Mike Duncan's Silence and The Republican Party of Exclusion

This morning, NPR's Steve Inskeep interviewed the chairman of the Republican party, Mike Duncan, who is trying to hold on to his chairmanship despite the massive GOP loss in November. The most interesting part of the interview wasn't anything Duncan said.

Rather, it was Duncan's long silence when asked about the perception of the GOP as the party of exclusion. His silence spoke louder than anything that he had said in terms of how incapable the Republican Party still is of recognizing what it did wrong and what it needs to do in order to gain Americans' trust.

Listen to the interview here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98116257

The comment that stumped Duncan came from Jerry of Sister, OR, toward the end of the 5-minute interview. Jerry's comment was simply that "The Republican party needs to distance itself from the religious right." Duncan had a quick, formulaic response: "We embrace lots of different people. . . We think that our values resonate better with the American people." No explanation of how it can be that they were voted out of office when their values "resonate" better was given.

Inskeep kept asking. He asked as anyone listening to Duncan would: "Is there then an assumption that this person has that is mistaken?" Silence. Inskeep was forced to pose the question again: "Is there an assumption that this person has that is wrong about the way the Republican party is set up?" Silence. Finally, Duncan responded, "The Republican party is a party of big tent. We welcome people of different ideas and different philosophies in the Republican party."

Now these statements run contrary to the strategy employed by McCain/Palin ticket during the general election. Presidential tickets typically are representatives of the party, so I am sure that I am not wrong in thinking the McCain/Palin ticket's election strategy also reflected the Republican Party's beliefs. Then how can we forget the infamous statement by Palin: "[Obama] is a man who sees America not like you and I see America."

She went even further. She was happy to be in the "pro-America" part of the country, well, as opposed to the not so pro-America parts of the country. The theme of "us" vs. "them" was used again and again at their campaign rallies.

And who exactly was "us"? One obvious place to look for this "us" would be the Republican Party Convention. And who did we see there? Who was this "us"? I saw mostly old white folks in stiff suits swooning at every crack of the whip that Sarah Palin so skillfully employed. And how about the rabid crowd in a rabid frenzy at Palin rallies who shouted "kill him!" and "off with his head"?

Now, it boggles my mind how the Republican Party can still be wondering how it lost the Hispanic vote. Isn't that obvious? It is obvious to me, and I am sure it is obvious to many others, especially Hispanic voters. Most Hispanics count themselves as members of a minority group, so then is it any wonder that they voted for Barack Obama?

Given the venom and frenzy, given the anti-immigrant, anti-"them" sentiments at the McCain/Palin rallies, is it a wonder that Hispanic voters simply could not see themselves voting for McCain/Palin? How would they in their self-interest vote for the ticket that tells them they are not "us"?

Perhaps Duncan really is ignorant. He really does not know that the Republican Party has become a party of exclusion. However, why would he fall "silent" when asked if this particular perception was somehow a "mistaken" one? But it was also obvious, even on the radio waves, that he was searching for the right words because, as Duncan himself said during the interview, the Republicans just "need to articulate ideas better" and "to stimulate new ways of thinking, new words."

But this reveals only one thing: they are incapable of recognizing mistakes. It is not that they are ignorant, they are in total denial.

That is why Bobby Jindal and Anh Cao are being heralded as the saviors of the Republicans. Because they see nothing fundamentally wrong with their party, only with its packaging. Hence the false belief: repackage the same old ideas with new, different faces, and the Party will be revived. It refuses to see their loss as a defeat of their ideas. Duncan's silence was only an indication of this refusal to see, this deep-seeded denial.

The November election made it clear. In the perception of many voters, the Republican Party is no longer a party that "embrace[s] lot of different people" or whose "values resonate better with the American people." If it were, Republicans would have won easily. Their values didn't resonate. And saying so does not make it true.

So between the long, painful silence from Duncan today during the NPR interview and what he did actually say, I really don't see how the Republican Party will re-establish itself any time soon. It may be a long, long time.

Comments

[lovable]

this interview is big news . like u said it is what he did not say . the next time he is on a show they should only talk about this!!!!!! but they wont it will be sarah palin clothes.

[labman57]

This country had been slowly evolving into that which we have sacrificed countless lives opposing--a militant nation with an agenda driven by religious extremists who promote freedom of thought only so long as it does not conflict with their own ideas. Sound familiar? We had become the enemy.

Ever since the 1960's, the GOP consistently has been, and will always be, the party of exclusion, the party that attempts to diminish those who look different than themselves, pray to a different deity, or follow a different lifestyle. They are the party that uses fear and hatred as a weapon to intimidate any who do not share their points of view. The GOP offers 20th century solutions to 21st century problems.

It is time for a fresh perspective, a new philosophy of America's place in the world. It can no longer be us versus them at all costs; the world is far too small for such a narrow-minded point of view.

It is time to embrace those who are different than ourselves and accept them for who they are--it would be the "christian" thing to do. President-elect Obama is the perfect person to lead our nation in this cause and once again transform our nation into a positive, democratic beacon for the rest of the world.

[jenneroos]

It's a big tent?
The only way in is a VERY narrow tunnel. And due to various cannibalistic events, they are no longer able to leave. Naturally, there are fewer and fewer of them even as they advertise vacancies in their wide open (red) spaces.

[eden4barack08]

"A radical is a man with both feet firmly planted in the air. A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs, who, however, has never learned to walk forward. A reactionary is a somnambulist walking backwards. A liberal is a man who uses his legs and his hands at the behest ... of his head." - FDR

The words of a great LIBERAL leader!

[dryrock]

I hope the GOP does exactly what Mr. Duncan advises. Let them build their "Big Tent". Then they can invite everyone in, after they sign a Loyalty Pledge at the door.

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

They'll be required to get a `W' tattoo on their forehead or their right hand. Only people who take the Mark of the Bush will be allowed to run for Republican office.

[ouroborous]

Oh, I don't think the GOP is as out of the race as y'all would like to believe.

As long as "liberal" remains a dirty word and we all allow the media and our elected party to define America as a "center-right" nation, the right is not as powerless as we would all like.

Similarly, some of their ideology -- that government is completely inefficient and useless, that foreigners are scary and dangerous, and that civil rights are only for hippies and traitors -- still apparently resonates quite strongly with the populace.

I suspect that they're in for a long wander in the desert given the abject failure of their golden boy, Bush, but don't worry. They'll be back, and with a vengeance.

[11907281]

The more the boomers die off and the more the Gen X'ers take over, the more obsolete the republican model becomes.

[SENCvoter]

I have to agree. I know plenty of young people who wear their "liberal" label with great pride.

[goldnchyl]

That they'll be back, I have no doubt, but their vengeance is what has lost, and will continue to lose, potency.

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

"As long as `liberal' remains a dirty word and we all allow the media and our elected party to define America as a `center-right' nation, the right is not as powerless as we would all like."

That's funny, every Democrat who won a seat in November was called a "liberal" by his opponent. Yet Democrats won by bunches. So maybe "liberal" isn't a bad word anymore.

It's the news media (MSM) who says that we're a center-right nation. Remember that the same news media, a month and a half ago, was saying, "McCain could still win." The fact is, my friend, we're a center-LEFT nation now. (Thank God.)

"Similarly, some of their [Republicans'] ideology -- that government is completely inefficient and useless, that foreigners are scary and dangerous, and that civil rights are only for hippies and traitors -- still apparently resonates quite strongly with the populace."

Not "the populace," my friend. The Republican base of right-wing nutcases and ignoramuses in the Grits States. Didn't you notice how little traction that schtick got in the election with the voting public overall?

(To remind you: Obama beat McCain by 6 percentage points, despite Ralph Nader getting votes; Obama won a majority of the states, and he got two-thirds of the electoral vote.)

The voters of this country FLIPPED THE BIRD to the Republicans and all their B.S. You betcha.

[Badger84]

Reagan, with the help of the media, managed to stigmatize the liberal label. With the passage of a generation and their own malfeasance or nonfeasance, it's wearing off and republicans can offer no valid reasons why people should mistrust liberals.

[eden4barack08]

Awesomely excellent, and thorough response Tom!

[dfranz]

The Republicans are all about their base. Period. You might as well not exist if you haven't bought into their Ideology. What confounds me is why did it take so long for Americans to see ths. Why have so many people voted against their own best interests for so long? I believe it's because the Repugs are masters at labeling things in such a way to completely cover their actual meaning and because people have short attention spans and like slogans. There have been plenty of those. Now that everything is collapsing and they have been repudiated they are trying to change their perception by the voters. Unless they change leadership and become an actual "Big Tent" party they will remain what they are now. The minority party.

[goldnchyl]

They're masters of deception. All about the packaging. Reality is inconsequential.

[BLinCincinnati]

The GOP could very possibly become a minority party (in size) for a long time for a few reasons if they don't change quickly....

1) They are purging everyone but conservatives, while Dems are open to Conservatives, Moderates, and Liberals. This alone is hurting them.

2) Youth vote - this year Dems won the 18-29 vote 66% to 32%. Those voters will likely remain Dem voters over time. Most stay with the party they start with. With the other age groups split fairly closely that gives Dems a huge advantage 8 years from now when those 18-29 year olds will be 26-37 and a new crop of 18-25 year olds, who grew up with Obama as President start voting.

First time voters went Obama 69% to 30% as well.

If Obama does what he potentially could do with fixing the problems in this country those 18-37 year olds will be solid Dem for life in most cases, as well as those first time voters.

3) Minorities. Obama won Hispanics 67% to 31%, Asians 62-35%, and Blacks 95%-4%. Those 3 groups made up 24% of the voters. It is the fastest growing population in the country. Within 8 years they'll make up 30%, by 2050 they'll make up over 50% of the voters. If Dems hold on to the minority vote, it's lights out for Republicans for decades.

[demockracy]

You have to pity the G.O.P. They told us their opponents were Muslim, Liberal, Terrorist sympathizers, and the voters, in effect, told them "That's OK, as long as they aren't Republican"

[BLinCincinnati]

Hahaha... so true!

[goldnchyl]

lol... good point

[IllinoisTexan43]

demockracy, I am soooo going to use that in another thread! Classic.