Can I just say that I'm just getting more and more optimistic? Everything I'm reading is so encouraging to me. With people like Marco Rubio and other leaders with solid, conservative principles, who are declaring that they will not compromise on principles, I am feeling very hopeful. I feel like Tuesday was our own "Restoring Sanity" rally!
Well, gosh, I would love to see Rubio and Palin deliver the address on alternating weeks. I like Rubio, it's just that I would like to see some variety. Or maybe I'm just bummed that I couldn't go to Crist's (a "Reagan conservative" according to NPR) victory celebration.
He should give the response to the SOTU too. He is an excellent speaker. Palin is great at energizing the base, but we need to speak to independents too. Palin has been treated unfairly plenty of times, but that doesn't change the fact that her tendency to polarize is largely of her own making. Rubio at the moment seems to be the person who can best speak to both the base and also independents.
Obviously, the stakes will be really high in 2012. My worry is that too many conservatives think only about who energizes them and not enough about who inspires the swing voters who decide elections. Conservatives may be a plurality in America, but we are not a majority; our message must resonate with moderates if we intend to be the majority party. I don't view this so much as a matter of grass-roots vs. establishment or center-right vs. hard right but rather those who have an ability to not scare off moderates in the process of espousing conservative ideas vs. those whose tone is alienates non-conservatives. We lose nothing and gain an awful lot if Republicans sound more like Rubio and less like Paladino. Rubio may be uniquely talented and unfortunately can't be cloned, but even if our candidates have a less compelling personal story and less political skill, they would benefit mightily by learning from his style and tone.
He should do it every week.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThey should beg Palin to do it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCan I just say that I'm just getting more and more optimistic? Everything I'm reading is so encouraging to me. With people like Marco Rubio and other leaders with solid, conservative principles, who are declaring that they will not compromise on principles, I am feeling very hopeful. I feel like Tuesday was our own "Restoring Sanity" rally!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell, gosh, I would love to see Rubio and Palin deliver the address on alternating weeks. I like Rubio, it's just that I would like to see some variety. Or maybe I'm just bummed that I couldn't go to Crist's (a "Reagan conservative" according to NPR) victory celebration.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNow there's a Florida politician who I might support for President.
Notice that he's NOT named Bush?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMarco has good ideas and communicates very well. Maybe one day he'll be making the weekly address as President.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHe should give the response to the SOTU too. He is an excellent speaker. Palin is great at energizing the base, but we need to speak to independents too. Palin has been treated unfairly plenty of times, but that doesn't change the fact that her tendency to polarize is largely of her own making. Rubio at the moment seems to be the person who can best speak to both the base and also independents.
Obviously, the stakes will be really high in 2012. My worry is that too many conservatives think only about who energizes them and not enough about who inspires the swing voters who decide elections. Conservatives may be a plurality in America, but we are not a majority; our message must resonate with moderates if we intend to be the majority party. I don't view this so much as a matter of grass-roots vs. establishment or center-right vs. hard right but rather those who have an ability to not scare off moderates in the process of espousing conservative ideas vs. those whose tone is alienates non-conservatives. We lose nothing and gain an awful lot if Republicans sound more like Rubio and less like Paladino. Rubio may be uniquely talented and unfortunately can't be cloned, but even if our candidates have a less compelling personal story and less political skill, they would benefit mightily by learning from his style and tone.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse