Internal GOP Fight Over Next RNC Chair

UPDATE: Newt Gingrich denies reports of a fight and bows out of the race for RNC chair. Fox News reports:

Michael Steele, former lieutenant governor of Maryland, has decided to run for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee and is in talks with Newt Gingrich to win the former House speaker's endorsement, FOX News learned Tuesday.

Steele declined to comment, but a source close to the situation said Steele would announce his candidacy as early as Thursday.

The source also contradicted a report in Tuesday's Washington Times that Steele and Gingrich were competing for the RNC post.

"There is no fight," the source said. "This tension between Michael Steele and Newt Gingrich is totally fabricated and, in fact, Gingrich and Steele are working together to create a new strategy for the direction of the GOP."

In a statement issued by the former House speaker, Gingrich said he was not interested in seeking the post of Republican Party chairman.

"A number of people have asked me to consider running for Republican National Committee chair. They have been very flattering, and I am very honored by their support," he said.

"However, my job as an American first is to develop a tri-partisan approach to developing solutions for the challenges we face. I use the word tri-partisan to designate the concept of attracting Democrats, Republicans, and independents to solutions that unify most Americans."

The Washington Times reports:

A behind-the-scenes battle to take the reins of the Republican National Committee is taking off between former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele.

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Neither man will acknowledge his interest in the post, but Republicans close to each are burning up the phone lines and firing off e-mails to fellow party members in an effort to oust RNC Chairman Mike Duncan in the wake of the second consecutive drubbing of Republican candidates at the polls.

The New York Times adds:

Mr. Duncan was installed by Mr. Bush, and the fight over his post reflects the effort by many party leaders to erase any remnant of the Bush legacy.

These struggles come as the party prepares for a broad ideological battle, in particular over how much to emphasize social issues like opposition to abortion rights and gay rights. Party leaders said the focus on those issues had constricted the party's appeal to moderate and independent voters more interested in jobs, health care, education and other issues that touch their lives in more concrete ways.

"We can't be obsessed with issues that are not the issues that are important to American voters," said Jim Greer, the Florida Republican chairman and a likely candidate for national party leader.

Across the party, Republicans described this period as one of the toughest in recent history, reflected by the scope of the losses last Tuesday but also by the recriminations that have gripped the party as it seeks to learn lessons from Mr. McCain's defeat and Mr. Bush's presidency.

...

The most important question for Republicans in both the House and the Senate -- and for the future Republican chairman -- is how forcefully to take on Mr. Obama once he becomes president. Richard N. Bond, a former Republican chairman, said he thought the Congressional Republicans would -- and should -- take on Mr. Obama aggressively. Mr. Bond suggested that Republicans should not be deterred by the enthusiasm inspired by Mr. Obama's election, which he argued would be transitory.

"When people wake up from their Bush hangovers, six months from now," Mr. Bond said, "it is my belief that they are not going to be buying into some of the things that Obama will potentially be doing. You have a real potential for these guys making a fundamental misjudgment of this election. They just didn't want George Bush anymore."

But Mr. Gingrich, a veteran of what turned out to be damaging Republican wars with President Bill Clinton in 1993 and 1994, cautioned against that, saying the party would be wiser to offer a broad idea of what it stood for and how it would lead the country, and pick its battles carefully.

Sam Stein wrote for the Huffington Post recently about the split within the Republican Party over how to work with President Obama.

Comments

[cylindar]

The problem with the Republican party "is" Newt. He won't be leading anyone. He is like touching a third rail. Most Republicans I know have to hold their noses when his name is mentioned. The guy is bad news for the party.

[wildervine]

So Gringrich is now spouting the new Repub mantra of "we were wrong" and "we will work for bi- (tri !!) partisanship, and "unity", etc, etc.?? Just 2 weeks ago Repubs were trying to bully their way through this election, claiming that Obama was everything from a terrorist Muslim to an abuser of children. I noticed some time ago that Repubs are masters at coming up with catch-words and phrases to push their agenda and it was almost comical watching them all on the varous news shows parroting each other ad nauseum. So this week, the catch-words are all about "change" and "unity" and "we get it & we're contrite". Right. The Repubs are sorry for only one thing- they lost. They haven't learned a thing and still think they can b.s. the public by endlessly mimicking each other with the new "phrase of the week". They'll repeat this forever if they think it will get them back in power. I'm not fooled. Are you?

[MajorChode]

Bush did everything the Republicans wanted. He produced their neocon war. He produced tax cuts for the rich. He produced the social conservative agenda. If Republicans like Newt Gingrich are finally admitting that Bush was a failure (as they should), they should also recognize that it was their ideology that failed as well.

[myfatherschild]

Putting an African American at the top of the RNC to go against and African American president. How thoughtful. We ain't buying it. The RNC comes across as insincere at best. It is still the party of the good ole boys and tokens. Try being genuine for a change. Then maybe you will have a change we can believe in.

[chronic]

And remember thier strategy for recruiting Sorry Sarah.

[lazercat2008]

For eight years the Republicans have been feeding us bogus facts thinking that positive thoughts will make the problems go away. I fear soon the secrecy will be lifted and we will all know what deep chit we are really in.

[Internaut]

That's clever, I never thought of spelling it that way!

Chit, chit, chitty chitty chit!

[MajorKong]

Newt was a failure before failure was cool.

[Internaut]

Who made failure cool? Bush? David Blaine?

[angryveteran]

Attn Mr. Steele. If Sarah Palin couldn't help McCain gain with the 'women' vote, a black guy who claims R. Reagan is his hero will not attract minorities to the republican party. It takes more than that--voters are smarter than that. Don't believe me, ask John McCain.

[chronic]

LOL Amen! But even McSame hasn't learned his lesson.

[exhale09]

Hey Newt...here's a thought. How about being honest about EVERYTHING!

Now there's a novel idea for Republicans.

[Collielady]

The party of Newt has been neutered.

[Internaut]

The Eye of Newt should be seen and not heard.

[Godiva]

The biggest challenges of the Republican party can not be fixed in four years. The party has been branded as the small tent truly elitist party. Most Americans equate the party as one of priviledge and money and those in the areas that voted heavy Republican this cycle feel as though they belong when the party does not truly represent their challenges which are primarily economic. I don't consider myself a political buff but I continue to ask why are their two parties?

[mandycat]

In all the argle-bargle from the hard Right since the election, I don't believe I've seen anything along the lines of "How can we be better at governing? How can we get the country out of the deep hole it's in right now? How can we make the lives of the average American more productive and less anxious?" It's all about fighting their opponents, winning the battles if not necessarily the war.

The Ann Coulter wing of the party plays fast and loose with the words treason and traitors. People who put their vanity and grievances and greed ahead of the good of their country might want to look slightly closer to home for traitors.

[KoolBreez]

C'mon , the only Republican failure has been to win this election. Robbing this nation blind went according to the plan.

[jdl51]

The republicans get it, they just don't know how to sell it. Since 1983 we have been paying $185 billion a year more in SS to pay for boomer retirement. The repubs have taken that surplus, which amounts to $4.6 trillion and have given it to the rich in the form of tax cuts. Talk about redistributing income. Now they want to lower SS benefits because, you guessed it, there's no money to pay for the benefits because they've given it all away. They want to continue to do this but can't figure out how to sell it. Conservatism used to mean being frugal, balancing budgets, living within your means, avoiding foreign entanglements and staying out of people's personal lives. The neocon version of conservatism is just the opposite so it's no wonder they're out of power.

[majorteddy]

Hold 'er Newt. Not the last 8 years, you mean 20 of the last 28 years that you Republicans held the White House you habve been a lie and a failure, promising fiscal responsiblity and blistering the Democrats for tax and spend while you were much worse with spend and borrow, a veritable house of cards.

[ForVicki]

In the words of Dick Armey...Michael Steele hasn't been a member of the club long enough to become chairman, hint: Know your place!!! No wonder the GOP is not diverse!!