We Lost the Election but Won the Debate
The Republican party is in the Jacuzzi this morning, trying to soak out the pain and stiffness from the bruising defeat it just suffered. The American people have rightly rebuked us for forgetting what the Republican Party used to stand for. We foolishly abandoned fiscal conservatism, oversaw a dramatic escalation in the size and scope of the federal government, chalked up record deficits and insisted on nominating a guy who, for the most part, couldn’t be distinguished from the run of the mill Democrat when it came to most of his policies.
For me, there where no surprises on election night. I said to friends and to commenters on this site that I expected a fairly close popular vote, but a big electoral defeat, and that is what happened. In the waning days off the campaign, when crowds called out to McCain to get tough with Obama, to fight harder for the principles that were important to them, you just knew this ticket was in big trouble. There was more passion, more fire in the belly of the people in the crowds than there was within the nominee.
As we look at the smoking ruins of what’s left of Congressional Republicans, it is apparent to me that we must bulldoze the landscape clean, so that we can start the rebuilding process. That has already started. The work of purging the Party of the people responsible for the loss began on Election night as the voters rejected McCain. I sincerely hope any future leadership role for him in this party has also been rejected by the rank and file as well. Hopefully, we have learned some hard lessons. As Rush Limbaugh said several days ago, when will Republicans ever learn that conservative Republicans never lose and moderate Republicans never win? These past attempts by Republicans to ingratiate themselves to the MSM and to left-center voters never works at the national level.
In spite of all the negative feelings we are working our way through, the rebuilding process that has already started is giving cause for a much more optimistic view of the future.
An article in Friday’s WSJ provides a stunning quote from none other than the ubiguitous Nancy Pelosi. “Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a two-stage effort to boost the shaky U.S. economy: a $60 billion-to $100 billion stimulus package this month, followed early next year by a companion measure that would include a “permanent tax cut.” You may be rubbing your eyes and squinting at that last sentence to try to make sure you saw it right the first time. Nancy Pelosi actually said those words. She said “permanent tax cut.” That is why I said in the title to this post that we won the debate. Isn’t it amazing how a sea change is political thinking came come about in such an off hand way? One of the most doctrinaire Democrats in the country now agrees with Ronald Reagan and Mitt Romney that the best way to boost the economy is with “permanent tax cuts.”
Ms. Pelosi also said, in the long term, a capital gains tax cut, as pushed by Congressional Republicans, should be considered as part of a “tax simplification” bill.
Ronald Reagan in Heaven and Mitt Romney in Massachusetts must be grinning a little this morning!
~~John Cronin~~
November 9th, 2008 at 9:25 am
What is more important, losing the battle or winning the war? In this case, the war on taxes. How ironic??? If the Dems move more to the center, we might survive. Seems that Pres. elect Obama has already scheduled a meeting with foreign leader from Russia. Curious how he will receive President Bush tomorrow and vise versa? My heart tells me it would be wonderful to have a United American, my head says watch closely, wait and see. They just showed on Fox news Sarah, Huck, and Mitt. I would love to see it go Mitt/ Palin, if she keeps her popularity 2012. Or even Mitt/Jindal, an American Indian 2012. Data was : 65% 12% 11% Mitt being 3rd.
November 9th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Oh by the way, grin they should and rightly so!!!!!!!
Oh by the way, grin they should and rightly so!!!!!!!
Thanx, John, great talking points.
November 9th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Paulee. I do not agree that a Romney/Palin ticket would be the ticket. I do not like nor admire ANYTHING about Palin. Family first. She has forgot that little part of being a mom. It’s OK to have a career. But the family MUST come first and foremore. No amount of success can compenstate for failure in the home.
November 9th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I think republicans who favor Palin fail to see how moderates viewed her.
I think a Romney/Palin ticket would fail. I trust Mitt to pick a highly competent running mate. Jindal would be more impressive.
November 9th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Believe it or not another Poll,on AOL - Mitt is ahead .
http://news.aol.com/elections/article/republicans-gear-up-for-2012-race/242287?icid=200100397×1213076344x1200839972
November 9th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan just won re-election in a District that went heavily in favor of Obama. He is 38 years old and someone to pay attention to as a possible VP for Gov. Romney in 2012. I currently know very little about him, but he is talking very good sense about the economy and tax rates.
November 9th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Barely ahead. If you support Mitt he needs your vote
November 9th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I could get very enthusiastic about a Mitt Romney/Bobby Jindal ticket in 2012.
November 9th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
This is what Politico had to say about Mitt today:
He declined an interview — he’s actually on a cruise sponsored by National Review, a magazine that endorsed him in the GOP primary — but sources close to the CEO-turned-politician say he’s very much uncertain about whether he’ll run for elective office again and is keeping a close eye on what direction the party takes in the months ahead, especially with regard to Palin.
Romney is extraordinarily close to members of his family, and most are opposed to another run.
He is, though, likely to stay involved at least at a policy level.
“What I’d say is he’s keeping his options open for now,” said one source close to Romney.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15451_Page3.html
November 9th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/06/AR2008110602995_pf.html
Rich Lowry Republican assessment
November 9th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Well, maybe his family doesn’t want him to spend the $’s to run again (HA)…i do think he has a golden ticket to run one more time for the nomination + i think his odds are much better the second time around to get the nomination, ditto the odds to serve two terms if he gets elected(i would say almost impossible for a repub to have won in 2008 than get re-elected in 2012) ++ you might even get a repub congress during his tenure if he won post 2008, not possible with a repub win in 2008.
The big ? is when should he punch that golden ticket, in 2012 against obama or risk passing on 2012 and aim for 2016 at the age of 69 after two dem terms, could see a 69 year old hillary be the dem nominee that cycle. The downside to running in 2012 is the economic cycle might favor obama to get re-elected + obviously obama is a very skilled pol who has the media in the tank and folks generally don’t want to dump their president. Bottom line, obama is gonna be tough to beat since things should improve by 2012 but if they don’t, dems/obama will still blame bush and the repubs for the countries problems and it might work for them. Also, i think obama will change things up for re-election, tell biden he can be sec of state in term II and put a women on the ticket…if his election looks tough, maybe it would be hillary but probably the current gov of kansas, which would make the dem primary in 2016 a show, but obama would get the change element of the 1st female to win on the ticket by making such a shift in 2012 and biden should be fine with being sec of state, after all he will be 74 in 2016, so i don’t think he will run for president after two obama terms.
What should romney do? i see 3 game plans…if he really has no desire to run in 2012, he should try to get the chairmanship of the RNC right now and announce he won’t run in 2012…sorta like howard dean and try to fix the party from that spot…he shouldn’t just walk away from the scene. If he wants to run in 2012, than its sorta of a floating pattern for a few years, which is a big danger to stay relevant, maybe pull an al gore and go around the country with a few teaching jobs. For a 2016 run to work, he would need to get elected to something in 2010 or 2012, can’t stay on the sidelines for 10 years and think he would have a shot. The best spot for that to happen would be if a utah senate seat opened up in 2010 or 2012, i’m sure the gov of utah has his eye on one of them or romney could even run for the dem house seat in utah. Yet, utah is the state it needs to happen in, running in MA again= too many issues and not worth it. From the utah senate/house seat, he could go after the veep spot in 2012 but if the repubs lose in 2012, he could run in 2016…if they win in 2012 without him on the ticket…which would close his white house window…he could be a powerful force from congress, than maybe hand the seat over to his son. My advice would depend on what the scoop is with the utah senate seats…if one opens in 2010 and the gov of utah doesn’t run and romney has the blessing of the utah GOP, i think he should run for it and see what windows open from that spot.
November 9th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Myself I would like to see mitt run the RNC for the next two years.I can’t think of anyone more qualified to find quality candidates to run in two years, also the fund raising mitt would attract would benefit the party for years to come.mitt would also bring a strong conservative message back to the party.
November 9th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Kathryn Jean Lopez from NRO, who is on the cruise with Mitt right now (I’m envious!) said she asked him if he is interested in the RNC chair and he said no.
I can certainly understand why Mitt’s family would be reluctant to go through another campaign after the way they were raked through the coals, not only by the MSM but the Huckabee crowd and of course, McCain. With Palin in the mix now, I have a feeling 2012 will be even uglier.
November 9th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I agree JA. I think with Palin being the “Christian Rock Star” that she has become, it will make it even harder for Romney to run against the “it must be one of us” faction in the Republican party.
November 9th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
i think if the GOP keeps down the road of excluding all those that are not their ‘brand’ of Christians, they will find them in more than just the minority. They may just find themselves as a third party, as so many of us will bolt the Part. Palin is a washed up now. if they want to put her name up again, that’s fine with me. I’ll get behind someone actaully qualifed.
November 9th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
I’m wondering how much enthusiasm there actually is for Palin. Yeah, the Huckabee crowd loves her, and of course she has her internet fan club (mainly consisting of drooling guys), but are there that many others who think she’s presidential material?
In my conservative county, McCain/Palin lost big-time to Obama, while the other Republicans on the ballot overwhelmingly won. Palin certainly did not help McCain in our neck of the woods, and in fact, I think she hurt him. The majority of Republicans that I spoke to were very leery of her as VP, and thought McCain had made a foolish mistake.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
November 9th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
JA. I live in Utah. What do we know? We’d vote for Attilla the Hun, if he had an R behind his name! That said, 32 percent of us (myself included) voted for Obama. Message sent. The GOP down tickets won by a bigger percentatge than McCain/Palin. I think she has her base, but other than that and a handfull of loonies who think she’s just peachy keeno, I think is she graces a ticket again, it will be an even bigger disaster. It is a shame that we have to perhaps go through 8 years of this, because of her ego, and those around her who think the rest of us need to tow the party line, or be cast into outer darkness.
November 9th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
I would like to believe that most republicans think she is a mistake. As long as she is around she is a threat to Romney and I don’t ever see Romney selecting her to be his VP. He would want someone who was sharp in that position.
November 9th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Tracey. He’d want someone ready to take it over on day one. Not after being ‘trained’ for the job.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:17 am
What is the harm of Romney running again? If he loses to Palin, so what? It will prove once and for all that he could never win over the base. If he cruises past Palin, he will be a formidable nominee. I don’t see any downside to him trying just once more.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Let’s also assume that Palin will be running in 2012. She’s already positioning herself for that run.
November 10th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Here is a good litmus test for a potential candidate for President. Write an article for Foreign Affairs magazine, right now, not four years from now, not a ghost written article, but one that is self-composed.
If educated conservatives react favorably to the article and Libs bay at the moon over it, you passed.
Can you imagine what Palin would come up with if she had to sit down today and compose an article for Foreign Affairs magazine?
November 10th, 2008 at 8:38 am
John,
Nice point, but the Palin crowds don’t care that she’s not qualified — they honestly don’t. She’s “one of us” that’s all that matters. It’s a stupid attack and I don’t see it ending anytime soon.
November 10th, 2008 at 8:56 am
I just read a comment on another site claiming that Palin is presidential material because she “speaks from the heart”. Is the goal here to dumb the Republican party down to the level of the Democrats, because we’re heading that way fast.
November 10th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Palin was not even remotely the problem when compared to McCain & his liberal/moderate policies.
I am a huge Mitt supporter, but Sarah Palin will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. If you dismiss, ridicule, and underestimate her, you do so at your peril.
Like it or not.
I’m sure Mitt understands this and will do what he can to work with Palin and her supporters if he seeks the 2012 nomination.
November 10th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Marybeth,
I agree 100%. Sarah will be force in the future. Mitt will have to deal with her if he wants to run in 2012.
November 10th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Marybeth,
I disagree that Palin was not a big part of McCain’s problem. Despite the fact that McCain is not exactly beloved by Republicans, I think he would have had a good shot at winning if he had chosen a different VP - someone who projected an aura of competence, experience, knowledge, someone that people would be comfortable with as President. Experience was McCain’s one big advantage over Obama, and he threw that right out the window when he chose Palin. It was a huge miscalculation on his part. When did McCain’s fatal nosedive in the polls begin? Right after Palin’s interview with Katie Couric, when it became glaringly obvious that she was not up to the job.
Having said that, I agree that she is here to stay, unfortunately, due to the rabid, illogical nature of her supporters.
November 10th, 2008 at 10:25 am
McCain was not up in the polls until he chose Sarah Palin.
After the excitement of choosing her faded, and McCain went back to his old “my friends” schtick - including telling people that we should not be fearful of an Obama presidency - and when he did not put up a real fight in the debates ., , , is when he began his decline once again.
Initially Sarah Palin was certainly a bone tossed to conservatives in the party. But she attracted huge crowds on the campaign trail - that is something that cannot be denied. Why is that?
A lot of ordinary Americans think she is a breath of fresh air in the Republican party, even if many on this site do not.
I like her.
Having said that, I would rather her not run for President in 2012. We wil need Mitt very badly by then. I will be his biggest cheerleader to secure the GOP nomination.
But Sarah Palin will be a force in the GOP for many years to come. Anyone who does not think that is deluded, in my very humble opinion.
Do NOT think for 1 minute that Mitt doesn’t recognize this, as he is VERY politically astute. If I were him, I would be finding ways to work with Palin and Bobby Jindal in the next few years. And finding ways to shut Huckabee out of the process, as he is one of the people who did great damage to the GOP nominating process this year.
November 10th, 2008 at 10:52 am
I do agree with you that she will be a force in the GOP for years to come, but I don’t think she will ever win as President. McCain got a bump in the polls after he chose her, but as soon as she opened her mouth without a teleprompter in front of her, the poll numbers plummeted. Yes, there are Republicans who are enthralled with her at the moment - but there are also many that think she was an embarrassment to the party (as if McCain wasn’t bad enough), and do not want her as our future nominee.
November 10th, 2008 at 10:52 am
It’s true that McCain’s nose-dive started the day after the Couric interview. The financial meltdown came 4 days later. Palin’s initial response to the bailout was some convoluted answer that the bailout was about healthcare reform. (?) Then about 150 other convoluted answers to everything. She can’t talk her way out of a paper bag. But she’s cute! And she’s one of us!
She was a controversial figure every single day of the campaign and it hurt McCain with indies and moderates. She absolutely excited the base, but that wasn’t enough to overcome the fear with everyone else that Palin was severly unqualified to be pres if something happened to McCain.
November 10th, 2008 at 11:04 am
It will be interesting to see how aging affects her political future, because so much of her popularity is wrapped up in her cuteness. Like it or not, that’s the truth. Take a look on many conservative sites, and you will see there are endless comments from guys slobbering over her. I can’t help but think that if she had the same exact resume but looked like Hilary Clinton, she would not be quite the sensation she is today.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Beauty fades. Brains and intelligence last forever. She’ll be fading soon.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
I just don’t think the “she can learn” argument is going to cut it, nor should it. Not when she’s going up against Romney, Jindal and others who are already there, and then some.
If that’s the path, count me out. I’m already steaming over the bigotry that was allowed to flourish. If things don’t fixed, I’m going to be a woman without a party.
November 10th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I wonder what Palin’s family situation will be in four years. I’m guessing it won’t be a pretty picture. She and the hubby are not putting in the time those kids need. She’s busy governing/campaigning/traveling, etc. while her husband is gone every other week to the oilfields and spends the summer on his fishing boat…that’s a recipe for disaster for those kids. I hope they turn out okay, but my guess is that the pregnant 17-year-old is the tip of the iceberg.
November 10th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I like the beauty fades line. That’s really all she is — a beauty queen. How long will it take her to no longer be beautiful?? She’ll still be “hot” in 4 years, so Romney better learn to deal with it, if he wants to run in 2012.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Why is it a bad thing for republicans to speak out against Palin? We feel she is not qualified and we want to make others aware of that fact. Why is it wrong to speak out against her in an effort to move Mitt forward?
PAMELA “She can’t talk her way out of a paper bag” LOL
November 11th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
My believe is Palin will run for the Senate seat in 2012 against Ted Stevens of Alaska,leaving Romney,Jindal,and of course Huckabee. Huck and Jindal are to be here in Iowa in the next two weeks. We must stop Huck from his continued lies about Mitt. Let,s ban together,stop the terrible Huckster,and campaign hard for Mitt starting right now. Remember,we must stop the liberal media,because they will want the “O” back in another 4 years.
November 19th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Sarah Palin should have no future in the party. If the party embraces her, they will continue to lose big. People were deceived by her large crowds of morons. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers. Mondale and Ferraro had large crowds too. McRage/Failin did not campaign to win a national election–Palin will never be capable of palying in the big league.