Laura Ingraham hits all the right notes in this segment from her guest-hosting gig at The O’Reilly Factor last night.  How does the Republican Party get off the mat after this election?  They need to get back to basics:

• Charisma – Regardless of what one thinks of Barack Obama’s (lack of) experience, he became a leader that people wanted to follow … and then some.  If John McCain had run against John Kerry, he could have beaten him.  The Republicans have to find leadership that inspires.
• Fundraising/grassroots/Internet use – These are the infrastructural changes that the Democrats made under Howard Dean and the GOP have neglected.  Best advice?  Hire Patrick Ruffini and Jon Henke to run that side of the house, if either will do it.  Their new effort, Rebuild the Party, speaks directly to this.
• Staff unity – Anyone who kneecaps Sarah Palin, for instance, should expect to work in a different industry in the future.  Ronald Reagan called it the Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of your fellow Republicans.  Criticize policy, but no personal attacks.  A party prepared to govern would already know this.

I also agree that mindless bipartisanship is futile.  Voters will not elect Republicans who act like Democrats; they’ll just vote for the authentic Democrat instead.  However, notice that Laura never advises to start spouting insanities in an effort to out-do the nutcases on the Left.  Stick to the facts and never let up, and build the GOP into a rational, clear alternative to the statist policies of the Democrats over the next two years.