Surprisingly insightful commentary from Steve Schmidt about the state of the Republican Party:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-11-07/mccain-campaign-autopsy/

McCain Campaign Autopsy
by Ana Marie Cox
November 7, 2008 | 8:18pm

...

Looking forward, Schmidt sees the need for a wholesale reinvention of the party: “The party in the Northeast is all but extinct; the party on the West Coast is all but extinct...there has to be a message and a vision that is compelling to people in order for them to come back and to give consideration to the Republican Party again.”

“There has to be a message and a vision that is compelling to people in order for them to come back and to give consideration to the Republican Party again.”

Toward the end of this election cycle, it seemed to many that Schmidt and the McCain campaign were reverting to themes that seemed almost antique: red-baiting taunts of “socialism,” as well as appeals to the “real America.” But today, Schmidt rejected those tactics as blueprints for the future: “The Republican Party wants to, needs to, be able to represent, you know, not only conservatives, but centrists as well. And the party that controls the center is the party that controls the American electorate.” As to what form Republican centrism might take, Schmidt’s response to an email follow-up question suggests it will be anything but the kind of base-friendly social conservatism of Palin.

...

When did you know it was over?

The moment that I will look back at as the moment deep in my gut that I knew, was September 29, when I was flying on a plane with Governor Palin to Sedona for debate prep, watching the split screen on the TVs, because she had a JetBlue charter, and it showed the stock market down seven, eight hundred points; it showed the Congress voting down the bailout package on the other side, and then, House Republicans went out and told the world that the reason that they voted against this legislation, allowed the stock market to crash, allowed the economy to be so injured, was because Nancy Pelosi had given a mean and partisan speech on the floor. And this was their response. And I just viewed it as beyond devastating, and thought that at that moment running with an “R” next to your name, in this year, was probably lethal. But we kept fighting. John McCain never quit…And, you know, for, for my part I had expected that election night, that it would be a pretty early night.

...

(more at the link, particularly about Hispanics and the Republican Party. Worth a read.)

[book_worm]

1. the message is clear purge yourselves of the religious bigots who rule the party.

[Marsala]

2. But if they did that, they wouldn't have anybody left at all

except Grover Norquist.

[Arugula Latte]

3. Yep -- They are screwn either way. They overplayed their hand.

Yes, the did solidify the South for a long time, but at the cost of most of the states with the major population centers and electoral votes.

They can try to get rid of their nutty far-right fundy base, but then they will just be left with a narrow band of centrists. That's not enough for them.

Oh, it's a sad, sad story. :nopity:

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Too late "Street Thug" Schmidt

Your support of dividing the country and energizing the scum of your party who were supported by the executioner RW hate talk radio, sealed your party's fate. Your cheering on of Ghouliani's trashing of the cities and making the election of "us versus them" (rural/suburban versus urban, red states versus blue states, religion versus religion, race and ethnicity versus race and ethnicity, men versus women, hetero versus homo, and other nonsensical wedge issues) left a deep impression and alot of poisoned brainwashing that will be difficult for your kind to eliminate. Just the mention of Mooselini's "base" as supposedly representing YOUR party's "base" is a problem that will vex you for many years.

It will be hard for your party to give up the nasty and vile name-calling and other juvenile antics that denigrate others, so why bother trying? You ARE what you ARE and if you don't like it, become a Democrat and reject the hate. ;)

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

5. Fascinating reading

I was particularly struck by Schmidt saying he was disappointed in the approval of Prop 8. He clearly appreciates the potential demographic time bomb (African-Americans and especially Latinos) ticking in the middle of the Repub room and that piecemeal pandering will win few if any votes from those groups.

This guy is clearly smarter and more thoughtful than I thought he was, though he does engage in some silly CYA about Moosey. Unfortunately, Reagan and Chimp sold the party to the fundy wackos, and they aren't going to go away. I almost feel sorry for responsible moderately conservative Republicans who have seen their party shanghaied by the lunatics.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

6. I think the Hispanic Time Bomb blew up on Nov 4th.

The next time bomb is when the Hispanic population of TX denies them that state too, then they won't even be able to be close in national elections. They have a limited number of years to figure some shit out by then.

Schmidt doesn't come right and say it (other Republicans do), but the Republicans have given up on making any kind of inroads into black voters, now or in the future. All their core platforms are basically hostile to the interests of black voters and they rely too much on racist sentiment for their white Southern base. Problem is, this also works against the Hispanic vote as they saw this year.

If they are to be successful in the long term, the Republicans have to be willing to lose another election or two in the short run but wean themselves on relying on the fundies and try to cultivate other voters who are sane. Otherwise they risk not only not having a worthwhile base in the long run but potentially even losing elections like this one in the short run as well.

The fundies will still vote Republican in the near term no matter what. But their party needs not to cater to them so hard and let them turn out (or not) as they wish.

[Bobbie Jo]

7. Funny...they said the same thing in '06.

It's like telling them to stop breathing. :eyes:

[EconomicLiberal]

8. Why did Schmidt run his campaign completely different

from which way he thinks the GOP should be heading?

[EconomicLiberal]

9. Why did Schmidt run his campaign completely different

from which way he thinks the GOP should be heading?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

10. Interesting thing, that. He doesn't really answer that in the article.

I guess you just have to infer that the thinking was, "well let's give it one more shot with the old game plan".

Also, if Obama has a crappy economy all through his first term and is thereby seen as being vulnerable, I don't expect the GOP to change their fear and smear campaigning one bit. If Obama has a lot of good will and is seen as a strong incumbent, THEN I will expect to see changes in the GOP game plan. They won't expect to win in 2012 in that scenario but they will need to begin trying out their new strategies and begin the process of weaning from the fundies.

[ROh70]

14. Because that would have guaranteed a loss. His only strategy

was to use smoke and mirrors. That's all he had left.

[DrToast]

17. Because a total reboot of the party takes a long time

He probably figured that continuing with the current playbook was probably their only shot at winning and he might have been right. Now they have no choice to reboot and it will take a while for the party to build a coalition that can win again.

[Skittles]

11. they need to stop the sheer ugliness and get back to the issues

the REAL issues that affect the lives of average Americans

[Cleita]

12. Real issues are important to all of us who are Democrats.

Why do you care about the opposition Patrician Party at all even surviving?

[Skittles]

13. because I don't think a one party rule is a good thing

they've MADE me want it but ultimately it is NOT A GOOD THING

[Cleita]

15. Oh I agree about opposition but

I don't agree it has to be their authoritarian, totalitarian opposition that we need. I think in the big party that we all defeated THEM we will find all kinds of opposition within ourselves to create a democratic balance.

[Skittles]

18. I am hoping it makes them take a serious look at themselves

not sure that will happen though and they will keep paying the price - fine as long as it's not us playing the price :D

[CitizenPatriot]

16. they literally could not talk about the issues

or no one would have voted for them.

what could they say?

deregulation: give it another shot!
out of work? vote for us -- we gave your jobs away and now we want to cut all unemployment funding, etc.
healthcare? that's for socialists! same with social security. Here's our idea: we'll put your money in the stock market!
Nationalizing banks is a great thing - how do you like being a part owner of a bank? cool, right? you have no stock, per se, no profit sharing, per se...but it's cool, no?

free markets, small govt, yeah. Not so much.

[Skidmore]

19. The genius that is Rove. How's that permanent majority workin' for ya, Karl?

nt

[AmericanUnity]

20. Steve Schmidt - go crawl back into Karl Rove's butt and take a 20 year nap