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GOP Needs Its Brains Back

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 31, 2009 1:57 PM CDT

(Newser) – Republican sycophants may think Sarah Palin’s resignation was brilliant, “but don’t kid yourself,” writes Robert Eisinger in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “The GOP is in trouble.” The party has lost its intellectual coherence, and if it wants it back, it’s got to look beyond the Palins and Mark Sanfords of the world: “The problem with these Republicans is that they have drunk the proletariat punch.”

“The intellectual underpinnings of smaller and smarter government have been replaced with incoherent ramblings,” writes Eisinger. “Sanford now sounds like Paula Abdul.” The party needs actual intellectuals and academics, people like Newt Gingrich (Tulane), Mitt Romney (Harvard), or should-be stars like Rob Portman (Dartmouth) and John Sununu (MIT and Harvard). But thanks to candidates like Palin, “the GOP faithful now downplay pedigree as hoity-toity irrelevance.”

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (2)]

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gives her resignation speech in Fairbanks on July 26, 2009. (AP Photo)

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford tearfully admits to having an affair during a news conference in Columbia, June 24, 2009. (AP Photo)

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin serves the public hot dogs before officially resigning during the annual Governor's Picnic July 26, 2009. (Getty Images)

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Focus groups data probably show that swing voters who go to church and like NASCAR think that the words “Ivy League” and “Ph.D.” are tantamount to “liberal” and “out of touch.” - Robert M. Eisinger

The conservative in me cringes when I hear Sanford, not for his misdeeds or indiscretions, but because of his apparent ignorance about his own politics. - Robert M. Eisinger

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 27 comments

wwwonderer

Aug 3, 2009 4:17 AM CDT

@Jayster. Diploma does not equate to intellect. Case in point. You have a high school diploma don't you? Yet you haven't demonstrated much intellect, as least not hear at Newser. While one can HAVE, RECEIVE, POSSESS, BE GIVEN, or EARN any number of degrees and diplomas; most (intellectual) people don't say OWN a degree or diploma.

emptycalm

Aug 1, 2009 12:50 PM CDT

Indeed but it needs to happen. People need to get out of the Reagen worshipers club.

LiberalJesus

Aug 1, 2009 2:14 AM CDT

I am not sure who coined this phrase, but it goes like this "Not all conservatives are ignorant but most of the ignorant are conservative...I think it was the late great William F Buckley, son of the "Father of Conservatism" who said that. I might be wrong and will apologize if I am. As for C_K...he's just lost in a world of hate and anger. He, like most people that are left in the gop see anyone who is not of their "brand" as inferior. Up until the Gingrich revolution I had always thought thew republicans were entitled to repsect, back when they were respectable. But now they have totally lost all bearings on reality. As for you C_K, by the standard meaning in the dictionary, being liberal is a badge of honor we Progressives wear....it means we believe in progress. Conservative means "hell no we aint gonna change, we likes our niggers in chains, women barefoot and pregnant and the beaners mowin our grass! I cant even begin to have a conversation with C_K anymore because he's just gone around the bend. Too bad, a good education would really come in handy right about now C_K.

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Mitt Romney • Newt Gingrich • conservative • Rob Portman • Republican Party • John Sununu • academics • Sarah Palin • Mark Sanford • intellectual

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