Why the hell hasn't Ken Mehlman stepped the hell down?

freerepublic ^ | 09 November 2006 b | Trueblackman

[Trueblackman]

As a Conservative, I want to know why the hell hasn't the ineffective Republican National Comittee Chair Ken Mehlman not resigned from his position following the loses in the House and Senate.

It was Mehlman job to find and craft the message of the party and find good quality Conservative candidate, but Mehlman used his time trying to get along and apply to liberals and their fringe groups and not the base of our party,

So it is time to throw Mehlman under the bus and move on.

I believe that our party needs a younger Chairman 30-50 years old who can find young conservatives to run for national, state and local office as bring new blood into the party. Mehlman allowed the party to get fat and lazy with no direction and thus we lost the election because the base stayed at home, now it is time to send Mehlman home!!!

We need a chair who will take on the left, label them for what they are and prepare a group of Conservative Candidates and Presidential Nominees, who will put us back in the majority with mass numbers, while putting forth the Conservative Ideas that won us the majority 12 years ago.

[Trueblackman]

How many of you feel the way I do and agree with me it is time for Mehlman to go.

[top 2 toe red]

I'd love to see Michael Steele head the RNC.

[ClaireSolt]

Yesterday, there was a thread that said that Michael Steele was considering an offer to be RNC chair. You like?

[kenth]

I wholeheartedly agree. Back when gas hovered over three bucks a gallon, one of his bright talking points was to warn us not to vote dem or gas prices would go up.

Real sharp that Mehlman.

[x]

More here New GOP Chief?.

Is it really Mehlman's fault though?

[Trueblackman]

Yes Michael would in fact be a good choice, he is a personal friend and good guy.

[NittanyLion]

I agree. Mehlman must go. And Dole better not be leading the Senate effort in 2008.

[catholicfreeper]

Well, I am not for throwing him under the bus yet. Besides look at his performance in 04. Also if this true how can you blame him
"Told you so [Rich Lowry]

So says the NRCC about these races, according to the Washington Post:

On the GOP side, the finger-pointing began soon after the results were clear. GOP officials faulted several lawmakers for blowing their races. For months, the National Republican Congressional Committee warned incumbents that this year's headwinds could endanger them — even if they had not faced serious races before.

The NRCC went to Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) in the summer with a poll that showed him in real jeopardy in his race against teacher Tim Walz (D). Gutknecht did not adequately heed that warning, falling to Walz in the southern Minnesota 1st District.

In Iowa's 2nd District, the NRCC noticed months ago that Rep. Jim Leach (R) could well lose to Democrat Dave Loebsack. National Republicans did not want to tip off Democrats to his troubles, so they decided against running ads there. Instead, GOP aides said, they decided to pay for a direct-mail effort on Leach's behalf, but just as it was about to be sent out, Leach insisted it be canceled. He lost to Loebsack on Tuesday night.

In Pennsylvania's 4th District, Rep. Melissa Hart (R) ignored repeated warnings from national Republicans to go negative early on her opponent, Jason Altmire (D). Hart waited — out of fear for raising Altmire's name recognition. She waited too long."
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NTVjNjM1ZGUxODQ5NWMwYjM1YmY4MWY3ZWUwMTIxNDA=

Jay Cost also says a huge part of the problem was that the Canidates underestimated their opponents

[hocndoc]

Oh, yeah, Republican voters have earned sooooo much respect. We run off everyone for any reason. Maybe if we don't vote in that race, maybe if we write in "Mickey Mouse," "they" will learn a lesson and do what we tell them.

[catholicfreeper]

I would like Steele too. I just want a honest analysis of what went wrong.

[theDentist]

I said it first thing yesterday. Him, Hastert, Blunt, etc.

[mnehring]

Kevin,
You know I have a lot of respect for you, but I think this is a little premature. First we need a good analysis of exactly where the breakdown happened and what worked in the past. We had a major failure here, however, Mehlman has also led us to great victories as well as he was a strong fund-raiser.

It would be nice, however, to have a new face to our party. I agree with others here that Steele would be PERFECT as a figurehead for our party.

[floridareader1]

Dump Karl Rove! He is the one who led us to defeat.

Don't scapegoat Mehlman, he is a good chairman.

[floridareader1]

I think Mehlman is going to resign in the next week or so. He is going to be working for a presidential campaign.

The true villain here is Karl Rove.

[Trueblackman]

Yes Ken has done some great things, but in this election he seemed to be asleep at the wheel and I am sorry if we are going to clean up our leadership in the House and Senate, then we must do the same at the RNC.

[kevkrom]

He will step down. I can't imagine he can stay on after Tuesday.

And yes, I'm with those calling for Steele. He has the experience (former head of the MD GOP), the charisma, and the nicely sparring attitude toward the press that will make him an effective leader and spokesman.

[Niteranger68]

Dump Karl Rove! He is the one who led us to defeat.

I call BS. If for no other reason, we should keep Rove because the left despises him.

[mkjessup]

How many of you feel the way I do and agree with me it is time for Mehlman to go.

I'll go you one better:

Not only should Mehlman be tendering his resignation as RNC Chairman, the Republican Party should be purging itself of each every Senatorial RINO. Now that the GOP no longer has a majority in either house, there is no longer any reason NOT to jettison the weak sisters like Arlen Specter, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, UpChuck Hagel, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, Lugar from Indiana, Richard Lugar, George 'Cryin In The Senate' Voinovich, and last but not least, John Warner.

An example should be made of those Senators, strip them of any rank and privilege remaining after Tuesday's political equivalent of Little Big Horn (can we figure out who scalped who?), inform them that they are no longer part of the GOP, no Party funds or support will be provided to them, and they are not permitted to use any Republican imagery, title or trademarks from the day of their ouster forward. Evict them from their nice plush offices back in their home states, and inform them that they can caucus with Jumpin' Jim Jeffords, that they are persona non grata among their colleagues. Let the remaining Republicans over on the House side ponder the implications.

Better to have a true, all-American, solid, loyal, hard core conservative political party which can one day be rebirthed as the GOP we used to recognize, one that stood for a national defense second to none, fiscal restraint and responsibility, a foreign policy that was based upon what was in AMERICA's best interest, not in what the mealy-mouthed weasels at the U.N. want, social policy which reflects the Judeo-Christian traditions and history of our Nation, a rock solid position of protecting human life from conception forward, defending the sanctity of marriage, and instilling in our children the great and honorable history of the United States, God will be invited BACK into our schools and institutions of higher learning, and the A.C.L.U. and their sock puppet Democrats be damned!

[hocndoc]

Since Republicans killed so many of their own in this race, I guess it makes sense to leave Mehlman dead on the field the same way we did all of the other Republicans who didn't measure up 100%?

[Trueblackman]

Damn right, we are Conservatives.