Wednesday, January 5, 2005
To: Friends and Supporters
From: Gary Bauer
Whitman's War
More details are out today about Christine Todd Whitman's new book, "It's My Party Too." The Washington Time's headline says it all, "Whitman book hits Bush, Rove." Here's a quote from the book in today's Washington Times' article: The Republican Party "at the national level is allowing itself to be dictated to by a coalition of ideological extremists -- I call them social fundamentalists -- groups that have claimed the mantle of conservatism and show no inclination to seek bipartisan consensus on anything." But wait - there's more. Here is part of the editorial review of Whitman's book from Amazon.com:
"Relentlessly pushing their ideological stances on abortion rights, race relations, the environment, tax policy, and go-it-alone foreign policy, the conservative extremists are not only violating traditional Republican principles, she [Whitman] argues, but are also holding the party back from achieving a true majority. By playing so slavishly to the far-right base, running negative campaigns and marginalizing women, the party has forsaken the much broader base that propelled the 'Reagan revolution' and has fueled the country's overheated polarization."
From this review, it sounds as if the author of the book is a Michael Moore radical, not a former member of President Bush's cabinet. Now off the team, Whitman opens fire with both barrels against the first Republican president to be reelected in twenty years and the first Republican president to expand his congressional majority since the 1920s! Rather than congratulating President Bush on his stunning electoral success, she lambasts him and his chief political advisor for winning! That's gratitude for you.
Reading the Amazon summary one could easily reach the conclusion that Whitman wrote the book well before the election - with the assumption that President Bush was going to lose. And seeking to become "politically relevant" once again, Whitman was eager to blame the president's defeat on pro-life, pro-family "conservative extremists." How else can one explain the absurd notion that values voters are "holding the party back from achieving a true majority?" Nevertheless, Whitman seems intent on leading a civil war to push social conservatives out of the "big tent" once and for all.
Fortunately, her councils of compromise are not being embraced on Capitol Hill. Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee told the Washington Times, "I take issue with her prescription. Our winning the White House again and increasing our majorities in the House and Senate show that most of the American public agrees with our philosophy of government." Exactly! If Americans really wanted higher taxes, bigger government, abortion on demand and same-sex "marriage," why would they vote for a Republican "liberal-lite" imitation when they could have the real thing?
While it would be easy to ignore Whitman's rantings, I believe it would be a mistake to do so. The culture war raging in America is also being fought within both political parties and, contrary to the popular media myth, the Republican Party is not monolithic. There are pro-life Democrats and there are pro-abortion Republicans. There are Democrats who strongly support the traditional meaning of marriage and there are Republicans who refuse to see the fallacy of men "marrying" men. Whitman evidently wants to see the Party of Lincoln and Reagan become a mirror image of Clinton and Kennedy.
The elections are over for now, but the battle of ideas continues. Values voters carried the day on November 2nd, but Christine Todd Whitman and her fellow RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) are working feverishly to make sure conservative ideas are never enacted in public policy.
You are wrong with your "theory". I am a staunch Republican Woman and agree with Gov Whitman. The president is doing a fab job, still doesn't dismiss the fact the number of women in cabinet positions leaves alot to be desired. When we do apply ourselves we are dismissed. You obviously do not live in NJ, Christie NEVER brought shame and disgust to Trenton. She was always very dignified and compassionate to men and women.