Posted on 05/02/2009 12:51:01 PM PDT by lewisglad
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said it's time for Republicans "to listen a little bit, learn a little bit." He advised Republicans to work on the party's message and "not be so nostalgic."
"I would say you can't beat something with nothing. The other side has something. I don't like it, but they have it," said Bush, who praised President Obama's tactical approach to politics and commended his 2008 campaign as "forward-looking."
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney compared the GOP to Americans fighting the British during the Revolutionary War. "We are the party of the revolutionaries, they [Democrats] are the party of the monarchists," he told the overwhelmingly Republican crowd, saying the Republicans
The venue -- a packed pizzeria in an Arlington strip mall -- had the feel of a small-town campaign stop Saturday morning, with a supportive crowd tossing friendly questions at the panel. But outside the front doors of the establishment were reminders of the challenges facing the party.
The parking lot out front, even with the heavily Republican crowd inside, was dotted with Obama bumper stickers. Northern Virginia has shifted solidly Democratic in recent elections, and surrogates for John McCain's campaign made statements late in the race that acknowledged the party had all but conceded the area.
But the handful of peaceful protesters out front weren't Democrats -- they were conservatives upset over the new group's agenda and leadership. They brandished signs criticizing McCain, calling the NCNA "RINOs" -- Republicans in Name Only -- and urging them to push for stricter immigration enforcement.
McCain is prominently featured in materials for the new group. Health care, education and small business growth were all major topics of discussion Saturday -- but immigration was one entry on a long list of potentially divisive social issues that went unmentioned.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
TRANSLATION: Forget about all those ‘old fashioned values’ the party has traditionally been against, like abortion and gay marriage, and COMPROMISE already!! Get with the times!!
/sarc
NO, THANK YOU, JEB. >:-(
Well with McCain as the poster boy how could this go wrong?
Sounds like McCain didnt even bother to show up
Jeb, if it’s wrong and/or unconstitutional, I’m just not going to support it. I’ve already compromised too much, for too long.
Jeb did a good job as gov. cause he kept spending way down.
But he is a social RINO and I am so very tired of the Bush’s, Clinton’s, and all the other politicians who refuse to go away.
Translation: Full RINO ahead. Guess what, Jeb? If your brother had listened to the base more instead of the country-club wing of the party, the GOP wouldn't be in this mess today.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney compared the GOP to Americans fighting the British during the Revolutionary War. "We are the party of the revolutionaries, they [Democrats] are the party of the monarchists," he told the overwhelmingly Republican crowd, saying the Republicans
This from the guy wwho signed Romneycare into law.
McCain is prominently featured in materials for the new group.
Oh, that's just brilliant. Feature the guy who just got his arse kicked, and the only reason he didnt' get his arse kicked three times harder was Palin.
If this is the future of the GOP, it's time to pull the plug and start over.
Mitt needs to get away from this crowd if he wants to be a serious primary contender in 2012.
Why would he do that? Mitt is a perfect frontman for this bunch. They think it's all about re-packaging the GOP, as opposed to embracing GOP core values. And Mitt is an expert at repackaging himself and NOT having core values.
IMO this flushes Jindal down the toilet as well. This group is the exact opposite of what we need.
Another "Do Nothing GOP hack" who lets his corporate buddies and his bureaucratic friends in the government sock it to working people.
He and his kind are the reason the socialists have taken power.
“Republicans Kick Off Campaign to Shine Party Image”= gay marriage, open borders immigration, Nationalized Obama-healthcare etc.
Mitt would have a lot of explaining to do, about some of his past actions. He has played Hell with the Constitution several times that I know of..
I had hope for Jindal but this is unfortunate that he is throwing in with McQueeg.
This basically leaves Palin and whoever else might emerge - are there any other solid GOP governors? Even Stanford has gone wobbly on AGW.
They called me for money again today, and again I hung up on them. No money from me since they sent the solicitation that looked as if it came from the IRS. Bastards.
There wasn’t anything wrong with the party or message until Bush and Hastert & Frist ruined it so the fix is easy.
Go back to basics and tell jeb to shut his pie hole.
We’ve heard enough from the Bush family twice before.
Rick Perry maybe? He’s the only other one I can think of rumoured to go in 2012
If you like losing where else could you get better advice?
This group could be very useful though. We should read their recommendations carefullly because it will be exactly the opposite of what needs to be done. They are primarily concerned about keeping the old-boy republicans in charge of the party.
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