Posted on 05/15/2008 5:55:09 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3
Be bold, be bold, but not too bold, Mr. Fox in an old English fairy tale.
US Rep. Tom Cole (OK), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), acknowledging that “a large segment of the American people doesn’t have confidence” in the GOP, urged his party’s candidates for Congress to put forth a bold agenda for change. In a telephone conference call with reporters today, he cited the example of presumptive GOP nominee John McCain for establishing his own identity and running substantially ahead of a generic Republican in opinion polls. Cole said voters like candidates “who are bold, take strong positions, and are honest with the American people,” qualities he associated with McCain. He urged Republican congressional candidates -- incumbents and challengers alike -- to run with and to emulate their presidential nominee.
Cole, however, did not urge any major change in policies by either the White House or Republicans in Congress. Specifically, he did not agree that the President should be more receptive to Democratic proposals. “I don’t think the President should be blackmailed into signing legislation” he does not believe is in the nation’s best interest. He also stated that the people did not disagree with Republican values, but there was “a loss of confidence in the American people that we will do what we say we will do.”
As evidence of the continued public acceptance of Republican policies, the NRCC chairman noted that in the last two special elections. Republicans face Democratic candidates who adopt conservative policies, such as opposing abortion and gun control. Commenting on newly elected freshmen US Reps. Don Cazayoux (D-LA) and Travis Childers (D-MS), Cole said, “We could have welcomed them into the Republican conference with open arms.” He added that Democratic candidates would not find this an easy approach in the fall; “Running away from your party gets tougher to do in a national election.” He did not acknowledge, however, the populist economic themes used by both Democratic winners, themes that fit nicely with their national party’s policies.
Cole did not disavow the strategy of tying Democratic nominees to Barack Obama, their party’s likely presidential candidate, and his liberal positions, an approach he advocated last month. But after this strategy failed to produce a winner in special elections in both Louisiana 6 (Baton Rouge, etc.) and Mississippi 1 (Tupelo, etc.), he did say that such attacks were no substitute for advocating one’s own agenda. He also said that Obama was “still liberal and inexperienced,” indicating such themes would be one arrow in the GOP’s campaign quiver this fall.
Cole pointed out several factors that could help Republican congressional candidates during the fall elections. First, the Democrats “have been able to dominate the media” because of the pro-longed contest between Obama and Hillary Clinton. “The great debate after the convention should help us,” he said. And he blasted the Democratic congress for its failure to enact meaningful legislation, comparing it negatively with the record of the Republican congress during Bill Clinton’s presidency.
When asked what caused some many voters to lose confidence in the Republican Party, Cole cited “challenging economic times and a challenging but important war.” He added, when you govern for as long as we’ve governed -- 12 years in the House -- you make some tough decisions.”
Cole also declined to criticize President Bush. “He kept the country safe, conducted himself honorably and has not shown he’s unwilling to take risks.” He said the Bush is “a lot like Harry Truman. He will get a lot of credit from trying to tackle issues that Congress turned its back on,” citing social security reform and illegal immigration. He also said that the nation’s unemployment rate is only 5% because of Bush’s tax cuts.
Oh brother
There is really not much that can be done.. what possible message can the GOP congress give? We blew it for the 6 years we had total control of gov’t, but please, give us another chance? Don’t get me wrong, I’ll vote for my local congressman, but, I think it is largely hopeless.
The first item in the change list should be to CHANGE your nominee. McKennedy won’t hack it.
I wouldn’t say “hopeless”, I will grant this will be a tough tough year to win as an “R”.
Politically, Cole is correct, the Dems are trying and succeeding at stealing the Republican Agenda, so now we have to seperate ourselves further from the Dems by taking further steps in our own agenda.
Things like English as the official language of Govt, investigating fraud and theft, things that the “D”’s will not touch with a ten foot pole, that is where we can find voters and return them to the Republican column.
And FWIW, Globalism’s “Free Trade” has done more to alienate blue collar working class Republicans then any other plank of our platform, the High School only educated voter is the one hurt the most by those policies, it is any wonder they are leaving the GOP in droves for ersatz “conservative” Democrats?
That's certainly true, but its hard when for 6 years we ignored our agenda, and now, we have McCain doing the exact opposite at the top of the ticket.
Ann Coulter had dole pegged way back when:
Ann Coulter on Liddy Dole
Politics/Elections Opinion (Published) Keywords: REPUBLICAN DEMOCRAT
Source: Drudge
Published: 8/20/99 Author: Ann Coulter
Posted on 08/26/1999 16:33:53 PDT by Keyes for President
Well, there’s good news and bad news coming out of the Iowa straw polls. Lamar! is Quitting! — his quixotic, some would say preposterous, quest for the presidency. That’s the good news. But the bad news is we haven’t gotten rid of Liddy Dole, yet. Since she’s a Democrat, and she’s running in a Republican primary, it’s only a matter of time. But, for now, she’s still with us.
Though she registers high on name recognition, on account of her famous husband (you know him from all those “erectile disfunction” commercials) she surprised a lot of Republicans by coming in even a distant third behind George Bush Jr. and Steve Forbes. But observe carefully the statements of her supporters.
One of Liddy’s backers explained his vote for Dole in the Iowa straw poll by noting that he was a Democrat. Quoted in the New York Times, this Democrat for Liddy Dole, Dennis Endicott, said that he voted for Dole in order to weaken support for the Republican front runner, W, to hurt him in the general election — the general election in which Mr. Endicott will vote for the Democrat. This is not an isolated incident. A few days later, the Washington Post quoted a Dole enthusiast in New Hampshire who was torn between Dole and Bill Bradley. Bradley, you’ll recall, is a candidate for president in the Democratic primary.
It’s somewhat surprising that Democrats so easily recognize Dole as one of their own, in light of her steadfast refusal to take positions on anything.
After actually forgetting what her own position was on federal-funding for abortion, she accused the press of using the abortion issue to “stir Republicans up so they’re fighting each other. . . . I just don’t think we want to go down that path.” Things would be so much easier if the Republican candidates simply distinguished themselves on things like Best Fruit Punch For The Fraternity Mixer.
But lets be fair — Dole has clearly articulated positions on a variety of subjects, like the military (she’s for strength and readiness) education (she’s for disciplining ruffians) and national security (she opposes allowing the Chinese to steal nuclear secrets). That will be helpful in distinguishing her from the candidates who favor an anemic military, permissive education, and spying by the Red Chinese.
W, the frontrunner, hasn’t exactly been a fountain of specific policy proposals either. But that’s because he is “W, the frontrunner.” When you’re already everyone’s favorite Rorsach blot, laying out the particulars can only hurt you.
In Dole’s case, it’s not that she already has all the support and money she needs, it’s that clarity on her positions won’t be a big help in a Republican primary. She’s a Democrat. Iowa’s over. Now she needs actual Republicans to vote for her.
Calling Dole a Democrat isn’t an epithet, it’s just a fact. I have nothing against Democrats, per se, I just don’t want them in office. But mainly, I can’t figure out what a Democrat would be be doing in a Republican primary.
Let’s review the evidence on Liddy’s party affiliation. After graduating from Harvard Law School (that’s your first hint) Dole went straight to Washington to be a government bureaucrat with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. She was a registered Democrat.
Still a registered Democrat, Dole’s next perch was on President Lyndon Johnson’s Committee on Consumer Affairs. She stayed on in that office when President Nixon came in, switching her party affiliation to become a Republican, but an Independent.
Only when she married Bob Dole, who in his pre-Viagra days was known as “tax collector for the welfare state,” did Liddy finally register as a Republican. As a “Republican” she became Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of Transportation, officially establishing herself as every administration’s Favorite Woman Cabinet Member. At Transportation, she was responsible for such great Republican policies as forcing all the states to impose 55 mile an hour speed limits or lose federal highway funds.
Still not persuaded? One morning she stopped all employees of the Department of Transportation at the gate to the parking lot with a Stop sign — to make sure they were all wearing their seat belts.
In her current campaign, the only position Dole has taken (apart from favoring a “strong” military, “good” schools, and “no” Chinese spying) is to support the ban on so-called “assault” weapons. But we need so-called “assault” weapons. Otherwise, some government busy-body might get the bright idea of stopping us to make sure our seatbelts are fastened
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a37c5cee147ad.htm
He (Cole) urged Republican congressional candidates -- incumbents and challengers alike -- to run with and to emulate their presidential nominee.
Rep. Tom Cole must have a part time job doing stand-up and he's practicing new material. This just has to be a joke, right? (rhetorical)
A terminal case of caputus rectumosis....
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