Robert Schlesinger

Republicans See Gingrich, Cheney, and Limbaugh as Their Spokesmen

June 10, 2009 RSS Feed Print

By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

A majority of Americans and a huge plurality of Republicans drew a blank when Gallup asked them who speaks for the GOP today. The best news for the Grand Old Party out of this poll is that the sound of crickets is a better answer than the two names that most often came to respondents' lips: Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh.

Here's the breakdown from Gallup:

The best news in here is for Newt Gingrich and for the Democratic Party. Gingrich is pondering a presidential run, so the fact that so many (relatively) Republicans see him as their spokesman gives him an edge looking to 2012, certainly over Mitt Romney (2 percent) and the rest of the field (none of whom apparently managed to crack 0.5 percent). I would love to see where Newt's approval ratings are these days.

The good news for Democrats is that a plurality of Americans thinks Rush Limbaugh speaks for the Republican Party, followed by Dick Cheney. As has been noted elsewhere, there is a critical split in the GOP right now between those whose job is making (or trying to affect) public policy, as well as getting re-elected, and those whose job is boosting ratings or readership and making money. To the extent that out-of-the-mainstream bomb-throwers like Rush Limbaugh are the face of the GOP, Democrats will have an easier time of it.

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Tags:
Newt Gingrich,
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I have to say I stand shoulder to shoulder with Limbaugh, Cheney, Gingrich, Romney, Heritage etc. But I can't stand the Republican party at this point. That's why I love this debate and the way the drive-by media spins it. Liberals keep preaching how the Republican party needs to become more mainstream. Is that what they did? Give me a break. Seriously folks, that's what McCain was! The absolute WORST thing about the election in 2008 was that I didn't vote FOR anyone. I voted AGAINST someone. Neither of the candidates gave me any reason to have any faith in them at all. The best leaders in the field were gone by November. The last time the Republicans ran a true conservative we elected Reagan. Since then the party's best leaders haven't been faithful to conservative principles and the country has suffered because of it. When the Republicans held the Presidency and Congress, they couldn't even support the president's Supreme Court Nominations and thanks to one of their own, the president was castrated. Finally, the Republican party lost all credibility when the put re-election in front of values. Immigration. Deficit. Supreme Court & the Congressional Nuclear Option. On & on where the ELECTED Republicans betrayed conservative voters in order to become more moderate so they could get re-elected. Let me say this ...when Conservative Republican candidates become more moderate THEY TURN INTO LIBERALS. What the hell's the difference when they decide to get moderate and the liberals get THEIR AGENDA passed? Why vote Republican? I have to say this, if Limbaugh, Gingrich, Romney, etc DON'T start defining the Republican party, I won't be voting Republican. CONSERVATIVE FIRST, PARTY SECOND.

John of KY 9:59AM June 15, 2009

Interesting article. I agree with the comment that at some point Obama will fade. Something will happen. (It's already happened, but not enough have noticed.) Mr. Schlesinger's description of Rush Limbaugh as one who throws bomb is itself an inaccurate and incendiary comment. I would say Limbaugh is a penetrating and forceful commentator who espouses a political, social, and economic philosophy that is diametrically opposed to that of our President and most of the Democrats.

Jeff of NY 11:18AM June 12, 2009

Rush says what all right thinking americans know - that lazy shiftless, and stupid american auto workers only produce decent cars when lead by their Germana or Japanese masters / managers. Senator Toyota - (Shelby) is right boycott and shutdown these evil Obama creations! Liberate our brave underpaid business executives from the evils of blue collar workers!

Jeb Bush - Sara Palin 2012 of PA 12:30PM June 11, 2009

Robert Schlesinger

Robert Schlesinger

Robert Schlesinger is managing editor for opinion at U.S. News and World Report, overseeing all opinion editorial content. He is the author of White House Ghosts: Presidents and Their Speechwriters. E-mail him at rschlesinger@usnews.com. Follow him on Twitter: @rschles.

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