Posted on 11/26/2005 1:13:16 PM PST by RWR8189
WASHINGTON -- There is no doubt Rep. John Boehner of Ohio is quietly enlisting support from fellow House Republicans to elect him as majority leader in January. The question is whether Rep. Tom Reynolds of New York also is campaigning to be majority whip.
Reports of a Boehner-Reynolds ticket have circulated in Washington, but Reynolds vigorously denies it. If he does run for whip, Reynolds would be accused of cutting and running from his duties as House Republican campaign chairman because of the difficult 2006 midterm election ahead.
A special election in January would mean House Republicans have given up on Tom DeLay getting rid of his criminal indictment in Texas in time to resume the majority leader's chair in this session of Congress. Majority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri has been acting leader.
CHENEY AND DELAY
Eyebrows raised in Washington's political circles when it was announced that Vice President Dick Cheney has opted to go to Houston Dec. 5 for a Tom DeLay fund-raiser instead of attending the annual White House Christmas party for members of Congress.
Cheney's support of sidelined House Majority Leader DeLay is no surprise. But the vice president's presence at the White House party would be desirable in hopes of bolstering the sagging morale of the Republican lawmakers.
A footnote: Word of ex-DeLay aide Michael Scanlon's guilty plea in the Jack Abramoff scandal has sent a wave of fear through the Washington Republican establishment. Scanlon appears to have cut a deal for possibly naming names and pointing fingers in return for a lighter sentence.
DEMOCRATIC DROUGHT
Just as Democrats had envisioned the promised land with enhanced prospects for gaining control of the House in the 2006 elections, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) fund-raising hit a bump in the road.
The DCCC, which did well in September by raising $5.4 million, fell off the cliff in October by bringing in just $1.6 million. Republicans continue to outdo the Democrats consistently in House fund-raising.
A footnote: The Senate Democratic campaign committee continues to lead its Republican counterpart. But even the most optimistic Democrats concede it is highly unlikely they can pick up the necessary six Senate seats to retake control.
ROOKIE BLUNDER
Rep. Jean Schmidt, the most junior member of the House after a special election in Ohio, was not only booed by Democrats after she implied that Democratic Rep. John Murtha was a "coward" for suggesting U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq. She also was privately denounced by Republicans.
She undermined the Republican leadership strategy of rejecting troop withdrawal but not criticizing Murtha, a decorated Marine war veteran who is popular on both sides of the aisle. Schmidt must have not gotten the message, but she later apologized for what she said.
A footnote: Schmidt nearly lost the special election because of lukewarm support from conservatives, who disliked her voting record in the Ohio legislature on gun control issues.
RUDY AND BLACKS
While former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is shown by polls to be the most popular possible Republican presidential candidate with the party's voters nationally, he is viewed as a disaster in the 2008 election by prominent African-American Republicans.
The black Republicans, engaged in a difficult uphill struggle to broaden the party's base, say the overwhelmingly favorable voter response to Giuliani's handling of the 9/11 disaster did not apply to African-Americans. They report that the black attitude toward Giuliani remains shaped by the record of police shootings in New York under his watch.
Specifically cited is Giuliani's support of the police in the shootings of Amadou Diallo and Patrick Dorismond, both unarmed black men.
Copyright 2005 Creators Syndicate
So Why is Novak still withholding his source's name?
Wussies. Stand up and fight back...quick being afraid. CONSERVATIVES WILL NEVER GET A FAIR AND BALANCED HEARING IN THE LAMESTREAM PRESS. NEVER EVER EVER! SO REPUBLICANS, QUIT ACTING LIKE YOU'RE VICTIMS: FIGHT BACK--AND HARD.
Novak is a paleoconservative.
He is from the Buchanan wing of the party.
My take on Novak is very similar to yours...I always laughed when CNN introduced him as a "conservative" columnist.
Novak is not a democrat.
He is a paleocon republican.
I.E. the weird fringe guys from the Buchanan side.
I think Rudy has a better shot at winning nationally than he does unseating Hilly for the Senate seat in NY.
Just as Democrats had envisioned the promised land with enhanced prospects for gaining control of the House in the 2006 elections
Riiiight. And I'm going to win the lottery
Depends on the issue.
He goes back and forth on some things.
To his credit he did write a foreword on newer copies of Jude Wakkinskis "How the world works".
Its the book President Reagan used to call "The bible of supply side economics".
But Novak has always been flakey, I do remember him on crossfire yelling at Buchanan (who he actually likes) that he was a republican.
"RUDY AND BLACKS"
"While former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is shown by polls to be the most popular possible Republican presidential candidate with the party's voters nationally, he is viewed as a disaster in the 2008 election by prominent African-American Republicans."
"The black Republicans, engaged in a difficult uphill struggle to broaden the party's base, say the overwhelmingly favorable voter response to Giuliani's handling of the 9/11 disaster did not apply to African-Americans. They report that the black attitude toward Giuliani remains shaped by the record of police shootings in New York under his watch."
"Specifically cited is Giuliani's support of the police in the shootings of Amadou Diallo and Patrick Dorismond, both unarmed black men."
The irony in all of this is that Giuliani, who cut the crime rate at a percentage unimaginable in the modern era, was probably responsible for saving hundreds, if not thousands of lives of Black New Yorkers who were getting slaughtered en masse under previous regimes going back decades. Comparing two unfortunate incidents to the thousands of lives saved is really beyond the pale.
More drivel from Novak. The Hammer will be back.
No, Wikipedia states this as well. (For what that is worth)
He's a Critic of Israel, and supporter of Palestine. BARF!
I'm beginning to wonder if Dennis Hastert will retire.
I agree. Many conservatives are reflexively opposed to Guiliani becasue of his liberalism on social issues. But if a commitment to appoint Constitutionalist judges and Justice Department officials could be obtained from him, would that win over any pro-life, pro-family conseratives?
I ask because I don't think we should rule him out entirely. He is, after all, an excellent leader and administrator.
ping
IMO only Jeb Bush might be able to defeat Giuliani for the 2008 GOP nomination, unless Giuliani makes some awful mistake. The voters prefer candidates with elective experience in major executive office to those without. Rudi Giuliani and Jeb Bush are the big two in that regard. Rudi is a national hero and Jeb Bush is the best governor in the country. Don't overestimate ideology. The voters are far more interested in candidates' characters and executive ability than their ideology.
Both Buchanan and Novak went so far to the right they went "round the bend" so that they ended up in the left fringe group that hates Israel!!
As far as I am concerned, the guy lost it years ago. 1st of all, this tactic is just what the demorats want, for us to fight over who will comprise our leadership. His "article" just lends to that agenda.
There is no way that Reynolds and Boehner will be mucking up the party for their own political gain, it just will not happen. We need a strong and steady road right now, and we need to get together and back those that are working hard for our party. Blunt and Hastert are working their asses off, and doing a damn fine job. Right now, the MSM and the Rats are out to get them, they have nothing, don't listen to their garbage.
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