Gingrich Rips RNC For Its Blagojevich Attacks

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich sent a rather scathing letter to Mike Duncan on Tuesday, accusing the RNC chairman of engaging in "a destructive distraction" by attempting to tie Barack Obama to Rod Blagojevich. In particular, Gingrich hit the RNC for putting out a web ad that made it seem as if the President-elect was hiding a nefarious chapter of his personal history with the embattled Illinois Governor.

"The RNC should pull the ad down immediately," Gingrich writes.

I was saddened to learn that at a time of national trial, when a president-elect is preparing to take office in the midst of the worst financial crisis in over seventy years, that the Republican National Committee is engaged in the sort of negative, attack politics that the voters rejected in the 2006 and 2008 election cycles.

The recent web advertisement, "Questions Remain," is a destructive distraction. Clearly, we should insist that all taped communications regarding the Senate seat should be made public. However, that should be a matter of public policy, not an excuse for political attack.

In a time when America is facing real challenges, Republicans should be working to help the incoming President succeed in meeting them, regardless of his Party.

From now until the inaugural, Republicans should be offering to help the President-elect prepare to take office.

Furthermore, once President Obama takes office, Republicans should be eager to work with him when he is right, and, when he is wrong, offer a better solution, instead of just opposing him.

This is the only way the Republican Party will become known as the "better solutions" party, not just an opposition party. And this is the only way Republicans will ever regain the trust of the voters to return to the majority.

This ad is a terrible signal to be sending about both the goals of the Republican Party in the midst of the nation's troubled economic times and about whether we have actually learned anything from the defeats of 2006 and 2008.

There has been, it seems, two mindsets within the GOP as to how to revitalize the party in the wake of its '06 and '08 losses: seek political blood against Barack Obama whenever possible, or focus on reaching out to moderates and minorities. In addition to Gingrich, Sen. John McCain -- appearing on "This Week" Sunday -- offered a dig at the RNC for their obsession with Obama's (apparently limited or nonexistent) links to Blagojevich.

A Republican strategist, asked about the Gingrich letter, said he agreed with the former House Majority Leader. But, he added, "I think that Newt wants a change at the RNC, and it is an intervention in the RNC race."

(h/t Ben Smith)

Comments

[judazim]

Just watched ALL of the Bush White House Christmas video. I haven't vomited in many years,
but I'm ready now.

I was hoping to see Barney lift his leg on one of the trees in the Gallery...­..........­.!

[ckfan]

I urge everyone to go on youtube and look again at Colin Powell's interview on MTP when he endorsed Barack Obama. He talks about his party's - the Repubs - strategy against Obama. And how it doesn't work and it's wrong. Specifically he talks about how the Repubs focus on issues that the American people are not really worried about and how they try to play the guilt by association game.

While Rome is burning, President-Elect Obama is trying to put out the fire while the Repubs spend time and money trying to tie him to Gov. Blago EVEN AFTER the Atty Gen'l and Blgo himself declare on tape, that O's peeps don't participate in pay for play.

Well, they lost and yet the Repubs continue to do the same old, tired, stale attacks. Keep it up, Repubs. We'll have O for the next 8 years thanks to your tactics. Fools.

[kidflash]

The Republicans are still in disarray. They don't know whether to attack Obama on every single issue or move he makes or thing he says or to wait and pick and choose their battles. They are on one hand itching for a fight and don't necessarily care if it's on a matter of substance but on the other hand don't want to seen as impeding the recovery of the economy. They would like to claim recovery for the economy when and if it does but would also not like Obama to successful as president. They are still self-righteous and preachy on one hand but have not even agreed among themselves why they lost the election. I for one hope they never learn the proper lessons. this way it will take them longer to regroup.

[Tazzie]

Newt is smart enought to realize the RNC is tossing bricks from a glass house. If history tells us anything it's only a matter of time until the next Republican scandal is revealed. I'm sure Newt knows where a whole mileau of proverbial skeletons are closeted and it won't won't take much digging to find a Repub Senator or Gov engaging in pay for play.

[karela]

Well, if Newt wants someone other then Duncan, we at last find something we can agree on. Duncan apparently cares nothing for the United States except as it pertains to the Republican Party and it's power. Beyond that, it is just dumb to have no answers other than attacks and yelling no. If the republicans don't knock it off and get to work for the good of the country instead of the good of themselves, they are going to be a very small minority for a very long time.

[wagthedog1001]

Gingrich and McCain have said about the same thing.

When will these people finally and completely break the shackles of the power hungry corrupt RNC?

[Cassie129]

Newtie has his eyes on the POTUS in 2012. So now he's trying to sound reasonable and all bi-partisanlike.

Don't fall for it. He's a snake, always has been.

[PoliticalAmazon]

Well, yes, that's obvious. But the fact that Gingrich isn't leading the charge is rather--unusual, no?

Lord, I hope Gingrich doesn't try to become Obama's new BFF. There is only so much a person's stomach can tolerate.

[Hawka]

True, but I doubt any of us will complain if he manages to help pass PE Obama's bills or something.

[SN365]

Newt Gingrich knows it very well that the republican party is becoming more and more irrelevant and embarrassment to our country. It appears that there will be even less of them in congress in 2010 and eventually they will be extinct.

[MargaretO]

He ought to know it well. He was one of the key people who started all the Republican partisan nonsense during the Clinton administration. I doubt he's changed much and I don't trust him any further than I could throw him.

[ErikW65]

Gingrich is correct this time, strategically. Not that I want the RNC to heed his advice, seeing as how Obama's poll #s only seem to be going up after these stupid right-wing attacks.

[StellaRay]

I'm no fan of Newt's, but he wrote a good letter here, he said what many of us are thinking. I know it's tempting to hope the GOP continues to jettison itself into outer space, but really this is in none of our best interests. (Although I must confess to hoping we get a good solid eight years)

But Newt made the kind of call to his party that would please Obama. You can't argue with that. If the republicans continue to follow the lead of the likes of Mike Duncan we are all in for a much rougher ride, at a time none of us want to imagine things getting even rougher.

I am quite sure that when Obama talks about his bi-partisan dreams, he is not suggesting the republicans are the only ones with work to do. It is difficult to swallow the anger, but we must. If we don't we will hamstring Obama and we will become what we despise.

[2351]

The republicans need to take heed, because lately I've been feeling that we were still in the general election, with all of the crap being said. It is the same old stuff from Hannity, Bill O and the machine. What these people don't realize is that people are sick of it and the more they keep this strategy up, the more people will be turned off to what they are saying. I have almost completely stopped watching the nightly news shows, especially the 24 hour news show. It is like they need news too bad, so they put everything out there. We ae looking for positive stuff, not all that old political bs.

[gavinjny]

RNC race?

[Wiljoy]

I am amazed that old Newt has actually shown some decency for a change! I certainly hope it is for the right reasons and not for an interior motive. As for the GOP, they are getting dirtier every year and even some of the old timers are getting fed up with so much nastiness. Of course, to be fair, some of the Dems are not far behind.

[research]

It's all for show. The GOP have a hidden agenda for saying "hello."

[BabsfromKansas]

My thought - what does he have up his sleeve?

[GloriaY]

I'm happy with the RNC. Let them continue their stupid negative criticisms of the PE, and the repugs WILL be blown out of existence 2012. Good riddance. The repugs lost 2006, big time in 2008, and will be totally eliminated 2012. Newt is suffering from selective amnesia. Remember his involvement in Bill Clinton's impeachment? The chickens are coming home to roost.

[Scarllatti]

Newt, having been down this road before, is ably qualified to tell these Republican rascals that when you are in a ditch, the last thing you are supposed to do is to continue digging.

Mr. Duncan has no vision for the GOP which has not learnt any lessons from the 2006 and 2008 elections.

May be the GOP will wake up after 2010 elections when they would have lost more seats in the house.