Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Over the past several weeks we've seen the Republican presidential race increasingly framed as a fight between the GOP establishment and conservative insurgents. Following that development, a number of thoughtful critics -- some of them here at Ricochet -- have wondered aloud whether an "establishment" really exists or whether it's just a clever way of caricaturing one's opponents within the party as insufficiently conservative. That was the note that Jeb Bush sounded to Time Magazine when he recently told the publication, "I don't know what the Republican establishment is. I haven't learned the secret handshake, and I don't know where to go for a membership card."
While it's true that there's no shadowy cabal meeting in a safe room under the Lincoln Memorial, anyone who doesn't think there are party grandees trying to impose their will on primary voters is deluding themselves.
I say this by way of introducing a bit of information I received yesterday from a very well-placed source. A veteran member of the House Republican Caucus recently received a phone call from within the RNC (it was not disclosed to me who placed the call) soliciting his help in convincing Newt Gingrich to step aside and clear a path to the nomination for Mitt Romney. Whoever cooked up this idea was not exactly firing on all cylinders, since (A) the member in question, despite considerable seniority, is far from influential and (B) attempting to stand athwart Newt Gingrich's ambition is like sticking your head in a howitzer.
Remarkably, the member actually agreed to place the call. Gingrich's response? Well, it was a three-word phrase that began with "go" and ended with "yourself." I'd say Newt's insurgent bona fides are still intact.
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Sep '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
That was Ronald Reagan's response back in the 70's to exactly the same kind of establishment phone call. And, I believe, the same words.
Aug '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
I accept that there's an establishment trying to force us all to get in line behind Mitt Romney -- but the question circling my head is "WHY?" Why do they want Romney? What do they think they get with Romney? Or what do they not get with someone else? Any answers I come up with are not pleasant, so I'll ask the assembled for help to make the propeller on my tinfoil hat stop spinning.
Jun '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
The establishment doesn't need to do a thing. Gingrich entered the race with a hand grenade dangling from his chin, and the pin clenched in his teeth. It's only a matter of time before the inevitable happens.
Edited on Jan 27 at 9:35amJun '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
I certainly agree that there are powerful former and current Republican leaders and pundits who can loosely be called an "establishment," and I agree that many, though certainly not all (Fred Thompson, Rick Perry, Sarah Palin), have indigestion at Newt's candidacy.
But isn't the real question why they have the problems and whether they are true? I am not a member of any establishment, but after weighing the evidence and looking at the polling and watching Newt perform, have reached the same conclusion as the "establishment": he would be a disaster as a national candidate.
So what if a call was made from the RNC to Gingrich asking him to step aside? That is precisely what party leaders do in counties and states throughout the nation. They try to avoid internecine war that will hurt the party. Is that bad? So long as its not coercive, that is precisely the kind of retail political maneuvering that properly takes place all the time within parties. Was it wise in this case? It didn't work. Newt said "no," as he has every right to do.
In the end, the voters choose. So what exactly is the problem?
Edited on Jan 27 at 9:43amSep '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
It seems clear to me. They think Gingrich would lose in a landslide and cost the GOP House and Senate seats. They think Romney would lose a closer race and the GOP might keep the House and retake the Senate.
Oct '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Mark Belling Fan
It seems clear to me. They think Gingrich would lose in a landslide and cost the GOP House and Senate seats. They think Romney would lose a closer race and the GOP might keep the House and retake the Senate. · 0 minutes ago
Oh. Well I feel much better now. Think I'll go buy another pitchfork.
Aug '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Mark Belling Fan
It seems clear to me. They think Gingrich would lose in a landslide and cost the GOP House and Senate seats. They think Romney would lose a closer race and the GOP might keep the House and retake the Senate.
So, to cut to it, you're saying they actually think Romney will lose, and they're shoving him down our throats anyway? My propeller is spinning so fast, I'm ready to achieve orbit.
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Precisely right, but I'd add one thing: the powers that be are operating from a very questionable premise -- that the healthiest thing for the party is to clear the field early. It seems to me that even some die-hard Romney supporters, particularly in light of their man's uneven performances, would beg to differ.
tabula rasa:
So what if a call was made from the RNC to Gingrich asking him to step aside? That is precisely what party leaders do in counties and states throughout the nation. They try to avoid internecine war that will hurt the party. Is that bad? So long as its no coercive, that is precisely the kind of retail political maneuvering that takes place all the time. Was it wise in this case? It didn't work.
The real point is made in Troy's last paragraph. Newt said "no," as he has every right to do.
In the end, the voters choose. · 2 minutes ago
Sep '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
DrewInWisconsin
Mark Belling Fan
It seems clear to me. They think Gingrich would lose in a landslide and cost the GOP House and Senate seats. They think Romney would lose a closer race and the GOP might keep the House and retake the Senate.
So, to cut to it, you're saying they actually think Romney will lose, and they're shoving him down our throats anyway? My propeller is spinning so fast, I'm ready to achieve orbit. · 1 minute ago
The point you fail to address is that they believe Gingrich will lose worse, much worse.
You can disagree with the assumptions, but the conclusion that follows from those assumptions is pretty easy to understand.
Aug '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Mark Belling Fan
The point you fail to address is that they believe Gingrich will lose worse, much worse.
Well, we're still operating on your theory. My theory is they fear he will win. And they won't have the power and influence (translate that directly to money) that they think they'll have with a Romney win -- or better yet, a Romney loss. I think the "establishment" doesn't want to win in 2012. I think they've decided to back a known loser, just as they did in 2008, because it's the path to keeping the money flowing their way.
The larger the goverment, the more graft to be had.
Dec '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Kelly B
Mark Belling Fan
It seems clear to me. They think Gingrich would lose in a landslide and cost the GOP House and Senate seats. They think Romney would lose a closer race and the GOP might keep the House and retake the Senate. · 0 minutes ago
Oh. Well I feel much better now. Think I'll go buy another pitchfork. · 5 minutes ago
Torches are needed too. A proper pitchfork to torch ratio is critical.
Jun '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Troy: It may or may not be the healthiest thing to clear the field early. In this case, the field will clear (or not) based on what voters do in Florida and beyond, and not on what some elitist establishment cabal of establishment Republicans have or have not done.
If Newt loses Florida, he has only himself to blame, His high-risk/reward debate performances don't appear to have worked even though he went into Florida riding a surge of momentum from SC (six days ago), he unnecessarily caused Marco Rubio (who was sitting on the sidelines) to twice chide him for crossing the line (really, really dumb) [I suppose the conspiricists will say that Marco planned it]. And the fact is that Mitt has performed better.
In the end, the voters will decide in Tuesday.
Edited on Jan 27 at 9:56amMar '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Fretting over the Republican establishment is slightly overblown, in my opinion.
Yes, it exists; yes, it has its own agenda that does not always correspond to that of the party as a whole. But what influence does it have on the primary? South Carolina showed that the Repbulican electorate isn't listening to the party elites. I doubt most non-political junkies even know that Bob Dole endorsed Romney.
The more salient question for Gingrich supporters should not be "why does the Establishment hate him" but rather "why does the general electorate hate him?"
Feb '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Of course there is a GOP establishment. Newt has been one of them. It's just the other members of the GOP establishment can't stand him so he has to be faux insurgent.
Jun '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Mendel:
The more salient question for Gingrich supporters should not be "why does the Establishment hate him" but rather "why does the general electorate hate him?" · 1 minute ago
That is precisely the question.
Oct '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Precisely. Newt is just not some kind of "outsider" fighting against the "establishment."
I don't want Newt to be the nominee, does that mean I'm part of the "establishment"? As spokesperson for the "establishment," let me state that the reason I don't want Gingrich to be the nominee is that he is egomaniacally unreliable.
In that the "establishment" doesn't want Newt, I actually think that's fairly significant. Look at the comments from his former colleagues in the House. They don't like him. Doesn't that matter? They know first hand what he was like in a position of leadership.
However, I would be amenable to Newt being the first governor of the new state of Lunewtia, located on the Moon. State motto: "The Moonbat state."
Aug '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Mark Belling Fan
It seems clear to me. They think Gingrich would lose in a landslide and cost the GOP House and Senate seats. They think Romney would lose a closer race and the GOP might keep the House and retake the Senate. · 31 minutes ago
Or...
Maybe they think a President Gingrich would mean they wouldn't have as much influence in Washington.
Mar '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Troy: is there "an establishment" or THE ESTABLISHMENT.
Apr '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Troy Senik.: Precisely right, but I'd add one thing: the powers that be are operating from a very questionable premise -- that the healthiest thing for the party is to clear the field early. It seems to me that even some die-hard Romney supporters, particularly in light of their man's uneven performances, would beg to differ.
tabula rasa:
So what if a call was made from the RNC to Gingrich asking him to step aside? That is precisely what party leaders do in counties and states throughout the nation. They try to avoid internecine war that will hurt the party. Is that bad? So long as its no coercive, that is precisely the kind of retail political maneuvering that takes place all the time. Was it wise in this case? It didn't work.
The real point is made in Troy's last paragraph. Newt said "no," as he has every right to do.
In the end, the voters choose. ·
If Gingrich drops out now, Santorum would be competitive. This wouldn't remove the contest, but would make it much, much healthier. Surely you, like me, hear most calls for ABRs to drop out from other ABR supporters?
Oct '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
I think this question is key. The message I keep hearing is that "Romney is our man", but when people bring up reservations or ask why, the explanations seem incredibly inadequate (he's "competent", "electable", etc). I mentioned elsewhere that I listen to Bennett in the mornings - his show of late has been almost a Romney infomercial ("Now with Resveratrol!").
It would be interesting if Santorum pulled off a win in a primary state; would these "Romney is our man" types start demonizing him? Or are they just "Anyone but Newt" people?
Edited on Jan 27 at 10:36am