Haley Barbour: Republicans Must Realize They Don't Run Government

(AP) BALTIMORE — Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour on Friday told Republicans newly in charge of the U.S. House that they must keep voters' frustrations with the nation's lagging economy focused on Democrats who still run the Senate and control the White House.

Barbour told House Republicans that they should learn the lessons of 1995, when some in the GOP became cocky after winning the majority. Some Republicans then asserted that President Bill Clinton didn't matter, giving his poll numbers time to improve and helping him win re-election a year later.

"There were some people in Congress who thought we were running the government," Barbour said.

Barbour, a former Republican National Committee chairman who helped the GOP take over the House in 1994, deflected questions what his proposed strategy would mean for his own potential challenge to President Barack Obama in 2012.

"I'm not going to make any decision about that until the spring," Barbour told reporters after addressing House lawmakers' strategy session here. "I'm going to get through my day job before looking at my next job."

But Barbour's advice has clear implications for the party trying to limit Obama to one term.

"We are a renewed and energized Republican majority, looking to do some great things this year," Majority Leader Eric Cantor said.

"We also understand that we as Republicans do not control this federal government. The other party does."

That rhetoric allows Republicans to keep the pressure on Democrats as stubbornly high unemployment and a lagging economy keep the public sour on Washington's efforts. Barbour said the GOP should recognize its limits – and opportunities – both on Capitol Hill and with the White House, which could be forced to compromise or bear the blame.

"House Republicans can try to stop bad things from going through, eliminate the funding of bad policies," he said. "But we can't pass laws unless the president agrees."

Another potential 2012 candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich who rose to power in the 1994 GOP sweep, spoke to the lawmakers as well and emphasized the lessons learned.

"This is not 1995; 2011 is not 1995," Gingrich said in private remarks provided by aides. "America's finances are worse. The American economy is weaker."

To that end, Gingrich said lawmakers have a simple charge: "The number one job of House Republicans is to focus on jobs."

 

 

Comments

[patman77]

12:49 PM on 01/18/2011

s n a k e.

[deepthicket]

12:01 PM on 01/18/2011

The more the American people see of Barbour and Bohner and Cantor, the better Obama will look. What saved Clinton was the extreme repulsiveness of his enemies, especially Gingrich. Obama's enemies include the same tired old hags (Gingrich, Limbaugh, Barbour), but also some new, fresh jerks who offend virtually everyone: Brewer, Bachmann, Cator ...

[manofmystique]

11:57 AM on 01/18/2011

Republicans don't want to accept their role in government because they have no intention to engage Democrats in democracy. Republicans want the President to fail. They want to continue to blame, criticize and attack the President. This would be hard to do if they accept some responsibility as elected Officials. While the country suffer with high levels of unemployment and debt is a major issue, their number one goal is Healthcare repeal. What does that tell you? Wake up people. These Republicans don't give a damn about the country as long as a black man sits in the Oval Office. All Republicans intend on doing is reverse all of Obama's legislative accomplishments and delegitimize his presidency.
Since Republicans have taken the House of representitive they never asked the question "where are the jobs?" That's because it never was about jobs, it was about tearing down the President.

[ema123]

12:35 PM on 01/18/2011

They are focused on playing politics and strategies to keep thier jobs during the next election, not doing what is best for the nation.

[Horus45]

11:36 AM on 01/18/2011

That's not what they were saying during the election.

[barkingcat]

11:10 AM on 01/18/2011

Gin blossom.

[CAMBEL]

10:57 AM on 01/18/2011

Party over country still. Seems they would have learned better by now.

[mmsuki]

09:54 AM on 01/18/2011

I guess your side doesn't have any answers, right, Haley?

[p456]

07:34 AM on 01/18/2011

If you need to put a face on the southern strategy look not further than Haley Barbour.

[USCOASTGUARDVET]

07:18 AM on 01/18/2011

Wasn't there a elephant named Barbour? I think I read about him as a kid, I hope he didn't grow up to be this guy.

[barkingcat]

11:12 AM on 01/18/2011

Indeed -- and he became King of the Elephants.

[jws2346]

04:30 AM on 01/18/2011

Good old Harley Barber. Nothin' like stirin' up a little h8te and discontent.

[poaster]

04:06 AM on 01/18/2011

Thi

[roger37]

01:04 AM on 01/18/2011

Yer wrong, there, Foghorn Leghorn. Corporations run our gubmint.

It's called by a new word we have imported from the mid-East. Baksheesh. Gubmint by Baksheesh.

It means Bribery.

[Sans Octavian]

11:43 PM on 01/17/2011

Haley (be weary of men with female names) is merely reminding the Republicans to do absolutely nothing and offer as little as possible in the way of governance. As long as the Republicans sit on the fence and refuse to engage in the jobs they were sent to DC to do, they can say we weren't in charge so we can't be at fault. They should be burned at the stake if they are another do-nothing congress.

[Algird]

11:00 PM on 01/17/2011

a rat in a rats cholthing dressed like a sheep

[RK Johnston]

10:37 PM on 01/17/2011

And all the while that Barbour spoke, the newly-elected GOP House members were basically telling him to take his shopworn ideas and insert them into his rectal oriface.

For it is not Barbour who is their true guide, but Gingrich!
And just like Uncle Newtie, the Class of 2010 will go their own way to gain far more than seeing Obama lose the 2012 Presidental Elections.
Even if the country suffers unduly--they care not.
For once they tasted power...the corruption set in

And if they decide to tell the Tea Party to climb into a handbasket and take that one-way ride to Perdition?
If it gets them what they want...it will be done!
Alliances are, to them, made only for the short-term...and easily thrown aside at the first convienent moment.

They have their Machvelli down pat--too bad that's all they haver to offer that's worth our time.
--RKJ