“The problem in the Republican Party is that the leadership has gone to the left.
I need some new Republicans.“
Don’t think The Pink Flamingo is picking on Jim DeMint. I’m not. I think he is too far right to the point where he is a little irrational about it. I also think it is not sincere, but calculated, in much the same way Barack Obama was calculating when he first hit the US Senate. My reasoning is simple. DeMint owns a public relation’s firm and is a PR specialist.
“…DeMint said he intends to go outside the party structure because he is “no longer going to go along with this idea that we are going to keep spending and borrowing and taking over and raising taxes.”
“I’m going to do everything I can to change things,” he said. “We need to rebuild our party with the constitutional concepts and we need to restore faith with the American people.”…”
He knows what he is doing – Right? Rasmussen has some recent numbers. It looks like all those negative ads run against Lindsey and all that pontificating by DeMint amounts to very little.
“…But a poll released last week by Rasmussen paints a different picture. In that poll, Graham has a 65 percent favorable rating among Republicans and a 61 percent favorable rating among self-identified conservatives. Among independents, Graham has a 55 percent favorable rating, considered a strong indicator of electability….The second poll, conducted by Rasmussen Reports, did not poll DeMint’s re-election prospects but found 63 percent of those polled viewed DeMint favorably, which is considered a strong favorability rating. The poll also gauged DeMint’s support among Republicans compared with S.C.’s senior U.S. senator, Lindsey Graham. According to Rasmussen, 51 percent of Republicans surveyed said the GOP should be more like DeMint than Graham. Only 3 percent of Republicans surveyed had an unfavorable view of DeMint….”
But – The Pink Flamingo has a very real problem with anyone who is praised by Rand Paul!
During his first couple of years in the Senate, DeMint was like a little puppy dog, appearing on camera when ever possible. When Lindsey would be interviewed, he was like the “me too!” kid jumping up and down in the background. For those of us who watch SC politics, DeMint gained very little traction on the scene until he began snuggling up to the Tea Party “patriots?”?
Is this coincidence or good marketing?
For years many Republicans, The Pink Flamingo included, have criticized the good guys for being absolutely inept when it comes to dealing with public relations. DeMint frustrates me because of his constant grandstanding and manipulations within the far right. Then again, if more Republicans were doing what he is doing we might be in better shape.
The Pink Flamingo constantly complained about George W. Bush ignoring PR doing what he thought was right. DeMint’s Senate colleague, Lindsey Graham is doing the same thing. The SOP for the GOP is “damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead” instead of “Let’s make a big deal about damning the torpedoes”. That is what DeMint is doing.
Are we dealing with
“…In a hypothetical mathchup, DeMint gets 47 percent of the vote, compared with 38 percent for a generic Democrat, with 16 percent undecided. DeMint’s approval rating is also under 50 percent — with 44 percent approving and 29 percent disapproving. President Obama actually has a slightly higher approval rating with 46 percent, but 49 percent disapprove of his job performance.
If there is a challenge to be made, a Democrat could run on the notion that DeMint is giving his constituents short shrift. Forty-one percent of those surveyed agreed with the notion that DeMint is more focused on “being a national leader in the conservative movement,” while 29 percent thought he’s advocating for South Carolina. DeMint recently said he wished he’d shouted “You Lie!” at Obama, as his Congressional colleague did. And Democrats also seized on a quote from DeMint, saying, “Every vote I take is not about South Carolina. It’s about the United States of America.”…”
DeMint is listed as safe. But, there are some storm warnings. If Rock Hill Democrat Chad McGowan can get his act together, he has one huge issue to hammer DeMint on – constituent service.
“…DeMint is ahead of a generic Democrat 47 percent to 38 percent, according to the poll. The poll’s conductor, Raleigh, N.C.-based Public Policy Polling argues the mark of a strong incumbent is 50 percent or more approval. DeMint’s numbers, said PPP’s communication director Tom Jensen, are similar to those of former U.S. Sen. Liddy Dole, of North Carolina. Dole lost her seat last year to a Democrat.
Jensen isn’t suggesting DeMint will lose his seat. But he said his support isn’t as strong as other U.S. senators considered to have “safe” seats, and who will likely coast to re-election.
“DeMint probably doesn’t have too much to worry about right now, but his reelection isn’t a complete slam dunk,” Jensen said….”
Are we dealing with an ego or with a public relation’s professional? Is this grand-standing for his new constituency or sincere? I think it is the former. Then again, maybe more Republicans should be grandstanding. Maybe DeMint is doing what every other Republican needs to be doing – grandstanding.
“I need some new Republicans”
The statement is a crock. Name one Republican in the House or Senate who does not believe in the Constitution. Sure we have a few Republicans who are far more interested in protecting their jobs than doing what is right the way Lindsey is, but there really aren’t all that many. Almost all of our elected Republicans are doing what they think is right.
We have a tendency to read into people what we are. Is it possible DeMint is so shallow that he is simply projecting his actual beliefs onto others? I don’t know. The reason I say I don’t know is because once you get beyond the grand-standing and push him up against the wall, he admits he will not term limit himself. He admits he does not know one GOP member of the House and Senate who does not believe in the Constitution. He admits he will support of GOP nominees next year.
Yea, I think it’s all about grandstanding and public relations headline grabbing – more power to him. Maybe more Republicans should be interested in saying what they know the extreme right base wants them to say and become the darling of Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity.
“…”I need some new Republicans, people who believe in constitutional government, a balanced budget and liberty and so I’m out across the country recruiting new Republicans who I think if they get here will not only challenge the institutions of government but be willing to even challenge the Republican Party and our leadership if they feel like we’re going in the wrong direction. I think just a handful of new Republicans in the senate could help change the direction.”
Asked if he could identify which Republicans the senator believed did not believe in constitutional goverment, a spokesman for DeMint had no comment. In the interview, DeMint also suggested that the Republican party ought to find candidates with more ideologically defined credentials.
“I want to find people who will change this institution, people who will join the country instead of the club because I don’t want more people coming up whether they are Republicans or Democrats and joining the Senate and looking at those institutions and being overwhelmed and impressed with them…We need some people with courage and vision right now and people who are willing to take risks and stand up against these forces that are pushing us I think toward socialist type of ideas so we found a few. You look at Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio, Chuck Devore. We’ve got a good list and they’ll be a few more who I hope will be a group of new Republicans who will challenge Americans to look at a new way of governance here.”…”
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December 14th, 2009 on 6:02 am
“But – The Pink Flamingo has a very real problem with anyone who is praised by Rand Paul!”
Being praised by a mainstream Republican Senate candidate, one who is leading in the polls even, is a problem?
December 14th, 2009 on 7:56 am
Very well done. You have really exposed DeMint for what he is.
You know, why can’t DeMint simply campaign for the candidates he supports… why must he turn it into something that reflects on him personally, as if he is somehow the leader of something brand new and all-important? But you get the feeling if his candidates don’t win their primaries he will turn into an opponent of the Republican in the race. That is pure malice and cowardice as far as I’m concerned.
You nailed him: he’s all about ego and grandstanding. But he sure has a magnificent head of senatorial hair!
December 14th, 2009 on 12:59 pm
Rand Paul is a libertarian in GOP clothing.
SJR