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GOP civil war: Herman Cain calls for third party
Salon ^ | November 7, 2012 | Alex Seitz-Wald

Posted on 11/09/2012 5:24:02 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

It’s been less than 24 hours since the polls closed and already the first shots in an emerging civil war within the conservative movement are being fired. Right-leaning pundits have been taking turns beating up on Mitt Romney and blaming him for the loss last night. Donald Trump just tweeted, “Congrats to @KarlRove on blowing $400 million this cycle. Every race @CrossroadsGPS ran ads in, the Republicans lost. What a waste of money.” And GOP leaders are already taking to the barricades on either side of the divide, which basically comes down to this question: Were Romney and the GOP too conservative or not conservative enough?

Steve Schmidt, a top Republican strategist who ran John McCain’s 2008 campaign, invoked the term on MSNBC this morning. “When I talk about a civil war in the Republican Party, what I mean is, it’s time for Republican elected leaders to stand up and to repudiate this nonsense [of the extreme right wing], and to repudiate it directly,” he said.

But on the other side of the fight, Herman Cain, the former presidential candidate who still has a robust following via his popular talk radio program and speaking tours, today suggested the most clear step to open civil war: secession. Appearing on Bryan Fischer’s radio program this afternoon, Cain called for a large faction of Republican Party leaders to desert the party and form a third, more conservative party.

“I never thought that I would say this, and this is the first time publicly that I’ve said it: We need a third party to save this country. Not Ron Paul and the Ron Paulites. No. We need a legitimate third party to challenge the current system that we have, because I don’t believe that the Republican Party … has the ability to rebrand itself,” Cain said.

Fischer, a social conservative leader, noted that he predicted this summer that if Mitt Romney loses, evangelical conservatives would start a third party. “If Barack Obama wins this election the Republican Party as we know it is finished, it is dead, it is toast,” Fischer said in September at the Values Voter Summit in Washington.

Rush Limabugh, two months ago, echoed the sentiment. ”If Obama wins, let me tell you what it’s the end of: the Republican Party. There’s gonna be a third party that’s gonna be oriented toward conservatism,” he said.

“It is more viable today than it has ever been,” Cain told Fischer today of a third party.

After the GOP’s crushing 2008 loss, there was lots of talk about a new third party. When the Tea Party emerged, this talk almost became a reality. Instead, the conservative activists opted for a hostile takeover of the GOP. It’s still very unlikely that Cain or anyone else could start a viable third party, but his comments underscore the cleavage within the conservative movement in the wake of the defeat last night.


TOPICS: Issues; Parties
KEYWORDS: gopcivilwar; hermancain; rinos; ronpaul; rushlimbaugh; steveschmidt; sublamation; talkradio; teaparty; thirdparty
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1 posted on 11/09/2012 5:24:14 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Well - just goes to tell ya, Herman isn’t very bright.


2 posted on 11/09/2012 5:25:34 PM PST by Ron C.
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Agree. If bonehead dork Boehner doesn’t committ suicide in the next three weeks, I am no longer a Republican.


3 posted on 11/09/2012 5:26:25 PM PST by Da Coyote
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Don't just talk about it; do it!

Get this started NOW, and ready for 2014 Congressional and State Elections.

Of course, the Establishment OWNS all the Media, and the facts won't get out.

We'd see NOTHING but the constant, 24/7 bullshit against it/smears like Palin, Cain, Santorum, etc. recieved in the Primaries.

We are done....

4 posted on 11/09/2012 5:26:54 PM PST by traditional1 (Don't gotsta worry 'bout no mo'gage, don't gotsta worry 'bout no gas; Obama gonna take care o' me!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Agree. If bonehead dork Boehner doesn’t committ suicide in the next three weeks, I am no longer a Republican.


5 posted on 11/09/2012 5:27:03 PM PST by Da Coyote
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I agree with Herman!


6 posted on 11/09/2012 5:27:36 PM PST by Yaelle
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Sign me up!

Now.


7 posted on 11/09/2012 5:28:29 PM PST by Cringing Negativism Network (America doesn't need any new laws. America needs freedom!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Its going to happen eventually.

The trick is to avoid thinking it will spring to power and replace the GOP. You’ve got to build small, pick off a seat here and there and caucus with conservative republicans. Over time you can start pulling the conservative republicans into the fold.


8 posted on 11/09/2012 5:28:51 PM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Rove and Schmidt should come out of the closet, and switch parties.


9 posted on 11/09/2012 5:29:08 PM PST by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: Yaelle

The Libertarian party got one percent for the presidential election — in real terms that is huge — they did so spending fractions of a cent compared to republican and democrat advertisement.


10 posted on 11/09/2012 5:30:26 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

After Christmas Herman...

Lets get through Thankgiving and Christmas and then we’ll talk next year...

But I think that the GOP types just might listen to reason and be willing and eagar to try something else...

like good sense and Conservatism...


11 posted on 11/09/2012 5:31:11 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“It’s still very unlikely that Cain or anyone else could start a viable third party,”

Ever hear of Sarah Palin? Many of us would be pleased to have her head a ticket.


12 posted on 11/09/2012 5:31:40 PM PST by txrefugee
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To: Da Coyote

Adios.


13 posted on 11/09/2012 5:33:38 PM PST by Jacquerie (Welcome to arbitrary government.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Herman Cain felt some heat and left the kitchen.

A third party requires a Master Chef - Not a Dishwasher.


14 posted on 11/09/2012 5:33:51 PM PST by KittenClaws (You may have to fight a battle more than once in order to win it." - Margaret Thatcher)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I'm beginning to consider this may be the way to go. Not that I think a third party can win on its own, it wouldn't be able to for decades. It would have to form a coalition with the GOP to win.

But I think there's strength in numbers - the GOP wouldn't be able to take conservatives for granted anymore and expect to keep the coalition intact. It would guarantee us a seat at the table selecting candidates, making policy, etc.

On the other hand, it may cause the GOP to finally just up & form a public alliance with the democrats. But then at least everyone's cards would be on the table.

15 posted on 11/09/2012 5:34:10 PM PST by skeeter
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Oh ya... third parties always out juuuuusst great.

The socialist party and the communist party stopped trying to be third parties because they wanted results more than principled voters so they took over the democrap party.

It is strange that he is upset at a narrow loss and is proposing and idea to loose by even greater numbers. Genius.

16 posted on 11/09/2012 5:34:32 PM PST by GregoTX (Federalist)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I hear GW’s nephew has filed in Tx to run for office. NO MORE BUSHES


17 posted on 11/09/2012 5:34:38 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: txrefugee

Sarah, TEA party. I can’t think of anything with more potential. The trick would be to get alot of the elected conservative to switch from GOP to the TEA party.


18 posted on 11/09/2012 5:35:11 PM PST by PhiloBedo (You gotta roll with the punches and get with what's real.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Just run as part of the Independent Party the way the stealth democrats run. It works.


19 posted on 11/09/2012 5:36:05 PM PST by Bronzy
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To: PhiloBedo

“Sarah, TEA party. I can’t think of anything with more potential. The trick would be to get alot of the elected conservative to switch from GOP to the TEA party.”

This is what I like to read...:)


20 posted on 11/09/2012 5:37:52 PM PST by antonico
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