When you are in a hole, keep digging.
This is the motto of the Republican Party headed toward the next elections. Unbelievably, many in the Party do not understand why they are getting crushed in this year's elections, and why they are getting trounced for the second election in a row, a historic losing streak.
Some in the Party seem to believe that the issue is not the issues. It is not that the Republican Party under George W. Bush is not inclusive, is not intelligent, and is incompetent. The issue is that the messenger is not cute enough.
Honestly, this should be easy for the Republicans. Heck, I'm a lifelong Democrat, and I could do this in my sleep.
In 2012: The Republican Party stands for low taxes and low government spending. We stand for personal responsibility. You take care of yourself and your family. Government is here to be effective, but not intrusive. Our foreign policy is premised on a strong America with a mighty military. This is a moderate-right country, and we are the political party that represents the majority.
Instead, many in the "elite" media have decided that Sarah Palin is the Republican who should lead the Party. Sarah Palin. I never thought that the Republicans would look at the George W. Bush disaster and say, "You know what, next time, we need a George W. Bush-lite." If in 2012, the Republicans nominate Bush-lite, does that mean that in 2016, the Republicans will nominate air?
Sarah Palin went a long way toward destroying the John McCain candidacy. Her dishonesty -- "Thanks but no thanks on that Bridge to Nowhere," -- her failure to answer the most basic questions about magazines she reads, her failure to understand policy, her desire to throw her companions under the bus -- the list goes on.
There is no reason to think Sarah Palin would be a good president. There is every reason to think she would be a disaster.
Yet, the Nerdy corner of men who support her for 2012 just think she's been mishandled. They believe that they can program Sarah Palin with their views, and she, as an attractive salesperson, will go out and sell what they cannot. No one is listening to William Kristol or Fred Barnes anymore -- but if you put their views in the Sarah Palin package -- maybe people will listen!
William Kristol thinks he's the ugly Cyrano de Bergerac, Sarah Palin is the good looking Baron Christian de Neuvillette, and the American people are the waiting-to-be-wooed Roxanne.
But Bill, Fred, Rich Lowry, let me tell you something, the issue is not that Sarah Palin has been mishandled; the issue is that we want a leader of our country who sounds intelligent. We want a leader of our country who can actually lead, and is not foisted upon us due to a crazy decision by a desperate candidate.
Sarah Palin and her Ayers comments, and her pro-America regions of the country -- it is what is being rejected by the American people.
There are those in the Republican Party who get this -- who want a political party that stands up to the Democratic Party, who want the Republican Party to stand for something beyond a, yes, cult of personality.
I cannot believe that the Republicans are going to be dumb enough to put all their eggs in the Palin basket.
I am guessing that there will be a civil war in the Republican Party, between the people who actually believe the Party has gone too far to the right, and the people who believe that the Party just had the wrong messenger this time.
It is going to be a very uncivil war.