|
RNC Sees 2016 GOP Field Turning Into Circus
by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700
Copyright
January 17, 2015
All Rights Reserved.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince
Priebus worries that the 2016 GOP presidential sweepstakes could turn into a
circus if not carefully managed.
Priebus takes no responsibility for the 2012 GOP failure, in part due to his Tea
Party zealotry that pushed fair-minded voters to avoid the Republicans ticket of
former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and House Budge Committee Chairman Paul
Ryan (R-Wis.). It was Priebus and
Tea Party voices that drowned out Mitt’s moderate message, picking Ryan to carry
the conservative cause. Romney was
conservative enough for mainstream voters, more conservative in many ways than
GOP icon, the late President Ronald Reagan.
No, Priebus and his GOP advisors insisted Romney had to be paired with a
conservative like Ryan. It took
Ryan no time, after picked by Romney, to alienate voters talking about taking on
Social Security and Medicare.
Priebus hopes to prevent the menagerie of the GOP’s biggest personalities
from becoming a circus sideshow.
“We’re not going have a circus,” insists Priebus, not explaining how he plans to
corral the likes of Romney, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris
Christie, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.), Louisana Gov. Bobby
Jindal, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, neurosurgeon
Ben Carson, etc., etc. Whose
Priebus kidding about containing the colorful group, promising to light up the
airwaves during the 2016 campaign?
Everyone thought Mitt had hung up his presidential gloves after getting
shellacked in the 2012 presidential race.
Mitt didn’t help himself with campaign gaffes [the 47%] nor with picking
a naïve running mate, like Ryan, promising to mess around with popular
government entitlements.
Any way you cut it, the 2016 GOP sweepstakes promises to be a media
feeding frenzy, one of the most entertaining groups ever assembled seeking the
presidency. “I’m giving some serious
consideration to the future,” said Romney, throwing a monkey wrench into Jeb’s
plans, since, like Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) in 2008, he has seniority over
Bush. Speaking at an RNC’s Winter
Meetings in Coronado, Calif., Romney said his wife Ann believes he’s learned
from his past runs, what works and what doesn’t.
Priebus insists that the RNC will approve only nine debates, half the
number of 2012, introducing “an element of conservatism.” Adding the conservative twist
flashes Priebus’s cards, something he messed up in 2012. “Keep in mind, 2016 could be a
do-or-die moment for our party,” said Priebus, knowing that the 2014 Midterm
elections proved highly successful for the GOP.
Priebus finds himself under intense pressure not to blow another GOP
opportunity for the White House.
With the GOP controlling both houses of Congress, it makes it more difficult for
Republicans to sweep all branches of government.
Adding “an element of conservatism,” is exactly the wrong message for the
GOP, something already obvious to mainstream voters. “For almost everything we do, we have to ask ourselves, ‘is this helping us win the White
House,’” said Priebus, not admitting that imposing a conservative agenda in 2012
hurt the GOP’s chances of taking the White House. If past mistakes mean anthing to
Priebus, he should focus on how imposing a conservative agenda hurt the GOP. Whoever decides to run, they have
enough of a track record to convey their views on governing, whether liberal,
moderate or conservative. Priebus
shouldn’t dictate issues to GOP candidates.
When GOP party zealots want to raise the anti-abortion and anti-gay
marriage agenda, Priebus needs to stop the same self-destructive patterns that
cater to party fanatics no longer in touch with mainstream issues. With the GOP strongly opposed to President Barack Obama’s unilateral attempt to stop
deportations, Priebus needs to consider the impact on the general election. Picking someone like Jebb because
he’s married to a Mexican will not convince Latinos to vote Republican. McCain made that mistake in 2008
picking Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, thinking he’d win the women’s vote. “We are experience a crisis of
competence in Washington and the people know it,” said Texas Gov. Rick Perry,
not realizing the message. Most
mainstream voters blame members of Congress for the incompetence, not only the
president, especially on key domestic issues.
Meeting at the venerable Hotel del Coronado near San Diego, the RNC must
do more than talk about Washington’s incompetence. “America is looking for a new path
forward and, starting today, let’s give it to them,” said Perry, spewing the
kind of platitudes that got him into trouble when he ran in 2012. RNC officials to make in roads in
2016 must focus on real metrics, not vague statements blaming Obama for
everything but the kitchen sink.
RNC officials know that Wall Street’s broke all records, private sector job
creation remains high, unemployment continues to drop and the nation’s Gross
Domestic Product, despite a recession in Europe, keeps expanding. Talking about Washington’s
incompetence reflects more on Congress than anything done at the White House. Making claims about what’s wrong
with America must match published metrics and ordinary citizen’s common sense.
About the Author
|
