Posted on 02/08/2002 6:25:56 AM PST by Native American Female Vet
WASHINGTON TODAY: New GOP chairman brings a low-key style to a contentious town
By Will Lester, Associated Press, 2/8/2002 01:46
WASHINGTON (AP) Republican National Committee Chairman Marc Racicot thinks Washington is too obsessed with partisan conflict, doesn't like the verbal slugfest of the Sunday talk shows and has faced criticism for his link to Enron Corp.
Racicot associates, however, say the former Montana governor is a solid fit to lead the GOP into the 2002 elections: a shrewd strategist, a low-key but effective spokesman for the party and a loyal friend to President Bush.
''He comes at you under the radar,'' says Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, a fellow Republican and a friend. ''He has a great style, he's very unassuming, very uncharacteristic of a typical politician.''
Racicot, 53, a Montana native of French-Canadian descent, concedes his personal style is not well-suited to the shouting matches that sometimes pass for political debate in the nation's capital.
''I've asked the (news) shows, 'Is this one of those shows where you want to know something or do you already know everything and I'm just here as a vehicle for your theatrical skills?''' Racicot said. ''It probably does cast a pall on the proceedings.''
Racicot (pronounced Ross-koh) says he appears on the news programs because it's an important part of the GOP job he accepted out of his close friendship with Bush. Veteran Republican organizer Ron Kaufman describes Racicot as ''a perfect fit.''
''The most important single thing as chairman of the RNC,'' Kaufman said, ''is to have the confidence of the White House.''
He replaced former chairman Jim Gilmore, who was then governor of Virginia. The GOP lost two governors' races last year Virginia was one and some say there was friction between Gilmore and the White House. Racicot said the job is a little more manageable because of the president's leadership skills and popularity.
He hasn't shifted the GOP's goals, which are shaped largely by the White House political operation. He wants to recruit solid candidates, raise money and expand the party's base to include more women, Asian-Americans, Hispanics, blacks and other minorities.
The GOP could fare better with those groups, he said, ''if they have a chance to carefully review our agenda and experience the inspiration of the president's leadership.''
But Republicans can't assume anything about the elections based on the president's popularity, he said.
''We're swimming against the tide of history,'' Racicot said, noting the party in power in the White House usually suffers congressional losses in midterm elections.
Racicot says he will be ''very aggressive with the travel schedule'' as he works on keeping the majority in the House, picking off strategic races in the Senate and working for candidates at the state and local levels.
He was elected Montana's attorney general after working there for 16 years. He served as governor from 1993 to 2001, then turned down requests last year that he run for the U.S. Senate in 2002.
After the deadlocked presidential election, Racicot was a key figure in the Florida recount battle, mapping out legal and political strategy, GOP strategist Ed Gillespie said.
Racicot then went to work with the Washington office of the Texas law firm of Bracewell & Patterson, where his work included representing the interests of Enron, the failed energy company. Critics seized on the connection, referring to Racicot as an ''Enron lobbyist,'' a description of his legal work he dismisses as inaccurate.
The furious controversy over the Houston-based company drowned out any message Racicot might have offered at the time he took over the GOP in mid-January. He was well received at a recent conservative conference after initial worries were voiced that he might be too moderate.
Racicot continues to take a salary and do some legal work for other clients at Bracewell & Patterson. But the experience of recent weeks left a bitter taste about the news media.
''Reporting seems more concerned with appearances than with substance,'' he said.
His frequent sparring partner on the talk shows, Democratic National Chairman Terry McAuliffe, describes Racicot as ''a classy guy. It's kind of like going up against one of my law school professors.''
Asked how he likes debating the Democrat on television, Racicot grinned and said: ''I'm going to provide adult supervision as best I can.''
EDITOR'S NOTE Will Lester covers politics and polling for The Associated Press.
I'm disappointed. The pubbies don't need someone in the spotlight who is low key and who will be stepped on by the likes of McAuliffe. Nice finishes last in the media camera. We need an attack dog not a lap dog.
What we need is someone who can get the messsage out without taking McCauliffe's bait. When it comes to rabid dogs---there isn't one bigger than McCauliffe.
Racicot's style allowed him to slice through the b*lls*it during the election recount with surgical precision---and, IMO made him a major force in helping Bush.
I predict that McCauliffe's going to be forced to tone down his antics---or look the fool he truly is---and actually debate the issues. By forcing this change in democrat strategy... the GOP wins---big time!
I don't think we need an attack dog - we need a strategist, and I believe that's what we've got.
I sure hope so, and I hope he can be effective against the clever RATS who always seem to be out ahead of us in the press wars. I am impressed with Cheney and Rumsfeld and we need spokemen of their caliber out there to counter the opposition. On the other hand, I was certainly unimpressed with Gilmore when he was paired with his counterpart on at least one Sunday news shows I saw last year.
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