December 2, 2008 7:47:41 PM CST
(Newser) – The Republican National Convention was so full of calls for change and vows to clean up Washington that it was almost easy to forget that the GOP has been in power for the last 8 years, writes Peter Baker in the New York Times. John McCain is seeking to distance himself from his party's recent record, and trying to seize the "change" mantra for himself.
McCain is as well-placed as any Republican to run on a platform of change, given his maverick status—highlighted by his surprise pick of Sarah Palin as running mate—and his occasional scraps with President Bush, Baker argues. The Democrats, however, won't be backing away from the "McBush" line of attack anytime soon. "As a matter of history," notes Baker, "it is easier to run as the opposition party if you actually are the opposition party."
Source New York Times
Nov 13, 08 9:50 AM CST Voters didn’t so much choose liberalism or the Democratic Party as they did Barack Obama, writes Karl Rove in the Wall Street Journal. And that’s potentially good news for the GOP in the 2010 midterm elections, Rove says: “In politics, good years follow bad years. Republicans and Democrats have experienced both during the past 15 years.” If the GOP plays it right, it could be ripe for a comeback. More »
Oct 21, 08 10:10 AM CDT Eight years ago George W. Bush made it to the White House as a "compassionate conservative," with plans to reform education and build a multiracial coalition. In 2008, writes Richard Cohen, that vision of the GOP is dead—replaced by "a mean, grumpy, exclusive, narrow-minded and altogether retrograde Republican Party." And John McCain's campaign bears a disturbing resemblance to that of another Arizona senator: Barry Goldwater. More »
Sep 23, 08 11:39 AM CDT Sarah Palin may be a newcomer to national politics, but her army of aides has ace operatives who chiseled their craft working for George Bush's campaigns and administration, reports the Washington Post. They won the White House —twice —but some Republican loyalists question if the former Bush communications experts and strategists should be the ones steering a campaign themed on change. More »
Sep 4, 08 10:13 AM CDT Scan the faces in the Xcel Energy Center, and you’ll see a sea of white. This year’s Republican National Convention is the whitest on record, the Washington Post reports, with just 36 black delegates —out of 2,380. “It’s hard to look around and not get frustrated,” says Michael Steele, former lieutenant governor of Maryland and the convention's only black primetime speaker. More »
Sep 4, 08 7:19 AM CDT Columnist Peggy Noonan has been catching flak since being caught on tape saying "It's over" during a frank assessment of John McCain's veep choice. But the Wall Street Journal writer insists she wasn't pronouncing Mac's White House hopes dead —she was simply remarking that the days of the GOP's base being connected to mainstream America are over, she writes. More »
After watching two political conclaves the last two weeks, it would be easy to be confused about which was really the gathering of the opposition. - Peter Baker
When the president of the United States is from your own party, to present yourself as a change agent is not the easiest thing to pull off. - Democratic strategist Joe Trippi
“I promise you, if you’re sick and tired of the way Washington operates, you only need to be patient for a couple of more months. Change is coming! Change is coming! Change is coming! - John McCain
John McCain • George W. Bush • Bush administration • Republican Party • Republican National Convention • Republican strategy
