RNC Chief Sees Three Lessons in GOP Losses

CNSNews ^

[Sub-Driver]

RNC Chief Sees Three Lessons in GOP Losses By Susan Jones CNSNews.com Senior Editor November 08, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman called himself disappointed on a number of counts, following the Democratic victories in key House and Senate races.

"I think the American people clearly sent a message, and it's a message we need to understand and we need to listen to, and we as Republicans need to follow," Mehlman said Wednesday morning in a Fox News interview.

Mehlman said Republicans must now do three things - first and foremost, rededicating themselves to their "conservative, reform principles."

Second, he said Republicans must "try to work where we can on a bipartisan basis with Democrats," while maintaining conservative principles.

And finally, he said Republicans must lose the taint of corruption: "We need to remember, people who serve...at any level are people that ought to be about public policy and public service."

"If we can focus on those three things...ultimately we will be stronger and will be able to serve the public better and will have learned and grown from it."

[DungeonMaster]

How would Reagan handle the whole log cabin Republican thing?

[Alberta's Child]

The MSM has been pounding on the war for 3 years and people just don't have the patience for that.

Let's stop blaming the MSM for this.

The MSM doesn't have to "pound on the war" when you've got dozens of U.S. military personnel killed and hundreds wounded every month -- more than three f#%&ing years after the President declared an end to "major combat operations."

[processing please hold]

Tagline gone. I'm sorry Diana Irey. This country needed you.

[Long Island Pete]

Hey Ken,
Its a little too late for your first suggestion. You should have been on top of that from the get go. SCHMUCK!

[Alkhin]

If by "conservatives" you mean the Jerry Falwell ilk, Falwell and his friends are gonna have to get less smarmy. And the other thing is this-I heard idiots on the radio yesterday saying "I'm a conservative and I hope the Democrats win to teach the Republicans a lesson" which is absolutely appalling--we are talking about life and death here, not the playground at shcool.

Is this what you are singling me out for? You think Im a Falwell follower? *spanks you* You'd better read a bit more about what Ive been posting before you say such things. NOT ONCE DID I STATE HERE THAT VOTED REPUBLICAN - were YOU there when I pushed the Straight Party Button for the Republican Party yesterday?! NO YOU WERENT - Ive been voting straight party Repub ticket since the early 90s. *spanks you again*

You watch what you accuse me of.

[CremeSaver]

Absolutely, I even get mad at Republicans for not taking a stand and sticking to it. There are too many Republicans who are afraid of the media, afraid of the democrats, and afraid of having power. Whenever something controversial comes up we place bets at our house how soon it will be before Republicans cave. They never disappoint us either. Weak and useless does not win elections or lead a country.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

"Kerry was a pathetic opponent. The fact that 180,000 votes in Ohio would have swung an election that had no business being close should have set off warning bells."
ABDO-LUTELY RIGHT!

[cydcharisse]

"Mehlman said Republicans must now do three things - first and foremost, rededicating themselves to their "conservative, reform principles."

You and Bush had 6 years to do it. You have no principles. Enjoy the next two years of "investigations."

[Dead Corpse]

Capitulate. Move Left. Try again.

Nice going Ken. Moron...

[Alkhin]

NOT ONCE DID I STATE HERE THAT VOTED REPUBLICAN

THAT SHOULD SAY "NOT ONCE DID I STATE HERE THAT I VOTED DEMOCRAT

*spanks you again for implying such a vicious lie*

[LADY J]

"Second, he said Republicans must "try to work where we can on a bipartisan basis with Democrats..."

President Bush invited Pelosi to lunch at the White House today.

[RobRoy]

>>1 and 3 look pretty good; forget about 2.<<

My thoughts precicely. One, especially is where they lost me.

[Adiemus]

Unfortunately, you have to lose sometimes to really wake you up. If we would have won, the Republican establishment would have continued to thumb their nose at conservatives and then '08 would have been a disaster.

Bravo! Let's hope and pray they DO wake up now.

[Alberta's Child]

This guy is an incompetent hack.

I sure would like to hear from all those Giuliani supporters who saw the rumors of Mehlman's move to Giuliani's "campaign staff" as evidence that Giuliani is going to be a dominant force in 2008.

[TomGuy]

Washington Republican insiders forgot who brought them to the big dance.

They did manage to stick their thumbs in the eye of those who brought them to the big dance at every chance, too.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

"Second, he said Republicans must "try to work where we can on a bipartisan basis with Democrats," while maintaining conservative principles.

Has this ever gotten us anywhere? /s

Yeah, it got us where we are now...

[jla]

Kenny ping

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

I say track down James Carville's evil twin, hire him to do battle against the Democrats and determine to just tough it out for the next two years. Nicey nice and "compassionate conservatism" has gotten us nowhere.

Paging Ann Coulter ... please pick up the white courtesy phone. :-)

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

"Second, he said Republicans must "try to work where we can on a bipartisan basis with Democrats," while maintaining conservative principles.

Has this ever gotten us anywhere? /s

Melhmen needs to be fired...

[webheart]

But I still think this election was more about Bush and Iraq.

I agree. But the main problem is the media, and the fact that Republicans act the way they do out of fear of bad publicity, except that there is only either bad publicity or no publicity with today's media. Until Republicans can shout down a reporter's questions by calling them the idiots they are for asking such stupid questions, they will lose. The only other thing that can help us and which we refuse to do, is make the MSM pay by not buying their product. We can't do that, because it is like losing weight, you know you need to do it, but that sports section looks SO GOOD.