Posted on 11/15/2008 1:10:51 PM PST by neverdem
Both the Democratic and Republican National Committees are likely to have new leadership next year.
Former Democratic Governor Howard Dean of Vermont is stepping down, having completely recovered from his unfortunate reputation as an erratic and wildly liberal 2004 presidential contender. As chairman of the DNC, he adopted a controversial "50-state strategy" that had the party pouring resources into states it normally didn't contest. His strategy paid off this year as Barack Obama won such states as Indiana and Virginia that had not voted Democratic at the presidential level since Barry Goldwater's landslide loss in 1964. Unknown yet is whom Mr. Dean's replacement will be, but it's certainly going to be someone President-elect Obama will have confidence in -- campaign manager David Plouffe comes to mind. On the Republican side, the jockeying to replace current GOP Chairman Mike Duncan has begun. Mr. Duncan has been a competent administrator and fundraiser but the widely perceived need for new blood in the wake of the party's second consecutive drubbing at the polls makes him unlikely to be re-elected. Several candidates are lining up to replace him. Michigan GOP State Chairman Saul Anuzis is actively campaigning on a platform of reinvigorating the party's grass roots and returning to basic conservative principles. South Carolina Party Chairman Kalton Dawson is touting his fundraising abilities as he rounds up votes among fellow RNC members.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
There is a lot in your post I agree with. Newt is a great staff general. He is a brilliant tactician. I don’t want him setting the agenda, though. I don’t think he has the moral fiber....., no, i KNOW he doesn’t have the moral fiber to be the one making the decisions. However, he is like Rove in that he is a tactical genius.
YOU make a good case.
Okay, I will entertain the notion of Newt as RNC chair. Actually I think that’d be kind of cool.
There is no question in my alleged mind that he is a smart guy and a VERY good proponent of conservative principles. There is a stable of thoughtful and articulate guys - I'm sort of toying with Alan Keyes on the one hand, if he would swear off running for anything ever again, and Bill Bennet on the other, who could present (with some disagreements among themselves and with us) (a) the principles of the conservative view; (b) pretty good evidence that conservatives, when they aren't shooting wolves from airplanes and so forth, actually are very thoughtful and edumicated people and have ideas which rightly compel thoughtful examination; (c) and when they ARE shooting wolves from airplanes, are pretty good shots, as a rule.
In a role like honcho in chief of the Republicans, something similar to the figurehead president of the NRA, but with a little more involvement with the nuts and bolts of the operation, I think you are right on: Newt would be excellent.
Just as a 411: You won't find ME presenting Dubya as a poster boy for radical conservatism. From his first campaign onwards he bought into the idea that the way to capture the middle is to look like you're ready to reach across the aisle. But the REAL way to capture the middle is to articulate conservative principles with good cheer and integrity and thus to get the middle to move to the right where they belong.
Nap time. It's Sunday, and along with Mass, nap is my religious duty.
Then the global warming thingy - gag again.
We're talking about Chairman of the Republican National Committee, not a candidate for President.
IIRC, Newt didn't buy the global warming argument as much as saying that the argument was lost in the media, and that we should use technology to reduce carbon emissions without reducing our standard of living.
I can't think of a single pubbie that hasn't disappointed me in some way. I can't think of a better replacement for Chairman of the RNC.
Who wrote this crap??
Oh that's right - the globalist Wall Street Journal on behalf of faux conservative and fellow globalist, Newt (I-have-no-balls) Gingrich.
He's been kissing the @ss of RINOs and the Dems ever since the MSM and Clinton's castrated him.
I don't think folks like Palin are the true leaders for the future. Folks like Jindal are. I hope Romney runs again. I think he is smart and has demonstrated his capability. I'm not sure, however, if Romney has the kind of guts you are talking about.
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