Posted on 11/14/2006 7:57:36 PM PST by STARWISE
Sen. Mel Martinez, who will become the new general chairman of the Republican Party after it lost control of Congress, said on Tuesday he would not be an "attack dog" in the 2008 White House race.
President Bush gave Martinez his blessing at a meeting in the Oval Office, calling the Cuban-born senator an American success story.
"He's going to be an excellent spokesman for the Republican Party," Bush said. "He'll be a person who'll be able to carry our message as we go into an important year in 2008."
Martinez will keep his U.S. Senate seat representing Florida and be the voice of the Republican Party going into the presidential election campaign season.
The day-to-day operations will be run by Mike Duncan, who will be chairman. Both have to be formally elected by the Republican National Committee in January.
Martinez said the contest should be about "a battle of ideas" and not partisanship. He said there was an agreement not to show preferences for any candidate in the 2008 presidential campaign before the party's nominee was chosen, allowing the field to sort itself out.
"One of the things that I made clear as I discussed this job role with the president is I was not going to be an attack dog, and I don't intend to, and I wasn't asked to be one," he told reporters at the White House.
"It's not an easy time for our party. It's time for us to come together and pick ourselves up and look to the future and be the party of hope and opportunity that we've been in the past," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.reuters.com ...
when we win - we don't attack
when we lose - we don't attack
when do we attack?
Yeah we need a Melba Toast Dog not an Attack dog!
That's why we're called the stupid party.
This is beyond stupid. This is back to the future, where the GOP accepted being the minority party in the Legislature.
Reagan won two landslides.
he wasn't an "attack dog" - but he clearly defined who the liberals were, what they wanted, etc. I don't want mindless attacks, but every good political strategy has some negative component regarding the opposition. and it can't start 3 weeks before the election, it has to be a continuous theme.
I don't live in Rio Linda...but, until I saw the clip of President Bush, Martinez and Jo Ann Davis today..I DIDN'T know that he was just going to be the "official" chairman...but not be responsible for the work...
But, I HOPE that Duncan is an "attack dog"...because someone needs to show some kink of enthusiasm or anger or something...but, blah isn't going to win the White House and Congress in 2 years.
Also...he said that the party made a mistake about immigration...but, he didn't say in what way...hmmmmmm
The GOP use to have awesome ads online. Most of the best ones in 2004 came from YouTubers and the GOP distanced itself from them and even banned the best ones it had.
A shame
Does anyone else feel like this is 1996, and we're running Bob Dole again?
No, in fact, ol' Bob in retrospect had much more on the ball in 1996 than the 2006 gang has!
I miss Newt Gingrich. I want him back!
What is all this attack stuff. I want the RNC to fight back with force. It is known as sticking up for yourself and your party. Getting a spine. Not being a door mat. Etc., etc., etc..
Apparently, the spokesman going into the '08 election .. and "the face."
When, exactly, did the GOP get neutered?
So do I!!
Me, too.
Reagan left office in January of 1989. Then Mr. Kinder Gentler America was sworn in.
Newt is RIGHT!
http://www.newt.org/multimedia/default.asp?mi=324
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