GOP Email Compares Obama to Nazis

(NEWSER) - After 11 months licking his wounds, John McCain is getting back out there, appearing on TV more often and acting little like the man who gave a gracious, conciliatory concession speech last November. He's finding support within the GOP, where his combative approach hasn't always resonated, because his target is often the White House. "A lot of people, including me, thought he might be the Republican building bridges to the Obama administration," says an adviser. "But he's been more like the guy blowing up the bridges." More»

Crowded Dem primary could be a boon for united Republican party

(NEWSER) - Massachusetts Republicans are thinking the unthinkable: Putting one of their own into Ted Kennedy's Senate seat, CQ Politics reports. The stars would have to align perfectly—only 12% of the state's voters are registered Republicans—but strategists see hope in a combination of factors: The Democratic field will be crowded, 36% of state voters went for McCain, and 50% are independents. The trick is to "turn them out for this election," says one. More»

(NEWSER) - The GOP has settled with Jackson Browne for using the left-leaning singer’s “Running on Empty” in campaign ads for John McCain in the 2008 election, Billboard reports. As part of the agreement—whose cash value is unknown—the GOP pledged to “respect and uphold the rights of artists and to obtain permissions and/or licenses for copyrighted works where appropriate.” “I’m really happy that we got this statement from them,” Browne says. More»

Kind comments follow critical Vanity Fair piece

(NEWSER) - Following a particularly stinging piece about her in Vanity Fair, the pendulum has swung again, and Sarah Palin seems to be winning back GOP support after months of ridicule. The feeling within the party is that “enough is enough,” writes Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post. “Sarah Palin will be a leader in this party," said RNC chair Michael Steele. "She has the ability to galvanize the base, and even folks outside the base.” More»

Defeat likely to send party further to the right, ensuring future losses

(NEWSER) - A battle between reformers and traditionalists for the soul of the GOP lies in the party's immediate future, David Brooks writes in the New York Times—and the reformers don't stand a chance. The conservative old guard, with Rush Limbaugh as its loudest mouthpiece and Sarah Palin as its heroine, has a lock on Republican institutions that it will take more losses to loosen, Brooks writes. More»