For Republicans, Court Fight Risks Losing Hispanics to Win Conservatives

[babylonsister]

For Republicans, Court Fight Risks Losing Hispanics to Win Conservatives

By ADAM NAGOURNEY
Published: May 27, 2009


WASHINGTON — President Obama’s selection of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for a seat on the Supreme Court has put the Republican Party in a bind, forcing it to weigh the cost of aggressively opposing the first Hispanic named to the court against its struggle to appeal to Hispanic voters.

The Republican Party has been embroiled in a public argument over whether to tend to the ideological interests of its conservative base or to expand its appeal to a wider variety of voters to regain its strength after the defeats of 2008. Many conservative activists and political strategists came out fiercely against Judge Sotomayor as soon her name was announced, denouncing her as liberal and promising Mr. Obama a tough nomination fight.

“The G.O.P. has to make a stand,” said Scott Reed, who managed Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential campaign. “This is what the base and social conservatives really care about, and we need to brand her a liberal with some out-of-the-mainstream positions. Forget about cosmetics and ethnic heritage, and focus on her record.”

But some Republicans warned that the image of the party’s throwing a roadblock before a historic nomination could prove politically devastating. Republicans saw a dip in Hispanic support in 2008, after eight years in which President George W. Bush and his political aides made a concerted effort to increase the Republican appeal to Hispanics, the nation’s fastest-growing group of voters.

“If Republicans make a big deal of opposing Sotomayor, we will be hurling ourselves off a cliff,” said Mark McKinnon, who was a senior adviser to Mr. Bush and has long advocated expanding the party’s appeal. “Death will not be assured. But major injury will be.”

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/us/politics/28repubs.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaper

[C_U_L8R]

1. If ?

So now they want their kitchen sink back?

These hateful jerks just spent the last two days calling the Supreme Court nominee
everything from an idiot to a racist... there's no taking that back.
Who the fuck would want to vote for a party so divisive except freeps, rapture readies and oinky greed pigs.

[bluestateguy]

2. I want the GOP to make racist arguments

Hispanic voters are growing with each election cycle. I still believe that President Obama has room to grow with that vote in 2012. He won 67% of Hispanics in 2008. But Bill Clinton took 72% of the Hispanic vote in 1996. So there is room to grow.

Keep in mind too, that McCain was the best the Republicans had to give with regard to the Hispanic vote, given his history on the immigration issue. If they had picked Romney or Huckabee, Obama would have won still more Hispanic votes. In '12, the GOP seems more likely to nominate a nativist, rather than a pro-immigrationist.

[NJmaverick]

3. It's no accident that the GOP keeps finding itself in these no win situations

I think that our current President and his people are not given enough credit.

[baldguy]

4. If cons are so fickle that the GOP fears losing them over one SC nom, then why do they even bother?

I think the real problem the GOP has is the so-called conservative leaders who are trying to protect their own little fiefdoms, milking the sheep & embezzling from their orgs, who think "to hell with the GOP, I need to maintain the status-quo.".

If they dump a growing constituency like Hispanics in favor of a shrinking one like the conservatives, then the GOP is doomed.

[customerserviceguy]

5. I think the Repigs learned their lesson last election

It doesn't matter how much they try to either please or piss off Hispanics, they won't get their votes anyway.

My bet is that they're going to try to win back the conservatives, especially the bible thumpers who would just stay home and say "It's just a tribulation the Heavenly Sky Father is sending us if we get a Democratic government." Rethugs have usually managed to win when they get that group on board.

[Brewman_Jax]

6. It's a win-win

for us. :evilgrin: They have to appeal to the far right rabid racists and neo-cons, whom they need, or try to appeal to Hispanics, who won't vote for them anyway because they campaign using racism and xenophobia, to appeal to the far right rabid racists and neo-cons. A vicious cycle they've put themselves in. :D

[Renew Deal]

7. The good news for us is that republicans listen to the Reeds and not the McKinnons

:D

[WeDidIt]

8. For Republicans, No Court Fight Risks Losing Conservatives to Win Hispanics

Catch-22

[LiberalFighter]

9. Please Please Pretty Please... I want the GOP to fight this nomination.

I want Newt and Limbaugh to keep it up against her. And anyone else that has Presidential ambitions on the Republican side.

I want the Republican Party to be known as the party of racists and care nothing about the American people.

[babylonsister]

10. This is one time where the m$m is helping spread the r/w

talking head meme. I hope they keep it up. And rush, come on, give us some more sound bites to really convince people what a moron you are.