“The Republican Party is in a "deep civil war" casting a message of "moderates, keep out," Democratic National Committee Chairman and former Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said after the electoral upset in Delaware.Let’s hope DNC Chairman Kaine’s statement is a wake-up call for all those hoping for GOP victories in November. It’s time for all those who wish to unseat Obama Democrats and RINO’s (Republicans In Name Only) to come together in support and unity.
Political Moves: O’Donnell Takes Castle
Christine O’Donnell, running for U.S. Senate, won her primary against 40-year Delaware political veteran Mike Castle on September 14, making O’Donnell the cause célèbre in political news this week. The Tea Party Express candidate’s win, considered an “upset,” provoked jeers from the political cognoscenti who pronounced O’Donnell as “unelectable.”
Many of those predicting O’Donnell’s downfall were Republican politicians and commentators, much to the delight of Democrats, locally and nationally. Instead of immediately backing the Delaware candidate, the Republicans, initially, rejected her.
However, Rep. Castle states that he will not endorse the Democratic nominee, New Castle County Executive Chris Coons, unlike Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava who pulled out of the primary race in November 2009 for New York’s 23rd Congressional district after Doug Hoffman, running as an Independent and endorsed by Sarah Palin, surged ahead of her in the polls.
In what seemed to be a vindictive hissy fit after quitting the race, moderate Scozzafava threw her support to Democrat Bill Owens. Hoffman lost that election by four points and one can only speculate if Scozzafava’s actions cost Hoffman the election and Republicans a seat in Congress.
There is a lesson to be learned here and one hopes that the GOP powers-that-be are paying attention. While Americans decry partisan politics, there are times when one must unite, put aside differences and do what is best for Party and Country. Republicans must win in the November mid-terms because the future and fate of the country depends on Republican triumphs.
In the past few days, the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee apparently reconsidered their earlier denunciations of O’Donnell’s candidacy and offered polite to lukewarm intentions to back her bid.
NRSC Chairman Senator John Cornyn (TX) clarified his new attitude (the day of the primaries, he told CNN he preferred Castle) toward O’Donnell: "Let there be no mistake: The National Republican Senatorial Committee - and I personally as the committee's chairman - strongly stand by all of our Republican nominees, including Christine O'Donnell in Delaware."
Delaware State Republican Party Chairman Tom Ross, who was highly critical of Christine O'Donnell's candidacy, yesterday called for party unity:
“…it is time to come together and unite over our shared principles and determination to rescue our economy from the destructive policies advanced by Democrats," Ross said in a statement.” TheHill.com
“… A Banner Of Bold Colors—No Pale Pastels”
“Four years ago we raised a banner of bold colors -- no pale pastels. We proclaimed a dream of an America that would be “a shining city on a hill.” Presidential Ronald Reagan, RNC Nomination Acceptance Speech, August 23, 1984The crux of the issue with regard to Christine O’Donnell and other Tea Party or Independent candidates is the GOP’s reluctance to embrace the movement. The Tea Party movement is made up of numerous groups: Tea Party Express, Tea Party Nation, Tea Party Patriots, et al., are representative of the growing number of (primarily) conservative political activists protesting government expansion, excessive taxation, bailouts and creating a multi-trillion national debt.
The Tea Party movement should not be the only concern within the GOP: there is a significant trend developing vis-à-vis political affiliations. “Republican” is almost passé with many voters who now prefer terms such as conservative, Reagan conservative, Constitutionalist, “classical liberal” (translated, as “conservative”), tea partier, tea party patriot.
This new spectrum of political interests and tea partiers are not the new ‘pale pastels’; they are the bold new colors of an electorate that yearns to be united an inclusive banner. One should not diminish or ignore this trend because it could undermine the Republican’s goals for the mid-term elections.
If Republicans come out of the November 2010 elections with majorities in the House and the Senate, there is a chance that the newly elected officials can overturn or repeal some of the onerous legislation passed by the Democrats, including ObamaCare.
The nationalization of health care was forced upon a disapproving nation by Mr. Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (facing Sharron Angle in November) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (John Dennis will challenge Speaker Pelosi at the polls in California). So far, 20 states have filed challenges to ObamaCare.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson, Florida, allowed the multi-state lawsuit to proceed with the caveat that he may dismiss some, but not all, of the counts in the legal challenge that targets the new health care law on constitutional grounds.
Health care isn't the only topic of controversy in this new administration. Since taking the Oath of Office on January 20, 2009, Mr. Obama has not taken a pause in promoting his ideologies, forging ahead, regardless of public opinion or approval, with an aggressive agenda that includes a re-direction from capitalism to socialism.
However, Mr. Obama has taken plenty of “pauses” for numerous rounds of golf and frequent vacations while showing little interest in national disasters, concerns about the economy or employment. When pushed to action on these matters, he usually lays blame for any political bad news at the feet of the previous administration.
Still, he found time to direct his Department of Justice to file a lawsuit against the State of Arizona for passing an immigration law to protect its borders. Mr. Obama also found time to include the Arizona lawsuit in a human rights violation report to the United Nations – an amazing act of hubris and disloyalty.
If I were to advise RNC Chairman Michael Steele, I would send the following, with all due expedience:
Memo to RNC Chairman Michael Steele: your party is splintering. Reach out to those who feel disenfranchised and devalued within the Grand Old Party and find a way to unite under one tent before the upcoming mid-term elections. Failure to do so is tantamount to handing over those anticipated wins in the House and Senate to the Democrats. A Republican coup d’état in November is not a certainty, in fact; it may be unlikely if there is not an aggressive campaign to embrace your conservative base and support all of our candidates with zeal and appreciation.
Historically, Republicans do not seem to be able to learn from their mistakes.
After the 2008 McCain/Palin loss to the Obama/Biden ticket, Republican leaders and even members of the McCain/Palin campaign staff criticized Governor Palin, laying the blame for the loss at her feet.
Meanwhile, the liberal press continues its collaborative “scorched earth” campaign against Palin – two years after the election.
Sarah Palin resigned as Alaska’s governor in July 2009, citing on-going attacks by political operatives, responding to frivolous (and now dismissed) lawsuits and the cost to Alaskans in time and money spent dealing with the onslaught of ethics charges. Palin also noted her wish to serve Alaska and her country:
“… I will support others who seek to serve, in or out of office, for the right reasons, and I don't care what party they're in or no party at all. Inside Alaska - or Outside Alaska…” said Governor Palin in her resignation speech from her home in Wasilla, Alaska.
After her resignation, pundits and critics wasted no time in predicting her disappearance from the national stage and impending political demise. They called her a “quitter” and trivialized her as a political figure.
Since Palin’s resignation, she published her autobiography, “Going Rogue,” a best-seller, via pre-orders, before publication. “Going Rogue” rose to the top of the best-seller lists and remained there for months.
Fox News hired Palin as a political commentator, keeping her at the forefront of the highest-rated cable news audience.
Shortly after her resignation, Sarah Palin, from a virtual podium on Facebook, began to speak out regularly on political issues, including against the health care bill. Palin has boldly confronted Mr. Obama on a wide array of issues.
Palin’s next move was to endorse conservative political candidates via SarahPAC, her political action committee. Currently, Sarah Palin’s political picks, including O’Donnell and Joe Miller who triumphed over Lisa Murkowski), won their primaries. At this point, almost 70% of Palin’s picks won their primaries – Sarah Palin is now dubbed the new “king/queen-maker.”
(Update, Friday, September 17: Ms. Murkowski announces her intention to run a “write-in” campaign for the Senate seat, which could split the vote and assure a win for the Democratic nominee Scott McAdams.)
The analysts and politicians who rejected Christine O’Donnell as “unelectable,” also predicted the end of Palin’s future in politics. We hope that some of them are now choking on their crystal balls.
Final thoughts: the Grand Old Party must put out the welcome mat for its candidates and unite with them and their voters under a singular bold banner before its arrogance and exclusionary tactics send its majestic mascot, the elephant, the way of the Woolly Mammoth – an extinct species whose skeletal remains lie buried in soil and muck.
© TBP Publishing 2010, The Bold Pursuit sm. All Rights Reserved.
I believe the TP needs to continue to rage. I want folks who might have trouble switching to the GOP to use the TP as a bridge... send the GOP a message... reform the GOP... kick the old guard to the curb. It sounds messy... but I think we will win more elections even though it looks like a civil war. If voters want to teach Rove a lesson by voting for O'Donnell, well, cool! Yes, there are risks... but I don't think there is much we can do about it anyway, because the Tea Party is just getting started.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the GOP learning from it's mistakes.
ReplyDeleteThis time its different, past mistakes held little consequence for the GOP, they would just take their whoopin and play on from the minority position. Now, for the first time there is a challenge from the right that may very well serve to make the term Republican irrelevant.
@RINOWatch: I agree - the proverbial horse is out the barn. Once Tea Partiers found they have a voice as well as a vote, they'll continue to use both. What is interesting is watching the birth of conservative activism -- once the milieu of the liberals, now claimed by conservatives and others who object to the current direction of the nation
ReplyDelete@MyMati: I hear and share your concern. I hope I made the point in this blog: we need to work in our own best interests -- support our candidates for the sake of better governance in the future.
ReplyDeleteJust as the Left infiltrated every aspect of American culture, they infiltrated the GOP. We need to clean our own house. We're doing that. There is no choice at this point in history, if we are to remain a Constitutional Republic.
ReplyDelete@USABruce: I think many share your perspective!
ReplyDeleteI love "The analysts and politicians who rejected Christine O’Donnell as 'unelectable,' also predicted the end of Palin’s future in politics. We hope that some of them are now choking on their crystal balls." Right on, Clio!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jeanette. I had fun with that line, but the point, as you know, is that the politics psychics are often wrong. Sarah Palin is an extraordinary example of how talking heads can get it wrong. Sharron Angle, a Palin pick, is in a close, heated race with Harry Reid, Senate Majority leader! Michael Steele is now Sarah Palin's new BFF -- more on that in a future blog. The bottom line: it pays to listen to the people and respect their choices. Those who are smart enough to "get it" will survive and they others should book the U-Hauls.
ReplyDelete