First Read : Republicans

2010 Update: GOP purity test dangers

firstread — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:15:00 GMT

From NBC's Ali Weinberg
Conservative blogger Erick Erickson warns of side effects that a Republican "purity test" resolution, proposed by RNC Committeeman Jim Bopp, would have on the party's 2010 chances. The test would deny RNC funding to any GOP candidate who disagreed with more than two of the resolution's ten policy positions. Erickson cites the precedent of Dede Scozzafava, a moderate Republican who Erickson said received undue conservative bona fides by signing a no-new-tax pledge from the group Americans for Tax Reform. "Conservatives in the RNC, however well meaning they may be, risk giving liberal candidates easy opportunities to get conservative endorsements simply by checking the box without ever meaning it," Erickson writes.

The New York Times Caucus blog points out this "tiny point" with Erickson's post: "Mr. Erickson kicks off his post with a neat line suggesting that if Rome no longer sells indulgences, why should conservatives? Well, believe it or not, the Vatican has revived its indulgence policies, with bishops explaining that sinners need all the help they can get these days."

FLORIDA: Marco Rubio amps up his conservative creds with a shout-out from Rush Limbaugh, during the talk show host's appearance on a local radio show, according to liberal blog Talking Points Memo. "I like Rubio," said Limbaugh, in a guest appearance on a local Florida radio show. "I've never met him, nor have I met Crist, but I know that there's a sea change brewing and effervescing in this country." Rubio posted the interview clip on his website.
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HCAN gives thanks and also attacks

Mark Murray — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:47:00 GMT

From NBC's Mark MurrayThe liberal-leaning group Health Care for American Now (HCAN) is up with a new TV ad in Arkansas that thanks Democratic Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor for "standing up to the insurance industry" and voting to proceed on debating the Senate health-care bill. But HCAN is also airing a TV ad in Nebraska blasting GOP Sen. Mike Johanns for voting to block debate on the bill. "Johanns voted to stop the debate on health insurance reform from even taking place," the ad's narrator...(read more)

Practically, a purity test problem

Domenico Montanaro — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:04:00 GMT

From NBC's Domenico MontanaroThe New York Times' Nagourney makes a good point about why that GOP purity test might be a bad idea -- for those who care about winning -- for the party. He takes a look at how it would affect, for example, moderate congressman Mike Castle, who is Republicans' best chance at winning Vice President Joe Biden's former Senate seat in Delaware: Mr. Castle in many ways is a text-book example of why some Republicans think the party should avoid such purity tests. He appears...(read more)

Schmidt, Plouffe named center fellows

Domenico Montanaro — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:59:00 GMT

From NBC's Domenico MontanaroIn August of 2008, Bloomberg News headlined one of their stories this way: "Harvard? Yale? No, Delaware School Is New Epicenter of Politics." That's because both Steve Schmidt (who ran day-to-day operations for the McCain campaign), David Plouffe (Obama's campaign manager), as well as Obama's vice presidential running mate Joe Biden all attended the University of Delaware, about an hour and a half north of the Beltway. (Biden's the only one of the three to graduate....(read more)

GOP watch: Making a list...

Domenico Montanaro — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:12:00 GMT

checkin’ it twice, gonna find out who’s naughty and nice…

The New York Times: “A group of conservative Republican leaders is proposing a solution to the internecine warfare over what the party should stand for: a 10-point checklist gauging proper adherence to core principles like opposing government financing for abortion and, more generally, President Obama’s ‘socialist agenda.’ In what was being dubbed a purity test when it leaked out to reporters on Monday, the proposal would require the party to withhold campaign money and endorsements from candidates who do not adhere to at least seven principles on the checklist.”

The hits keep on coming for Mark Sanford… “Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina will face formal ethics charges on 37 counts of using his office for personal financial gain, according to a list of accusations issued Monday by the State Ethics Commission,” the New York Times also reports. “The charges include spending state money on business-class plane tickets, instead of flying coach; using state aircraft to attend political and personal events, like the birthday party of a campaign donor; and using his campaign fund for noncampaign expenses, like a ticket to President Obama’s inauguration.”

More: “A separate impeachment resolution has been filed in the Legislature, but the ethics panel and the legislative action so far deal with different accusations. The ethics panel reviewed accusations of misuse of public resources; the impeachment resolution deals with Mr. Sanford’s secret trip to Argentina in June to visit a woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair.”

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Steele talks Palin

Domenico Montanaro — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:25:00 GMT

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro and Kelly Paice
NBC's Andrea Mitchell interviewed Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.

Here is some of what Steele had to say about Sarah Palin. A clip is below with text after the jump.

HERE'S THE FULL VIDEO.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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Sanford facing 37 charges

Domenico Montanaro — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:40:00 GMT

From NBC's Domenico MontanaroAP reports: "South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford faces 37 charges he broke state laws limiting official use of airplanes and campaign money. The details were released Monday by the State Ethics Commission. They came five days after the panel charged the governor without offering any specifics. Sanford's lawyers have claimed the charges involve minor and technical aspects of the law." The New York Times: "Some of these trip charges fall under a specific allegation saying...(read more)

Is the GOP making a comeback?

Mark Murray — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:00:00 GMT

From NBC's Mark MurrayHere is our take from last week's Republican Governors Association meeting in Texas. CEDAR CREEK, Texas - The message that the Republican Governors Association was trying to send to the donors, party big-wigs and political reporters who attended its annual meeting last week wasn't subtle. The Republican Party, the RGA boasted, is making a comeback. They underscored this in a video presentation to attendees. "America’s comeback starts with us," said the narrator in the...(read more)

A GOP purity test?

Domenico Montanaro — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:42:00 GMT

From NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
First Read has obtained a resoultion being e-mailed around to Republican National Committee members for comments that proposes a conservative litmus test of sorts.

This comes on the heels of a rift in the party that was exposed in the once-obscure special election in Upstate New York's 23rd Congressional District, in which national conservative leaders, including Sarah Palin, clashed with national establishment Republicans. The so-called GOP civil war threatens to derail moderate Republican candidacies in heated 2010 Republican primaries already underway. Florida's Senate race is perhaps the best and most prominent example.

The "Resolution on Reagan’s Unity Principle for Support of Candidates" outlines 10 conservative principles the group of signees wants potential candidates to abide by. The principles include support for:

(1) Smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama’s “stimulus” bill
(2) Market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run healthcare;
(3) Market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation;
(4) Workers’ right to secret ballot by opposing card check
(5) Legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants;
(6) Victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges;
(7) Containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat
(8) Retention of the Defense of Marriage Act;
(9) Protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing and denial of health care and government funding of abortion; and
(10) The right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership

"President Ronald Reagan believed, as a result, that someone who agreed with him 8 out of 10 times was his friend, not his opponent," the resolution states.

But if a candidate disagrees with three of the above, then the group wants the RNC to withhold financial assistance and an endorsement from that candidate.

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GOP: It was much better than 'Cats'...

Mark Murray — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:11:00 GMT

"U.S. Sen. John McCain said Saturday that he enjoyed reading running mate Sarah Palin's new memoir and downplayed any tension between their campaign aides as 'no big deal.' 'I enjoyed the book and she and I are dear friends. I talked to her on the phone yesterday. We got along fine,' said McCain in an interview Saturday with The Associated Press on the sidelines of the Halifax International Security Forum. 'In campaigns there's always tension,' McCain said. 'Outside of combat, it's the most tense...(read more)