Robert Schlesinger

Hey Pawlenty: Is George W. Bush a Republican?

November 3, 2009 RSS Feed Print

By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

GOP12 has some interesting video where the Morning Joe gang tries to nail Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty down on whether Olympia Snowe is welcome in his Republican Party (that, GOP12 smartly argues, should be a 2012 Republican debate question: Do you want Snowe in your party?). Pawlenty dodges and weaves, repeating a mantra about what disqualifies one as a Republican. The list includes being for tax increases "repeatedly" (one can, apparently increase taxes if you don't inhale while doing it), being for card-check, being a friend of ACORN, being for the stimulus bill and being for bank bailouts.

But ... weren't the bank bailouts an idea originated by Republican President George W. Bush? The answer is that Pawlenty says that being wrong on these issues in totality is a sign of non-Republicanism. But it's striking that in his mind one of the signature domestic policy initiatives of the last Republican president is a bright line litmus test for ideological purity for Republicanism. Not conservatism, mind you, but Republicanism.

Tags:
bailout,
Tim Pawlenty,
George W. Bush,
republican party

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People should releax and use their option to display common sense and resdpect for God when they are disagreeing with others who have different ideas. No has proven to come up with the exact way we move beyond being devisive, Republicans...forget about it! They are a waste of time in trying to understand, but yet, they have an insecure desire to be "better than others." It pains them to see people with actual personality and humbleness excel at anything. At least Democrats try to help out those people that can't help themselves, which actually falls in line with what the Bible says, so to Democrats I say, thanks!

Mitchell of VA 9:46AM November 26, 2009

Do you seriously think you represent the 300+ millions of Americans? Sorry to break it to you,but your kind are all a minority now (I'm referring to your few remaining fellow "commie blasters" from the United States of AmeriKKKa). I AM AN AMERICAN (UC BERKELEY TRAINED in the SCIENCES), and I deserve for my voice to be heard, to declare your "commie-blaster" site a piece of xenophobic propaganda dedicated to the few remaining bigots in the U.S. May you have a wonderful and productive day, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in OUR United States :) GOD BLESS AMERICA

Mike of CA 4:22PM November 10, 2009

The great conservative Catholic, Gilbert Chesterton, foiled your metaphor nearly a century ago in his essay on The Logic of Elfland. He said that things are not immutable, that one form of tree is not eternally bound to remain in its ONE form: Apple trees bear apples instead of pears(or oranges)because they are MAGIC trees---not because of some doctrinal necessity. We must all take care in advancing rhetorical figures lest we reveal a telling ignorance of our still available (and often keener) heritage.

Bennie Sarrett of TX 8:21AM November 05, 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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