Haley Barbour To Republicans: Social Issues 'Ain't Going To Change Anybody's Vote'

Republican Governor's Association Chair Haley Barbour cautioned Republican candidates on Wednesday against bringing social issues into the campaign, arguing that any discussion beyond the economy would prove distracting and problematic to their election hopes.

In a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, the Mississippi Republican was asked for his take on remarks made earlier in the year by Mitch Daniels, the Indiana Governor, who had urged social and fiscal conservatives to reach an informal truce for the purposes of 2010.

"I think what Mitch said is very similar to what I have responded to today," Barbour replied. "The voters have on their mind the economy, jobs, spending, debt and taxes and good campaigns are about the issues that are on the peoples minds.

"I'll put my bonafides up against anybody as a social conservative," he added, noting that as governor, Mississippi was voted the safest state in the country for an unborn child. "But that ain't going to change anybody's vote this year because people are concerned about job, the economy, growth and taxes... you are using up valuable time and resources that can be used to talk to people about what they care about."

Barbour, indeed, stressed repeatedly during the hour-long session that Republicans could ostensibly coast to major Election Day pickups if they simply continued to put the spotlight on the nation's economic woes.

Asked what the GOP had done to win over skeptical voters, Barbour took stock in the efficacy of the party's obstructionism. "In very unified fashion they have opposed bad policy," he said. "The public appreciates the effort to try and stop [that policy]. And they understand math. They understand that we don't have the votes...."

Comments

[deborah3]

09:41 PM on 11/01/2010

I wonder why he doesn't release the Scott sisters? Maybe there are reasons that I am unaware of, but I truly wish I understood this ...
http://www.workers.org/2010/us/scott_sisters_0506/
http://www.freethescottsisters.blogspot.com/

[ProudMilVet]

11:47 PM on 09/09/2010

He would make Dubya look like a Rhodes scholar !

[ProudMilVet]

11:45 PM on 09/09/2010

Can you even imagine this guy as President ? Can you imagine him representing us at a G-8 or G-20 Summit. Not one single World Leader would be able to keep a straight face !

[dixdarlin]

07:42 PM on 09/09/2010

Halley has gone from tobacco lobbyiest right on down to Gov. of Mississippi.!

[gwazdos]

11:45 AM on 09/09/2010

Haley is the states example of what obesity does to one person's appearance. His big fat cheeks remind me of the old time slave owner tell the poor to work harder as he needs the money tdo purchase more slaves - and - this guy has dreams of being President - what a nightmare our Country would be with another Repub in office. Remember this one thing - Republicans and Cancer are the same disease that works to destroy the American spirit to in turn benefits their and their lobbyists pockets and screw the You's and me's

[okiedemocrat]

09:12 AM on 09/09/2010

I hope he runs for higher office. His state being last in just about everything should be a real doozy to talk about.

[sharin]

09:53 AM on 09/09/2010

rumor has it that he intends to run for President

[johnjohn1234]

08:00 AM on 09/09/2010

Maybe grammatical issues should.

[Angelaaaa]

07:58 AM on 09/09/2010

I am just waiting for the Repubs to suggest that only property owners and the employed, can vote. Forward to the past!

[MeinNH]

09:31 AM on 09/09/2010

and no women either I am sure.

[Angelaaaa]

09:36 AM on 09/09/2010

Well, perhaps the obscenely rich ones ... no parlor-maids or match-girls though. One must have standards.

[UVgot2Bkidding]

12:17 PM on 09/09/2010

They say they want to take the country back...way back.

[fullorage]

07:35 AM on 09/09/2010

"Mississippi was voted the safest state in the country for an unborn child."

That's nice Haley. Too bad that after that child is born in Mississippi he is at the bottom for health care, day care, access to proper food nutrition, education and a decent job, if and when he manages to grows up.
Typically, Barbour puts his conservatives bonifides up against anyone. That means he wouldn't lift a finger to help that child's family once that child is born. In Conservative-land, once you breach the womb you're on your own. In conserva-speak, it's time to pull yourself up by your baby booty straps.
If you want to see what a morally corrupt, politically preening blowhard looks like look, look no further than the Mississippi Governors Mansion.

[TheArtisan]

08:40 AM on 09/09/2010

Here's more info on that:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/health/22infant.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&ei=5087%0A&em&en=44306dccf76bdaf5&ex=1177387200

[1differentdrummer]

07:34 AM on 09/09/2010

If he's not a Ku Klux Krazy then he's a wannabe.

[wikwox]

07:22 AM on 09/09/2010

And you said Barbour couldn't get any uglier, looks like he could give Joe Miller a run for his money.

[DeeFromTheD]

07:07 AM on 09/09/2010

What happened to boss hogg's face?

[Ifeomamn]

06:55 AM on 09/09/2010

MR. Lying Barbour, you are disgrace. You want us to believe that you never read any of President Obama's 2 books. You also want us to believe that in 2008 you were not here during the election. This is why I strongly believe that the Repubs leaders are unamerican and that they are all about Power first,Party second , and then COUNTRY third. The USA should always be First no matter what. The MSM should do their job and call the Repubs when they are unamerican.

[krr02]

08:47 AM on 09/09/2010

of course he didn't read the books....

far too few pictures in them...

MSM should go to the Lost & Found....

see if anyone has found their lost spine...

[mapleaforever]

06:02 AM on 09/09/2010

Sure, let's take the word of a guy who looks like he just participated in a bar brawl.

[sparkey]

04:49 AM on 09/09/2010

Well, Haley IS from Mississippi, the state known for high taxes and low education. I'm just wondering if Haley has to get someone from out of state to read his comic books to him.