While discussing the future of the GOP on Sunday, CBS’s Harry Smith wondered: "Is there room for moderates in the Republican Party?...there’s a brand-new Gallup poll that mostly white, older, very religious, just almost demographically the future of the party can’t just be based in those folks."
Smith, filling in for Bob Schieffer as host of Face the Nation, spoke with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich about the state of the Republican Party and began by asking: "Who’s the most real Republican, you, Dick Cheney , Sarah Palin , Colin Powell, Rush Limbaugh?" Gingrich responded diplomatically: "Oh, all of us are. So is Mitt Romney. So is Bobby Jindal. So is Governor Lindle – Lingle of Hawaii."
In response to Smith wondering if there was "room for moderates" in the party, Gingrich explained: "I am a Reagan Republican. Reagan believed in a very broad base. He always talked about ‘my fellow Republicans’ and those independents and Democrats who want a better future...Here’s my simple test for Republicans. In California, a state which voted 61% for Obama, two weeks ago, 64% of the state voted against higher taxes and more spending in Sacramento."
Gingrich went on to observe: "Not a single county voted for it, which means a majority of San Francisco voted against higher spending and more taxes...If you’re thinking about a future Republican majority, you now have 64% of California that’s potentially your ally. But that would mean you’d actually go to San Francisco and have a happy, positive meeting focused on taxes and spending." Smith snidely commented: "This is – this is the Pollyanna in you. Because the fact is, is that this – there’s a brand-new Gallup poll that mostly white, older, very religious, just almost demographically the future of the party can’t just be based in those folks."
Smith later remarked: "Well, but you also have a voice of ideological purity out there that, unless people kowtow to-" Gingrich replied: "Yes, shrug them off." Smith wondered: "Shrug them off?..So your advice to other Republicans is shrug off Rush Limbaugh?"
Here is the transcript of the exchange:
10:49AM SEGMENT:
HARRY SMITH: Let’s talk about the future of the Republican Party a little bit. A lot – that’s been a subject of magazine covers and a lot of conversation for the last couple of months. Who’s the most real Republican, you, Dick Cheney , Sarah Palin , Colin Powell, Rush Limbaugh?
NEWT GINGRICH: Oh, all of us are. So is Mitt Romney. So is Bobby Jindal. So is Governor Lindle – Lingle of Hawaii. So, I mean, look-
SMITH: Is there room for moderates in the Republican Party?
GINGRICH: I – Yes. I am a – I am a Reagan Republican. Reagan believed in a very broad base. He always talked about ‘my fellow Republicans’ and those independents and Democrats who want a better future. A third of his vote were Democrats. Here’s my simple test for Republicans. In California, a state which voted 61% for Obama, two weeks ago, 64% of the state voted against higher taxes and more spending in Sacramento. Not a single county voted for it, which means a majority of San Francisco voted against higher spending and more taxes. Now, are Republicans-
SMITH: Well, I don’t know if that’s-
GINGRICH: No, but my point-
SMITH: And you have a Republican governor who is sitting there saying, ‘I have a budget of
some billions and billions and billions of dollars that I can’t even begin to figure out how to – how to compensate for.’
GINGRICH: Right, which is a sign of how bankrupt Sacramento is. My point is this, though. If
you’re thinking about a future Republican majority, you now have 64% of California that’s potentially your ally. But that would mean you’d actually go to San Francisco and have a happy, positive meeting focused on taxes and spending. Now, I think Republicans-
SMITH: This is – this is the Pollyanna in you. Because the fact is, is that this – there’s a brand-new Gallup poll that mostly white, older, very religious, just almost demographically the
future of the party can’t just be based in those folks.
GINGRICH: But I just said, I’m happy to say, let’s base it on 64% of Californians,
many of whom are younger minorities, would represent a very diverse party overnight. And – and – and go back and look at Reagan in ‘79, 21% of the country was Republican in 1979. Reagan defeated Carter decisively a year later because he was open to everybody who was unhappy.
SMITH: Well, but you also have a voice of ideological purity out there that, unless people kowtow to-
GINGRICH: Yes, shrug them off.
SMITH: Shrug them off?
GINGRICH: None of them – Reagan shrugged them off. Reagan was frequently attacked. I talked to Michael Reagan the other night, you know-
SMITH: Right.
GINGRICH: Governor – President Reagan’s son, who pointed out that Reagan had done all sorts
of things that were deviancies from the conservative purity, but people knew in general he was a
conservative and people accepted that he was as a conservative. And he built a very broad coalition.
SMITH: So your advice to other Republicans is shrug off Rush Limbaugh?
GINGRICH: My – my advice is that – that Colin Powell is a great American. I’m proud that he’s
Republican. And, you know, Dick Cheney is a great American. I’m proud he’s Republican. I’m glad both of them are Republicans.
SMITH: There you go.
—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
SMITH: This is – this is
June 8, 2009 - 17:29 ET by MidAmericaSMITH: This is – this is the Pollyanna in you. Because the fact is, is that this – there’s a brand-new Gallup poll that mostly white, older, very religious, just almost demographically the
future of the party can’t just be based in those folks.
Doesn't matter. The next election will not be about party affiliation. It will be about obama. If the economy is still in the tank or some other major issue blows up in his face, he's toast. Doesn't matter if there's only three registered Republicans the voters will vote for whomever they think will be the best for them personally. What part of the term 'Reagan Democrats' do they not understand?
Good point.
June 8, 2009 - 17:40 ET by GalvanicIf the unemployment numbers don't improve (or inflation ramps up), it won't matter if Obama is "like God" and sending tingling sensations up men's legs.
Even if the Republican Party went away, another party would take its place appealing to conservative voters.
Smith should cut back on his Kool-Aid intake.
Think about what Smith is saying
June 8, 2009 - 22:54 ET by KC MulvilleLike Sotomayor, Smith is assuming that a party is based on demographics. To be black is to be Democrat. To be Hispanic is to be Democrat. So how do we get more people?
Their answer is to change our ideas. But wait! Think about it. If demographics were the only thing that mattered in the first place, what difference will it make to change our ideas?
We all know what's going on here. It's identity politics, which is the only way the Democrats know how to play politics. It's an attempt to change policy under the threat of demographics, not under the persuasiveness of ideas. And once you do that, ideas don't matter anyway.
Like almost all media bias, Harry Smith's whole understanding of the issues is grounded in the liberal assumption of identity politics. Harry can't understand how the GOP doesn't become more liberal, because he can't see any other way.
Is there room for moderates
June 8, 2009 - 17:38 ET by Dan The Man 2Is there room for moderates in the Republican Party?
Sure just not in the leadership of the party. That is if I am going to vote GOP.
Is there room for moderates
June 8, 2009 - 18:34 ET by mattmIs there room for moderates in the Democrat party, is what I'd like somebody to ask....
The premise of the the moderates in the GOP question is simply bogus. There is more diversity of opinion in the GOP than ever has been in the Dem.
mattm
June 8, 2009 - 20:43 ET by well99There are moderates in the Democrat party.It is just that they arent allowed to talk and the msm doesnt want to hear from them.
"Harry, instead of
June 8, 2009 - 17:43 ET by TheBigB"Harry, instead of searching for the "most real Republican", why don't you go on a real challenging hunt? Go look for pro-life Democrats who feel welcome within the party. I'll bet the list of names would fill, oh I don't know, at least a Post-It note!
Power is the peoples' to give, but it is also theirs to exercise.
Nicely played! But weren't
June 8, 2009 - 18:16 ET by nolotrippenNicely played! But weren't all the pro-life Democrats aborted?
Didn't Harry Smith just describe....
June 8, 2009 - 18:17 ET by Kingfish17Didn't Harry Smith just describe Barack Obama?
Older: He's 47 with the median age in America at 36.
Very Religious: Well versed in Black Liberation Theology and Islam.
Mostly White: Well........just saying. :P
"I've sentenced boys younger then you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it, but I felt I owed it to them." Judge Smails
So, Smith's point is what?
June 8, 2009 - 18:29 ET by Chris NormanSo, Smith's point is what? That Republicans should become as liberal as Democrats as a way of attracting their "young & hip" voters? Why would those voters switch allegiance to an impostor liberal party if they are truly wedded to voting for Democrats? How does Smith explain the fact that just a couple - few years ago many more people regarded themselves as Republicans and there are signs that the party identification divide is blurring again? Smith knows full well that these things are cyclical. His real point is that Republicans should just give up, go away, and leave the US essentially a one party state where Obama can rule supreme with no criticism or checks on his power.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Leftards
June 8, 2009 - 18:43 ET by 10ksnookerMostly racists with some who are bigots. What do you expect from the party of the KKK. Yes, the KKK was the original community organizer terror wing of the Democrat party.
Another little known fact is the Democrat's KKK lynched about as many white political opponents as they did black folks.
Well, two out of three ain't bad. I'm white, older, but...
June 8, 2009 - 18:50 ET by jawebster1not particularly religious. How come, based on what Smith says, most of the main stream anchors are not Republican? I guess it's because their religion is Liberalism. Jim Webster
how would harry know?
June 8, 2009 - 19:26 ET by puredmashiei ask this question with all sincerity. the island of manhattan probably has more registered democrats than any other district in america and voted over 90% for obama/biden. just how many republicans could harry know? certainly not enough of a sample size to form an opinion.
all republicans with any common sense have been taxed out of the empire state, the most notable being rush.
swing hard in case you hit it.
and Democrats?
June 8, 2009 - 19:00 ET by guefyLet's examine the Democratic base. At the very top, because of Clinton and Frank, are adulterers and perverts. They have a lot of the scientific types because Democrats support evolution. They have the goofy tree huggers. Which goes against their own union base, because being green also means less union jobs. Of course there is abortion, which makes less gays and murderers and perverts and future union members. And at the bottom we have the really poor, which also mean uneducated, the exact type that shouldn't even vote, because they don't even know BHO's middle name or what party was in power in congress for the last few years, and just voted for 'Not Bush'.
I'd like to ask JFK what he thinks about Obama.
http://teleprompteri...
JFK
June 8, 2009 - 19:06 ET by Kingfish17JFK would have wiretapped Obama's phone and slept with Michelle. But he cut taxes so I would overlook the little stuff.
"I've sentenced boys younger then you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it, but I felt I owed it to them." Judge Smails
I'm white, younger, and not very religious....
June 8, 2009 - 19:37 ET by SRPwrdHey, 1 out of 3 isn't bad....
"I believe in American Exceptionalism, just like Brits believe in British Exceptionalism and Greeks believe in Greek Exceptionalism." - PreBO, 4/4/09
Typical Liberal
June 8, 2009 - 19:45 ET by CoolShadesTypical liberal, responds to a valid point with a poll.
I put Gingrich in with all
June 8, 2009 - 20:00 ET by msh1973I put Gingrich in with all the other idiots in that Washington bubble, get a clue folks before it is too late. I can't take it much longer.....
Harry Smith is a complete
June 8, 2009 - 20:07 ET by SnappyHarry Smith is a complete and utter moron whose head is so far up.....well you get the point.
Shrug off Rush Limbaugh? Do these people have any other lines? When will they understand that Rush is not an elected official, just a talk show host who appearantly has become a thorn in the administrations side, mainly because ----They attacked him first and gave him validity!!!! Also, since I have followed him (which has been for some time) he is always right.... shrug.
What's white, older and religious?
June 8, 2009 - 20:21 ET by tomchrisAnswer: Most of everything between New York and California.
Clearly Smith is showing his Manhattanite snark for anyone outside of the elite bubble but here's a few thing for ol' Harry to consider: The opposite of white, older and religious is ethnic, younger, and secular. Between the two camps old bible-thumbin' whitey (if that's what your thinking, Harry) tend to pay higher taxes and vote in higher numbers. A signifigant number of these votes went over to the Obama camp last november . If Obama doesn't do anything besides signing off on stimulas bills du jour than the pendulum swings back to Republicans. The circle of life.
I saw this....I wasn't
June 8, 2009 - 20:20 ET by bigtimerI saw this....I wasn't disappointed.
Gingrich has been like this forever...I've posted about him and his flim-flam ways forever...he wants to be Prez now, he sticks his finger in the wind all the time, I have watched him destroy conservatives that were promised his support if they didn't bow to him...blah blah blah...they don't come any phonier than Newt.
Somebody really needs to tell him to get lost..and find a college to teach history in, really do something for the betterment of America in the long run, that is something he was good at...way back when.
Another one that has been in DC too long.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
bt, This guy is so
June 8, 2009 - 22:57 ET by Svenbt,
This guy is so utterly inconsistent!! Just when you think, "yeah Newt's standing for rock hard conservative principles!!"...he sits on a couch with Nancy Pelosi and reaches out to the left concerning AGW!! Next he backtracks on his comments concerning Sotamayor. Now he's once again saying the GOP is a "Big Tent Party!!" Why in heaven's name did he not distance himself from Powell? How dare he say that both Ronald Reagan and Colin Powell represent the GOP (paraphrasing)!!
Sorry, Newt, you did some good things back in the early and mid 1990's, but now it's time for you to step aside for a true conservative who doesn't stick his finger in the wind, or look at a poll for his convictions!
Poor Newt drinks just enough Kool-Aid to make him dangerous to the true conservative movement!
I will never again have a moderate/RINO shoved down my throat!!
Never think about it much, but...
June 8, 2009 - 20:44 ET by m4ster chief...this kind of makes me proud to be older, white, and religious. Don't want to be thought of as a contempory Republican anymore, however.
Who's pushing whom out of the GOP?
June 8, 2009 - 21:31 ET by nkviking75Here's the thing about moderates in the GOP: They keep trying to push the conservatives out. We show them the welcome mat, and they show us the back door.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
nkviking... You hit the nail
June 8, 2009 - 21:34 ET by bigtimernkviking...
You hit the nail smack on the head.
I'm so sick of it.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Spot on!
June 8, 2009 - 22:53 ET by pahuberAren't we glad we enabled Arlen Spector to win w/ the help of Santorum during Arlen's last Senate race? Wow, thanks Arlen...can you pull the shaft out of my A$$ now?
Well said.
June 8, 2009 - 23:04 ET by SnappyWell said.
The aging white Mr. Smith
June 8, 2009 - 21:45 ET by zachlindI was certain about two of Mr. Smith’s qualifications but I did not realize he was such a religious person. He always came across to me as an aging atheist bigot. Goodness, what will we learn next?
The Meme is alive and well.
June 8, 2009 - 22:07 ET by pbthinkerFirst of all, Republicans do tend to be White, ever since they helped pass the voting rights act for a Democrat in the White House, Blacks have voted for Democrats. What have they gotten for their votes? Absolutely nothing. Oh Well, the Democrats do have the MSM to support them and convince those black folk that they've been paid in full because Obama is President. Some of them were beginning to question Democrats after Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice.
I wish Harry Smith would go after the Obama folks like he does republicans. Can he possibly ask them a tough question and see how they respond?
Election 2008-God's way of showing us that elections count.
I wish Harry Smith would go
June 8, 2009 - 22:16 ET by bigtimerI wish Harry Smith would go after the Obama folks like he does republicans. Can he possibly ask them a tough question and see how they respond?
pb...that will happen when we see pigs fly.
Agree with your sentiments in all of your post too...the catering has to quit, RINOs need to get a clue, move over, let the conservatives build it...and they will come.
Just takes time, determination...and most of all...conviction.
The $$$ will pour in if that happened...and it would all be legal to-boot.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Ahh yes, the infinite
June 8, 2009 - 22:17 ET by ckc1227Ahh yes, the infinite wisdom of Newt...shrug off Limbaugh, but embrace Colin Powell, lol. Now if only we can convince more good Conservative Republicans to vote Democrat, we'd never lose.
MSM, the true home of race
June 8, 2009 - 23:25 ET by snaggletoothieMSM, the true home of race baiting and gender bias. And he's all uppity because I'm religious. Why else does hate me?
Newt Gingrich reminds me a lot like David Frum. Both call
June 8, 2009 - 23:54 ET by Rush Fanthemselves conservatives. But I would define them both as "progressive conservatives", similar to how liberals would prefer to be called progressive rather than liberal.
Progressive conservatives believe the "era of Reagan" is over, and for the Republican Party to grow and enlarge its base, it must moderate some conservative values and beliefs.
For David Frum, who is pro-choice, it is permitting pro-choice Republican candidates.
For Newt Gingrich, it is appearing in an ad by Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection featuring Newt sitting on a Loveseat with Nancy Pelosi and saying that they don't "always see eye-to-eye, but we do agree our country must take action to address climate change."
In an article in April 2007 by Boston Globe's Alan Wirzbicki titled Gingrich drops skepticism on global warming, Gingrich praised Kerry's recently released book about environmentalism, acknowledged that global warming is real, and offered what amounted to an unexpected apology for his party's inaction on curtailing greenhouse gas emissions.
Should the Republican Party become more moderate/progressive to attract more liberals and minorities? We lost with moderate John McCain, but we won with moderate George W. Bush.
I'll put my money on Rush Limbaugh who said "We can get women, we can get everybody with a set of core principles that we do not abandon that benefit everybody, regardless the damned color of their skin or their gender!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------
“Conservatism is a universal set of core principles. You don't check principles at the door.” ~ Rush Limbaugh
We lost with moderate John
June 9, 2009 - 09:42 ET by Dan The Man 2We lost with moderate John McCain, but we won with moderate George W. Bush.
Those are two different people with different ideologies. One thing you could count on President Bush to stand by what he said and he was for smaller government and free enterprise. Bush had his faults but you knew exactly where you stood with him.
McCain was too wishy washy and tried too hard to get along. He was in bed with the DC crowd and it is his fault, one that makes him untenable.
I personally voted for Bush because of his stand in the primaries in 2000 where he took a bold stand for Christ. To me it said character, good character that would make a good President.
Dan - I voted both times for President Bush, and admired him
June 9, 2009 - 22:11 ET by Rush Fanfor his strong stance on dealing with terrorists, including overthrowing Sadam Hussein. I admired former President Bush's steadfastness in the face of democrat and liberal media pressure to abandon Iraq. George W. Bush is a good and decent man.
I also voted for John McCain, though I can barely stand the RINO. (actually, it was a vote against Barack Obama). I agree with you completely that McCain is wishy washy, and in bed with the DC crowd.
But I don't agree with you that George Bush and John McCain had different ideologies. Actually their ideologies in practice are very similar. Let me give you a few examples:
War on Terror - Both Bush and McCain believed overthrowing Sadam Hussein was the right thing to do. They both supported "Stay the Course."
Immigration - Both Bush and McCain, as well as the democrats, supported immigration reform (amnesty). It was only towards the end of Bush's final term that he made an effort to close the border.
Global Warming - Although President Bush rejected the Kyoto Protocol on global warming, in 2008 he reversed course, and supported federal limits on greenhouse gas emissions. One of John McCain's pledges in the 2008 campaign was "I will clean up the planet. I will make global warming a priority."
Economic Policies - President Bush supposedly was for smaller government. However, a study by the conservative Heritage Foundation found:
* President Bush expanded the federal budget by a historic $700 billion through 2008.
* President Bush created a Medicare drug entitlement that will cost an estimated $800 billion in its first decade.
* President Bush became the first President to spend 3 percent of GDP on federal antipoverty programs.
I provided you with the link if you want to read more about President Bush's fiscal policies.
Since John McCain enjoys crossing the aisle and working with his democrat-spending colleagues, I have to assume that his budget would be bloated as well.
As I stated in my original post, I am a Rush Limbaugh conservative who believes the Republicans must field more conservative candidates rather than RINOs if we are to win again.
What about the tens of
June 9, 2009 - 00:17 ET by RR GOPWhat about the tens of millions of Democrats in Middle America? They are mostly white, religious, not highly educated, work blue collar jobs or farm, probably own guns, hunt, patriotic, have conservative values, support our military, serve in our military.
I have/had many such relatives on farms and small towns in Minnesota. They aren't Marxist elitists.
They just have a different view of government than Republicans. So what? Until the hardcore Leftists took over that party this country was running fine and there was checks and balances.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).
White, older, religious
June 9, 2009 - 06:39 ET by Blogger Guy00001White, older, religious. The very same 3 types of people that the left wants to eliminate.
White: affirmative action, hate crime laws, immigration, massive transfer of wealth from those who work hard
Older: euthanasia. Enough said.
Religious: marxists hate religion because they want the state to be the only source of moral law.
After the Republican
June 9, 2009 - 06:54 ET by SickofLibsAfter the Republican Revolution in '94, I don't recall the MSM teeing up Republicans asking for their input on how to revitalize the Democrat party.
And Harriet Smith is a strumpet.
Did I miss something...
June 9, 2009 - 08:24 ET by sam12663...since when did Harry Smith have any credibility as a 'journalist'. He is nothing more than a glorified news reader. He is a morning show host for petes sake; just like Regis Philbin, and I don't really care what Philbin has to say about politics either.
President Obama is nothing more than a lying empty suit; a Hollywood style special effects smoke and mirrors show that has shown itself to be a total fraud.
WAKE UP AMERICA! SAVE OUR CONSTITUTION!
So is Smith a racist, a sexist, or an age-ist?
June 9, 2009 - 09:22 ET by freecitizenWhite, older and religious describes the largest demographic in the country. (Plus, those are the ones that vote.) They try and make it sound as if it's some single digit minority fringe.The republicans are largely white, older and religious!? Well, welcome to the country outside the TV studio. That's who we are. Besides, only a racist, ageist, sexist would feel the need to point this out as a negative or even relevant. And hearing the criticism from a balding old white guy just confuses the message.
It's so pathetically obvious that these messages (or "memes", as the cool kids say) are centrally coordinated. You get the same thing from every media outlet simultaneously and they all pretend it is their spontaneously inspired insight.
Liberal: remove all that's Right, and this is what's Left.
Harry Sure Nailed Me Down
June 9, 2009 - 10:05 ET by UtherpendIt's like he was looking into my soul his vision is so pure.
Oh wait, he didn't describe me in any way shape or fashion, male, long black hair, not religious at all and mistaken for a biker or urban rocker all the time even at 40 years of age. But I have been registered and voted republican since 18 years of age.
So according to Harry I can't hange around you all any longer, guess there nothing left to do but become a clone like all the other democrats and vote liberal...lol.
"For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security."
Identity Politics are still
June 9, 2009 - 11:26 ET by wiwfIdentity Politics are still in use in the 21st century. Nice!
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy
There's One More Thing We Have That You Haven't Mentioned Harry
June 9, 2009 - 13:15 ET by hetookuazyBrains, common sense, morals, ethics, respect for truth and facts, logic....
Ooops that's more than one.
Geee, I'm finding new respect for us!