Time to Fire Up the Ed Rollins Strategy

Red State ^ | September 14, 2011 | Erick Erickson

[wmfights]

It is time for the Democrats to fire up the Ed Rollins strategy. Back in 1990, Ed Rollins, who earlier this year had served as Michele Bachmann’s campaign manager, ran the National Republican Congressional Committee. This was “read my lips” time and the country really felt betrayed by President George H. W. Bush.

Rollins took a gamble. He wrote a memo to GOP candidates in which he dared put in writing the famous sentence, “Do not hesitate to distance yourself from the President.” He’d already gone to war with Bush over reading a lie on Bush’s lips in the budget deal. This escalated things.

George Bush demanded House leaders fire Rollins until it leaked out that they had asked Ed Rollins to write the memo. The GOP went on to lose only 9 seats after many of them campaigned aggressively against Bush’s betrayal.

In April of 1991, Rollins resigned from the NRCC. George H. W. Bush had gone up to 90% approval after the Iraq War and it was payback time. Bush refused to campaign for House candidates as long as Rollins had a job. Bush went on to famously implode in polling and lose to Bill Clinton.

But Rollins leading the House GOP into an outright revolt against George Bush drastically mitigated their 1990 losses. The Democrats could not do that in 2010 because most people blamed Congressional Democrats, not Obama, for the national failings in that election. But now? Now the public is unemployed and angry. They are looking at the White House and see Obama playing golf.

It might be time for the Democrats to steal a page from Ed Rollins’ 1990 play book. And several signs point to this happening soon.

[wmfights]

Rollins took a gamble. He wrote a memo to GOP candidates in which he dared put in writing the famous sentence, “Do not hesitate to distance yourself from the President.”

[wmfights]

When we see Rats adopt this strategy next year we will know obama is toast. I think we have to hope we have the best CONSERVATIVE at the head of the ticket. I'd hate to see the Pubs blow it with a do nothing RINO.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Rush is on a great roll!

****************************************

>>>>SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Concern about the economy has pushed President Barack Obama's approval rating below 50 percent in California, a state assumed to be an easy win for him in next year's presidential election.

Obama carried California in the 2008 election but Field Poll findings released on Wednesday show he is having trouble in the most populous U.S. state, where most disapprove of his handling of the economy and just 46 percent of registered voters now support his performance as president.

It is the first time since Obama took office that his approval rating has slipped below 50 percent in the poll, which showed an 8 percentage point decline since June.>>>>>>....Source

[Mr Ramsbotham]

It’s hard to see how Democrats can run away from Obama, since they’ve supported him virtually 100 percent on every one of his policy initiatives. If they do “run away” they can be tarred as racists.

[Mr. Bird]

When we see Rats adopt this strategy next year we will know obama is toast

Don't forget we will also know they are racists!!!

[xzins]

they are already trying to distance themselves from obama.

and there are calls for a challenger in the primaries

I don’t think that will happen, but perhaps Ralph Nader can be coaxed to run one more time.

[wmfights]

It’s hard to see how Democrats can run away from Obama, since they’ve supported him virtually 100 percent on every one of his policy initiatives.

Facts have never gotten in their way before.

[newzjunkey]

They run away from him saying he hasn’t done enough of the same failed policies! He caves too much! If only he had the spine to go BIGGER, the nation would see, their dear progressivism is the answer to all of society’s ills. It would bring Utopia to the Earth!

[Sybeck1]

And risk losing the black folks? They and the Bamster are a package deal!!

[RichInOC]

The Ed Rollins strategy? The Obama administration already picks fights with Republican politicians.

[Buckeye McFrog]

if a lot of Dems start distancing themselves from Obama then Boehner needs to bring Obamacare repeal up for another vote.

[papasmurf]

Screw Rollins’ strategy, we need Lee Atwater’s play book!

[papasmurf]

Note to self: Read story before posting!

[Elsie]

Is that a BUS I hear idling?

[Elsie]

Is he STILL alive?

[aruanan]

TAP! TAP!
"No, still nothin there!"

[aruanan]

He’s quickly becoming the Jar Jar Binks of the Left.

[Elsie]