Southern Republicans Gather in New Orleans with RNC Controversy Front and Center
A star-studded cast of GOP heavyweights will be speaking this weekend at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans. But the conference itself may not be the main attraction for the hundreds of activists, party workers, and leaders who will be coming to hear the likes of Sarah Palin, Bobby Jindal, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul.
Instead, the attendees will be all abuzz with gossip about who’s up, who’s down, who’s in or out at the Republican National Committee. No doubt Southern GOP committeemen will be special targets of a media looking for a story about the continuing soap opera that Michael Steele’s chairmanship has become. And to make matters even more interesting, Steele is still on the agenda as closing speaker for the conference on Saturday afternoon.
The dizzying progression of scandals, charges of misuse of party funds, personnel changes, and high-profile calls for Steele to step down threaten to take the focus off what should be the conference’s main purpose: to rally the troops and send them off to the midterm wars with confidence and enthusiasm. Instead, they have the chairman of their party basically accusing them of racism for questioning his job performance, a national organization in painful disarray, and the entire party waiting for the next scandal or embarrassment to drop. Although there have been a few calls for Steele to step down, most of the national committee seems to be solidly behind him, so there is little chance they can force him out. But it won’t take much for that to change. Steele has been given just about all the rope he is going to get, and with midterms approaching, the absolute last thing the party needs is this kind of turmoil at the top.
What kind of reception can Chairman Steele expect on Saturday? The chairman has never been very popular with the rank and file, but the attendees will mostly be leadership types who look for results. And when the organization you head can raise $11.4 million in March, you’re not doing half bad. Steele will be greeted politely but not enthusiastically.
The conference will also be notable for who isn’t attending. Mitt Romney suddenly found something better to do on March 25 and canceled his scheduled appearance. Some might think Mitt is going into hiding because a lot of Republicans are angry at him for RomneyCare, which served as something of a template for ObamaCare. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mr. Romney is going to be promoting his new book, No Apology: The Case for American Greatness.
Still, as the acknowledged front-runner for the nomination, Romney is not doing himself any favors by passing up an event where his main rivals — Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee — will be the headliners. What’s he afraid of? There really may be some backlash associated with RomneyCare, especially among Southern conservatives who poll as the most opposed to national health insurance reform. In this instance, it is possible Romney thought it wiser to avoid unpleasant confrontations until passions cool somewhat.
Evidently, Mitt has no apologies for RomneyCare at the moment and probably won’t for a while. Some doubt whether Romney can recover and make a solid run for president in 2012. It would certainly be awkward for him to advocate for repeal of ObamaCare while still defending his own health care program that features individual mandates forcing citizens to buy insurance and several other similarities with ObamaCare. I don’t know if chameleons can change into that color. But if Romney can go from supporting a government-sponsored solution for our health care problems to born-again advocate for free market fixes, he will have become a new species of lizard that not only changes color but is capable of hypnotizing its prey.
Also canceling at the last minute was Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. With no real chance to shine among the rest of the pack, Pawlenty probably figures his time is better spent elsewhere. He decided to go to a ceremony honoring Iraq veterans instead.
No preview of this shindig would be complete without a look at Ron Paul and the zaniness that surrounds his every appearance. I predict beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ron Paul will win the straw poll being conducted on Saturday for presidential contenders. This is actually a no-brainer. First, Paul wins every meaningless poll anywhere one is held, whether online or at some event like the SRLC. Secondly, Paulbots are stacking the deck:
Meanwhile, Paul and his fans seem to be preparing for another end-run straw-poll victory at the SRLC. Earlier this month, the Web site of his group Campaign for Liberty was “proud to announce a massively discounted rate on SRLC tickets for our supporters at $30 a ticket.” Seems an anonymous donor bought a block of tickets for Paul fans. (VIP tickets to the SRLC are $700 apiece, while “partial access” tickets, allowing the bearer to watch most sessions elsewhere in the hotel via closed-circuit TV, are only $119. It wasn’t clear which tickets were in the Paul bloc.)
“Fans” is a good description of Paul backers. In many ways, they remind me of Chicago Bears supporters who show up for December home games in sub-zero temperatures and, after a few nips of the creature, remove their shirts and enjoy the game, totally oblivious to the frigid conditions. The Paulites really have no clue regarding their effect on ordinary people who are astonished at their cult-like devotion to this little angry man who thinks the Fed is the devil incarnate and that we should go back on the gold standard. Paul is a traveling side show and has no more support today — 2% among national Republicans — than he did in 2008. Because of this, he can do little more than disrupt the proceedings. He is scheduled to speak on Saturday, immediately prior to Michael Steele’s address.
The Southern Republican Leadership Conference is billed as “the most prominent Republican event outside of the Republican National Convention.” Given all the sidebar stories and drama that may play out away from the main stage, this may be one to remember.
The problem makers in the GOP are those who arranged to have McCain as the nominee in ’08 and those who supported Lieberman for Senate over the party’s own candidate in ’06. They are probably the same; the same undermining moles who are creating a problem with Steele today in ’10. They need to be identified and shamed and shown the door.
Ain’t gonna happen.
The Nelson Rockefeller Country Club Republicans have lost the Republic for us by being who they are.
The good old boys’ use their ‘opposition research’ within their own party to blackball outsiders.
Palin got undercut by Bozo McClain’s ivy league varsity hit squad that she calls “aides”.
Jindal made a straight-laced speech, so the same gang fed the MSM the lines to blackball him with.
Steele didn’t know what the Country Club insiders were up to in the committee rooms (strip clubs, etc.), so the ‘opposition research’ crew went to work feeding dirt to the MSM to get him blackballed.
They tolerate Paul because, while he IS comically inadept, he keeps most Liberatarians from bolting.
The party is in shreds. The Libertarian, Constitution and Tea Parties will do another 1992, but it ain’t Georgie Porgie Bushie who will win, it’s Hussein the Hun.
The Huns went from the Gates to the Palace, and the real enemy, the NRCCR Party led their way.
- …those who supported Lieberman for Senate over the party’s own candidate in ‘06.
100% wrong. Way too many people have that almost exactly backward. The GOP apparatchiks who supported Schlesinger are the ones you’re talking about here.
Some 70% of registered Republicans here in CT voted for Lieberman in ’06. It had little-to-nothing to do with anything the GOP suggested and everything to do with defeating millionaire weasel and one-trick pony, Ned Lamont; also because the GOP nominee represented exactly the sort of thing that’s wrong with the Republican party.
I like Michael Steele and I used to love to listen to him when he subbed for Bill Bennett on his morning talk show. But he’s got to go for the good of the Conservative wing of the party. How many targets do the Republicans have to set up for the Dems to strike?
Steel has become a distraction and the focus of much negative attention, he needs to step down at RNC. We have better things to worry about now with only 7 months till mid-terms. These guys need to check their egos at the door and get down to business.
Michael Steele threatens to take the focus off what should be the Southern Republican Leadership Conference’s main purpose because that is exactly what he wants.
From day one right out of the starting gate Michael Steele has made his RNC Chairmanship about one thing; Michael Steele as the black race. He continues to do this at every opportunity, including TV appearances this past weekend.
I don’t know what the problem with Mr. Steele is, but we already have a racist whack job sitting in the Whitehouse that’s shoved his brand of self-centered race hatred down the country’s throat.
The Southern Republican Leadership Conference and the RNC better get with the program damn fast. Like it or not people have had it with the front and center, “I’m black and you are going to pay a high price for it” crap.
Take the race issue up with Lord God Almighty Mr. Steele. In the meantime take a bow and walk off the stage like the good man you claim to be.
“this little angry man who thinks the Fed is the devil incarnate and that we should go back on the gold standard.”
I remain unconvinced that America should return to the gold standard and get rid of the Federal Reserve—and you don’t get much more economically conservative than me. These are issues that utterly bore the purple state voters. It is foolish to turn them into major political campaign planks. At the very best, they should be regarded as long run goals. The Ron Paul fanatics are too overly interested in pursuing a utopian vision. They are usually unwilling to seek a working relationship with so-called moderate voters. This mindset guarantees losses on Election Day. We should do everything possible to marginalize these immature individuals.
Without Paul, no matter how utopianist he sounds, the Republican Party shall lose all its Libertarian leaners. Don’t shake the Log Cabin Republicans either, for pity’s sake, in today’s America they represent the fastest growing demographic outside Hispanics and Muslims.
Agree it’s hard to be convinced to go back to the gold standard or dump the Fed.
Can’t we just shoot them all and bring in a fresh crew from somewhere besides Goldman Sachs?
Milton Friedman also was no fan of the Fed and called for it to be abloshied. Was he a nut too? Paul would do well not to lead with this issue, amd not to call for the gold standard as opposed to solutions more like Friedman’s alternatives. But his point is a good one.
Yes… “long run goals.” Like cutting spending and reducing the size of the government.
Your description of Ron Paul reminds me why loyalty to both Democrats and Republicans is no longer a factor in future elections. What is the point of dissing someone like Paul who is actually one of the few people who speak sense anymore? I am not a ‘Paulbot’ and the use of demeaning terms only makes me push away more from the “established” parties. Yes, I am registered Republican, but I am voting for REAL conservatives who can take this country back. Call us the Tea Party if you want, but we really are just a reawakened part of America that wants a constitutional government again and we won’t let Democrats OR REPUBLICANs get in our way.
We should fight to get the best candidates during the primary season. The winner should normally receive our support even though they might leave much to be desired. Ann Coulter is spot on to point out that there are some bad Republicans—but there also no good Democrats! Any third party talk is for losers. Such silliness must end. Our election system revolves around the Electoral College whether one likes it or not. The presidential candidate who earns the minimum of 270 electoral votes wins the contest. it would be wise not to forget this harsh fact of life.
Enormous damage has been done to the United States because childishly immature voters stayed home on election day in 2008. These folks didn’t even bother to cast their ballots for conservative candidates. Such madness cannot be tolerated.
Tea Party candidates will be suicide for the Republican Party. Look for the MSM to trumphet the idea more as the primaries approach.
As for the gadfly Ron Paul – if he went away where would his supporters go? The Democrat party? I doubt that. They are as vehemently opposed to what Obama and his herd is doing as most of us here are.
As much as I dislike some elements of the Republican Party (McCain et al) that wish to ‘engage’ the other side of the isle – yes we need to support them – IF they can win their primary. They won’t have my support in a primary — I’ll be looking for good conservatives. Unfortunately that is a rare commodity in my state – Washington.
McCain (and others of his ilk) are advocating not reaching across the isle to work with Democrats – what a Johnny Come Lately you are John. A bumbling fool of a politician as proven by your last election performance. Now you’ve suddenly ‘found’ your conservative roots – roots you’ve never really had methinks.
I agree there are bad Republicans but absolutely no good Democrats. But I will only vote for a Republican that is fiscally responsible, pro-traditional marriage and truly pro-life. I’m tired of voting in RINOs.
Given the likelihood that any Democrat will vote with the rest of the Democrats >90% of the time – even a RINO who may vote only 50% of the time with conservatives is better than a Democrat who will never vote with conservatives.
Choices must be made – as unsavory as that is.
I know it’s a case of picking the lessor of two evils – but if you don’t vote then the evil will be selected for you.
Dig in – get conservative candidates into the primaries and support them!
When RINOs are inevitable, just sigh and vote for them.
Are you speaking from the heart, or the wallet ?
The worse, the better, for frogs and voters; Time to jump.
The Tea Party gains strength with every dumb Dem decision,
and that much more when RINOs say: We are not _that_ bad.
I am a republican, and I am pro choice and pro civil unions. Do not confuse the term republican with social conservative. I am a fiscal conservative who believes in small government. As in stay out of my choices government. That includes who I chose to marry, and what I do with my body. As in I am actually for small government not just a large socially conservative government because that will be just as corrupt and intruding.
You’re welcome to vote Republican, but don’t expect the Republican Party to change to accommodate your social views. The New Republican Party (see my posts below) isn’t the Old GOP, (what people refer to as the RINO Party) where ONLY fiscal and national security issues were important. Now, social issues are as important with Republicans as fiscal and national security ones.
Frankly, I am disappointed in Michael Steele. I was initially enthusiastic about his winning the chairmanship of the Republican Party, but he has become a terrible distraction for the Party. My feeling is that he should resign gracefully. The Republicans do not need distractions before this very important upcoming mid-term election.
The GOP raised $11M in March not because of Michael Steele and/or the “Country Clubbers” who control the Party’s leadership. It was Barry the Bolshevik and his band of thieves who opened the wallets of patriotic, conservative Americans who demand both sides of the congressional aisle be emptied of leftists, political opportunists, Rinos and milquetoast moderates this November. Republican leadership had better listen up or be left in the dust of a conservative revolution. No more McCains…No more Rinos!
Micheal Steele should have sent heads rolling when he learned about the stripper club expense report submission! Yes, the idiot who turned in the expense was fired…but what about the permissive attitude that allowed the staff member to even CONSIDER such an expense reimbursement paid by donors???
The idea of men wasting money on a strip club is abhorant enough to women…the realization that the monies could have come from OUR wallets makes our future contributions impossible!
Where was Steele’s OUTRAGE?
What up with that logo? Why all the cresents? Appealing to the dhimmis and death cultists or what?
How about something new:
1. Formulate domestic and foreign policy objectives openly and truthfully.
2. Pick and back candidates and RNC operatives in a way that gets us there best.
The soap opera and petty nonsense will only take our eyes off the policy ball and entrench the other party.
These comments explain clearly the ongoing demise of the Republican Party. It reminds one of the daily happenings in Iraq with each sect fighting/hating the other.
4. Black Stays …”Michael Steele threatens to take the focus off what should be the Southern Republican Leadership Conference’s main purpose because that is exactly what he wants….”
What a crock! Hey now that Obama has shown up as the master of disaster most conservatives who took the time to look into his chicago background expected he would be – The RNC job is crucial and covented.
Where were you Blackie back when this Chair was considered as smart a career move as say – working for John Edwards? Or the rest of the fair weather Rick Moronic armchair judas’ posting this ‘he’s gotta go’ gibberish?
The prior RNC Chair was about as successful as say Nelson Rocky himself when it came to promoting & protecting. The talk around oct ’08 when it came to RNC Chair began and ended with ‘whose stupid enough to want it?’
More ink was spilt over whether the GOP would even survive as a national party come the 2010. Now everythings changed.
Now a lot of people want to be the guy who steps in and enjoys the glory when the house falls. That’s ALL THIS IS ABOUT. Not race, not ineptitude, and certainly not some leaks to the opposition research press hungry for some juicy details about lap dances at an LA titty bar.
I always liked Steele – and he is dug in – and good for him. He deserves to get his one shot at one cycle. He won and he’s worked his ass off since. All you whinning cassandra’s amount to squat – since is way past midnight as far as a coup at the palace.
Remove him forcably and it only aids the Dem’s in the mid-term. End of story.
Like you, and many others I very much liked Mr. Steele until the day he stepped in as the RNC Chairman. From that day on, the man has used his race to make himself the center of attention, not the RNC, not the GOP or the needs of the country.
Is that what Mr. Steele earned? The right to put his own interests, in the form of race in between the committee members and voters while knowing full well how critical and important the upcoming elections are?
What I said stands; we already have a racist whack job sitting in the Whitehouse. Mr. Steele should be ashamed of himself and step down.
Romney has a simple defense for Romney-care: It wasn’t unconstitutional when Massachusetts did it.
It may not have been unconstitutional, but certainly isn’t a feather in his hat; it’s clearly bad for the State’s finances, while at the individual consumer level the costs seem to currently outweigh its benefits. What is worse for Romney is the fact that Romneycare’s full economic and political liabilities in Mass haven’t been fully accounted for, and in two years the picture will look worse for him on that issue than at present at both the national and state (Mass) level.
The Grand Old Republican Party is dead. The Old Country Club, Old Wall Street GOP is gone, finished, done with.
In fact, so much so, that the “new” Wall Street “new Country Club is as radical as the new regime, which expects the new radical state-run Wall Street and Country Club to bail out BHO in 2012.
The New Republican Party are the old Reagan Democrats, the Tea Party Palin Main Street conservatives, and the sensible libertarians of the Rand (not Ron) Paul type.
Edward A., #12 above, had it right on. Sadly, most posting here completely missed it. And, what’s scaring me, especially reading some of these post here, this is exactly the reason Dems will maintain control come Nov. And you can be sure, they are loving every minute of it!
I don’t know what you mean by “some of these posts” but please, don’t include mine – I have already (in previous threads) expressed the view that all these so-called RINOs must be part of the “new” Republican Party. They simply have to realize that they no longer CONTROL it.
It has been said before, indeed, many times by the headliners here on PJM, but it bears repeating.
If all of you proud conservative Americans really want to change the Republican Party into a more conservative party, you must start from the ground up–literally!
Find out where your county GOP Headquarters is, and get involved. Become a member of the committee that deals with candidates, and try to encourage conservative candidates. Point out the downsides of RINO (or, as I prefer to call them, DIRC–Democrat in Republican Clothing) candidates.
Going to rallies, blogging, and commenting on sites like PJM is all well and good, but the best and most lasting change occurs where the rubber meets the road, and that’s at the local (county) level.
If we get a Congress of DIRCs after 2010, it will likely be because good patriotic conservative Americans weren’t willing to get their hands dirty with day-to-day politics.
David Frum just slandered the Confederacy on Tavis Smiley.
Apparently David Frum’s version of a Big Tent and inclusive new Republican Party, means that those who honor their Confederate Heritage need not apply.
Cant say Im surprised.
RMN — Now, social issues are as important with Republicans as fiscal and national security ones.
This is the prescription for keeping the party “pure” and regional. Social issues are a proven losing argument. Social conservatives have lost every time and on every issue.
When the republicans win it’s only by appealing to the centrist voter.
Let’s keep it simple: Is it true that ALL conservatives…& ALL Republicans are FISCAL conservatives. Is that correct?
If so, let’s unite on fiscal issues! No more nonsense re RINOs. Leave the controversial social issues to the churches where CLERGY can (rightfully) DEMAND conservative behavior.
First and foremost, let’s get our FISCAL conservatives into office!
Social conservatives have lost every time and on every issue. — GL Alston
Apparently you havent seen Gay Marriage go down in flames in every state in the Union, by referendum.
Nice try though.
#21 ev — Apparently you havent seen Gay Marriage go down in flames in every state in the Union, by referendum.
You sure have an interesting definition of “winning issue.”
This is a recent issue, and one the social conservatives are currently losing in grand style. Gays have already won most major points (e.g. anti-gay boy scouts cannot use public paid facilities, recognition of partnerships, ubiquity in media.) Gays won again just a few weeks ago (military service.) The marriage thing is one of the last links of a very long chain, and so far the gays have won every link. There’s no reason to think the last link in the chain will turn out differently. The culture warriors are losing on this, have lost in the past, and will continue to lose.
Oh, and gay marriage is legal in Iowa. The social conservative position is crumbling.
anti-gay boy scouts cannot use public paid facilities, recognition of partnerships, ubiquity in media. — GL Alston
That is why the boy scouts isnt under assault for child sexual abuse like the Catholic Church.
Im afraid that losing the culture war, means that you will lose on all other fronts. This was understood by the Leftists, who devised these strategies in and pre 60s.
So yours is a defeatist strategy.
The key is to fight the culture war more agressively. The Left has been very successful, all we have to do is use their tactics. Education institutions should be targeted first, for infiltration and take over…since the media is running a complete end around do to the increase in bandwidth.
#23 ev — The key is to fight the culture war more agressively.
So, use a bigger stick to beat the dead horse with. Yeah, that works.
[Dr. Evil laugh track goes here.]