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Members of the Republican National Committee are pushing a resolution built on "conservative principles and public policies" and opposition to "Obama's socialist agenda" that Republican candidates would have to largely accept and adopt if they want the party's support. The New York Times reports that ten RNC members have signed onto the resolution, which was circulated today. It contains ten principles, among them support for the Defense of Marriage Act, gun rights and "military-recommended troop surges" in Iraq and Afghanistan; opposition to President Obama's health care reform efforts, cap and trade legislation, a card check bill and amnesty for illegal...

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Republican National Committee will announce Monday that veteran political strategist Alex Castellanos will assume a senior communications role at the committee, an RNC official tells CNN. (snip) "Now the RNC has a new focus and direction - the 2010 elections," Castellanos said when reached by telephone. "And I am happy to help."

November 23, 2009 G.O.P. Considers ‘Purity’ Resolution for Candidates By ADAM NAGOURNEY The battle among Republicans over what the party should stand for — and how much it should accommodate dissenting views on important issues — is probably going to move from the states to the Republican National Committee when it holds its winter meeting this January in Honolulu. Republican leaders are circulating a resolution listing 10 positions Republican candidates should support to demonstrate that they “espouse conservative principles and public policies” that are in opposition to “Obama’s socialist agenda.” According to the resolution, any Republican candidate who broke with...

Link only, per FR copyright rules

There were too many GOP Presidential candidates in the 2008 primaries. Some were excellent; some were not. Unfortunately, this large group beat each other up in the debates, weakening the opportunity for any of them to win the presidency.

Here you are, Michael: Full of embarrassing bravado, grossly inaccurate, clueless on impact of your words, clueless on voices in the conservative world, an unwarranted superior attitude, and a Racist. You're toxic. You can't be rehabilitated. It's not working out. It's not me ... it's you. Get out.

It dawned on me during the NY 23rd Congressional race, an election which normally would have gone unnoticed by most of us. What began with a relatively benign election on a national scale increasingly became a seminal line in the sand for me, and many other conservatives. As the campaign ran its course, it became difficult to distinguish between the SEIU backed Democratic Owens and the ACORN backed Republican Scozzafava. As Glenn Beck often describes this match up, it was a choice between progressive and progressive-lite; and in this case, I couldn’t distinguish which was which. I recall being somewhat...

Republican Party chairman Michael Steele told Republican National Committee staff to immediately put an end to providing RNC employees with insurance for elective abortions. After learning of the abortion coverage from a news report, late Thursday evening Steele issued a statement: "Money from our loyal donors should not be used for this purpose. I don't know why this policy existed in the past, but it will not exist under my administration. Consider this issue settled." According to RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho, Steele then instructed staff to let their insurance carrier know that the RNC wished to opt out of the...

Newt Gingrich, the former Republican House speaker and purveyor of the GOP "Contract With America'' that helped his party win control of the House after President Bill Clinton's election, says GOP chairman Michael Steele has started work on a new framework for 2010 that he is calling "First principles.'' "I've been talking with Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, '' Gingrich said today, speaking with students at C-SPAN's Cable Center Class. "He is developing a first principles model that I think is a very exciting , positive step in the right direction,'' said Gingrich, who has said that he will...

A chagrined GOP Chairman Michael Steele has told Republican National Committee staff to immediately stop providing RNC employees with insurance for elective abortions — an option that Republicans strongly oppose as Democrats try to pass a health care overhaul bill. "Money from our loyal donors should not be used for this purpose," Steele said in a statement late Thursday after learning of the abortion coverage from a news report. "I don't know why this policy existed in the past, but it will not exist under my administration. Consider this issue settled." Steele instructed staff to inform the insurance carrier that...

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee's health insurance plan covers elective abortions for its employees, an option Republicans strongly oppose in health overhaul legislation that Democrats are trying to push through Congress. Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele learned of the policy's abortion coverage Thursday through a news report and immediately instructed staff to inform the insurance carrier that the RNC wanted to opt out of elective abortion coverage, RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said. "Money from our loyal donors should not be used for this purpose," Steele said in a statement. "I don't know why this policy existed in the past,...

Let’s keep this simple. Word got out today via Politico that the RNC’s health care package for their employees covers abortions. At the risk of belaboring the obvious, if you at any time have donated to the RNC since 1991 (when this policy apparently took place), some incremental portion of your donation went to the administrative costs of running the RNC, including employee salaries and benefits packages. Part of “benefits packages” in this context is apparently a health care package that pays for abortions. For thirty years, we have fought tooth and nail to prevent our tax money from being...

Republicans will enact the health reform proposal they unveiled this week if they take back the House, Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) pledged Thursday. Appearing on the Republican National Committee's (RNC) online town hall, Boehner and other House and Senate leaders said they sensed momentum behind GOP efforts to halt Democratic health reform legislation, which is set for a vote on Saturday. "If we get in the majority after the election, I plan to enact our healthcare plan," Boehner said during the town hall.

After the salutory "Dear Friend", Michael Steele quickly endears me with the underlined warning of "Your immediate action is required." No, Mr. Steele, my immediate action is not required of you. Your immediate action is required of me, if you expect a Republican vote (much less a donation) ever again. Mr. Steele demands, with great urgency, an immediate response to his Push Poll questions, plus a donation, of course. Does Michael Steele know what's getting mailed out to former loyal Republicans in his name? If not, he is inept. If he does, he's more than inept. He is tone deaf....

At a meeting of Washington conservatives this morning, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, expressed pride over GOP success in last night's election. But questions about NY-23 remain -- so I asked him whether there was an effort to get New York Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, the GOP nominee in that race, to endorse Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman. "There was a huge effort," he replied.  When asked about rumors that the New York Republican Party picked Scozzafava because of the advice of Washington insiders who felt she would be a more electable candidate, Boehner rolled his eyes. "We told them...

A day after Tim Pawlenty took a few shots at Olympia Snowe, RNC Chairman Michael Steele came to her defense. Asked on Morning Joe whether there was room for the Maine centrist in the GOP, Steele responded "absolutely." Welcome! Welcome! Because--you know why that's important? Because every footprint of this party is different from region to region, from county to county. I can't win in the northeast with someone who'd be a better candidate suited in the south....So the reality of it is I'm looking to find my candidates where they are. And I want to lift them up because...

In last year's campaign, the one true thing Obama said to his critics was, "The political ground is changing under your feet." But what is not sufficiently recognized is that is going on again, right now, in the opposite direction. That is what yesterday's elections showed. And what yesterday's political earthquake revealed about the landscape is that the biggest miscalculation going on right now is that the Republicans underestimate their own strength. As a result, they may fail to take maximum advantage of the political tsunami that is coming in 2010, just building to what is to come in 2012....

Dear Mr. Steele, It is with regret that I must decline to offer any financial support to the RNC at this time. Although I still consider myself a Republican I cannot support what I believe to be misguided leadership and a total disconnect with the core constituency. Most “career” Republicans would rather support the monster that is the Republican machine than serve their citizenry with honor, sacrifice and duty. Virtues this great constitutional republic so desperately need. America is truly at a crossroad as you have pointed out however, I believe that my targeted financial support of conservative, servant-minded candidates...

A third-party conservative, Doug Hoffman, won support across the GOP Sunday in his race for a House seat in upstate New York, after the Republican nominee pulled out over the weekend. (snip) Many Republicans say they see independents who only a year ago were voting Democratic shifting to conservative candidates amid continuing unease about the economy and disenchantment over government spending and Democratic plans for health care and environmental regulation. (snip) "This is a weather vane for a year from now," said Rob Ryan, a spokesman for Mr. Hoffman. (snip) The intraparty tensions in upstate New York are on display...

'm writing about this for my USA Today column, but the Frank Rich hissy fit is a perfect example of the real story of the election. The story is not that the GOP is self-destructing, it is that the conventional wisdom is being shown to be ludicrous. For some time now Frank Rich, Sam Tanenhaus and countless others (including David Frum) have been arguing that the GOP is a rump party and the only way for it to survive is for it to embrace me-too Republicanism of one flavor or another. The story of all three major races (VA, NJ,...

Under pressure from conservative forces within her own party, Dede Scozzafava, the regular Republican nominee in the interim House race for New York's 23d District, suddenly withdrew from the race today. Though endorsed by the Republican National Committee and big GOP establishment names like ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Scozzafava had fallen to third place in polls of the upstate longtime Republican district next to the Canadian border. Her retreat came in the face of a vigorous campaign by Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, who was backed by Sarah Palin, Dick Armey and Fred Thompson, among others. Her surprise move sets...

I’m hearing that the NRCC is pulling out of NY-23. It’s coming from a credible source familiar with the operation inside of the beltway Committee. That being said I just reached out to Matthew Burns, Spokesman for the Scozzafava campaign, who denied this claim. He said it was “False.” Protecting the candidate or categorically true – we’ll let this flesh itself out in the public. I’ll also avoid giving you the analysis of what this could mean for now. Look for links in the comments. UPDATE: I’m on the ground and I have personal confirmation from an additional, credible source...

"Perhaps more ominously for his ( Newt's )rapidly fading hopes for a 2012 Presidential bid, conservatives are beginning to question his integrity. His constant repetition of the false "she's locally selected" mantra seems as off message as Scozzafava's numerous well documented campaign missteps.""Either Newt Gingrich is lying, or someone misled him."But how can "the smartest guy in the room", with a reputation as a scholar and seeker of truth have been so easily misled about a set of facts that could be discerned with half an hour's worth of phone calls?"

RNC Chairman Michael Steele needs to do his homework before going back on Sean Hannity's radio show. Today, Hannity asked him about the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee's support of the liberal Republican in the race against Conservative Party and Republican Doug Hoffman for the House seat vacated by John McHugh. Here's a brief excerpt; listen closely to Steele disputing Hannity about Scozzafava's position on card check: The two sources of proof that Michael Steele is mistaken are Dede Scozzafava and Dede Scozzafava, in writing and on tape. On Oct 19, 2009, the all things liberal...

As high-profile Republicans (other than Newt Gingrich) flock to endorse Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district special election over the Republican in the three-way race, Dede Scozzafava (R) still has one prominent supporter besides the former Speaker: Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele. "I support the republican nominee as the republican party chairman, and that's the way it should go, right?" Steele told NBC's Chuck Todd this morning during an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe (video here--fast forward to 4:55). Conservatives far and wide have alleged Scozzafava is too liberal, as Hoffman has won endorsements from...

This wild ride started a week ago when I released Time for the Tea Party to become Tangible in which I floated the idea that the Tea Party – Town Hall and 912 movements must unite in a common nationwide effort to retake control of the GOP, followed by Making the Tea Party Tangible which identified some of the challenges inherent in any such effort. In short, uniting “the right” makes herding cats look easy! One week later, we have heard from thousands of readers, numerous Tea Party – Town Hall and 912 groups, a number of current politicians, and...

Republicans on Wednesday called for an investigation into allegations that President Barack Obama gave top donors special access to the White House. The Republican National Committee (RNC) demanded an investigation into a report published in The Washington Times that top donors to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) had been rewarded with access to privileged White House tours, behind-the-scenes briefings and other perks. "The seriousness of this issue requires an immediate investigation looking into the degree and details of fundraising efforts between the White House and DNC, whether there was any quid pro quo offered to donors, and the names of...

This is why you lose elections. GOP officials: We won't abandon DedeThe National Republican Congressional Committee remains committed to embattled GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava in the upstate New York House special election, even as many of the party's top names throw their support to Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman. Two party officials tell POLITICO that the NRCC will continue to air TV ads propping up Scozzafava in the days leading up to the Nov. 3 contest and plans to keep up a near relentless barrage of press releases slamming Hoffman. Scozzafava, a state assemblywoman who supports gay marriage, abortion rights...

Pretty good ad.I think just about any voter will understand THIS.LOL! The name "Scozzafava" (RINO), is not even brought up!!

Former Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY) appeared on Neil Cavuto's TV show, and said that he'll likely be making an endorsement soon in the NY-23 special election -- and that he's leaning heavily towards backing Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman over moderate Republican Dede Scozzafava. "I will say to you that I am leaning heavily towards the Conservative," said D'Amato, citing Scozzafava's support for the Employee Free Choice Act as major point against her. D'Amato was first elected in 1980, defeating liberal Republican incumbent Sen. Jacob Javits in the GOP primary. He was re-elected in 1986 and 1992, and then defeated...

A team of conservative bloggers with 73Wire.com arrived in upstate New York's 23rd District this morning and visited the headquarters of liberal Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava: Not only is the NRCC pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into the media campaign of Dede Scozzafava, they're also organizing and coordinating teams of GOTV volunteers in the district. And they're picking up the tab. Our team just finished meeting with a NRCC volunteer named "James" who works out of the Watertown office for the Scozzafava campaign. James informed us that he was sent to Watertown, NY from Washington D.C. as a volunteer...

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) —Nevada Republicans who supported Ron Paul in last year's GOP presidential contest announced a political action committee Monday to oppose the U.S. Senate bid of former state party chairwoman Sue Lowden. Robert Holloday, spokesman for the Fair Nevada Elections PAC, said Lowden's handling of last year's state convention when delegate selections were stopped amounted to betrayal. "Sue Lowden's leading role in improperly halting the delegate election disqualifies her for any position of trust in government," Holloday said. "Our group hopes to raise awareness of the dismal record of Sue Lowden and to oppose her election to...

PRINCETON, NJ -- Conservatives continue to outnumber moderates and liberals in the American populace in 2009, confirming a finding that Gallup first noted in June. Forty percent of Americans describe their political views as conservative, 36% as moderate, and 20% as liberal. This marks a shift from 2005 through 2008, when moderates were tied with conservatives as the most prevalent group.

So I got yet another solicitation from the RNC in the mail today. And then I remembered how Michael Steele and the RNC/NRCC establishment is backing the infamous DIABLO Scozzabama. And then I remembered how Lindsey Graham is helping John F'in Kerry on cap-and-tax. That's when I got mad. And then I remembered how Lindsey Graham went in front of La Raza and said: "We're going to shut those bigots up!" That's when I got REALLY mad. It's unfortunate that the stupid RINOs can't get a very plain and simple message: NO MORE DAMN RINOS! And with that, I am...

When is this pathetic group going to wake up. This website http://www.gop.com/ is a disgrace. And they are going to compete with a computer savvy group like moveon.org? I know what I'm talking about here. I just completed a great site of my own. Granted gop.com is a beta version, but the retards should know you test the site off line before you 'show' it to the public. First the artwork reminds me of communist China - the overall design sucks. Nothing works - you have to sign up multiple times - the links don't work. Of course there is...

Scozzafaza Suffers While Hoffman Racks Up The Endorsements Jillian BandesFriday, October 23, 2009 Sarah Palin, Steve Forbes, and Glenn Beck have all lined up for Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in the New York-23 race, while Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava suffers from fundraising woes and an all-out attack by at least a dozen conservative organizations. Those organizations have called for the resignation of Scozzafava, saying her credentials as a conservative are slim to none. The endorsements of Hoffman and the backlash against Scozzafava have thrown the contest further into the national spotlight and solidifying it as a key litmus test...

Generally speaking roughly half of registered Republicans and right-leaning independent don’t vote in any given election. As conservatives, we’re the individual imitative group. If we each actively sought among our like-minded friends, family and associates to make sure they voted with the goal of generating at least one such additional voter each election (what I call adopt a voter), the collective impact would be dramatic. Complain about the RNC all you want but they are simply a prime example of what’s to be expected when you relinquish to others what you should be doing yourself.

Time to pull the head out of the elephant's you-know-what. Earlier today, I sent this out to the Twitter hordes: NY-23 race is indicative of why Republican party won't be able 2 count on the support of, um, Republicans.I then had a couple of interesting conversations with some other bitter-clingers about what it's going to take before the current Republican party power brokers realize that the rest of us are giving them the finger. Maybe this. Or this. This is why it was so amusing when President "Don't Question Me" told his bobble heads that "Republicans do what they're told."...

"Early in the Tea Party movement, I wrote about the significant difference between the Boston Tea Party and the Tea Party movement of the 21st century. Namely, that complaining and marching in the 21st century was by no means equal to tossing British Tea in the Boston Harbor and flatly refusing to pay another penny in taxes to a tyrant clearly operating at odds with the American taxpayer." .... "Before all peaceful solutions are exhausted and only violent revolution remains, it’s time for the Tea Party to become tangible… and time is of the essence!" .... "The Tea Party and...

Michael Steele, the elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee as of earlier this year, does not have great approval numbers from within his party. The former Lt.Governor and Republican candidate for Senator in Maryland, Steele is the first black Chairman of the Republican National Committee, and after being elected to that position, faced vicious & ugly attacks from the left. Steele has had some bright spots while Chairman, however, he has made a lot of troubling moves during his tenure. As Steele has made some confusing remarks on abortion, believes that "potato salad" will help diversify the Republican party,...

Thomas Lifson What on earth was Michael Steele thinking? With Democrat vote maximizing ACORN on the rocks, he offers praise and excuses. ACORN president Bertha Lewis gave a National Press Club speech portraying ACORN as a victim that provoked even liberal Dana Milbank to scoff. But somehow, the GOP's chairman sees ACORN through rose-colored lenses. Matthew Vadum of the American Spectator writes: In a video of Steele from a Sept. 21 speech that surfaced on a left-wing website the day of Lewis's speech, Steele praises Lewis. "The current head of the organization, she's done a phenomenal job getting out in...

Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) endorsed GOP special-election candidate Dede Scozzafava on Monday, saying a vote for her Conservative Party opponent is tantamount to a vote for the Democrats in the close 23rd Congressional District race in New York. . . . . . In a statement, King made the case that voting for Hoffman will only help Democrat Bill Owens win. "Dede is the only Republican candidate in this race, and the only candidate with a proven record that Republicans can trust in Washington," King said. "A vote for either of her opponents is a vote for Nancy Pelosi and...

WEST VALLEY CITY — The head of the Republican National Committee said Friday he believes voters may have moved beyond the bias against Mormonism that hurt Mitt Romney in last year's presidential election. Speaking to reporters after a town hall meeting at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, Michael Steele said comments he made earlier this year about Romney being rejected by the GOP base because of his faith were "old news." "I was speaking to an attitude or a mindset at the time that I thought was unfortunate and I said that I think (Romney) proved just how unfortunate it...

So Democrats finally got a Republican to sign on to their health care bill that will saddle Americans taxpayers with more than $2.8 trillion in debt over the next 20 years... The best example of this is up in the special election to fill the House seat vacated by moderate Republican Rep. John McHugh. Republican Party bosses in upstate New York and the National Republican Congressional Committee may have thought it a good idea to put liberal state Rep. Dede Scozzafava on the Republican line. But as Politico reports, conservatives -- and even many Republicans -- aren't eating that dog...

Republican heavy hitters are stepping up for the party’s New York special election candidate, after a poll this week showed the GOP in danger of losing that House seat.On Friday, former House Speaker and Republican icon Newt Gingrich announced his endorsement of New York Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, who is trailing Democrat Bill Owens in a tight three-way race to succeed nine-term GOP Rep. John M. McHugh . McHugh vacated the seat to become secretary of the Army. The Republican National Committee also confirmed Friday that it was making a six-figure transfer to the National Republican Campaign Committee to help in...

The Republican National Committee is making its first large financial commitment to the party's candidate in a New York special election, fighting back criticism that the party has allowed Democrats to jump to an early lead. The RNC will give $85,000 to the coordinated campaign efforts, the maximum allowed by federal law. And the RNC will give the New York state Republican Party what a source described as a six-figure transfer in order to run more advertising on behalf of Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava (R). Meanwhile, the RNC has sent two paid staffers to help Scozzafava's campaign, and it has committed...

The @RNC just made "6-figure" transfer to @nrcc for radical leftist Scozzafava, endorsed by @newtgingrich. Call 'em out.

Anyone seen this new website? What an embarrassment. And Michael Steele has a blog called "What's Up?" Good grief....

Deepak Bhargava's partner Harry Hanbury makes docos for ANP. He recently shot this clip at a Republican National Committee meeting, which was to feature a special session to vote on a resolution to re-brand the Democratic Party as the "Democrat Socialist Party." Hanbury was obviously intending to mock the Republicans-but actually succeeded in giving me a little more confidence in the Party. These guys actually do seem to have some idea of the Democrat's destructive agenda. . . .

Between the town hall meetings and the tea party rallies, millions of Americans are taking to the streets to protest a government gone berserk. They are angry and determined to take their country back. But there are snakes in the grass intent on using this movement to return to power, not the people, but the Republican establishment. If this happens we lose everything, including our country.