The Big Three Fight On: Cheney, Gingrich, & Limbaugh

This week, the House Republican's #2 leader, Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Virginia) said he wants to start a national "listening tour" because he still is not sure what the Republican Party stands for.

What's he gonna find out? That only about 25% of Americans even want to say they are Republicans? That yes, indeed, a clear majority of the American people voted for Barack Obama and against the last eight years (six of which were one-party conservative government)? That the public still strongly supports our new president and believes the Republicans aren't doing anything to clean up the mess they caused?

One thing Congressman Cantor is going to find out is that the three most influential and high-profile Republicans today are none other than Dick Cheney, Newt Gingrich, and Rush Limbaugh.

Yes, Cheney, Gingrich, and Limbaugh.

Name another high-profile, influential Republican.

Go ahead.

OK. Yes. Sarah Palin. (And what a blessing she is.)

The dominance of the three old men prove 20-something Meghan McCain right when she said a few weeks ago that the "Old School Republicans are scared sh**less of the future."

But no one's gonna knock El Rushbo from his catbird seat if he has anything to say about it. The man who credits his success to "talent on loan from God" hollered at Cantor about his ill-conceived tour, "We do not need a listening tour. We need a teaching tour."

Truth is, the waning conservative movement and the GOP needs a learning tour ... and some folks who don't already have chapters in 1970s, 80s, and 90s political history books.

Comments

[hchriste]

Run Cindy for President

[Querent]

Hey, Donnie. Good to have you back. Nice post.

[Hammerlock]

The tour was initially billed by all the participants as a rebranding, listening tour.

Cue Rush: "This needs to be a teaching tour! Listening is for the weak!"
Next day, Cantor: "This is no listening tour!"

Social issues were not focused on, but said to be 'included' in their priorities.
Cue Huckabee: "Social issues should be front and center!"
Next day, Cantor: "Social issues are a pillar of this new movement!"

One has to wonder how copious Cantor's rear is to have so many puppet masters' hands up it. Or is he like one of those build-a-bears where you can record a statement and it repeats it when you push its paw?

[HLSieck]

Nice post, Fowler. I agree. But like some other posts suggested, it's all well and good for us to sit back and watch the Repubs spin and freak out and do their dance and act crazy. Unfortunately, they have the experience of infrastructure, strategic planning, hard cutting decision making and take-no-prisoners action - which, could, in the end, will be the foundation they can eventually land upon as they reinvent themselves. It's like watching a snake moult. But, it's still the same snake because the infrastructure holds it together. The Dems need to grab more tools out of that foundation toolkit and grow a stronger spine. Just like you said back in the day, Donald. You shoulda been in charge. Sigh. Change the Party.

[Tubby]

A lot of what you say is correct, but history shows that the Democrat Party tends to defeat themselves every few years. The Repubs do not have to do anything except sit back and watch the Dems implode-- again.

[TryToBeFlexible]

Then why don't they just sit around and wait. Why all the constant drumbeat of hate, hysteria, name calling, lying, etc.?

[KarelS]

Let it be said from this day forward, the Republican Party will now be known as the Republic Party.

[Querent]

Not doing anything would actually be a big improvement on what they have been doing, which is to impede progress at every turn, constantly lie, denounce, and accuse, and reaffirm their insanity. Can we hope they will start not doing anything by shutting the hell up?