GOP watch: Cheney, Steele, Palin
Posted: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 9:16 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Republicans
The New York Times’ Nagourney wonders if the GOP has become too negative. “A party that has over the years been the home of a series of optimistic figures in American politics — from Ronald Reagan to Jack Kemp, who died last week, to (at times) George W. Bush — is increasingly coming across as downbeat or angry. And it is something that has Republicans increasingly worried.”
Dick Cheney was back on FOX yesterday criticizing the Obama administration on torture, Guantanamo, and auto bailouts. He even implied that Israel would be within its rights to bomb Iran and endorsed Jeb Bush for President -- though not necessarily for 2012.
The AP's Hurst on Cheney's appearances: "One thing is certain: Glee among Democrats who are only too happy to see Cheney and Limbaugh -- given their narrow appeal -- flood into the Republican leadership vacuum."
Speaking of leadership... "A member of the Republican National Committee told me Tuesday that when the RNC meets in an extraordinary special session next week, it will approve a resolution rebranding Democrats as the 'Democrat Socialist Party,'" Politico's Simon writes. "When I asked if such a resolution would force RNC Chairman Michael Steele to use that label when talking about Democrats in all his speeches and press releases, the RNC member replied: 'Who cares?' Which pretty much sums up the attitude some members of the RNC have toward their chairman these days." Wow. First of all, never mind Steele's limited influence among his own members, but what about taking such a far-right branding stance, using a term -- "Socialist" -- that has already been tried and hasn't stuck so far?
And there's this: "You knew it was coming: Sarah Palin is ready to tell her side, agreeing to publish a memoir with HarperCollins. The book comes out in Spring 2010 -- the year she is up for re-election," the New York Daily News writes.