The conservative vs. moderate split threatening to rupture the Republican Party played out across the airwaves Sunday, with Colin Powell and Tom Ridge denouncing shrill and judgmental voices they say are steering the GOP too far right. Karl Rove challenged Powell to lay out his vision and “back it up” by helping elect Republicans.
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[Karl] Rove, chief political strategist for the younger Bush, took the position that “if you say you’re Republican, you’re Republican.” But he wanted more than words from Powell.“I don’t like this thing where people — and Powell is one them — who said, `Rush Limbaugh, shut up.’ We believe, as Republicans in the marketplace of ideas. Let that marketplace decide,” Rove said.
What’s so funny about that is that the marketplace has already decided:
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey, released Monday, suggests that 70 percent have a favorable opinion of Powell, who was Secretary of State during President George W. Bush’s first term, and who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Persian Gulf War.
Only 30 percent of those polled have a favorable view of Limbaugh, the popular conservative radio talk show host, with 53 percent saying they hold an unfavorable opinion.
In poll numbers released Thursday, 37 percent say they have a favorable opinion of Dick Cheney, with 55 percent indicating they hold an unfavorable view of the former vice president.
I know who I’d choose as a standard-bearer if I ever wanted to win another election.
Colin Powell spoke at the U of M a few years ago. Regardless of party affiliation, we need more people like him in politics. What a great leader with a lot of common sense.
I think the choice IS obvious. It is time that Rush Limbaugh gets out from behind a microphone and runs for office as a Republican. He can recruit others to present the Republican ideal in all 50 states without relying on Powell. Need I remind you that Powell has so far refused to run for office and should be run out of the Republican Party. This country will finally get back on track and away from the socialist clutches it has found itself in with a resurgence of quality Republican candidates like Rush Limbaugh.
(Shhh you think they’ll buy it. Oh please let them run hard right conservatives…)
Gotta differ.
After BushCo snookered him with the UN Testimony/Farce, he kept quiet. And still has.
That’s not “leadership” - that’s “enabling.”
And there’s too many enablers as it is.
With Democrats fighting to keep Guant. Bay open, allowing us to bring guns to National Parks, and fearful of doing anything but supporting a ban on gay marriage - who cares? You guys are implementing the Republican agenda for us!
Well, let’s see here, sport.
1) I oppose funding the evacuation of G.B. without a plan in place to do so. Any reasonable person would.
2) The second amendment allows the bearing of arms. It seems unreasonable to prevent the carrying of arms in national parks (bears, anybody?)
3) Most democrats in California voted against prop 8. What is your point here, exactly? Vermont? Something about “the plural of anecdote is not data” comes to mind.
Have fun arranging the deck chairs on the Republican party.
It is a no-brainer that Republicans need to go in the mold of Powell. The big question is what happens if they don’t? What happens if they break to the right even more?
Do people like Powell become Democrats? I don’t think so. Choosing to endorse Obama doesn’t make you also support Kucinich and Boxer. I think there is really room for a 3rd party.
Kucinich and Boxer are Far to the left of the democratic party apparatus. The entire democratic party apparatus is Far to the right of the American public. Powell holds the values of the average democratic politician. Powell WILL become a democrat, if the party doesn’t correct itself.
There is ZERO idealogical space between the democratic party and the republican party for a viable third party.
Think about it: Statistically, the democratic party is the party of fiscal discipline AND social moderation. Where would a third party slot in?