Steve Schmidt: Political Ambulance Chaser
During my years in politics, I've learned that there are three main types of politicos.
First, there are those who are well-ahead of public on the issues and advocate for them even if not popular (i.e., the visionary type). Al Gore is an excellent example, as he tried to raise the red flag on the environment and was one of the very early opponents of the Iraq War. Similarly, former President George H.W. Bush was also prescient on many foreign policy matters during his term, especially his unpopular decision not to march to Baghdad during the 1991 Gulf War. Howard Dean is another.
The second type are a category I'd describe as the stubborn old goats. Those politicos cling to positions well after the real debate is over and public opinion has embraced it. Sen. James Inhofe's continued blather about global warming being a hoax is a classic example, as are those who continue to argue against stem cell research.
The third type are the calculating political opportunists. These folks generally have few core values and try to anticipate a tipping point on a major issue and then quickly shift allegiances so that they can be on the "right side" as things settle. These people don't simply flip on issues due to the prevailing political winds. Instead, they are very thoughtful and calculating, always looking to get a strong head start on upcoming political change and positioning themselves to profit on their timing. You might call them political ambulance chasers.
Per a story on CNN today, allow me to highlight a classic example of this latter type:
Steve Schmidt, a key architect of John McCain's presidential campaign, is making his first public return to Washington a bold one.
Schmidt will use a speech Friday to Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights group, to urge conservative Republicans to drop their opposition to same-sex marriage, CNN has learned.
"There is a sound conservative argument to be made for same-sex marriage," Schmidt will say, according to speech excerpts obtained by CNN. "I believe conservatives, more than liberals, insist that rights come with responsibilities. No other exercise of one's liberty comes with greater responsibilities than marriage."
...In his speech Friday, Schmidt will acknowledge that his is a "minority view" in the GOP, but will also say, "I'm confident American public opinion will continue to move on the question toward majority support, and sooner or later the Republican Party will catch up to it."
I think there is little doubt that the recent developments on the gay marriage front (Iowa Supreme Court decision, Vermont state law, introduction of legislation in New York) have forced the issue beyond the tipping point. Those first dominoes have fallen and nothing is going to stop this from being accepted public policy in a matter of years, especially in a place like California where Schmidt resides and does business.
So while it is great to see people like Schmidt so dramatically shift their positions on such a hot-button political issue, we should all clearly realize see this for what it is: political ambulance chasing. But we should welcome him to the scene nonetheless.
Mark Nickolas is the managing editor of Political Base.
Follow Mark Nickolas on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mnickolas
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Do not forget, Steve Schmidt is Karl Rove's protege.
The gay marriage debate is emblematic of the chaotic political climate that has crystallized since the last election. I would posit that the current turmoil is, in large part, less about contrasting ideologies--which I see as symptomatic--than the beginnings of a demographic shift in the present and emergent voting populace.
I am 29 (A "Cold-Y" Millenial who remembers Reagan and the fall of the USSR)...le
The trend that is quite clearly emerging suggests the shift in influence from the Boom generation to generations X and Y. As a whole, both of the aforementioned have much more liberal (in the non-political sense) attitudes toward race and sexuality. As my grandparent's generation passes and the Boom generation ages, these more progressive stances come to represent the majority opinion on social mores.
Schmidt recognizes that these values are, demographically, almost assured to be the future conventional wisdom and, as such, sees the wisdom in hopping on the bandwagon.
So many want to complain about Mr. Schmidt. Ever stop to notice how he's out in front of Mr. Obama?
I beg your pardon? out in front? Obama doesn't believe in gay marriage but he sure as heck did not campaign against it - Mr. Schmidt and his cronies DID and STILL DO.
His sister his gay. That is left out of the story (unless I missed it), so maybe he should be given some credit for really now thinking gay marriage is a good thing. There must be some Republicans who are more open socially but are fiscally conservative. I hope not very Republican is the far right wing nut on every issue-probably not even if this is the loudest group.
I'm sure his sister was still gay when he was running McCain's campaign.
He is still an opportunist.
This is a deeply short-sighted article. Not only is it imperative that the LGBT movement pick up "better-la
I don't think that your point is necessarily incompatible with Mr. Nickolas's. Yes, even latecomers should be welcomed into the LGBT movement, but that doesn't detract from the curious fact that Steve Schmidt is suddenly very vocal about the issue of gay marriage. The point of this article is he's an opportunist; he's an astute political observer so he seizes on gay rights because he sees that as a way of remaining relevant in future elections. I wish Mr. Nickolas would have elaborated on Schmidt's earlier views more to prove his point, but we all know that the candidate and platform that Schmidt supported so vigorously last fall stands in stark contrast to what he's now espousing. Maybe he genuinely believes in gay rights, and I hope he does, but if, as he said, these are positions he held during the election, then it's unfortunate that this wasn't reflected - in the campaign he managed. If he is only now speaking out as a matter of political expediency, then it's hard to object to Mr. Nickolas's analysis. Schmidt may advance the cause, but he'll only do it so long as it benefits him.
GOP - they were against it before they were for it.
It won't go un-noticed.
Steve Schmidt has been a long-time supporter of LGBT rights. It appears as though the author, Mark Nickolas has failed to do his homework as it comes to this issue. Just because Schmidt is a Republican doesn't mean that he an enemy to the LGBT community. He is one of the FEW within the Rethuglican Party that has been working from the inside out on behalf of the LGBT community.
http://www
Isn't this what we're fighting for? Through educating people we're looking for them to understand that LGBTQ people are just trying to live their lives in peace and with dignity & respect. You can't fault someone for finally rounding the corner; it's the only way to win the fight.
Bravo to Steve Schmidt for finally being able to embrace and publicly state his support for the truth on the issue of LGBTQ rights.
Yeah, after his paychecks from the McCain campaign ran out.
While it sure seems that Schmidt falls into that "calculating political opportunist" category, let's be clear about the even bigger picture. Schmidt is a classic case of conservati
I think Schmidt made a lot of sense - on same-sex marriage and his other assessments of the problems in the Republican party. I don't know if he is being opportunistic here in his comments as I don't know his track record on the issues over the years.
But I think we should "welcome him to the scene" without labeling him as anything. Why make it any more difficult for others on his side to do the right thing?
You really don't know much about Steve Schmidt, do you?
I hated most of the campaign he ran against Obama, but they were desperately trying to win instead of respectably lose.
If you knew what Schmidt has done in California, you wouldn't have written this. But it's just blogging, right?
indeed, the way the McCain camp was run was wiggity wack!!!
Mark, you are very correct about your read on this guy. It is all politics. Mr. Schmidt did not just have a true conversion. He is only situating himself and his ideologue party to use gays as another political tool to political victory just as they used the religious right.
Gays will ever regret it if they fall for this one. The leopard cannot change its skin overnight, more so, at will.
Steve Schmidt is a fraud.
I love the title!
great article.
I think instead of ridiculing Schmidt for doing the right thing, we should build a fire under Obama to get him to start delivering on his campaign promises. When is DADT going to be repealed? When is ENDA going to pass? When is the immigration law going to be revised to protect gay families? When is the hate crimes bill going to pass? Obama has talked a lot but done very litte. He should fire Gates.
My goodness, just less than three months under this new administration you are talking of "building a fire under Obama" to deliver on DADT and ENDA. You even suggested he should fire Gates? Sounds like you are a blue-eyed liberal, not better than a right-wing n u t.
I was just wondering how you survived the 8 years of Bush. Does this bad economy mean anything to you?
Steve Schmidt throws you a suspect bone and he becomes a hero while Obama's now labelled a villain...
It seems that there are some in the LGBT community who will embrace the present day GOP with all its racist and horrid slants if only they would just endorse gay marriage..
It's pretty curious and shocking..
I am not a fan of Schmidt, and his belated embrace of gay rights just makes me wonder why he didn't do a better job of managing McCain's campaign. But I think it is unfair to claim that his endorsement of same-sex marriage is opportunistic. He has a gay sister, who has presumably educated him on this issue. Megan McCain has also been out front in favor of same-sex marriage, so that may also have influenced him. I can't see how he stands to gain much by taking this position, for the tattered Republican Party has shown little movement in favor of equal rights. Sometimes people do the right thing because it is right.
She must have educated him since November.
He has a sister who is gay. Isnt that why he change his mind. I'm happy he change his mind but my thing is you are not suppose to be for gay rights because you have a gay member of your family you are suppose to be for it because its morally right its what we believe in as a country that people are entitled to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Carol
Steve Schmidt has just been "born again".
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