Clean House at the NRCC
By The Directors Posted in 2008 — Comments (41) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
After losing three consecutive special elections in Republican-leaning districts in Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi, House Republicans need to make a decision: They can continue on this course until November and embrace disaster or they can clean house and bring a new direction to the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Conservatives have been voicing their frustration with NRCC Chairman Tom Cole for more than a year. In fact, it was last May when Cole shocked conservatives with this outrageous quote in the Washington Post regarding the 2006 election losses: "Oh, I don't think the problem was spending. People who argue that we lost because we weren't true to our base, that's just wrong."
Over the course of the past year, the NRCC has been rocked with a major financial scandal, lackluster fundraising and a rash of retirements. Now the committee is facing the prospect that it can't even win in a Mississippi district that gave President Bush 62% of the vote in 2004 or a Louisiana seat that the GOP has held for more than three decades.
Cole doesn't deserve the blame for all that went wrong in the three special elections. But as the chairman of the GOP's congressional campaign arm, he does have to take responsibility. And the responsible thing for him to do is pass the torch to someone new.
Changing the campaign chairman at this late stage won't solve all of the GOP's problems, but it will demonstrate that the party is serious about change -- something Minority Leader John Boehner emphasized in his comments about the Mississippi loss.
"The results in MS-01 should serve as a wake-up call to Republican candidates nationwide," Boehner said. "As I've said before, this is a change election, and if we want Americans to vote for us we have to convince them that we can fix Washington."
Boehner can start by politely asking Cole to step aside. The two have feuded dating to last fall about the NRCC's direction. They have apparently since patched up their differences, but last night's results are likely to only revive those old tensions. That's not a healthy relationship heading into one of the busiest times of the year.
Cole's resignation isn't the only matter the GOP needs to address. The party must unify around Sen. John McCain's anti-earmark pledge. Veteran earmarxists such as Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) and new appropriators like Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) need to stop talking and start acting. Only by taking significant steps toward fiscal responsibility can the GOP stave off some of the damage.
The same goes for the war on terror and domestic issues ranging from energy exploration to market-based health care. Now is not the time to play it safe. Republicans need new ideas and new leaders. Replacing Tom Cole is one way to start. New leadership elections would be another way. We know they won't actually do it. Republicans do not do such things. And this failure of bold leadership in the face of adversity will bring about what we all know will happen in November: compounded losses. So be it.
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Clean House at the NRCC 41 Comments (0 topical, 41 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
1. What has Cole done wrong?
2. What could someone else do that Cole can't, or hasn't?
3. As far as the beginning quote, Cole is half right. Republicans didn't lose because of their base, they lost because of Independents who voted Democrat largely because of scandals, Bush, and the Iraq war. Certainly the out of control spending contributed to the notion that Republicans are no different that Democrats, but rank and file GOPers and conservatives didn't abandon the party, it was Independents.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
"What has Cole done wrong?"
He is a horrible fundraiser. He also appears to be in denial.
"What could someone else do that Cole can't, or hasn't?"
Raise more money. Make a stronger appeal to independents.
"As far as the beginning quote, Cole is half right. Republicans didn't lose because of their base, they lost because of Independents who voted Democrat largely because of scandals, Bush, and the Iraq war. Certainly the out of control spending contributed to the notion that Republicans are no different that Democrats, but rank and file GOPers and conservatives didn't abandon the party, it was Independents."
Yes independents are key. What has Cole done to bring them back to the R side? The party needs to retake several issues that were popular with independents. Issues like many of the ones linked to in the bellow. Moreover, it would not hurt to develope a couple of new issues that are popular with independents.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/issues2/trust_im...
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
but he is WAAAYYYYY off when it comes to spending. Spending was either the #1 or the #2 issue in the 2006 election. Here in Indiana, where much of the bloodbath happened, the Democrats were painting themselves as "blue dog" Democrats who would control spending. They were painting the Republicans as reckless spenders and under the thumb of "special interests". In other words, they lured the independents by acting more conservative than the Republicans.
They will have to answer for not governing that way. But that was THE issue of 2006. Iraq was not even on the radar here.
Until the Republicans clean house and get their fiscal house in order, we will continue to lose elections.
the problem is much bigger unfortunately. To unite a minority party and take them into battle is always difficult. Unfortunately most GOP members of the house don't want to be led. When Gingrich got the Contract with America adopted, it was a fairly modest document AND the Democratic majority in the House already was staggering under the weight of its own corruption and the Clinton issues. There's currently no desire on the part of the GOP to unite. So we'll hang separately.
We're going to have to lose a bunch more seats before these clowns find the strength to start re-building.
The democrats won by running candidates who were more conservative than the republican candidates.
The republicans are going after the "independents" and "moderates" right now. That is why they are losing!!!!!!
"The democrats won by running candidates who were more conservative than the republican candidates."
So maybe a better question is why are these "more conservative" candidates choosing to join the Democratic Party?
You may say Childers is a conservative, but he's very pro-union, supports single-payer healthcare and wants to end the Bush tax cuts. Oh, and he's a strong supporter of the Webb GI Bill (which Bush and McCain oppose). So how is he "more conservative"? I think we should have learned that being "pro-life" alone does not make one "more conservative".
Childers won, more likely, because his positions on healthcare and economic fairness are more in tune with what the voters want.
The republicans are going after the "independents" and "moderates" right now. That is why they are losing!!!!!!
But the results of the election show that we lost badly among "independents" and "moderates". Maybe the problem goes a little deeper.
Just like the Dem doesn't want or need Obama campaigning for him in the run-up to November, Davis does not need proud grandpa Dick Cheney in the district. I live across the state line from that district, I know that district, Dick Cheney is far from beloved in that district for a myriad of reasons. In fact, I can't think of a district or state other than perhaps Wyoming that I woud dispatch Cheney.
a great VP...Cheney (Darth Vader) was the pitbull and the armor this President needed and he relished his job...
Freedom of Religion not Freedom from Religion
And that he is not well liked in many (red) districts.
How is it that the GOP easily retains seats with special elections in Ohio (everyone keeps saying Ohio is trending blue) and Virginia (same thing as Ohio), and we OVERPERFORM in deep blue Massachussetts with Ogonowski, yet lose these most recent ones.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
I do not know. I am not that familiar with any of these recent contests. I do suspect that poor campaigning might at least partially explain these recent results. I have noticed over the last few cycles that very few R candidates have really campaigned for office (Paul Broun is an exception). What is really needed right no are a slate of candidates that are ready, willing, and able to campaign every day for several hours of each day. If you are a Republican running for office your goal should be to leave no hand unshaken, no baby unkissed, and no door unknocked upon. Right know Republican candidates that sit back and expect the party brand or a few commercials to carry them to victory are setting themselves up for defeat.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
Former Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill once remarked that all politics is local. This site is filled with conservative ideologues. In reality, most people just aren't that poltical. Who knows the local dynamics going on in these places.
Specific to the Davis/Childers race, the largest city in the district is Tupelo and the R former Mayor of Tupelo ran against Davis in the primary. When Tupelo didn't win the primary, the good R's of Tupelo took it out on Davis from the second largest (and growing) metropolis in the district and spited themselves by sending Pelosi a lapdog for (hopefully) only five months.
...and people say that tying Childers and Cazayoux to Obama didn't work this time. That is probably true, but I think it will definitely work in November, because both of those candidates will have endorsed Obama by then, and we will be bombarded by Barack Obama in the midst of a presidential campaign. He will be running on a stridently left-wing platform, and it will be hard for Cazayoux and Childers to reconcile their positions with that of their endorsed presidential candidate and the national party leaders in Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
Will vote for McCain with 60% of the vote. The question is will they "balance" their ticket by re-electing the Dems to punish the GOP otherwise? I suspect that there will be much heavier turnout in November for the Presidential race, particularly in Tupelo which sat this one out moreso than voting for Childers (that was their chosen method of punishing Davis---just not vote). It will be hard for rock solid R's in the district to vote for any Democrat for any national race and they will turn out to vote AGAINST Obama.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
Did he not say that just prior to a major anti-d wave? I know he was quoted by a lot of R pundits just prior to the 2006 election.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
The change being a "conservative" democrat running. This is how the democrats took control of the House & Senate. Even in Mississippi, there are many who will vote for a conservative democrat if given the choice. How conservative that democrat is once he/she is in the house is another matter.
One thing all Republicans and conservatives can stop doing is buying into the MSMs mantrs that the sky is falling. The perception out "there" is that the last eight years have been abysmal and that Republicans are responsible. They have not and we are not. Media bias is subtle and th MSM has spent years cultivating this perception.
There is a mood for change that transcends earmarks, scandals an Iraq. It is the constant stream of pessimism being drummed up by the MSM who refuses to give GWB an ounce of credit for anything and are determined to ensure that his presidency will be an utter failure as is necessary for the public to actually vote in liberal Democrats like Obama.
The sky is falling, the sky is falling. There are two economies and all that. The last eight years have been great.
Erik
And there is little reason so assume the GOP leadership is going to change anything or do anything about it.
Is it possible this has something to do with the Dems having a contested primary while we do not?
This was a special election to fill the seat vacated by Roger Wicker when he was appointed to the Senate seat. There was no presidential primary so that didn't help Childers.
The voters will do that.
--
Gone 2500 years, still not PC.
To the Republican leadership:
Why are you losing?
You have no core. You have no conviction for conservative principles. You have no backbone to stand up for proper governance.
When in the majority, you governed like Democrats – thoroughly irresponsible spending and opportunistic voting gimmicks rather than having real conviction about those “hot topic” issues raised every election year. You were exposed as the utter hypocrites many of you are. Your central theme in 2006 was: VOTE AGAINST THE DEMS – THEY’RE WORSE THAN US!!! Thoroughly uninspiring. Maddening.
The purge will continue. Why? Beyond 2006, your appeal has not changed. It’s still the “DEMS ARE WORSE” flailing. Even some of the good members are being swept away because they cannot effectively give people solid, positive, CONSERVATIVE reasons to vote for them due to the unwillingness of party leaders to take simple, bold stands that would show that you have learned from past mistakes.
But what should we expect from hypocrites who cower to the media and remain addicted to the corrupting influence of Washington power?
And McCain’s liberal lean on half of the important issues of the day won’t help. If Dem-lite John is elected over Obama, it will be to the short term detriment of the party members under him.
In the long run, the winning strategy for any struggling Republican will be to clearly distance themselves from the spineless, Dem-lite party leadership and promise to lead a resurgence based on conservative CONVICTION.
Bravo Jonb, you nailed it. Even worse, they are beyond saving themselves, they have clearly run out the clock. It's going to be painful to watch the Dems in control, across the board, but the Republicans dug this hole, the've earned the wrath of the electorate, and worse yet, they don't have a single leader amongst them to help dig themselves out of it. Newt can produce the nine points of light until his hearts content, but giving them to a group of deaf, dumb and blind Republicans is useless.
That was the 2006 Congressional Campaign mantra, "We S**k less".
There was also the coda to the tune, "If you think we were bad, Donks will be worse"...
"We S**k less"
Sing it loud sing it proud, it's what we passes for deep Republican thought and leadership now. Actually it started during the Clinton years, being against Slick Will seemed to be Pavlovian, not much else going on.
______________________________________
Proud member of the Barry Goldwater wing of the party !
If you cant waste spend other peoples money
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
GOP "leadership" = Black Knight
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2eMkth8FWno
Tom Cole will bite your legs off!
I don't trust them. Leopards and spots and all that.
There is no way conservative dems and indy's (which we need to win) will vote R. The Rs in the Senate and House had their chance and blew it.
Now we (meaning us working stiffs who are trying to pay the bills and raise a family) are going to pay.
I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100 percent.
Send in the Chekists!
No, seriously, the Leadership ignored the Republican Study Committee and porked out on Earmarks before 2006 and after 2006? Now what are we going to run on?
No More Earmarks?
Republicans are Really, Really Serious This Time on Spending!!!
We Promise To Crack Down on Immigration!!!
Thank you no. Failure must not be rewarded by continued holding of this job at the NRCC. It may be too late for this cycle, but people aren't giving the NRCC because they believe the Washington Party to be out of touch with the rank and file.
The Political Class in D.C. thinks that the Republicans out in the country can be fooled by direct mail and scare calls.
Voters out in the country must continue to say "NO SALE" and "Not One Thin Dime!" until we get serious top-to-bottom leadership change and reform in both chambers. This is called another Wandering through Sinai period for our Leaders.
I wrote in another post that Democrats are serious about winning campaigns, and will do anything to win. We need to be just as ruthless in our campaigning. But what's just as important is that Republicans must have something to run on. That's our distinction as a party. We've lost that, which is why we're
"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it"-Winston Churchill
Redstate wakes up! Glad to see some common sense from the Directors - finally. Had just about given up on this site as a reliable conservative voice. You can NOT just keep plugging the Republican candidate when he/she does not support the conservative majority.
Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."
That is what we need - along with the energy to get it done. I see no energy from the Republican leadership - perhaps they've been too beaten down to have any reserve. I'm afraid that Republican Congressional candidates are on their own for ideas and energy. As much as I'd like for a cogent, bold, energitic message of workable conservative ideas that most will recognize, I don't see it coming from the current leadership. Perhaps the "Young Guns" can come up with something and get started, & then we may win a few more than projected this time around & set stage for a strong 2010 & beyond...
Without being grounded in this country's original core principles of individual liberty, they sound like bad politicians rather than fellow citizens fulfilling the role of public servants. Each time they step up, they need to ask themselves, will this law further or harm individual liberty, and then communicate and vote accordingly. That would be a political party with which many could easily agree!
This must happen across the board, but it won't happen until after the election and the house Republicans pull themselves out of the wreckage. Only then will they realize what they have been doing is absolutely the wrong way to go.
The first place it NEEDS to happen is with ALL the Republicans sitting on Appropriations. The second place is with the Republican Congressional Leadership who put them there.
They epitomize what is wrong with Republicans in Congress!
Until it happens, they will continue on their downward spiral.
But this is my opinion.
Wubbies World, MSgt, USAF (Retired):
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println(""The only reason that some people get lost in thought is because it's unfamiliar territory.")