Republicans Slam Party-Purist Outfit

Steele, Club for Growth in crosshairs

(NEWSER) - Arlen Specter’s departure has set off a wave of finger pointing within the Republican Party, Politico reports. Some blame Specter for not having the ideological purity to stick with the party. But others single out various Republicans they claim helped push Specter out the door, from Michael Steele, who once said he’d support a primary challenge to Specter, to the Club for Growth, the group that championed that challenger. More»

For most, leadership is ineffective, or nonexistent

(NEWSER) - A lot of strong opinions are swirling around the Republican base, but none of them appear to point a way forward for the fractured party. GOP voters and GOP-leaning independents polled are united in their distrust of—even anger at—the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress. But second in line for their ire are their own leaders—when they can agree on who they are. More mention Sarah Palin as the embodiment of their values than any other figure—but she doesn't top 20%. More»

New name may have greater pull than tainted Repub label

(NEWSER) - Candidates on both sides are doing their best to hide their party affiliation but it's the Republicans who have the most to worry about, writes Nate Silver . "The Democratic brand is marginal in about half the country, but the Republican brand is radioactive in about two-thirds of it ," Silver writes at FiveThirtyEight.com. It might even be time, Silver notes, for the party to consider rebranding itself "the Conservatives." More»

(NEWSER) - Arlen Specter, demoted to junior spots on Senate committees after switching to the Democratic Party, thought things would be different, he told CNN today. Majority Leader Harry Reid “said that I would maintain my committee assignments,” Specter said, “and that my seniority would be established as if I’d been elected in 1980 as a Democrat.” Specter’s demotion could hurt him on the campaign trail, where he’s touted his influence. More»

(NEWSER) - With Arlen Specter gone, it’s time for the "latest round of What Should the Republican Party Do," writes Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal. Call Specter an opportunist if you want, “but opportunists tell you something: which side is winning.” The Republican party is losing, seemingly bent on self-destruction. Yes, a big tent needs ideological tent poles, “but also, the people inside can't always be kicking people out of the tent.” More»