Mike Allen might not be a Republican political strategist, but he tried playing one on TV today, telling the GOP it was "crazy" and "suicidal" to be supporting Doug Hoffman over Dede Scozzafava in a special congressional election in northern New York.
Politico's chief political correspondent offered his unsolicited advice on today's Morning Joe.
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MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Voters in New York's 23rd District are electing a congressman next week, and many powerful Republicans, including Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty, have already made their endorsement for the third-party candidate over the Republican nominee.. . .
MIKE ALLEN: Well this is crazy, this is a suicidal move by Republicans. Because the nominee up there is pro-abortion rights, is not sufficiently conservative, the Republican establishment is turning against her. They even accused her of being associated with ACORN, and are going for this conservative [Doug Hoffman].It's not a matter of Dede Scozzafava being accused of associating with ACORN, as Allen archly put it. She IS associated with ACORN, having accepted the endorsement of ACORN's political front in New York, the Working Families Party, in her runs for state Assembly. Fortunately, Joe Scarborough was there to set the record straight.
But the way American politics is set up, it's shirts and skins. If Republicans want to be a majority party, if Republicans want to get back in power, they need to accept more than one type of Republican.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Except in this case, there are those of us who are economic conservatives who find it hard to support somebody that supported President Obama's stimulus package--Nancy Pelosi's stimulus package. And supported card check [the abolition of the secret ballot in unionization elections]. That voted with David Paterson more than a lot of Democrats in Albany. She is not—not only is she not conservative, she's not moderate . . . I don't expect social conservatives in the Northeast, but I sure as hell do expect economic conservatives. Why would any Republican support this woman, who again is far left even of Democrats who she serves with in the New York State legislature. This is a bizarre move by the New York Republican party, Mike.
ALLEN: Well, I agree that nominating her was perhaps the original sin, but Newt Gingrich, no flaming liberal, says that [supporting Hoffman] is a mistake; he goes with the shirts and skins, you need to get the 'R,' the number next to the letter 'R,' it needs to get higher if Republicans are going to be a majority.
SCARBOROUGH: Well let me just say about Newt Gingrich, Newt also worked against conservatives in 1994, like me, they found moderate Republican candidates --
ALLEN: Touché.
SCARBOROUGH: I'm just saying, Newt outthinks himself sometimes, he did in '94, he worked against people like me, Dave Weldon, others. And what we heard from the NRCC was "oh, you're too conservative to win. Pat Buchanan and Phyllis Schlafly scared everybody in '92. The only way we're going to take power in '94 is by reaching out to moderates." That isn't how that story ended up. So, a lot of us think Newt is making that mistake again. But what do we know?
Surely Allen knows that if elected, Hoffman, a lifelong Republican, would caucus with the GOP. He must also know that, as Politico itself has reported, the latest poll shows Hoffman with a lead in the race. So who's crazy now? Allen does great reporting with his Playbook. May we suggest Mike stick to his successful knitting and forget about a second career as a strategerist?—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Allen calls Conservatives
October 27, 2009 - 07:34 ET by bse5150Allen calls Conservatives crazy for supporting Hoffman because he doesn't understand Conservatives - who believe in Conservatism, not half-baked candidates like Dede and Newt. Right now, with the major elections still a year away, it's better for us to lose a candidate or two and get the point across to our messed-up GOP rather than lose the whole thing in 2010. If Hoffman beats Dede, that will get our point across at the minimum. If Hoffman wins altogether, that much better.
Allen's misconceptions
October 27, 2009 - 08:29 ET by KC MulvilleYou're right, bse.
Allen is working from a locked-in, Beltway, partisan attitude; he can't grasp the difference between conservatives and Republicans. He lumps them all in together. He thinks that conservatives are merely a "wing" of the Republican party. No. Conservatives are an ideology, and there's much more at work in politics than merely the parties.
This race sends a message to establishment Republicans and to the political professionals inside the Beltway. Conservatives want conservatives ... we don't care what party they're from. If the Democrat is conservative and the Republican isn't, I'm happy to vote Democrat. Why is it, oh you Beltway geniuses, that 40% of the country identifies themselves as conservative, while only 12% want to vote Republican? How can that number happen, if conservatives are just a subgroup of the Republican party?
Mike Allen is a classic example of a Beltway "operative." His perspective is shaped by the assumptions that are taken for granted inside the Beltway. He is, therefore, an expert on the Beltway. But politics is so much bigger than the party games played in DC.
The professionals are getting an education.
KC - well said
October 27, 2009 - 11:12 ET by SouthJersey1953Nothing to add to your excellent post. Well said.
"Maybe if we keep our heads buried in the sand, this will blow over" - The Congressional Republicans
Winner
October 27, 2009 - 07:38 ET by nadadhimmiHoffman is going to win. Then of course they will say people were crazy to vote conservative, period. The msm will completely ignore and cover up Palin's endorsement of a 3rd Party candidate if Hoffman wins and trumpet her failure if Hoffman looses. This is a bigger lesson to the Gop than to the Dems. It is a revolt against the Rino's and should spell the end of Gingrich and his ilk.
Oh Mika!
October 27, 2009 - 07:44 ET by Interested and concerned CDNOh Mika!
What a fine angle you give us of your wonderful sweater pups. I beg you...give em some air!
/had to be said
CDN, no it didn't
October 27, 2009 - 08:03 ET by mom_rox~~save your tea, dump congress~~
How you doin'?
October 27, 2009 - 08:53 ET by Interested and concerned CDN}:-?
I'm doing great! Thanks for asking.
October 27, 2009 - 22:24 ET by mom_rox~~save your tea, dump congress~~
Hoffman coming on strong
October 27, 2009 - 07:45 ET by midnight cowboyHoffman coming on strong late in the game is the best news (tactic) yet. If he peaked earlier it would have given the opposition time to pull a Palin on him. They're already starting this by playing the class warfare card in the latest ads. The left and liberal republicans are scared to death if Hofman pulls this off and wins because that will start conservative monemtum going into 2010 and for these dem light republicans it just may be Game, Set, Match.
→ Semantically impaired
October 27, 2009 - 07:45 ET by Cool ArrowWhy is it Liberals confuse "Conservative" with "Republican"?
Could it be they naturally assume that since "Democrat" and "Liberal" are synonymous . . .
OK, I was just thinking onscreen.
LYDSEXICS UNTIE!
It's the saul alinsky label game
October 27, 2009 - 08:02 ET by mjfitchThe alinskybots must first label you, then denigrate,marginalize you, then corral you philosophy into something palatable, to placate their propaganda parrot, leftnut sensibilities. :-)
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." -Winston Churchill
Note To GOP
October 27, 2009 - 07:55 ET by JustAl1. If you try to stand for everything, then you actually stand for nothing!
2. Stand for something, or stand aside!
If you keep voting for "the lessor of two evils" then you ensure the continual slide of the entire political spectrum toward evil.
2nd Note to GOP
October 27, 2009 - 08:02 ET by TexasMom0517If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything!
PJ O'Roark proved to me this morning that Libs simply have no normal sense of humor.
Who is worse?
October 27, 2009 - 08:01 ET by TigerIs it better to have a Democrat that you can beat or a Republican that votes Democrat and is clogging up the works?
Joe Scarborough is conservative again? He lost me years ago sucking up to liberals on his stupid tv show.
Deep inside, Mika would love
October 27, 2009 - 08:02 ET by bse5150Deep inside, Mika would love to make a real comment during this broadcast, but she has to keep watching her screen for important email updates from the White House telling her what THEY want her to say.
We all know what's going on
October 27, 2009 - 08:51 ET by dscottWe all know what's going on here, the MSM is scared that the conservatives are going to retake the GOP by purging the liberals. Once that happens, the whole moral equivalence argument goes out the door because then ALL cooperation ceases on incrementally advancing the liberal agenda. In fact, if conservatives control the GOP, act on their principles, we will start repealing all the nonsensical laws passed by liberals of both stripes in the GOP and Dem Party.
Example: Arlene Spector was originally a Dem, couldn't get elected so he changed to the GOP. He get's elected and then supported under the guise of being a Republican when in fact he never was. This guy with a lifetime ACU score of 44 was a continual nettlesome thorn to the GOP leadership voting less than half of his time for conservative issues. Spector's behavior (like Jeffords and Chaffee) created moral equivalence between the GOP and Dem Parties. This is the same jerk who refused to confirm judges under the GOP majority in November & December 2006 and then had the NERVE to accuse the GOP of not being inclusive to get more liberals in the party and would have then had the numbers to approve judges under Bush!!!!!
We need another Arlene Spector like we need another hole in our heads. Spector, Jeffords and Chaffee are the reasons why the GOP stopped holding faith with the Contract With America and went back to prolifigate spending. It was the so called moderates who reputiated the Contract With America and thus began the purge of them from the GOP. The local GOP didn't listen to their constituents, dismissed us as malcontents and had the gall to play brinksmanship with the party rank and file. The bottom line here, in order to get rid of those who reputiated the Contract With America, we had to remove them from office with zero support from the GOP functionaries and that meant a Democrat had to take their place. What we see in NY23 is precisely this process with an acceptable Independent alternative to the Dem.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, starving the poor one gallon of ethanol at a time. Fill your tank with E85 and cull a village.
Back To VA
October 27, 2009 - 11:10 ET by JDWI wonder if this guy is campaigning for Deeds?
JDW
DAILY WAVE
I didn't know ACORN was getting a lot of money
I love how media people are
October 27, 2009 - 08:54 ET by mattmI love how media people are so eager to help the GOP pick the right candidate....<gag>
This is like Hitler telling Eisenhower that it would be better for him not to try landing at Normandy.
Conservatives and Rpublicans
October 27, 2009 - 08:57 ET by garyd99If Steele and Newt really want the Rupblican count to go up in the house then they should get on the phone and get Dede Scozzafava to withdraw from the race.
It is obvious the she cannot win so give up for the team. With her voting record I doubt that will happen.
They
October 27, 2009 - 08:58 ET by jessieHThey just don't get it. It's not about democrats & republicans. It's about the people wanting their country back from the corrupt government. We will vote for who we want, not who THEY want.
What is "suicidal" …
October 27, 2009 - 09:01 ET by needleWhat is "suicidal" for Republicans is for them to heed people like Mike Allen. That is how we got McCain as our Presidential candidate.
- Relying upon the State Run Media for your information is like relying upon an embezzler for your portfolio management.
- I didn't leave the Republican Party; the Republican Party left me.
Oops! They just blew up the 23rd District...
October 27, 2009 - 11:00 ET by wnaegeleSigh!
Frankly, the Democrats, and
October 27, 2009 - 11:42 ET by fitzfongFrankly, the Democrats, and their cheerleaders in the media like Mike Allen, fear a Hoffman victory, as it might be seen as a sign that conservatism is coming back stronger than ever. I would love it if Hoffman won this race, if only to stick it to that obnoxious scumbag David Frum (and Newt Gingrich, David Brooks, Lindsey Graham, etc.).
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best
It Took Less Than a Year
October 27, 2009 - 12:05 ET by HoosierEmI think our country has been pulled so far to the left with all of the spending and hypocrisy and it's scaring them. It scares me. Methinks the true conservatives will once again take back the Republican party.
It's bad enough that we have the whole hopey-changey Obama and democrats running this country, we certainly don't need people from our side helping them.
Mr. Allen
October 27, 2009 - 12:29 ET by John53Mike Allen may not be a Republican should be replaced by "Mike Allen may not be a intelligent human being but" he has no clue about what is happening in the world today.
Someone as foolish and as shallow as Mike Allen just thinks (like a democrat) that this is just about Democrat or Republican seat (of power) the idea that a real political philosophy is the debate and not just lip syncing what ever you have to to get elected and then doing what ever you want (ala Mr. Obama) is beyond his comprehention.
Thanks for the coaching from the other team, Mike
October 27, 2009 - 12:43 ET by carolina09It's always a laugh when the lefties get so concerned about how the GOP isn't acting "in its own best interest."
Mike's just worried that conservatives will gain a foothold, and that there might actually be two parties to choose from.
I'm glad people on this site are waking up..
October 27, 2009 - 13:02 ET by actionI've posted a few times that Republicans do not equal conservatives...and to vote third party. The responses have typically been "it's a wasted vote." I assume these responses were from "republicans do or die". No conservative would have answered that way, since conservatives vote on principle, not party. It's never a waste of a vote if one votes according to their principles. We will be some day be judged on how well we made use of grace to live our principles, whether or not this was popular. I'm done.
Agreed
October 27, 2009 - 14:45 ET by JustAlI've heard that "wasted vote" crap all of my life. My response is that by that definition of "wasted" only the ones who vote for the ultimate winner are not, "wasted." Therefore a McCain vote was de-facto "wasted."
The simple truth is that during my half century of life we have never had an actual conservative in the white house. Remember, even Regan granted amnesty, ran up a debt, and did not dismantle any of the government departments and agencies that should be done away with.
I am sick and tired of holier than thou Republicans refusing to get their hands dirty in the fight for our country so that they can claim "the moral high ground". Well, in my humble opinion, the moral high ground isn't worth squat if your freedom, your nation, your culture and possibly your family lie buried there.
"he goes with the shirts
October 27, 2009 - 13:13 ET by ckc1227"he goes with the shirts and skins, you need to get the 'R,' the number
next to the letter 'R,' it needs to get higher if Republicans are going
to be a majority."
And that's the problem:Winning just for the sake of winning. How does electing a bunch of Snowe-type Republicans who vote against party interests more than they vote for them help Republicans? It doesn't. Electing a bunch of Demcrats with an "R" after their name doesn't give you a voting majority, which is what matters. It only gives you an "R" majority on paper.Who cares about that if they're going to vote the wrong way?
The number that needs to get higher is the number of folks who will vote the right way. I don't care what the letter behind their name is.
Vote Dede or die?
October 27, 2009 - 14:38 ET by CobraMan"Well this is crazy, this is a suicidal move by Republicans."
That sounds like something that should be on Scare Tactics. Vote Dede or die, Republicans!
"But the way American politics is set up, it's shirts and skins. If Republicans want to be a majority party, if Republicans want to get back in power, they need to accept more than one type of Republican."
Tha's BS! The Democratic Republicans split into two separate parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, a long time ago, resulting in three parties battling for control of government, and America survived just fine. This argument that there can be only two parties is just career politicians trying to protect their positions of power.
Well, guess what, GOP "leaders," the GOP is going to see a split of the party in just a few years, with Conservatives forming their own power base taking control of America again, just as it happened in the past. You liberal Republicans will ether join the Democrats in the minority or be shoved aside, just as happened in the past. I wonder just what you'll do?
Actually, I have no doubt that many former GOP'ers WILL join the democrats, and the democrats will be happy to have them as they think it will help the democrats maintain control over government. It won't help them, of course, but they won't realize that until it's too late.
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