Posted on 11/20/2007 1:51:03 PM PST by StatenIsland
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay may not be in a leadership position on Capitol Hill anymore, but that doesn't mean he can't weigh in on the current GOP leadership.
DeLay told Yeas & Nays that Republicans in Congress are "looking for something to believe in" and "they're not getting it out of this Republican leadership. The leadership just isn't getting it."
"They're looking for some backbone," said DeLay, who also chimed in on the 2008 election. He said the Republican party is "going to get our clocks cleaned in 2008" and unequivocally said that "Hillary [Clinton] will be the next president."
DeLay gave us is his dour assessment at a book party for former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, which was held at the Georgetown home of former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman. The party was a virtual "who's who" of the conservative movement: Lynne Cheney, Liz Cheney Perry, Scooter Libby, David Keene, Vin Weber, Grover Norquist, Barbara Comstock, Armstrong Williams, Mary Matalin, Ramesh Ponnuru, John Fund, Byron York and Kate O'Beirne.
But, lest you think that The Hammer is about to start playing for the other team, he did poke fun at New York Times columnist -- and favorite conservative punching bag -- Paul Krugman: "I'd like to bitch-slap him." DeLay also ruled out another stab at politics, even if GOP fortunes reverse: "I'm 60 years old, I'm through."
Elsewhere around the party: Mehlman called Bolton "the Atticus Finch of the United Nations." Mehlman said he sees similarities between the Finch character in "To Kill A Mockingbird" and the famously pugnacious Bolton, praising Bolton for always "earnestly making his case." Bolton kept his remarks brief, but did end with a rallying call for conservatives: "I sure hope we win next year."
I simply refuse.
Preach it, Brother Tom!
Delay showed lots of backbone when he bailed. He needs to shut up and sit down. He had his turn and lost it.
Two men I have always loved simply because they have balls, Tom Delay and John Bolton. With me, a healthy dose of backbone for fighting the enemy will cover a multiple of sins.
The GOP was elected to run Congress in ‘94 to clean out the place. They could have abolished the executive washroom, instead they just changed the lock on the door.
We won’t be fooled again.
His actions cost the reps a reasonably safe seat. Had he bwowed out in the primaries we would ahv ehad a person on the ballot. I know I live in what once was his district.
The knives in his back from fellow Republicans didn’t help things.
Yeah, Delay had the balls to help preside over the largest expansion of the federal government in our history. Good riddance.
Maybe but he did not leave in a way conducive to help the cause he just left and now wants to talk smack.
Santorum was stabbed worse than Delay and he’s talking gloom and doom.
Is he wrong when you consider that in spite of recent events, the Republican leadersip (not the average Joe) still supports open borders and amnesty, still wants lots of earmarks, still wants to undercut the President on the Iraq war effort and FISA and judicial appointments, and still treats the voters as ignorant morons just waiting to be led by their self-assumed intelligence.
Pray tell, what changes have been made by this leadership since the 2006 elections that shows they have a clue as to what went wrong?
Should be “...not talking...”
I was really getting tired of Newt a few months ago with all his bravado about running. Want to ensure a Dim win run Newt. He screwed his chances and needs to stick to the private sector.
The GOP deserves to be bashed. It stands for nothing, right now, and there is indeed a leadership void. The sad thing is that they do have an opportunity to take back the House next year, but they'll botch it. I think this party is headed for the wilderness again, thanks to the mush-headed moderates trying to control the party.
Not only that, but bailing after the primary so that we had to do a write-in candidate for the election, thus handing his seat to the democrats.
Say what you must about Rudy - I disagree with him on many issues, too - but the country can survive the Presidency of ANY of the Republican candidates (except Paul), but it cannot survive Democrat control of both Congress and the White House.
So I guess I'm in denial.
In general, the way to win seats is to recognize all politics is local. If a seat is in a moderate district, then do not refuse to fund a moderate candidate. If a seat is in a Democrat leaning district, then don’t waste money there at all. If a seat is in a GOP leaning district, then that too is a place not to waste money.
The battle is a fight in the middle, and that’s the GOP leaning districts won by Democrats. Target them with a GOP candidate who is squeaky clean #1 and shares the values of That Particular District.
Victory moves the body politic rightward. Defeat moves it leftward.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.