Posted on 01/20/2012 9:47:07 AM PST by Qbert
Two prominent conservative columnists, Charles Krauthammer and Peggy Noonan, warn this morning that Republican infighting may do the party grievous damage for the 2012 election, with Krauthammer declaring that President Obama "could not have chosen more self-destructive adversaries."
Here's Krauthammer on GOP candidates playing into Obama's message reboot:
For the first few weeks, the class-envy gambit had some effect, bumping Obama’s numbers slightly. But the story was still lagging, suffering in part from its association with an Occupy rabble that had widely worn out its welcome.Then came the twist. Then came the most remarkable political surprise since the 2010 midterm: The struggling Democratic class-war narrative is suddenly given life and legitimacy by . . . Republicans! Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry make the case that private equity as practiced by Romney’s Bain Capital is nothing more than vulture capitalism looting companies and sucking them dry while casually destroying the lives of workers….
How quickly has the zeitgeist changed? Wednesday, the Republican House reconvened to reject Obama’s planned $1.2 trillion debt-ceiling increase. (Lacking Senate concurrence, the debt ceiling will be raised nonetheless.) Barely noticed. All eyes are on South Carolina and Romney’s taxes.
This is no mainstream media conspiracy. This is the GOP maneuvering itself right onto Obama terrain.
And here's Noonan on the 2012 field racing into a "John Grisham novel"-like phase of the primary campaign:
Secret offshore bank accounts, broken love, the testimony of anguished ex-wives: "He wanted an open marriage." A battered old veteran emerges from the background and, in his electoral death throes, provides secret information—"I'm for Newt"—that he hopes will upend a dirty, rotten establishment. A vest-wearing choir boy turns out to have been the unknown winner of that case back in Iowa. And all this against the backdrop of a mysterious firm that moves in and destroys communities—"When Mitt Romney came to town . . ."—while its CEO pays nothing in taxes.If you are a Republican who hates a mess, or if you are a member of that real but elusive and hydra-headed thing, the GOP establishment, you are beside yourself with anxiety and unhappiness. You think: "They're losing this thing! They're going to limp out of South Carolina, they'll limp through Florida, they're killing each other and killing the party's chances. How will they look by the fall? What are independents going to think of the guy we finally put up? We all know politics ain't beanbag, but it's not supposed to be a clown-car Indy 500 with cars hitting the wall and guys in wigs littering the track!"
There's been a lot of damage. We lose sense of it in the day to day, but in the aggregate it's going to prove considerable.
Should that be translated as "Romney is losing this thing"?
Newt showed that he was a fighter who wasn't afraid of attacking the Obama Media to its face and humiliating it, and the crowd went wild.
Say the people who supported McLame.
Sorry Charlie, and Peggy. What we’re seeing is a Republican battle where candidates are aggressively fighting to promote their own philosophy but also aggressively fighting against the Obama agenda. Would they (Charley, Peggy) rather have a bunch of weenies who are unable or unwilling to express their views and fight for them. To me, the earnest manner in which these candidates are debating tells me each of them aren’t afraid to go into battle with Obama. I’d rather have someone feisty rather than a meely-mouthed candidate afraid of upsetting the media or liberals. If we lose let’s go down swinging.
Ah, the smell of liberal and Party Boys panic in the air at the thought of one of their lefty pukes losing the nomination.
The RINO and the democrat have chimed in but we don’t care what they think.
The inside-the-beltway crowd holds the unwashed masses they fly over in complete contempt.
Who is really losing this thing, the candidates or the idiot “conservative” talking heads who push the harmful theme? I don’t like infighting and yes it makes us look bad, but I hate the idea of giving up and going with romney unchallenged, which is what they want.
The geniuses cannot even wrap their brains around just how spectacularly romney will fail against obama. Giving it to him in a walk is even stupider than a circular firing squad. The bigger problem is supposed banner carrying conservative pundits dropping conservatism and arguing that a progressive republican can/should win.
Krauthammer and Noonan voted for Obamma. That’s all you need to know.
This is what they -- the pundits, the republican establishment -- are missing. The American public, not just republicans, are SICK AND TIRED of the state of affairs in this country.
WE DON'T WANT 'GO ALONG, GET ALONG.'
Noonan of all people should have recognized the “Reagan Moment” last night.
Translation: “Republican voters need to quit thinking for themselves and blindly support whoever we—the brilliant GOP establishment RINOs—tell them to. The establishment has to get its crony handouts and secret back-room deals from Washington.”
Krauthammer voted for Obama? Are you sure?
They gave us McCain in 2008, didn't they? As witnessed by their guffawing and pandering in 2008 for Obama, the establishment RINOs are fine with someone who can express his views and fight for them, so long as those views aren't conservative.
" I’d rather have someone feisty rather than a meely-mouthed candidate afraid of upsetting the media or liberals. If we lose let’s go down swinging."
Yep. And I know millions agree.
My only question is- if Romney doesn't win, will the Establishment defeatists get on board and back the nominee (like we were forced to do in 2008, against our wishes), or will they try to bring him down with "friendly" fire?
wel get rid of romney and bring us in a real conservative. and there’s a big diff between a real conservative adn someone who calls himself a real conservative...
you bring in a real conservative, and you’re gonna get a whuge mandate in november, AND you’ll get both houses of congress, and a mess of governorships.
otherwise forget it.
Grandpa Newt is gonna take Bammy Boy and slap him silly. He just has to get nominated first.
No Peggy and Charlie the RINO/Elites are losing it and it is their turn to hold their nose.
Krauthammer is thoughtful, and at times interesting. He leans to the right, but isn’t a conservative. I still like him, even though he’s on the wrong side of things from time to time.
Noonan is an over the hill bimbo trying desperately to remain relevant.
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