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Tea Party Holding Republicans Back
Tweet Share on Facebook May 28, 2010 Comment (26)By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder argues today that the much ballyhood Tea Party movement may not be helping the GOP at all and may in fact be hurting it. It's a theme I've been riffing on for a while now, and I make a similar argument in my column in today's edition of U.S. News Weekly. And there are a couple of new polls out today that reinforce what both Ambinder and I are saying.
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The Problem With Rand Paul's Convictions
Tweet Share on Facebook May 22, 2010 Comment (40)By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
I wrote yesterday that Rand Paul may be a modern Barry Goldwater, someone so wedded to his philosophy that he either doesn't realize that his views reside well outside of the main stream of American political thought or doesn't realize that voters aren't just one explanation away from seeing the libertarian light. The more I think about Paul, though, the less I think this is the case.
Instead, I am starting to think that his problems stem in part from the fact that he does know that his philosophy is rooted in the political fringe, and can't figure out a balance between being truthful about his beliefs and actually getting elected.
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Rand Paul, the Gift That Keeps on Giving
Tweet Share on Facebook May 21, 2010 Comment (33)By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Rand Paul is truly the gift that keeps on giving--to Democrats and to the political media. Paul has spent the last day and more trying to walk back his stated discomfort with the Civil Rights Act while maintaining his intellectual honesty and fidelity to principles. Simply put, Rand Paul seems to have a Barry Goldwater problem: He doesn't know when to be quiet. And the Civil Rights Act question has put a spotlight on that vulnerability for his political opponents and the press. (And despite what Paul might say about the so called liberal media, the only bias in play here is journalists' love of live train wrecks.)
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Rand Paul Embodies the Republican Tea Party Problem
Tweet Share on Facebook May 20, 2010 Comment (29)By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Rand Paul, the GOP Senate candidate in Kentucky, "unequivocally" stated today that he would not try to overturn the Civil Rights Act if he is elected to the U.S. Senate. It is, he said, "settled" law. In terms of profiles in courage, that's right up there with George W. Bush condemning Dred Scott during one of his 2004 debates against John Kerry.
As I wrote in my column today, Paul typifies a very real potential problem for the GOP this fall. Political candidates typically tack toward their party's base in primaries and then steer back toward the center (where the swing voters live) in contested general elections. But if the Tea Party crowd succeeds in nominating a string of ideologically rigid candidates, the party could find itself in a perpetual primary mode, always catering to its base. It would match core voters unwilling to tolerate compromise or moderation (often necessary for winning elections, always necessary for successful governing) with candidates uninterested in trying those things.
The problem is the absolute certitude of the true believer.
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5 Reasons Democrats Should be Happy With the Primary Results
Tweet Share on Facebook May 19, 2010 Comment (5)By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Tuesday's primary results sharpened the emerging anti-incumbent, anti-establishment trend. That included one White House and Democratic establishment-backed incumbent going down (Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter) and another on political life support (Arkansas's Blanche Lincoln). And the atmosphere remains very tough for the incumbent party. But on balance Democrats had a good night on Tuesday and should be pleased with how the results shake out for November.
Here are five reasons why (and, from bloleague Mary Kate Cary, five reasons the GOP should be happy):
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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