Republican Party's Martinez: won't be "attack dog"

Reuters ^ | 11-14-06 | Tabassum Zakaria

[STARWISE]

Sen. Mel Martinez, who will become the new general chairman of the Republican Party after it lost control of Congress, said on Tuesday he would not be an "attack dog" in the 2008 White House race.

President Bush gave Martinez his blessing at a meeting in the Oval Office, calling the Cuban-born senator an American success story.

"He's going to be an excellent spokesman for the Republican Party," Bush said. "He'll be a person who'll be able to carry our message as we go into an important year in 2008."

Martinez will keep his U.S. Senate seat representing Florida and be the voice of the Republican Party going into the presidential election campaign season.

The day-to-day operations will be run by Mike Duncan, who will be chairman. Both have to be formally elected by the Republican National Committee in January.

Martinez said the contest should be about "a battle of ideas" and not partisanship. He said there was an agreement not to show preferences for any candidate in the 2008 presidential campaign before the party's nominee was chosen, allowing the field to sort itself out.

"One of the things that I made clear as I discussed this job role with the president is I was not going to be an attack dog, and I don't intend to, and I wasn't asked to be one," he told reporters at the White House.

"It's not an easy time for our party. It's time for us to come together and pick ourselves up and look to the future and be the party of hope and opportunity that we've been in the past," he said.

[MaineVoter2002]

Ronald Reagan CPAC Speech - A MUST read!

March 1, 1975

http://www.conservative.org/pressroom/reagan/reagan1975.asp

[kuma]

I read the first few paragraphs so far and I could swear Reagan is talking about the 2006 elections.

Appears two smart men, Reagan and Gingrich, are not easily fooled when Dems triangulate.

Sad to see here on FR, so many people still don't understand that Hillary and the conservative dems are shooting to the right to cut us off at the pass.

Thanks for the link. =)

[BradyLS]

when we win - we don't attack
when we lose - we don't attack

when do we attack?

What is this attack of which you speak? "Ar Tribe" does not know this.

[Txsleuth]

Well..I don't know.

The dems are in power now...if the MSM don't write about them..and their foibles...what will they write about?..LOL

Seriesly, Brit's show on Fox News has made a big deal about Murtha's past, re: ABSCAM...and even Sissy Chrissy had on 2 dems last night, fighting over Hoyer and Murtha...

Re: Rummy...I don't know why no one wants to believe that it truly may have been HIS choice..and with the inevitable hearings and investigations coming up...he might not have wanted the hassle of fighting off the dems and the terrorists at the same time.

I am thinking that the military is who will be running the show...and so President Bush will rely on Peter Pace and the others more now.

BUT, I am not happy about Gates from what I have read...this is one of Bush's nominees I want to see get the 3rd degree in his confirmation hearing.

[kalee]

Never, we're compassionate conservatives, don't you know that?
;)

[FreedomNeocon]

Hey maybe we can get Scott back as WH Press Secretary while we're at it...

[I see my hands]

"when do we attack?"

We never get to attack in their leaders. Our leaders are charged with doing that. And they suck.

You and I can attack though. For examples:

When hiring a service provider and he/she is a lefty tell them "no sale" and tell them why.

Certainly do not spent holidays with liberal family and divest yourself of liberal friends. Again tell them why. Tell them you find their values and character repulsive.

Don't debate or educate. You can't debate a liar any more than you can negotiate with someone who wants to kill you.

It's not fun that's why bad guys are bad guys.
Even so.. keep smiling.

[SunkenCiv]

I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand.

[MaineVoter2002]

Re: compassionate conservatives

As a strong supporter of going into Iraq to fight the terrorists I cant ignore the comparisons between the way we ran the 2006 campaign and the way Washington DC is fighting in Iraq. I hope it's just a coincidence.

[mcg2000]

and so it goes and so it goes ...

[Fairview]

I miss Newt Gingrich. I want him back!

Well, I miss Lee Atwater and I want him back!

[cva66snipe]

True it was in January 1989 with the old pet GOP. But a New pet GOP was found at the pound in late 1994 adopted and was given a good home. However to the horror of the nation Dr Moderate Bob and his two Liberalette assistants preformed a radical neutering procedure on the new GOP back at the 1996 GOP National Convention. After that no more aggressive Conservatives were allowed to be adopted. You can not adopt a new Conservative GOP without agreeing to this procedure. The Liberals at the animal shelter won't let you keep them if you don't.

Actually they prefer you adopt the new Liberal GOP critter born with no need for such a procedure. Cloned in the labs of the Dems just for this specific purpose to hold national office. The initial cells come from a RINO :>}

[Criminal Number 18F]

Martinez...said on Tuesday he would not be an "attack dog"

Heck no, an attack dog has a use.

Let's recap what the R's have done in reaction to the election:

1. Bush has welcomed the Dems, saying that unlike the Republicans they share his only priority, amnesty for criminal aliens and a slave-labor program for industry.

2. He's named a guy who won't even be able to hold his own seat as RNC head.

3. House R's have committed to the same, ethically challenged leadership that threw their majority away. Including Boehner, whose priority is... defending earmarks, and...

4. Blunt, who was out of the office... schmoozing with the lobbyists who own him.

They must be supremely confident that the Democrats are going to mess up by the numbers. Or perhaps they're perfectly happy to be in the minority. They could, as Denny Hastert's impassioned defence of William "Freezer Bag" Jefferson made clear, care less about party or principle, as long as they personally got their share of the loot.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[stainlessbanner]

Cubans are a solid conservative voting block, but their numbers are shrinking as non-Cuban minorities in Florida grow.

Central Florida is booming with non-Cuban Hispanic folks (Puerto Ricans, South/Central Americans)....guess who voted for Gore in 2000 and Kerry in 2004? Central Florida. Same place Martinez calls home.

The "Hispanic" last name does not necessarily deliver the "Hispanic" vote.

[Repub4bush]

Reagan had Lee Atwater, Rove's mentor, we need another with the balls of Atwater (as he was when he was chairman of the RNC!)

There is questionable things written about Lee in later years, which may or may not be true, but regardless he is the one that turned our party around. IMO

Newt is the only one today who gets it like Lee did!

[Repub4bush]

How weird!

I was posting about Lee, and got a call and had to stop and there you mentioned him too!!!

Bravo!!!

[Islander2]

You have hit on something that none of the others are talking about. Numbers. We are losing, folks, because the number of voters who will be frightened, bribed, coerced or just cajoled into voting for the Dem candidate are growing. In the meantime we are appealing to the educated voter. Good luck. It used to be that way, but the numbers I hate to say are favoring those who don't know Jack about our political system.
As a poll watcher for 13 hours this last tuesday, I can tell you I saw folks voting the Dem ticket who don't know squat, but will vote not knowing the consequences of their votes. Sad, but their votes knock out ours.
In the field of PR, our party sucks badly. In the field of educating the voting public, our party sucks badly.
Until these things change, we will be fortunate to not lose more. Our hope is the Dems will self destruct.

Mahalo

[CyberAnt]

And .. who the heck is Mike Duncan?

[TBP]

Another rason why Martinez was a horrible choice.

[PhiKapMom]

Well put! Kumbaya strikes again!

I am so sick and tired of Kumbaya that I could scream.