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Politics : American Presidential Politics and foreign affairs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: sandintoes who wrote (33587)	3/3/2009 12:07:06 PM
From: Peter Dierks	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 71588

I will donate to someone for the 2010 election cycle. It won't be to elect mere liberals. The Republican party does not look good right now.

To: sandintoes who wrote (33587)	3/9/2009 2:25:43 PM
From: Peter Dierks	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 71588

The GOP's Limbaugh Dilemma Radio Host's Prominence Underscores Party's Challenge to Forge New Identity MARCH 7, 2009 By NAFTALI BENDAVID and GREG HITT Rush Limbaugh is right where he wants to be and right where the White House wants him: in the news. But Republicans have more mixed feelings about the controversial talk radio host's recent elevation. Mr. Limbaugh dominated headlines this week, as a drive by the White House and other top Democrats to paint him as the leader of the Republican Party left the GOP flummoxed. Michael Steele, the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, illustrated his party's dilemma, first calling Mr. Limbaugh's style "ugly," then phoning him to apologize. One committee member labeled Mr. Steele's handling of the matter a "Republican Horror Show" and called on him to step down just weeks after taking on the job. Behind the political theater lay a fundamental challenge for a party seeking a way out of the wilderness after last November's drubbing. Republican leaders and activists are grappling with how to joust with a popular new president, particularly after years of being accused of embracing a cutthroat style of politics. Yet some Republicans also sense openings in the early days of the Obama presidency. They argue that Democrats may be overreaching with an ambitious big-government agenda and that voters will turn to Republicans once they absorb the impact of spending bills that greatly expand the deficit without, they contend, doing much to stimulate the economy. "There are clear opportunities for Republicans," says party strategist Dave Winston, who suggests party leaders are starting to find their voice on targeted issues. Republicans are painting newly Democratic Washington as a hotbed of higher taxes and spending. By week's end, Republicans broke through the Limbaugh-dominated political news with their own story line: repeated attacks on "earmarks" in a spending bill passing through Congress. They even forced a delay in a Senate vote until next week. Still, Mr. Winston said, Mr. Obama continues to benefit from the goodwill created in 2008. "The question is when do we get to the point where the afterglow of the election dissipates," he said. "That'll be an important inflection point." Many party activists hunger for direct confrontation. This past week, Tony Perkins, who heads the Family Research Council, excoriated Republicans for not resisting Kathleen Sebelius, the nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, who supports abortion rights. "If Republicans won't take a stand now, when will they?" Mr. Perkins demanded in an online newsletter. Some Republicans argue that Democratic attacks on Mr. Limbaugh will backfire by rallying disenchanted conservatives who lost enthusiasm for the party in 2006 and 2008. "They've miscalculated big time," said Greg Mueller, a conservative strategist and veteran of the Pat Buchanan and Steve Forbes presidential campaigns. "The best thing they can do for the Republican Party is energizing the base, by attacking Rush. He communicates more effectively to the Reagan coalition that most elected Republicans." But others say the party risks alienating voters by attacking the president at a time of financial crisis. In Florida, Jim Greer, the party's state chairman, is urging Republicans to "move on to the issues that are important to American voters in addition to [social] issues -- education, the economy, things that affect people every day." Mr. Greer kicked off a youth-outreach program this past week emphasizing young people's financial concerns. Republicans clearly are on the defensive. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll this week found nearly half of respondents viewed the Democrats positively and 31% negatively, while 26% viewed the GOP positively and 47% negatively. Still, the poll also showed an opening for the emerging Republican line of attack against Mr. Obama's early policies. By 61% to 29%, those surveyed said they were more worried the government would "spend too much money trying to boost the economy" than too little. Republican guru Ed Gillespie, who held Mr. Steele's job during the George W. Bush years, says the floundering and internal debate is to be expected for a party out of power. "The fact is there is a natural process that goes on when you don't have the House, the Senate or the White House, where a lot of voices start to emerge," he said. "Let a thousand flowers bloom." —Susan Davis contributed to this article. Write to Naftali Bendavid at naftali.bendavid@wsj.com and Greg Hitt at greg.hitt@wsj.com online.wsj.com