Exhibit B -- why the GOP will never again become what we hope it will

[ericire12]

http://www.observer.com/2009/politics/why-wont-republicans-clean-house

As we have been reminded 11 times in the past few weeks, when a football team completes a disastrous regular season or two, the ownership's reaction is almost always the same: clean house and start fresh.

National Republican leaders should be thankful their party isn't an NFL franchise. Since 2006, they've presided over almost nothing but failure, but the cries for the scalps have been remarkably muted.

Consider the case of Robert "Mike" Duncan, who was installed as chairman of the Republican National Committee two Januarys ago, just after his party suffered a thorough drubbing in the 2006 midterm elections.

In the two years since, the anonymous Duncan, an aging Kentucky banker who raised a small fortune for Mitch McConnell's campaigns, has invisibly tended to his R.N.C. duties (save for the occasional television appearance, which typically features his listless recitation of flat talking-points, punctuated by a mangled sound bite or two). He's made his biggest headlines by fighting with his fellow Republicans, and - oh yes - his party lost the White House, eight Senate seats, 21 House seats and a governorship in the 2008 election. If there's an equivalent to a 2-14 season in politics, this is surely it.

Part of Duncan's viability can be attributed to his weak opposition. Two of his rivals have come under fire for apparent racial insensitivity. Chip Saltsman proudly distributed a CD with the song "Barack the Magic Negro" in December, while Kayton Dawson, the current South Carolina G.O.P. chairman, belongs to an all-white country club and has bragged that he first became interested in politics by joining the fight against busing in the late 1960s. Right now, Duncan's strongest rival appears to be Michael Steele, who lost a Maryland Senate race in '06.

No matter the reason, though, if Duncan is reelected, Republicans will be missing a clear opportunity to show they've learned something from their recent failures, and will be relegating themselves to two more years of dull and uninspired leadership.

[tombogan03884]

  The song "Barack the Magic Negro" originated with Jesse Jackson's followers if I remember correctly.

[deamonpi]

If it was 2 January's ago doesn't he have a while before his term is up?  if so why rally now, rather than when he is up again?

[tombogan03884]

If it was 2 January's ago doesn't he have a while before his term is up?  if so why rally now, rather than when he is up again?

Because the PARTY  HEAD changes every 2 yearsthe RINO needs to be canned NOW or we are stuck with him for 2 more years that will probably screw us in 2010 like his muddling did in 08.

[deamonpi]

Because the PARTY  HEAD changes every 2 yearsthe RINO needs to be canned NOW or we are stuck with him for 2 more years that will probably screw us in 2010 like his muddling did in 08.

That explains it, thanx Tom

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

Just reread that last post. Deamonpi, I apologize if I came across sharper than I intended.Glad it cleared it up for you .

[deamonpi]

not to worry I am always misconstrued to be more forceful than I intended.  I therefore, according to some strictures, try to take a message in its best light.