GOP Elite Declares War on Tea Party

RUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, there's a big piece in the New York Times Magazine coming this weekend. It is entitled: "Does Anyone Have a Grip on the GOP?" The subhead: "The Republican Elite Tries to Take Its Party Back." This article prints like 24 pages. It is a major, major New York Times Magazine piece. It confirms everything that I have thought, everything I have speculated, everything I have said about the battle between the Republican elite and the Tea Party.

I can't read the whole thing on the program; I don't intend to. I've got some highlights or quotes that are illustrative here, but this is an open declaration of war from the GOP elites to the Tea Party, and it's right there in the New York Times. And these Republican establishment types are more than willing to be quoted by name, and what I think it all means is they think that they've beaten the Tea Party hordes back. Do you realize that Chuck Schumer and a bunch of Democrats are running around campaigning now against the Tea Party. The Tea Party poses the greatest threat to this country. The Tea Party is a bunch of racist, sexist bigots. This is the message and the Republican elite, while not joining word for word that message, are still joining with the Democrats in the notion that the Tea Party is a problem and needs to be beaten back.

Now, this piece in the New York Times illustrates the obstacles Tea Party lawmakers are up against. All these Republican freshmen in the House, for example, this article makes it plain how difficult their job is. There's even a section in this story on compromise, the bad kind of compromise, the kind of compromise that Republicans have been known for, get along with the Democrats, please the media, show that we're not the unreasonable Tea Party types. That's what's shaking down here. The Tea Party is under assault from the Democrats and the Republican elite, and now the battle has been brought full fore in the pages of the New York Times Magazine.

There's some quotes from various people in this story. Bill Kristol on the Tea Party: "It's an infantile form of conservatism." Scott Reed, veteran strategist and lobbyist: "I think it's waning now," talking to the reporter of the story about the Tea Party's influence. "Party leaders have managed to bleed some of the anti-establishment intensity out of the movement, Reed said, by slyly embracing Tea Party sympathizers in Congress, rather than treating them as 'those people.' Did he mean to say that the party was slowly co-opting the Tea Partiers? 'Trying to,' Reed said. 'And that’s the secret to politics: trying to control a segment of people without those people recognizing that you’re trying to control them.'" This is a Republican consultant talking about how to neutralize the Tea Party.

John Feehery, a lobbyist who was once a senior House aide I think to Denny Hastert is also quoted. "The thing I get a kick out of is these Tea Party people calling me a RINO. No, guys, I've been a Republican all along. You go off on your own little world and then come back and say it's your party. Well, this ain't your party." Vin Weber, r-e, the Tea Party lawmakers. Vin Weber is a former member of Congress from Minnesota, now a big time lobbyist and Republican consultant. Vin Weber: "One thing I do notice about 'em is when I ask them, 'So how are you enjoying it?'" talking about the Tea Party members of Congress, "almost none of them say, 'Oh, jeez, I'm really loving this.' They all say some version of, 'This is not what I'd want to be doing, but I've got to do it for the country.'" So, "Weber seemed genuinely surprised that this aversion to Washington didn't melt away once they arrived in town."

Gosh, what have we always speculated here? Or what have we always known? One of the biggest problems is conservatives run around the country, campaign, and get elected on conservatism; then go to Washington, get corrupted and co-opted by the culture there. Here's Vin Weber admitting it! Vin Weber is admitting it and shocked and stunned that the Tea Party guys haven't fallen for it yet. He says he's surprised. Yeah, they're not really loving this. They're here not doing what they want to do; they're trying to save the country. "Weber seemed genuinely surprised that this aversion to Washington didn't melt away once they got to town." He says, 'I can just tell you when I came to Congress we were rabble-rousers, but, boy, if you'd asked any of us six months into it how we were enjoying it, we woulda said, "This is the greatest opportunity of a lifetime."

"'It just struck me, and it's part and parcel of this anti-government mind-set,'" meaning: "We in the Republican Party. "'We're not anti-government,' these Tea Party anti-government people, why, they're so damn serious, they can't enjoy this! They don't understand the kind of power they've got. They don't realize the fun they could be having. When we got here, we had a ball! We just fell right into it and we wanted to become big parts of the machine!" I'm adding my own words here but that's how I'm interpreting what Weber means. "'Yeah, it just struck me,' Weber said. 'It's part and parcel of this anti-government mind-set.'" This is a reporter writing: "I wondered if maybe the Tea Partiers' contempt for Washington was just a kind of outsiders schtick.

"Weber replied glumly, 'I'd feel better about it if I thought it was,' but Weber said, 'I think these people are genuinely anti-Washington,'" and that makes him nervous. Can't have that! If they're anti-Washington, we don't want 'em here. "Charlie Black, longtime Republican strategerist and lobbyist confidently predicted when he talked to [the New York Times reporter] about the more radical members of the freshman class, they'll become the establishment. You wait." I thought George Will said there was no Republican establishment anymore! I thought the Republican establishment itself was trying to say there's no establishment, in recent weeks. I thought they were all saying it has just a fiction of everybody's imagination. Here's Charlie Black: Yeah, they'll become the establishment.

He's talking about the Tea Party freshmen: They'll become the establishment in time; not worried about it. Bill Kristol again: "I've been slightly, not worried, but I've just regarded it as one of the things I can do as a genuine Tea Party sympathizer to counsel Tea Party types to be sensible, not go overboard and not go in the wrong direction. From my point of view, I wouldn't want 'em to win all of their fights." He wants 'em to lose some. Bill Kristol wants the Tea Party to lose some. The New York Times is worried that the wrong people might get control of the Republican Party. That's what this story is about. The reason why this story is running is because of abject fear of the Tea Party. The Washington elite love a Republican elite that agrees to be second fiddle.

The media and the Washington elite love a Republican elite who agree to be the minority. The Washington elite, the New York Times, and the media love a Republican elite that understands its place is number two in the pecking order. So the New York Times is now worried the "wrong" people might get control of the GOP -- and you know how concerned the New York Times is about the well-being of the Republican Party. They need the party to maintain its mind-set of second fiddle, second place, always on defense, always not really in the clique and striving to get in it. That's what they want the Republican Party to be, and the Tea Party threatens that.

Scott Reed: "Yep, trying to, that's the secret of politics: Trying to control a segment of people without those people recognizing you're trying to control 'em." Luckily none of these hicks in the Tea Party would ever read the New York Times so they won't figure out what's being done on 'em. Stop and think of this. Here are these Republican elites announcing all of this, being quoted by name in the New York Times Sunday Magazine as though the Tea Party members of Congress are never gonna find out about this! It's a -- I don't know -- open declaring of war? What we've always known is going on, what they've always denied is going on, now it's happening and the New York Times proudly writes a cover story in this weekend's magazine of 7,028 words, 73 paragraphs. From the New York Times article: "George Will recently said there is no such thing as the Republican establishment, which is a little like Michael Douglas say there's no such thing as Hollywood." That's from the article. That's not me.

Maybe it's time to start thinking Tea Party as 3rd Party?

If Romney gets the nomination, why not go third party ? There would be almost no difference in a Romney or Obama administration. The last RINO, McCain, suspended his campaign to vote yes on a bailout package. And in the process he basically threw the race to Obama. You never know what will happen with a RINO. With a conservative you know exactly what will happen. Conservatives have something that can never be bought. Integrity. Which explains why the RINO leaders hate conservatives.

Then let them stew in their own waste until next time. I hate Rockefeller Republicans MORE than I hate Democrat Socialists because they ENABLE them.

Even B.O. gets to stink up the White House another four years (unlikely), the GOP should pick up more seats in the House and win the Senate. That will defang him, IF we get enough Tea Party people in their kick McConnell and Bohner out of their leadership positions. They are worse than useless.

I think if Cain gets nominated, he will beat Obama. I actually know a number of balck voters who I would NEVER have thought would vote GOP who said they have had it with Obama and will vote for Cain. (AGAIN - despite the name “ZULU”, I am a white anglo!)

“The ONE thing that very easily could cause Obama to win re-election is Romney becoming the nominee, causing conservative voters to opt out of the election. His problem is his religion. Like it or not, the majority of voters simply won't pull the lever for a Mormon, particularly one with his liberal baggage.

I'm just hoping that the great influx of Tea Party delegates (considerably large) to the conventions will be enough to stop a Romney nomination.”

I agree with you also. BUT, in the event Romney DOES get the nomination, REMEMBER THE ROMANS. They lost a lot of battles in the Second Punic War, but defeated Hannibal BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT DEFEAT AS AN OPTION.

If we do as you are doing and suggesting, CHIP AWAY AT THE COUNTY COMMITTEES and municipal Committee seats, WE will take over the GOP. Then the RINOs can go serve their masters in the Democrat/Socialist Party - WHERE THEY BELONG!!

But I am VERY VERY OPTIMITISTIC. I think Cain can beat Obama and will get the nomination, But I would just as readily support another Conservative Republican if he starts to drop. Romney can only garner about 1/3 of the GOP votes AT BEST.

We have to be prepared for New Hampshire. Those idiots up there allow cross-over votes, so we need to be able to discount the results there in the event Romney, their “homeboy” wins.

On Hannity last night, they had a conservative political consultant on. He said the media is gearing up to “trash” Cain. As a conservative Black Republican, they HATE him. They will use the same tactics they used in the past against Goldwater, Pailn, Gingrich, Bachmann, Phil Graham and others. He said the conservatives in the party have to be ready to BLAST any news channel which does this with millions of e-mails, phone calls and letters. Psychologically whip them into behavior.

Keep up the good work, Ron C. GOD BLESS YOU!!!

Echoing your thoughts:

Just as a followup via Hot Air - Report:
Marco Rubio’s top aide pushed to move Florida primary up to benefit Romney

----- Forwarded Message -----
To: "feedback@hannity.com"
Sent: Friday, October 7, 2011 3:31 PM
Subject: Republican Primaries

Sean,
Why is the Republican Party trying to move caucuses and primaries to earlier dates?

It wouldn't be due to the fact that the establishment is worried about a candidate that could come from outside the beltway establisment to win the Republican nomination? Is the establishment that afraid of the Tea Party Republicans?

That Herman Cain is some scary nubian isn't he? The "999" plan must have the boys and girls on K Street pooping in their pants.

v/r,
JV's b
Proud member of the DC Chapter of FreeRepublic

You are correct. Since about the second year of Bush's first term, I concluded that the necessary first step to restoration of the Republic was for the GOP to die.

After Newt cratered in 1995 (and with the help of the previous Bush I RINO administration), a revolution took place in the party just as profound as that in 1964, and in just the opposite way. The entire Reagan revolution and philosophy has been overthrown by Rockefeller pubbies.

Oh, sure, Reagan's name is invoked by almost everyone in the party, just as the name of Jesus is invoked in most churches. But like most churches who wouldn't recognize Jesus if He walked in the door, most of today's Republicans wouldn't recognize Reagan or his philosophy if he walked into a GOP convention.

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