Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Where is the Republican Knight in Steele Armor?

Who will occupy the RNC Siege Perilous? Michael Steele or Newt Gingrich?

Amanda Carpenter reminds us why Newt not running for the RNC Chair is probably a good thing:



And it would appear that both men might be on the same page.



Bill Sammon's sources tell him Steele may announce as soon as Thursday, and is courting the endorsement of Newt Gingrich, which if landed, would do much to scare off the incumbent and possible challengers:

The source also contradicted a report in Tuesday's Washington Times that Steele and Gingrich were competing for the RNC post.

"There is no fight," the source said. "This tension between Michael Steele and Newt Gingrich is totally fabricated and, in fact, Gingrich and Steele are working together to create a new strategy for the direction of the GOP."

In a statement issued by the former House speaker, Gingrich said he was not interested in seeking the post of Republican party chairman.

"A number of people have asked me to consider running for Republican National Committee chair. They have been very flattering, and I am very honored by their support," he said.





It's time to bring in new blood. Republicans need a fresh makeover even as we speak of returning back to conservative traditionalism. As much as we decry that "race doesn't matter", the face of the Republican Party as seen by the American public is that of the stereotypical "white man's club". We need the Palins, the Jindals, to bring style with the substance. What the Democratic Party had in 2008 was a charismatic rock star; what we need is not only a "return" to conservative ideology, but also one wrapped in an attractive delivery system. Someone like Alfonso Rachel in the public eye could also do much to reshape the image of the Republican Party. He is someone who the MTV crowd can relate to on style and delivery.

I prefer Michael Steele as RNC Chair on the most superficial of reasons, as well as on the most substantial: He's black.

The color of his skin shouldn't matter. But because the country as a whole is still fixated on race, it matters. Let someone like Michael Steele deliver the post-racial conservative message that it's the Republican Party that's been living the message of MLK: That the color of one's skin doesn't matter; it's the content of the character.

Michael Steele has character; and to those to whom it matters, he also has the "right" skin color to deliver the message.

One of life's charms is in paradox.

Michael Medved points out similarities between where we find ourselves politically today, and where we were 16 years ago:



Pouring over the numbers in the Presidential and Congressional elections of 2008, there’s an eerie parallel that deserves far more attention than it’s received.

In races for the House, the Senate and the Presidency, the final totals match almost precisely with the results of the last Democratic sweep in 1992.

That election gave the Democrats 57 Senate seats to 43 for the Republicans. So far, with three races yet to be decided in 2008, Democrats (and the two independents who caucus with the Democrats) control 57 seats and the Republicans control 40.


It is absolutely appalling to me, that an angry and unfunny idiot of Al Franken's magnitude might steal the election in Minnesota.

Assuming that the GOP’s Norm Coleman hangs on to win his seat after a recount in Minnesota, that Saxby Chambliss wins his run-off election in Georgia, and that Ted Stevens (or a GOP replacement) secures the seat in Alaska, the Senate lineup will match exactly with its contours in 1992—57 to 43. Even if the Republicans lose one of the undecided seats, it’s possible that Independent Joe Lieberman will decide (or find himself forced) to caucus with them, still giving them the same 43 seats they won in ’92.

On the House side, the resemblance is similarly close to the line-up sixteen years ago. After the Clinton landslide (beating President George H. W. Bush and eccentric “Reform Party” contender H. Ross Perot), the Democrats nabbed 258 seats in the House and the GOP controlled 176. At this point in 2008, the Dems have secured 255 seats and the Republicans 174, with six seats unsettled. The most likely outcome of the races yet to be decided would be an exact replica of the House of Representatives that convened in 1993.

As to the Presidential race, sixteen years ago Bill Clinton cruised to victory with 370 electoral votes to 168 for President Bush (Ross Perot drew 18.9% of the popular vote but, like most third-party vanity candidates, earned no electoral votes). In 2008, assuming that John McCain carries the officially undecided state of Missouri (where he’s maintained a slight but steady lead) the final outcome will be an Obama victory by 365 to 173 electoral votes--- just a five vote difference from the 1992 race. In the popular vote, Obama prevailed by a margin of 6.5%, while Clinton beat Bush sixteen years ago by a strikingly similar margin of 5.5%.

The resemblance in election outcomes between the triumph of Clinton Democrats in 1992 and the resounding win by Obama Democrats in 2008 ought to fill disheartened Republicans with determination and hope.

Just two years after the electoral disaster of ’92, the GOP came roaring back to capture both houses of Congress in the “Contract with America”/Newt Gingrich revolution. And six years after that epic triumph, Republicans recaptured the White House under George W. Bush in the impossibly close election of 2000.

For several reasons, the election of 2008 left Republicans in an even better position for a quick comeback if they handle their opportunities intelligently.

Above all, the situation with the economy should work to the GOP’s advantage in the Congressional elections of 2010 and perhaps even in the Presidential race of 2012.

When Bill Clinton came to power in 1993, the recession that destroyed the first Bush presidency had already begun to recede and the economy had already begun its recovery, which ultimately morphed into the “Clinton Boom” and secured Slick Willy’s reelection. No one expects a similar economic turnaround for President-elect Obama in the three months before his inauguration and perhaps not even in the first two years of his presidency. If unemployment continues to rise, the deficit continues to explode, and personal income continues to stagnate or decline, the Obama reputation as a messianic miracle worker could collapse in a hurry. As with Clinton, the great expectations surrounding Obama’s election could quickly transform to a sense of betrayal and even disappointed rage.


Don't worry, folks: The sun will come out tomorrow (or in two years); and the best is yet to come.

Cross-posted at Flopping Aces

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9 Comments:

Blogger The Liberal Lie The Conservative Truth said...

Two like minds, I posted on this subject today also.

I agree with your assessment of why Steele and ad that he also understands how the GOP drifted from the conservative values that connested with the people.

He understands that we need fresh conservative faces to run in 2010.

I also cannot beleive that the race in Minnesota is still close. Who in their sane mids could even consider Al Franken for the Senate ?!?!?!?!

Of course the numbers keep changing in Frankens favor every time they ,"find," a ballot on somebodies trunk.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 12:13:00 PM  
Blogger The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Well, you may be in a pickle of a dilemma, as your first choice as presidential candidate is now considering the RNC Chair.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 1:55:00 PM  
Blogger Beach Girl said...

Michael Steele - Mr. Gingrich once voiced that he was proud that approx. 200 languages were spoken in US. I think Newt is a good historian and speaker but Michael Steele, a Republican, was elected Lt. Gov. of Maryland, a BLUE state for sure and he did a good job.

Michael Steele and Sarah Palin are both possibles for president in 2012 but I think Chair of the RNC will let Michael Steele network more and build a good base across the country - given that we have one left. He might have to reprise the US Constitution after the Obama-Pelosi-Reid trifecta (sp) finishes shredding it.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 2:21:00 PM  
Blogger Chuck said...

I like Michael Steele because he seems inteligent and is well spoken. I think he would be a good spokesman for the RNC. It is a bonus because he is black. I have thought for awhile that blacks would vote for the GOP in much higher numbers if they felt welcomed.

As far as New, I was never in favor of him. I think he's gone soft. He has lost too much credibility with conservatives. Michael Steele is a true conservative. Plus Newt is part of the "old". We need new blood.

Thursday, November 13, 2008 5:43:00 AM  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

I might support (ie, read: CONTRIBUTE once again to the RNC) Michael Steele if I were certain he had the huevos to be composed of his last name and not allow himself to be rollerskated-over by various and sundry interests. Moreover, I don't disagree with Newt in terms of energy production: yes, let's look into EVERY energy source AS WELL AS drilling domestically. Of course Steele is intelligent, well spoken. But can he stand up to and front off those who need to be? Will he have the spine to stand STRONG? I do not know. Gingrich, if nothing else, is no one's patsy.

BZ

Thursday, November 13, 2008 9:58:00 AM  
Blogger Gayle said...

I like both Steele and Gingrich. From what I've seen, neither of them is anyone's patsy. Fred Thompson? I'm less enthusiastic about that possibility, probably because he didn't seem to have any fire during his campaign in the Republican primary.

Saturday, November 15, 2008 11:32:00 AM  
Blogger mnotaro said...

I also like Steele a lot and think he could catch the eye of the black voters, and pull them away from left wing illuminati Obamaland. Just depends on how bad Obama screws things up. If he only screws them up a little at first and does a good job at blaming it all on W, then he could possibly get elected for another term and we would be looking at 2016 to get another Republican in the WH.

Monday, November 17, 2008 7:02:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

.
Michael Steele. Then let him run for Senate again to prepare for POTUS or VPOTUS.

Alfonzo Rachel is excellent! Everybody, especially white people, should watch his videos. I hope we hear a lot more from him.
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
Bush was worse than Hitler

and Stalin and Mao
and the Devil combined

.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
you can ALWAYS blame Bush

when Obama and Congress
ALL Democrats mess it up

.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
NEVER ELECT a woman

OR a minority
if they are Right of center

.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
never elect a woman

who's a conservative
she's just a gender traitor

.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
just HOPE to pay more taxes

DREAM about high fuel prices
CHANGE PROGRESS to move backwards

.
All real freedom starts with freedom of speech. Without freedom of speech there can be no real freedom.
.
http://libertarian.to
.
http://haltterrorism.com
.
http://lulu.com/USpace

:)
.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008 8:02:00 PM  
Blogger knowitall said...

When Bill Clinton came into power? Isn't he still in power? I thought so from all the left-wing illuminati Obama is picking from his old administration.

Thursday, December 04, 2008 1:45:00 PM  

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