RNC Memo Warns GOPers Not To Distance Themselves From Bush

The Hotline (National Journal) ^ | March 28, 2006

[Karl Rand]

Republican pollster Jan van Lohuizen, in a memo written for RNC chairman Ken Mehlman, warns that if members of Congress try to drive a wedge between themselves and Pres. Bush, it'd be akin to adding weight to an anchor. GOpers are "W Brand Republicans" whether they like it or not. And van Louhizen, who has polled (often secretly) for the Bush White House under the RNC aegis for years, is worried about low turnout.

Time Magazine first reported on the memo this weekend, but the full text is below.

[meema]

Why don't they warn Bush to stop distancing himself from the people who elected him?

That would be a wise move.

[meema]

Conservatives are complaining that W has taken us the wrong direction altogether on key issues--federal spending, campaign finance reform, guest worker programs, affirmative action etc.

And there is some truth to their argument. Even his two court appointments, which have been W's finest domestic moments are tainted--the conservatives had to go nuts to get him to back-off on what would have been huge blunders--first, Alberto Gonzales and then Harriet Miers. So he doesn't even get full credit for his twofer on this issue.

The past year and a half have been awful. I understand that he has been happy that he does not have to run for re-election, but I am disgusted with the kind of republican he has turned out to be. The first thing that I noticed immediately after the 2004 election was his arrogance. That was shocking to me at the time, and it continued...The Open borders, calling the MinuteMen "vigilantes", Gonzales, Miers, DPWorld, etc. "Trust me" doesn't work for me anymore...
This makes me sick.

[Sam the Sham]

How stupid you are.

But then again, you think the Shiites are or will be 'grateful'. That is the epitome of 'buy the Brooklyn Bridge' dumb.

[Sam the Sham]

It was Bush who brought the subject to the forefront, not anyone else.

Ever heard of someone called Tom Tancredo ? Bush has always floated guest worker/amnesty plans that would have meant importing a third world serf underclass purely for the selfish interests of his buddies and to depress American wages.

[Sam the Sham]

Zook, I sure did call it right about you being a phony (my, oh, my how you worked your fingers to the bone getting a doctorate in the sweatshops of academia) who preaches the inevitability of third world squalor for America from the comfort of his own guaranteed job for life.

A tsumani is coming. Immigration is a red button issue. The last red button issues were little things like the death penalty, crime, commies, and abortion. When red button issues emerge the political landscape changes.

[garandgal]

So, you're telling us we must surrender to the Caesar Chavez socialists and see our nation drown in a deluge of illegal labor and its nation warping demands? We may die as a nation, but we'll have a cheap last meal.

Good heavens! I'm on YOUR side. I was replying to a post about the "cost" of food going through the roof without illegals (it won't).

Specifically, someone suggested that corporations might then start to import cheaper food. That is what sparked my comment....any nation that would "import" their food supply, is being run by total idiots.

[Badray]

Are you blind or stupid?

We did vote for him (or perhaps more precisely against Gore and Kerry, but the result was the same -- Bush got our vote. That's why we are so pissed now.

Now, answer the question.

[Badray]

Our viewpoints differ somewhat. Timing and perception, mostly.

N. Korea was (is) a bigger potential threat because of their nukes, but Iraq was viewed as a more immediate threat and at least at one time -- and possibly still -- had chemical weapons that didn't require an ICBM delivery system and he had already used them and he invaded Kuwait so his propensity to act again was deemed more likely.

I think Iraq will prove to be more strategic as much of the ME -- including Iran and Saudi Arabia -- undergoes lots of changes and upheaval.

[Badray]

You're full of gloom and doom, aren't you?

In 2006, if the Dems take both houses of Congress (which I doubt), Jorge -- if he care a whit about the country -- can start to use his veto power and stop a lot of what they want to do. Even if they take Congress, it won't be a veto proof Congress.

Again, if the above scenario plays out, we have two years to find and field conservatives to take back the House and some of the Senate and work for a conservative candidate for the WH.

Now, if they do take hold and Bush doesn't stop them, well, it will define Jorge forever and still give us two years to get things together.

Look on the bright side. If they take the House and impeach Jorge, they might be too busy to pass much legislation.

It's not that I don't take the Dems seriously, it's just that I don't ascribe that much power to them or even the intellect to carry it off. Jorge did as much or more damage in 5 years as it took the Dems 40 years to do.

[Sometimes A River]

"What's the point of being in Iraq"

The Million Dollar question.

[Badray]

You speak as though we are opposed to LEGAL immigration. We're not. We welcome LEGAL immigrants who obey the law. It is the ILLEGALS that we have a problem with.

Legal immigrants have a net positive effect on America. Illegals are a net negative.

[Badray]

At least you were honest in picking a screen name.

One reason that LEGAL immigration is controlled and limited in number is to allow the slow assimilation into our society so that they can become American.

All the ILLEGALS have done is move their Mexican ghettos north of the Rio Grande and don't want to assimilate. Why assimilate when their numbers are large enough to force us to change or to allow them to take over an area?

You are the typical wide eyed pollyanna.

[pissant]

Lets' see. I believe General Pace, General Casey, Donald Rumsfeld, Allyd Allawi, the bloggers IN Iraq, Ralph Petersen, our freepers in Iraq, Mark Steyn, and GWB.

You believe the NY Times, Frank Rich, Cindy Sheehan, and John Murtha.

Not sure I'd be tossing around the term stupid.

[pissant]

And that is all he's proposing, huh? See post 519.

[zook]

Deconstructionist is a paranoid who wets the bed. Badray, having sent me 4 or 5 messages since yesterday, apparently has a crush on me. Sorry, I'm spoken for.

[zook]

Sam,
You had a couple of so-so hit records in the 60's, but no one much listens to you anymore.

[pollyannaish]

I realize that most people are opposed to illegal immigration, not legal immigrants. The problem is, that even in comments around here that distinction becomes murky and the rhetoric and hysteria begins to sound anti-hispanic immigrant. As an example, if a company hires Hispanic workers regularly they must look at their papers on the day of hire. If those papers look legitimate, people are hired. But, if the company suddenly becomes responsible for anyone who may have forged documents, they will begin to discriminate against all Hispanics in an attempt to protect themselves. That creates a problem for conservatives within the Hispanic community. We can not afford for that to happen.

The problem is that of perception. Like it or not, the debate has been framed in a way that is alienating legal Hispanic immigrants.

We must proceed with utmost care, calmness and with an eye towards the big picture. Like much of what the President does, we have the msm and the dems using this as a tool to strip away our majorities. We can not allow our opposition to use this as a weapon to destroy our progress.

We may be right. But we don't have the microphone. We MUST understand the nature of what is happening.

[pollyannaish]

LOL. I get that all the time.

I am not an everything will work out ok Pollyanna. I am a we have to do what is best with the reality on the ground and work with it in a positive way Pollyanna.

I would say that you are correct in areas near the border. In my state, while there are pockets of that, for the most part the rapidly growing Hispanic population is pretty much assimilated within a generation or so.

My town has a high percentage of Hispanics. I have no idea how many of them are here "legally" or how many have parents who were not here legally. All I can say is that in general they are an asset to our community.

So, call it empirical evidence.

[sasafras]

"Screw the Republicans. Vote Democratic in the U.S. House and tell the Democrats to impeach Bush."

I totally understand your sentiment. And in theory completely agree with you. Most of the Bushies on here just close their eyes and vote republican regardless of how the GOP screws them. The GOP is going to get voted out of office anyway for stabbing the conservatives and grassroots supporters in the back. What really is sad is that Bush had the potential to be a great president but now I rank him below Clinton or even Carter for his ineptness and complete disregard for combating evil in our own country. His lack of willingness to do whats right, because he is getting paid off, goes unnoticed by the Bushbots. They all fall in line like robots and vote their freedoms away by claiming the other side is worse. Well that may be true but I would rather the end come sooner than later - its like heading for a cliff at 10 mph vs 100mph.

When the dems unfortunately do take back the office I will be in 100% support of the impeachment of this president.

[Antoninus]

When I said something like that or attacked a few RINOs you had a fit. Why the change of heart?

Here's the difference between you and I: I know where to draw the line.

Lincoln Chafee is a RINO who needs to be defeated and can be defeated without hurting the conservative movement at all.

Such is not the case with Rick Santorum.