Huckabee: GOP Needs To Move Away From "Mushy Middle"

On Fox News' "Hannity and Colmes" recently, Mike Huckabee said Saxby Chambliss' win in Georgia shows the solution to GOP ills: the party needs to move away from the "mushy middle" and become more conservative. Watch:

Comments

[pfrogger]

PART 3: So what can we learn from this?

The strategy for Democrats should be to

A. Minimize the Repub points by repeatedly explaining via logic why they are inaccurate, and flushing out lies and misdirections on a daily basis. Don't let them get away with one non-factual soundbyte.

B. When they hit with sound byte, or blatant lie, or hypothetical conjecture - call them on it. Every single time. If they say it, they have to prove it. Where are they getting their information from? References? Sources? Use logic and overwhelming reason that can not be disregarded even by the sheeple. Every word, every sentence, every day - fact check the hell out of it.

C. Since corruption has permeated every aspect of DC and abroad via Bush Co, it's time for some justice. If there's a story on Haliburton, KBR, Blackwater, or any and all malfeasance, call it loudly. Make it the premiere story on HuffPo and other blogs. Because if you don't, people forget, just like Foley and Abramoff. The "news" has already shown it will not cover any substantial story unless there is reality-tv based side to it. That's OK, they're dinosaurs, soon to be extinct. Only fools and zealots get their information from them.

Peace.

[pfrogger]

PART 2: So what can we learn from this?

1. The average American is very poorly informed. The "news" does not help with their addiction to sound bytes, changing topics every 60 seconds for that "breaking news" headline, and their aversion to factual based reporting vs their opinion-based reporting. Republicans know this and they will capitalize on it.

2. In 2 to 3 years the major motif is overwhelmingly be: we "let" the Democrats take control to straighten out the economy, but they haven't "fixed" it yet. The logical response that the economic meltdown is the worst since the Great Depression and a Republican administration was in charge during most of the deregulation (although there are Democrats to blame for their apathy and inaction) and that for these reasons, it will take more than 2 years to "fix" it, will largely go unheeded by many Americans. Since the unemployment rate is certain to go higher, more people will lose their jobs during Obamas term. But once again, many Americans will not heed the logic and expect Obama to magically "fix" the economic problems. And when he can't, they will react emotionally, not logically, and blame him and the Democrats.

cont --> PART 3

[pfrogger]

An analysis of Republican tactics and strategy in the past and current can shed light on their future actions and plans.
As jashbowie pointed out, "Reagan and especially W won by pretending to be in the center and hiding their radical conservative intentions". The problem with Sarah Palin is that she forget this one important truth. You go to far, in either direction, you risk alienating the center. Since the center has a good number of "independents" or "undecided" voters, alienating them is the certain path to defeat.
Obama only got 52% of the vote. That may be a relative landslide, and surely is in terms of electoral votes, overall this highlights how "close" voting is in America.
Before the financial meltdown, Obama and McCain were running head to head. But it was only after people saw the looming recession and economic catastrophe did they, the center, truly consider Obama. Even before the economic collapse, many would have been happy to vote against their own self interests as is evidenced by the last 8 years.
It is all hyperacute reactionary positions. Does anyone even remember Mark Foley or Abramoff? Most voters don't. Attention spans of dog fleas.
So what can we learn from this?

cont --> part 2

[BMS]

Yes, please. Please move more to the right. Pretty please.

Results of next presidential election:

Georgia = Republicans
Other 49 states = Democrats

[Kamric314]

There are none so blind as those that will not see...

[dfranz]

I agree with you Mike. I think the Republicans should move as far right as possible. That's one way to ensure a Democratic majority.

[Kerris]

"Yup, yup, you betcha... move on down the aisle there folks, seats on the far right are empty, plenty of room, but get 'em while you can. There could be a Christmas rush."

[jashbowie]

He needs to brush up on his history. Reagan and especially W won by pretending to be in the center and hiding their radical conservative intentions. Huck, it was only by running on a fake-middle message that the GOP was able to win at all!

There are fewer and fewer places in America where an explicit conservative message will win now that America is again waking up to its progressive nature. The ONLY thing that the GOP had on the Dems for the Decades of Darkness was a superior propaganda program. Now that progressives have caught up and even surpassed them (except in tv/radio representation, but one thing at a time) in this general area, the only real way for the GOP to rise again is to find a new way to bamboozle the public. In the age of YouTube, that will be harder and harder to pull off.

And now Obama is going to improve our education system (finally) and get cheep/free broadband to all the poor sections of the country, people are going to be better informed than ever. And the more people know, the less a chance Republicans have of winning. Really, things are looking bleak for the GOP. Sorry, Huck.

[Littlewords]

It is almost like admitting the falicy and false claim of the "center-right" nation. The center right is very small. The masses are more center-left is our reality and values. The rest are hard right be-it driven by neo-con values, free marketeers, red-neck racists, and religion zealots (huckabee is one of these).

[rhan]

This is good news. Mitt, Mike, Sarah for 2012 ... who could ask for anything more?? May be David Duke .... I can dream, can't I?

[donniebnyc]

Hucky/Sarah 2012

Guaranteed Obama second term.

[mcantwell]

He is just another Sarah Palin in disguise, except worse. The thing with Sarah Palin is....what you see is what you get. She's to the far right and doesn't try to hide it. Huckabee is slick.

[noamjunior]

please oh please listen to Huckabee- he will ensure the GOP will win solidly in Georgia ( and lose solidly nearly everywhere else)

[ConcernedAmerican]

We should avoid electing people who think dinosaurs and humans used to be pals don't ya think?

[Retrofuturistic]

That's why preachers make such great politicians. They're already accustomed to lying and manipulating.

[PallinAround]

Yeah, right, Huckster, that's the ticket! That's just what you need to win again... Do you people not LEARN anything from the repeated, resounding, crystal clear beatdowns you've been getting from the American electorate??? Stop with the ideology of alienation! No, I take that back -- keep it up and ensure that you will never again regain any semblance of relevancy in American politics. Your ignorance does have an upside after all.