Struggling Republicans to pick new party chief

[UpInArms]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Republican Party insiders pick a new leader on Friday, he will have to be more than just a nuts-and-bolts manager by rallying the faithful after two disastrous elections that transformed U.S. politics.

With Democrats now in control of the White House, Congress and many states, the Republican National Committee chairman will also have to close the gap with foes who exploited the Internet for communications and fundraising.

And he will have to find a way to counter a charismatic Democratic president who enjoys wide public support, coming on the heels of an unpopular Republican president.

Republicans also say they must appeal to racial minorities, young voters and other groups that have shunned the party in recent years.

But few suggest the party should soften its conservative philosophy or reexamine its core beliefs in limited government and strong national defense.

"My mother always told me it's not what you say, it's how you say it that counts," said Ron Kaufman, an RNC member from Massachusetts who backs the current chairman, Mike Duncan. "We have not done a good job of communicating to people of all kinds who we are and what we stand for."

Friday's vote will be the first contested RNC leadership race since 1997, before George W. Bush won the White House.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE50S10K20090129?sp=true

---

[izquierdista]

1. Please, please, please

Let it be Limbaugh. He's already their official talking points distributor.

[Raine]

3. Limbaugh or Palin

:evilgrin:

[mwb970]

8. Limbaugh and Palin *are* the Republican Party now.

No matter what dumb shill they put in the top RNC spot, it's Sarah and Rush, Rush and Sarah, all the way down. These two are busily finishing off the party that bush and cheney brought to a near-death condition, with help from the Hannitys and the Malkins. I say go for it! Kill it!

[Why Syzygy]

2. Speaking of "communicating"..

what a poorly written article. A mass of confusion. Fits the topic.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

4. There really isn't much to say about Mr Duncan...

... other than that he was head of the Kentucky bankers association and that Karl Rove hand picked him because he "wouldn't make waves", ie... steal Karl's thunder. Do a google search on his name and see for yourself.

[rpannier]

5. I submitted my name for consideration

Yet to hear back on how it's going.

I'll be waiting by my phone for the call

[Raine]

21. They'll never consider you

because you have intelligence, which is something they have no use for in that party.

[No Elephants]

6. I nominate Mr. Incarnate, as in Satan Incarnate.

[radfringe]

7. Officially or Unofficially - it's Rush of the "rushicans"

I hear the acronym is being change from GOP (grand old party) to POD Party Of Dittoheads

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Fixed.

"We have not done a good job of communicating to people of all kinds who we are and what we stand for."

:rofl:

[wordpix]

10. the repukes are making themselves extinct - LOL

they deserve to go the way of the dinosaurs :rofl:

[PassingFair]

11. I miss OUR Chairman.

I hope he's kicking back with Judy and
the kids....

But I am anxious to hear his views on
where our time and money as progressives
will be best spent in the current climate.

I wonder if the 'pukes choose their leader
by votes of the local chairs, as we did,
or if they have another way of choosing.

On Edit:

From the link...

>"Saltsman has no public endorsements from the 168 voting RNC members and observers say he might lack enough support to appear on the ballot."<


I'm guessing that the 168 are state party chairs.

[BadgerKid]

12. Meta: outrageous invocation

of Godwin's Law in the midst of the power vacuum.

(Hey, just flinging it back to the freepers.)

[Demeter]

13. The GOP Communicated All Too Well What They Stood For

and the public said, No deal!

[tanyev]

14. Good grief, this is taking almost as long as the presidential election.

Get it over with already.

[THUNDER HANDS]

15. moved

this was moved to GD because it's really more of a feature story than a hard news story. Thanks.

TH

[UpInArms]

17. thanks -

for giving the reason for the move - had me a bit confused

:hi:

[Pryderi]

16. Do you think they'll pick an african-american?

[UpInArms]

18. if they do, I recommend a new motto for the party

"Roaches for Raid"

[KharmaTrain]

19. Breaking News: Incompetence Rewarded...

What a bunch of "winners" we have here. Not a single standing elected official...and in the case of Steele and Blackwell...losers in their bids to higher office. Then there's Saltsman who pissed off a lot of repugnicans last year by heading Hucklenutz's campaign and then shot himself in the foot with his "magic negro" email. One can pander only so much, Chip.

So what do they have left? Duncan. The same dude who oversaw their getting their asses kicked, ot only at the ballot box but in the money race as well. The once huge GOOP money margins are gone and will continue to dwindle as the GOOP falls further from power and relevance.

This is like the Lions rehiring Steve Mariucci...and then giving him a raise for the great job he did last season.

Sit back and enjoy the show...the GOOP implosion is far from hitting bottom.

[Ikonoklast]

20. I nominate George W. Bush

What would they do if he applied for the job as RNC Chairman?

They couldn't have him, they couldn't refuse him...



Spontaneous human combustion comes to mind.

[madinmaryland]

22. It should read: "Struggling Republicans to pick new party thief"

:rofl:

[NYC Liberal]

23. My guess is - they still won't "get it"

They will still go after their racist, bigoted, xenophobic base like always. An "appeal to minorities" for the Republican party is absolutely laughable, especially after the way they acted this past election. My guess is that, at best, they will use their (few), reliable minority "spokespeople" to try to push the meme that the GOP now loves minorities. But, the result will be similar to what happened to Palin: people will see it as completely transparent gimmick, picking style (a few "token black" Republicans or "token women" Republicans) over actual substance.

Here are some stats for you:

95% of blacks voted for Obama
Blacks make up only 2% of the GOP
Latinos make up only 1%
Only 15% of the GOP is under 35.

http://dnc.kgnu.org/2008/08/04/commentary-declining-republican-demographics/