Another Behind-the-Times Reporter
A couple years ago, I had the pleasure of debating Charles Babington, then of the Washington Post. Mr. Babington has since moved to the AP. Now he’s written an article about the troubles lying ahead for the GOP. It’s just a bit behind the times. Had he written it this February, there would’ve been more validity to it. Now it’s missing out on what’s happening within the GOP.
Now Republicans appear to have lost their identity, wondering when the bleeding will stop. After losing 30 House seats and control of both congressional chambers in 2006, they are anticipating even more House and Senate losses this fall. Most polls find GOP presidential candidate John McCain trailing Democrat Barack Obama, and far more enthusiasm among Democratic voters and donors than among Republicans.
“For the Republicans, it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” said Richard Armey, a former GOP House majority leader from Texas. “I think they will take a pretty severe beating in this election,” said Armey, who helped engineer the 1994 “Republican Revolution” that gave the party control of the House after 40 years in the minority.
There’s no doubt that the GOP lost its identity. That’s why it lost its majorities. There’s also no doubt but that they’re rediscovering their identity thanks to the House Republicans’ standing up to Speaker Pelosi on the energy fight. Couple that with having nominated an anti-earmark stalwart like Sen. McCain helps, too.
In case Mr. Babington hadn’t noticed, Democrats were the ones who caved on FISA reform. It’s Democrats who are caving on drilling. It’s Democrats who are worried about Sen. Obama’s practically-nonexistent lead in the polls. It’s the Obama campaign that was sensitive after Saddleback.
People noticed that Sen. McCain was the compelling personality on stage with Rick Warren. They noticed that McCain’s answers were direct, powerful and sincere while several of Sen. Obama’s answers were evasive and calculating.
Let’s not forget how House Republicans, led by Mike Pence, John Shimkus, Jeb Hensarling, Thad McCotter, Tom Price and Lynn Westmoreland, have annihilated the majority Democrats all month long on the energy issue. Don’t think that that isn’t making a positive impression on voters.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said he thinks the 2006 elections “and the first six months of 2007 may turn out, in retrospect, to be the bottoming-out point of the Republican Party as an institution. The 2006 elections were a tremendous wake-up call.”
The GOP must position itself, he said, as “a broadly center-right party that achieves the goals of the American people” in a time of soaring costs for energy, health care and other needs.
“You’re starting to see specific ideas and examples” from Republican officials, Gingrich said. He cited, for example, Virginia Rep. Randy Forbes’ call for government cash awards to those who find new ways to increase auto fuel efficiency, tap new energy sources and achieve other breakthroughs.
Other than Karl Rove, Newt Gingrich is the most perceptive strategist I’ve ever seen. I emphatically agree with newt. In the House, the Young Turks are fighting for solid conservative principles. They’re insisting that the majority Democrats open up the OCS to drilling. They’re insisting on making America less reliant on overseas oil.
Don’t bet that people haven’t noticed. Democrats have been the party of ‘That’s impossible’ while Republicans have said ‘Yes, we can’. Historically speaking, Democrats are on the wrong side of things. The world has never seen a nation that’s accomplished more difficult to impossible things than the United States. We connected the East Coast with the West Coast by building a railroad against steep, steep odds. We defeated a military juggernaut while building a military practically from the ground up. We put a man on the moon. We built the Golden Gate Bridge.
That doesn’t sound like the nation of ‘That’s impossible”, does it?
That’s why it won’t take a decade of wandering in the wilderness to get back. While it’s true that there are issues to resolve, it’s equally true that we start from a solid base of beliefs.
That makes all the difference in the world.
Technorati Tags: GOP, Dick Armey, Newt Gingrich, Mike Pence, Jeb Hensarling, Tom Price, Thad McCotter, Gas Crisis, John McCain, Earmarks, Election 2008
Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog