Republicans Struggle to Unite in the Obama Era
Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, and Dick Cheney are all controversial figures in the GOP
Gingrich is full of ideas and brio, but his failure to maintain GOP momentum when he was House speaker in the mid-1990s undermines his claim to be the conservative of the future. Limbaugh is bombastic and entertaining and draws lots of attention, but he has shown no interest in running for office. Cheney has made some effective arguments in defense of Bush administration national security policies, but he remains deeply unpopular with independents and Democratic voters. Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts and an also-ran in the 2008 GOP presidential race, has been working behind the scenes to cultivate grass-roots support, but many Republicans still wonder if he is a genuine conservative and whether he can bond with everyday voters.
Meanwhile, GOP leaders in Congress such as Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Rep. John Boehner of Ohio haven't gained much traction with their critique of Obama as a big-spending liberal who is weak on defense and a neophyte in foreign policy. These are the same criticisms the Republicans have directed at the Democrats for years. Americans are indeed worried about some of Obama's policies but so far haven't converted these concerns about Obama into support for the GOP.
Of course, nearly five years ago, the Democrats were in the same boat. The White House and Congress were controlled by the GOP. The Democratic nominee, Sen. John Kerry, lost the presidential race to George W. Bush. And myriad Democratic voices were clamoring to be heard. "It's difficult when you don't have a president in office," says a senior Obama adviser, because a commander in chief tends to create unity in his party.
Frank Donatelli, chairman of GOPAC, a conservative political action committee, and former political director for President Reagan, adds that there is no permanent majority in American politics. He predicts that the GOP will make a comeback when the political pendulum swings to the right again, either because the Republicans manage to capture the country's imagination or because Obama falls flat.
But until that happens, chances are that Republican divisions will only get worse.
- See Obama's powerful opposition.
- Read 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sarah Palin.
- See photos of Sarah Palin.
Reader Comments
One Tiny Step
No wonder the GOP is spinning their wheels, they seem to be the last ones to get it. We seem to have taken the first step, albeit a small one to put the wheels back on the wagon.Hopefully we are on the road to taking America back where it once belonged, for the people and of the people. No longer will we vote into office incompetents and blowhards, neither Gingrich or Palin will have much of a chance in 2012, hopefully we will still keep voting with our heads and not our hearts. It's such a pleasure to watch someone at the helm who seems to have some idea what he's doing! It's not going to happen at once but we've made a start, so come on GOP shock us and start doing whats right for the country instead of the answerless obstructionism you're exhibiting! It might just change the face of your party and start casting you in a favorable light!
Baby Boomers Suck
The trend of rising degeneracy in governance (i.e. Congress) has been with us for the past two decades. It will get worse and then better.
The Baby Boomers are simply unfit to lead this nation. The kids of May Berry and "Leave it Beaver" went through Vietnam and then Watergate (the most damaging political incident in American history). Talk about overlode. Its sad, but they are devoid of civic responsibility, pragmatism, honesty, and selflessness. In short, they are unfit to rule the nation.. Baby Boomers are categorically corrupt and/or misguided and it shows in the conduct of our Congress.
The next time you vote, vote for young or the very elderly but never in between. The "Greatest Generation" may have left the worst one.
Baby Boomers Suck
The trend of rising degeneracy in governance (i.e. Congress) has been with us for the past two decades. It will get worse and then better.
The Baby Boomers are simply unfit to lead this nation. The kids of May Berry and "Leave it Beaver" went through Vietnam and then Watergate (the most damaging political incident in American history). Talk about overlode. Its sad, but they are devoid of civic responsibility, pragmatism, honesty, and selflessness. In short, they are unfit to rule the nation.. Baby Boomers are categorically corrupt and/or misguided and it shows in the conduct of our Congress.
The next time you vote, vote for young or the very elderly but never in between. The "Greatest Generation" may have left the worst one.
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