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Can Anybody Find the GOP Campaign?
RushLimbaugh.com ^ | August 27, 2014 | Rush Limbaugh

Posted on 08/28/2014 6:47:19 AM PDT by iowamark

RUSH: There was a story -- I intended to already be into my media Stack here 'cause it's great, but something just struck me. I didn't go into detail on it yesterday. I intended to, I just didn't get to it. There's another thing I didn't get to yesterday. There's a bunch of polling data out, and I saved it for today, that American people and African-Americans think race relations are worse today than since Obama was elected, and even an Obama pollster is admitting this, and I've got the sound bites.

But there was another story yesterday that I touched on, spent a modicum of time on, but I didn't delve into it. That is that Larry Sabato, who is the political scientist extraordinaire at the University of Virginia, alarmed many on the Republican side by saying (paraphrasing), "What wave? I don't see any evidence of a Republican wave election victory." Everybody's been talking about it under the assumption that things are so bad, that people are so fed up that they're gonna automatically vote for Republicans. That they'll keep the House. That they'll pick up enough seats in the Senate to control it and maybe even blow it out.

And then Sabato came along yesterday and said, "What wave? I don't see any wave." And then that caused Jim Geraghty at The Campaign Spot at National Review Online -- it's a blog post -- Geraghty said, "Where's the polling data on these Senate races?" There isn't any polling data out there on these Senate races. No wonder nobody's talking about the wave. The media's not doing any polling data on all of these Democrat seats in the Senate that are vulnerable. There's no polling data. That's why there's no report of a wave; the media has stopped polling it.

Why would they stop polling? Because they don't want to report the results. Why wouldn't they care about that? Why wouldn't they want to report the results? Because the results apparently would not advance the Democrat agenda. You see, polling is not anything related to news. Polling is the creation of news. Polling is all part of advancing the Democrat Party agenda. Polling is designed to either uplift the psychology of the public or to depress the psychology of the public, and in our case, most polling, there are exceptions, but most reports of poll results are designed to depress you.

They are designed to spirit dispirit you. They release a poll that shows you the exact opposite of what you think is going on in the country. For example, Pew did it the other day. Pew released a poll which said that most Americans don't have the slightest problem at all with Obama playing golf so much. Doesn't bother most Americans at all. It's not even on their radar screen.

Now, you're supposed to see that, and you're supposed to get depressed. And the way you're supposed to get depressed is you're supposed to say, "My God, what a dumb bunch of people in this country. They don't even care. Oh, my God, the president's checked out. He's out playing golf and they don't care?" And you're supposed to get depressed and think it's over and that you have no choice of your side prevailing or winning.

Or by the same token, if they've got some polling, if they did the poll on any of these Senate races where Democrats are vulnerable and if the polling data showed that the Democrat incumbents in heap big doo-doo, they don't want to report that poll because they don't want to depress the Democrat turnout. They don't want to psychologically attack the Democrat base, and, by the same token, they don't want to uplift you.

So they're just not doing any polling. And that's why Sabato says, "I don't see any evidence of a wave." Now, he wasn't talking about the fact there wasn't any polling; that was Jim Geraghty. But let me ask you a question about this. I have been really -- and I know you have, too -- profoundly frustrated and puzzled by the utter absence of any push-back by the Republican Party. There's none. We've talked about it, and I know you are the same. I have been entirely, totally perplexed that the Republican Party has yet to take advantage of the best opportunity they've ever had to contrast who they are with what the Democrat Party is and has become.

Back in the early nineties, when I would do this show, I would talk about the Democrats and liberalism, and I would say to you in the audience, "If we don't stop it, then X is gonna happen." It was always a theoretical warning. It was always sounding the alarm. "Hey, folks, let me tell you something. If this doesn't stop, let me tell you where we're gonna end up." Well, we've ended up there. We're no longer talking theory. We don't have to rely on predictions of what's gonna happen. We're living it. And yet the Republicans remain silent. The Republicans do not offer one ounce of push-back, and in many cases, such as immigration, amnesty, they attempt to glom on and seek the same position the Democrats have.

So in the absence of any polling data and in the, therefore, absence of any prediction all of wave election, can you recall seeing -- and maybe I'm wrong, 'cause I don't live in every city, and I don't watch TV commercials in every city, and I don't watch local TV anyway. So I need to ask you, have you seen any commercials run by any Republican candidates or the Republican National Committee that spell out what the Republican agenda is?

Have you gotten the impression, have you, by virtue of paying attention to the news and watching television, reading the newspaper, whatever, have you seen any Republican messaging? Have you seen the chairman of the RNC or anybody, potential presidential candidate, I don't care, anybody define what the Republican Party stands for at this moment? Have you heard anybody say, "We have got to stop the spending"? Have you heard any Republicans say, "We've got to reduce the deficit," the national debt.

Have you heard any Republicans say, "We have got to continue to repeal Obamacare"? Have you heard any Republicans say, "We have got to secure the border and we have got to stop this wanton invasion of illegal alien children"? Have you heard any Republican stand up and say anything in opposition to what's going on now? Have you? I haven't. It's, to me, striking. And yet the Republicans, people talk about a wave election, how is that going to happen? Are they sitting there really believing that the only or the best thing to do is to shut up and don't become targets and let the Democrats commit harakiri and, come November, people will vote Republican automatically 'cause they're so fed up with the Democrats? Is that what the thinking is?

Is it they are so afraid of presenting any alternative agenda, because they're gonna be attacked as racist or criticizing Obama, which means racist, are they so PTSD'd that they are even wary of presenting an alternative, offering a contrast of spelling out their own agenda and what they stand for and what it will mean for the country if Republicans win the Senate? Have you seen anything that says how it's gonna change? Have you?

Now, you may talk to people you know in an individual congressman's office and they may tell you, but have you seen any national messaging? Well, I haven't, either, but I just I needed to ask. As I say, I don't live everywhere, and I don't watch local TV everywhere, so I don't know what people are seeing. But I can tell you my sense is -- I mean, I do omnivorous and voluminous reading, and I don't see anything that is in any way representative of a Republican agenda. I don't see anything out there that voters can see and consume that does explain to them what will change if the Republicans win, how it's gonna get better, how all of this that most everybody disagrees with is going to be brought to a halt.

What's gonna change? How is it gonna be better? What are we gonna do? I don't see any of that. So the discussion that Larry Sabato brought up of a wave election and how he doesn't see any evidence of it, you may not even need polling data to explain why there is no talk of a wave election. Granted, you would need it, but you also don't see -- I don't -- any Republican agenda that tells voters why they should vote for Republicans, how it's gonna get better and improve. I don't see it.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: All right, now. In the midterms in 2010, there also was not a coordinated Republican message or agenda. The Republicans were still in shellshock in 2010, and the midterm sweep in 2010, the Tea Party, I think that shocked everybody. They retook the House. I think it just bowled everybody away. What was interesting about it was it was a total anti-Democrat and anti-Obama vote, 'cause the Republicans, they didn't have an agenda.

They didn't have a candidate that could cause people to rally around the party or him or her. It just happened. And maybe they're relying on the same thing. Maybe they're relying on just an attitude, the attitude of, "If you think you're gonna win, you're gonna win." It's a midterm election. It's far different turnout than a presidential race. But then, on the other side of that, there's 1994 and the Contract with America.

After the first two years of the Clinton administration there was a full-fledged agenda that was put forth nationwide. All those House races essentially became national, rather than local district races, and in every House Republican district, the candidate talked about what he was gonna do on these national issues. They swept. They took the House back for the first time in 40 years.

But I do. I just think that there's a little bit... It's not a little bit. There's still a lot of fear about saying anything against Obama no matter what. They still think people are gonna rip 'em for it and blame them for it. So maybe they're just doing the Hillary thing. You know, the more she talks, the more people dislike her. The more silent she is, the better her numbers are. Maybe the GOP thinks it's the same way.

But isn't it ironic? The GOP, despite everything, is still depending on the Tea Party for a huge wave victory in November.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Chris in Jacksonville, Florida. Welcome to the program, sir. Hello.

CALLER: Good morning, Rush. Longtime listener, first-time caller. I'll try to be succinct. I wanted to call and say that I concurred with your opening assessment because due to my assessment, the establishment Republicans' desire is for power over improving things. They're taking conservative voters for granted because they know that voters know that they're the only choice between them and sane Democrats. They aren't trying to inspire and motivate. Romney's advisors had him play it safe, and Boehner went on a national program, Leno, and said nothing (unintelligible) conservative ideas. So they've got a history of doing this type of thing, which is exactly what you said.

RUSH: Well, that's the thing. They don't have a history. I mean, recent, yeah. But in the not-too-distant past, the Republicans were unafraid to present an alternative agenda and they had some people who could do it well. It is really... You might trace it to the Bush years, George W. Bush and that administration choosing not to respond to any of the criticism. But they still announced their agenda.

They still were pretty public about what they intended to do. Look, there's a piece by Chris Cillizza today in the Washington Post (I think it's today) and he addresses this, and he talks about the positive implications of thinking you're going to win, specifically in midterms. If the attitude is that positive, if you think you're going to win, it has some sort of an impact on voters and sometimes it's enough to carry it.

And there's also basically a Pew poll. It's not really a poll. Yeah, I guess you'd have to call it a poll. It's a survey. The upshot of it is that the electorate seems to be in the identical frame of mind that they were in 2010, maybe even more so anti-Democrat than they were in 2010. So it could well be... I'm not defending 'em. I'm explaining. It could well be they see this, and they just made a calculated decision: Speaking would upset the applecart and shut up.


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: campaign; gop; rush; rushlimbaugh
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To: iowamark

Some idiots of the GOP should start talking on TV and in print about the importance of this election and what it could mean, and make it sound desperate. The chorus should be picked up by all republicans once it’s started.

ONE BIG THEME : if you voted for Obama, what has it gotten you? Six years. Are you better off now? No one was ever elected with such promise (remember the little children singing) — for the whole world — but what has he and the democrats done that has been a good thing?

Otherwise they don’t want to win.


21 posted on 08/28/2014 7:32:52 AM PDT by Yaelle
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To: iowamark
No more voting for RINOs ever, under any circumstances. Period.

In the past I voted for McCain, and Romney nationally, and for Scott Brown in Massachusetts. But I guess it depends on your belief in how far gone this nation is, and what it will take to restore it, assuming that is even possible at this point.

Personally, I now believe that the only way to save this nation now (assuming such a thing is still possible) is to put conservatives in political offices and enact an agenda based on free markets, limited government and the rule of law. As long as we have a Republican party that actively opposes those ends (and we do, obviously), then I believe our only (slim) hope is drastic action.

As long as the Republican Party establishment believes that it can continue to survive by being Democrat-lite, and that it can continue to maintain power while actively fighting against the core principles of liberty, free markets and Constitutional law, it will never make the necessary change of direction.

Only when the Republican party understands that it must change or die can we hope to turn this country around. Our too-long-serving entrenched establishment politicians can still enjoy their comfy lifestyles, their wealth, power and prestige as members of a minority party. So why should they bother to change direction?

Surely a John Boehner (or an Eric Cantor -- had he not been defeated -- or a Mitch McConnell) would be just as happy to be minority leaders if the election cycle didn't go their way. Yes, they would prefer to be majority leaders, but what good would it be to them if a conservative Republican Party won the majority and then threw them out of their cushy positions and all those perks, replacing them with real conservatives?

Ask yourself -- which do you think Mitch McConnell would prefer -- a majority Republican party in which he was stripped of his position by a conservative majority, or a minority Republican party in which he could remain Senate minority leader because the majority of Republican senators were RINOs?

You may argue that we have no time to wait for the Republicans to realize that their only choice is to change or die as a viable party. But if we don't have time for that, then what makes you think we have time to wait for the RINOs and the GOP-e to pursue a "moderately marginal" course of action designed only to maintain their personal fiefdoms at the expense of a free America operating under the rule of Constitutional law?

The GOP had majority power in the House and Senate, and occupied the White House, 10 years ago. What did all that power do to move the agenda of liberty forward? Answer: nothing.

A GOP that cannot even sell liberty, limited governments and free markets to the American people is worse than useless. It is a party of tyranny enablers, and I will have none of it.

Unbelievably, today we are facing once again the stark choice between liberty and death.

Once again, these are the times that try men's souls. Conservatives need to be waging aggressive war against the totalitarian leftist tyrants on all fronts -- in the branches of government at the federal and state level, in academia, in the media, through public demonstrations, and in the voting booth.

Many argue that we must continued to vote for "the most electable conservative," which means "vote for the RINO if no conservative is running." But I respectfully disagree with that choice. I am done enabling.

If we really are to lose the greatest country in the history of the world, then let's at least be fighting for it when it goes down.

And who knows, maybe -- just maybe, if we show sufficient resolve and conviction -- divine Providence will once again provide the support that gave our founders their unlikely victory in 1776, and grant us once again the "new birth of freedom" that Lincoln called for a century later.

22 posted on 08/28/2014 7:43:06 AM PDT by Maceman
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To: iowamark

*****I’VE GOT THE PERFECT STRATEGY.*****

This will have the GOP being listened to and groveled at by all the talking heads of the liberal media, dying to understand what conservatives want.

Republican congresspeople should start rioting inside chambers. They should steal the belongings of other senators and members, especially of their own party. When the armed guards come out, they should get a bit more violent. Best is if a guard injures or kills one; have the rest go even MORE crazy.

This works.


23 posted on 08/28/2014 7:44:02 AM PDT by Yaelle
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To: iowamark

bookmark


24 posted on 08/28/2014 7:56:38 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: iowamark

From a story earlier today on Fox talking about how NH is in play: “The party has yet to lock down races in Arkansas, Alaska, Louisiana and North Carolina — where Democratic incumbents were once considered to be in deep trouble, which makes the New Hampshire race a bonus opportunity.”

NH is the State where everyone from Mass goes to vote a second time. If they are pinning their hopes there rather than states that should be a slam dunk, then they are in trouble. And why not, some of those states that should be slam dunks are CONSERVATIVE to the core. It is not hard to understand why they are not sewn up when your campaign says, “vote for us or else you racist, sexist hicks.”

The GOP-e is going with Karl “The White Board” Rove’s strategy of “don’t say anything and above all else apologize for breathing, we don’t want to offend the moderates!!!” Accept the narrative created by the MSM and Hollywood that you suck rather than having the courage to stand on principle and convince the voters you are right. Mr. Rove again showing he and the GOP-e have the full courage of the lack of their convictions.

That is ballgame to me, right there. Game over and I think there are going to be a ton of mystified people in the Chamber of Commerce and GOP-e come election night. How could this happen, they will say, we got all of our candidates. What am I saying, I am sure, somehow, they will continue to find a way to blame conservatives.

Slogan for 2014: “Vote Republican, Because” Disclaimer in fine print: “please forgive us, we are sorta like the democrats but not as liberal. We apologize profusely and, in the spirit of forgiveness, hope you will vote for us. Oh, and did we mention that John Bohner played a round of golf with Obama? Pretty cool, huh.”

Final note, this is not a typical off year election where you can count on apathy to keep dem voters at home. The die hard base is going to see this election as a desperate moment to save the Dear Leader. The White Hut will get the moola from donors and pull out all the Lois Lerner stops. A smart opposition party would see this and be in Presidential Election Year mode.


25 posted on 08/28/2014 8:03:24 AM PDT by FlipWilson
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To: Maceman

Quote: “A GOP that cannot even sell liberty, limited governments and free markets to the American people is worse than useless. It is a party of tyranny enablers, and I will have none of it. “

Even worse, that sell is characterized by the leftist propaganda machine (MSM and Hollywood) as being “extreme.” The GOP’s response is to not only acquiesce but to accept that narrative. Losers.


26 posted on 08/28/2014 8:11:17 AM PDT by FlipWilson
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To: Maceman
A GOP that cannot even sell liberty, limited governments and free markets to the American people is worse than useless. It is a party of tyranny enablers, and I will have none of it.

A GOP that wouldn't understand or suppport liberty, limited government or free markets...

27 posted on 08/28/2014 8:12:55 AM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: iowamark

I love Rush, but he never says in 50 words what he could easily say in 5000


28 posted on 08/28/2014 8:16:19 AM PDT by reefdiver (The fool says there is no God. And the bigger fools sees direct evidence and rages against it.)
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To: iowamark
It is sad, but very true, that most of the Republican establishment simply do not understand how to motivate people--how to convince people of the righteousness of a position. The Democrats, may be far more neurotic, but the are much better at motivating those who find their cloud-borne notions appealing, than our people are at speaking to the actual truth..

For an example of how Republicans should be campaigning, consider this article at my Conservative Resource Center (Truth Based Logic) on how to support the Ted Cruz campaign to block funding for "Obamacare," and refuse to be intimidated by threats of a Government shutdown: How To Respond To Anti-American Lies In An Election.

What we need is candidates who will confront the present realities, head-on--without fear of giving offense to those who would, like mythical ostriches, bury their heads in the sand.

William Flax

29 posted on 08/28/2014 8:18:08 AM PDT by Ohioan
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To: FlipWilson
A smart opposition party would see this and be in Presidential Election Year mode.

What they are not--as a whole--is smart. They also tend to equivocate as a matter of habit; to rationalize intolerable departures from the brilliant design of the Founding Fathers. We are betrayed by cowards & dolts, who will not even bother to try to understand the legal tapestry that they are abandoning!

William Flax

30 posted on 08/28/2014 8:22:52 AM PDT by Ohioan
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To: reefdiver

So what is he supposed to do the other 2 hours and 49 minutes?

Pray America wakes up


31 posted on 08/28/2014 8:49:48 AM PDT by bray (Palin/Bibi 2016)
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To: KeyLargo

What Rove offers the Republican Party: No sense, no guts, no future.


32 posted on 08/28/2014 8:56:43 AM PDT by Ohioan
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To: JLAGRAYFOX

McConnell just came out and said he would NOT shut the government down ever again. If he and the GOPE do not have the guts to shut the government down do you think they will employee impeachment? I think not.

He has just told you the GOPE intends to do absolutely nothing, but vote for us because we are not as bad as obama and the democrats.

Tell me what is the GOP offering me as a conservative that I am supposed to fine inspiring?


33 posted on 08/28/2014 11:08:53 AM PDT by sarge83
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To: sarge83

By voting against every Democrat....you are voting for your country to survive with freedom & liberty!!! Look....I can’t stand the GOPe as much as you do.....but I can’t stand Obama and his Obamabot, low life, hate America, Democrat Party more!!! This is the year that decides whether we remain free or fall under the dictatorship of Obama and his destroy aAmerican Democrats!!! Your choice!!! You best think about your choice!!!


34 posted on 08/28/2014 11:42:48 AM PDT by JLAGRAYFOX ( My only objective is to defeat and destroy Obama & his Democrat Party, politically!!!.)
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To: reefdiver

‘brevity is the soul of wit’

Rush just isn’t into Shakespeare


35 posted on 08/28/2014 11:48:19 AM PDT by Pelham (California, what happens when you won't deport illegals)
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To: Pelham

How many radio listeners did Shakespeare have?


36 posted on 08/28/2014 11:49:13 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

That is a well kept secret that Marconi took to his grave.


37 posted on 08/28/2014 11:50:21 AM PDT by Pelham (California, what happens when you won't deport illegals)
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To: iowamark

“Republican pushback.”

LOL


38 posted on 08/28/2014 11:55:46 AM PDT by Colonel_Flagg ("Compromise" means you've already decided you lost.)
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To: iowamark

There’s no campaign because there’s no money.

GOP fundraising, at least at the national level (RNC. NRCC, NRSC) sucks. And based on a thread posted a little while ago they’ve plowed about $100 million into an ORCA II GOTV system.

With so little money, they’re hoarding what they can for a massive ad dump in late September and October. Expecting that it and ORCA II will make the difference. But the new system fail and will the ad drop come too late?


39 posted on 08/28/2014 11:58:03 AM PDT by tanknetter
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To: JLAGRAYFOX

I have heard this argument sine 1992 and I am not buying it anymore. Name one thing the GOP has done since 1995 that rolled back liberalism? Just one.

All you are doing is fighting a delaying action at best with people who if they could and still get elected would sell you out lock stock and barrel. The democrats set the agenda and the GOP comes out and tells them yeah we can go along with that we just don’t want to pay as much as you do. There is no vision, no push back, no anything from the GOP but more of the same canned we are not the democrats garbage.

I choose not to ride the tiger and hope to be the last one eaten I prefer we jump kill the beast that is liberalism and if that means the GOP dies in the process so be it.


40 posted on 08/28/2014 12:01:19 PM PDT by sarge83
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