Valiant on May 14, 2008 at 2:50 PM
Sure… easy… we have no clue, so we’re going to try to outDem the Dems…
Romeo13 on May 14, 2008 at 2:53 PM
If Hillary really wants to win all she has to do is come out and say that the moment she takes office the mass deportation of illegals begins. She could virtually keep the rest of her platform unchanged.
McCain? Meeting with La Raza and his amnesty fiasco shows he definitely does not want to win as a conservative Republican.
The rest of the GOP? Good luck with that boys. You lost me somewhere around March of 05 when the GOP president came out and compared citizens attempting to protect our borders with “vigilantes”.
By the say, March of 2005 was before your huge losses in 2006 … hint, hint.
BowHuntingTexas on May 14, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Hannity tried that, from about April to November of ‘06. It failed, mainly because all people saw were pictures of Mark Foley.
fossten on May 14, 2008 at 2:54 PM
The GOP is going to have to take out the trash, and get some sharper leadership to pull off a new age Contract with America.
Maybe that Bobby Gendal in La. has the moxy to make things happen and get things done. The current GOP leadership aint got it.
saiga on May 14, 2008 at 3:15 PM
1. Really?
but not that it matters because….
2. It won’t have to last long. Just long enough to get super-majorities and a President with sugar plums dancing in his head.
Limerick on May 14, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Don’t count on it. His recent ethics reforms were gutted to the point of being nearly unenforceable by a change of a few words and he seems content to let that slide by. In fact, a majority of Republicans voted against an effort to tighten it back up, and so far Jindal hasn’t reacted. I’ve been a big Jindal supporter all these years, but I’m becoming a little less enthused every day.
Laura on May 14, 2008 at 3:45 PM
The congressional Republicans really do seem rather hopeless, though there are certainly some individuals among them worthy of respect and with at least the potential for bright futures.
Otherwise, the success of Blue Dog Democrats is marginally beneficial to McCain, since it increases the apparent threat of a turn to the hard left under an all-blue government. McCain is precisely the kind of Republican President who could appeal to and work with BD Democrats, or even out and out Boll Weevils like Childers, to mutual benefit.
If the Dems had been able to nominate someone taken as a centrist - like Bill Clinton and like the latest incarnation of Hillary - then they might really have swept to power. What’s really laughable, though, is the idea that McCain would have a chance this year running as a hard right conservative. If he ran as a more lively version of Duncan Hunter, as some here seem to want and expect, then in the current climate the landslide could be overwhelming up and down the ballot, meaning an explicit repudiation of what conservatives stand for and a mandate for Obamamaniacal Democratic Socialism in its place.
McCain’s a military man. His political troops are divided, wounded, under-equipped and -supplied, demoralized, distrustful, disrespectful, angry, threatening mutiny and desertion. In their desperation, many seem to favor a frontal attack with zero likelihood of success. Instead, he’s attempting to soften up, divide, and misdirect the opposition, while waiting for his real opportunity to appear.
The overreaching Obama campaign is like a salient on the front that expands for a time, but can’t be supported. At the end of the battle, if Obama is cut off and destroyed, the lines may be about where they have been, and it will be trench warfare for at least four more years. In my observation, conservatives need at least that long to ready themselves for major new initiatives. As for now, once McCain’s done roiling the base and separating himself from the much-despised Bush brand, he’ll likely focus on a very small number of key issues that a centrist Republican president can handle even against an adverse Congress, otherwise trading movement on some issues in exchange for a check on Democrat excesses.
CK MacLeod on May 14, 2008 at 3:52 PM
I don’t know why some of you guys hang your hat on a veep choice. McCain is not going to tolerate a ‘maverick’ conservative running around going off message. If he does pick a conservative, they are going to be like Joe Lieberman was to Al Gore; abandon prior positions and get their a** on message. Which means, they will have to support whatever lunacy McCain will inflict upon us; and that in turn will lead to that conservative being tarred with McCain’s brush and probably the end of his aspirations as a conservative. Don’t wish that on anyone you like in the party.
austinnelly on May 14, 2008 at 3:52 PM
I was going to post, but C-Low said what I wanted to say. Good job.
kirkill on May 14, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Tryin to put lipstick on a pig…
McCain is part of the problem, not the solution. He is part of the reason we are where we’re at… He is a Washington insider… when most of us distrust Washington…
And I find it interesting that one of his biggest spokesmen, is someone who until last election, was a Democrat (Leiberman).
Romeo13 on May 14, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Pretty close, but I’d like to add/change the following:
How long do you think the funding for that war will continue under McCain when congress cuts funding and the economy of America is destroyed by his ‘Global Warming’ nonsense: Cap and Trade, No Drilling Anywhere, Dig holes to bury CO2 laws. (Which he will issue through Executive Orders, in the unlikely event that Congress has enough sense to not go along with him in the first place.)
“How many conservative supreme court justices do you think mccain will
be able to get through a democrat congress and senate”.actually nominate in the first place?McCain Will Not Nominate any Originalists; One more Originalist on the Supreme Court would shift the balance and McCain’s Beloved assault on the First Amendment via McCain- Feingold would be overturned as the Unconstitutional piece of feces that it is.
“Johnny is pandering to LaRaza. Funny, they must not be contributing much to the RNC”. They can’t contribute to the RNC… Every extra penny goes back to the family in Mexico.
LegendHasIt on May 14, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Yep, I LIKE the changes !
stenwin77 on May 14, 2008 at 5:32 PM
Bingo, rockmom, you nailed it. The NRCC and the NRSC have a one-size-fits-all attack ad policy that blows up whenever it’s used – redundant and idiotic. What’s sick is, if a candidate accepts either committee’s endorsement/money, the candidate has nothing to say about the horrid policy. The bean counters are very heavy handed and completely ignore the verity that “all politics is local.”
Unfortunately, we had a “twofer” in Louisiana: NRCC stupidity and a lousy candidate.
Aunt B on May 14, 2008 at 5:38 PM
Laura, I’m a lady, like you.
Entelechy on May 14, 2008 at 6:48 PM
“… and a failure to live up to our own ideals.”
Do they even know what those are anymore?
Republican ideals are a mixed bag. You have the elite power Republicans setting the agenda now. The conservative ideals (the ideals that won elections for the past 20 years!) are being quashed. The Republican power group is stuck on stupid by straying from the conservative agenda. Conservatism and freedom is what the majority of Americans want. This is not hard!
Bush lost the conservatives when he spent money like a drunken sailor. Lowering taxes was not enough to control the damage of his large spending habit. We supported him in the war efforts. But then stabbed conservatives in the back by trying to force the amnesty bill.
Bush ran as a conservative and we supported him. He stabbed us in the back with his spending and amnesty. The American public thinks all Republicans are like this. They are looking for politicians they can trust.
Note to the Republican power elite: SOLID CONSERVATIVE IDEALS SELL!
Mo2Do on May 14, 2008 at 11:14 PM