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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Comments:
Sep '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Misthiocracy
Maybe they think a President Gingrich would mean they wouldn't have as much influence in Washington. · 9 minutes ago
Why should anyone believe that Newt Gingrich is going to turn off the spigot? His own campaign website, to this day, promises to fund clean energy. That might seem like a small ticket item, but for me it is a clear indication of what type of government he plans on running.
Don't take this as an endorsement of Romney.
Aug '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Mark Belling Fan:
Misthiocracy
Maybe they think a President Gingrich would mean they wouldn't have as much influence in Washington. · 9 minutes ago
Why should anyone believe that Newt Gingrich is going to turn off the spigot? His own campaign website, to this day, promises to fund clean energy. That might seem like a small ticket item, but for me it is a clear indication of what type of government he plans on running.
Don't take this as an endorsement of Romney. · 3 minutes ago
It's a fair cop.
Dec '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
[edited for Code of Conduct]
Edited on January 27, 2012 at 7:54pmJan '12
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Reluctantly I am beginning to accept the notion that Newt is too erratic to appeal to moderates/independents, but I hope he continues to campaign in the primaries. The others, especially Romney, need a feisty sparring partner to prepare the winner for the main event in the fall.
Edited on January 27, 2012 at 7:54pmMar '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
I think there are two explanations: the conspiratorial and the practical.
The conspiratorial is that Romney has been wooing these people behind the scenes for years, has donated money to their campaigns, etc., and they see him as a good driver of the gravy train.
The practical explanation is that the elites, like many of us, see all the candidates this cycle as incredibly flawed, and Romney as the least of all evils. They might not really "want" him as nominee, but they have to act like it because endorsing someone half-heartedly is worse than not endorsing at all. Deep down they may also see him as Dole v 3.0, but feel obliged to grin and bear it.
I imagine if someone like Mitch Daniels had run, the Republican establishment would be as dividied as the Democrats were in 2008.
May '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
My goodness. Troy, I trust that you are suitably chastened, you RINO-Managerial-Progressive-Establishment-Tool, you.
Edited on January 27, 2012 at 8:02pmRe: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
And here I thought my use of Saul Alinsky methods had been flying under the radar all this time.
Duane Oyen
My goodness. Troy, I trust that you are suitably chastened, you RINO-Managerial-Progressive-Establishment-Tool, you. · 3 minutes ago
Aug '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Pretty sure that's Foxman in front and Kelly B. with the pickaxe.
If the tea party picture hadn't all looked like picnics, perhaps someone at RNC might get the picture that there are lot of us just itching to reply en masse " Go Poll (if that was the word *) Yourself !" .
Aug '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Kelly B
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?
No, if Santorum should suddenly surge, they will destroy him.
Oct '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Troy, do you think that Santorum will see a surge in Florida leading up to the primary? Will it be enough to take the bite of Romney's (presumably) victory there? It seems to me that the severity of Romney's victory in Florida will determine if the game is over or if we're going into overtime. And is it a good thing if Romney and Paul are the only ones left in the race?
Oct '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Troy Senik, Ed.
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.”
Jeb, if your father was president and your older brother was president, you don't need the secret handshake or membership card.
Oct '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Nice piece of attempted misdirection, Troy. But there are those who know the Truth...
Aug '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
The reason Mitt has the support of so many GOP leaders is because he was busy raising money for their campaigns the past three years. It's called politics, people, and if you think you are going to change that system - which is as old as democracy - good luck!
What has Newt been doing the past two years? Lining his own pockets, that's what.
Aug '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
I asked earlier for names of those in "the establishment." This is partly because I believe who one considers to be in the establishment depends on where one wants the party to go and who is preventing the party from going in that direction. Your post did nothing to change my mind. According to your "the establishment" consists of at least:
"A veteran member of the House Republican Caucus" and someone who gave them "a phone call" who is in turn "within the RNC."
So... is Reince Priebus, who says the Gingrich-Romney war is a good thing, a member of "the establishment?"
How can a former Speaker of the House not be a member of any said establishment? Especially when he was not only speaker, but one of the most influential faces of the party and still makes a career in punditry?
In a general, I'll vote for Newt over Obama. I'll do so with fire and passion.
I do not want to do so, as I find Newt wanting as a primary candidate. I am nowhere near the establishment. People like Peter Robinson and Troy Senik, other here as well, are much closer than I.
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Bereket,
A surge perhaps, but not enough of one to be seriously competitive (particularly in a winner-take-all state like Florida). Santorum was barely out of the single digits in yesterday's polling, nearly 30 points behind Romney. His performance last night was good, but it would take something far more dramatic to upend the polls that quickly. There may be a shift coming in the ABR crowd from Newt to Santorum, but if Newt bleeds supporters slowly it only helps Romney by dividing the opposition. On top of that, I think Santorum still suffers from the regnant concern about electability.
Sep '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Duane Oyen
My goodness. Troy, I trust that you are suitably chastened, you RINO-Managerial-Progressive-Establishment-Tool, you. · 56 minutes ago
Edited 51 minutes ago
You forgot squish. Heavy on the squish, please and make mine a double.
Dec '10
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
Troy Senik, Ed.: And here I thought my use of Saul Alinsky methods had been flying under the radar all this time.
Duane Oyen
My goodness. Troy, I trust that you are suitably chastened, you RINO-Managerial-Progressive-Establishment-Tool, you. · 3 minutes ago
59 minutes ago
Thank you Duane for expressing it in far better terms then I used.
You know that Rush Limbaugh was fired many, many times before he became EIB. I haven't really been fired that much. Instead I would say it like this.
"I've been keel hauled so many times I know all the sharks by their first names."
Mar '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
There is no Cabal!
(Sorry if I'm the only one here that remember Usenet.)
Mar '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
I got my secret decoder ring in the mail this week...
Oct '11
Re: Yes, Virginia, There is a Republican Establishment
DrewInWisconsin
Kelly B
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?
No, if Santorum should suddenly surge, they will destroy him. · 55 minutes ago
If that's the case, they can add Vitamin D3 and K and all the super-fruits on earth to the product, and I'm still having trouble buying it. No matter how many "callers" show up to tout the wonderfulness.