Stop the Circular Firing Squad
Posted on November 3, 2011
Ronald Reagan used to invoke the 11th Commandment to get Republicans to stop attacking one another.
Those days are over.
Republicans now seem to take special interest in whacking each other with extra vigor.
The Herman Cain campaign has made the tactical decision that instead of owning up to the facts surrounding Mr. Cain’s sexual harassment problems, that it would be a far better decision to blame the Rick Perry campaign for helping Politico break the story.
The Perry campaign is trying to shift the blame to the Romney campaign.
The Romney campaign is wisely keeping its mouth shut, hoping upon hope that this Cain story stays in the news for a couple of more weeks.
It is painful to see how the Cain campaign has handled this communications crisis. Actually, it is a very valuable learning experience for anybody who wants an example of how not to communicate in a crisis.
It is more painful to see how Republicans are spending so much time in a circular firing squad, making Barack Obama’s road back to the White House a tad bit easier.
GOP leaning voters have a binary choice in the next election. They can allow Obama to walk away with another win or they can find a way to keep the main thing the main thing (as Haley Barbour memorably puts it).
Too many conservative institutions have a vested interest in attacking Republicans.
Red State’s raison d’etre is beating up Republicans.
Heritage Action spends the majority of its time embarrassing Republicans, and raises a bunch of money by doing so.
Rush Limbaugh gets a special kick out of kicking the shins of Republicans.
Conservative organizations take special pleasure in constructing pledges that are meant to make it harder for legislators to legislate and make it easier for Republicans to lose in primaries.
Club for Growth spends the majority of its time and money attacking Republicans.
I don’t understand how all of this helps to promote center/right principles. I don’t get how attacking Republicans makes any sense if you want to replace Barack Obama and keep Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid in the minority.
The focus for Republicans should stay on how to get rid of Obama. They should stop the circular firing squad. It’s not funny anymore.