From Newsweek's poll released Friday, a picture of the Republican party's difficulties going forward:
Do you think Republican leaders in Congress are in touch with the way the average Republican thinks and feels, or not?
BASED ON REPUBLICANS
Date
Yes, in touch
No, not in touch
DK
3/4-5/09
44
52
4
1/21-22/99
60
32
8
Is it your impression that Republicans who have opposed Barack Obama's economic proposals have a plan of their own for turning the economy around, or not?
Group
Yes, have a plan
No, do not
DK
Dem
22
72
6
Ind
29
58
13
Rep
45
42
13
All
31
58
11
Do you think Barack Obama has made a reasonable effort to work with and listen to Congressional Republicans, or not?
Republicans think their own party is out of touch with them. It's hard to know exactly what they're looking for since this is the remnants of the GOP now that all the moderates are now independents or Democrats. Every Republican leader seems to have adopted the "we lost because we weren't true conservatives" k?an, and another question in the poll finds the plurality of Republicans think the leaders aren't conservative enough, so what exactly are they looking for?
Their own party doesn't think they have a plan. Maybe this is where the ludicrous spending freeze idea came from, a Homer Simpson level "quick we need a plan!" panic. Funny thing is, I'd be in the 22% of Democrats saying they do have a plan - more tax and regulation cuts. I like the idea that 42% of Republicans don't consider this to be "a plan" anymore.
Republicans know Obama actually did reach out. A majority of them concede Obama did try to reach out. The leadership has really lost their grip that a majority of their own party sees the President from the other party reaching out. For those that defended Obama's strategy in the stim bill, perhaps this is vindication, though I still think the bill being too small to be effective is a large price to pay just to put Republicans at odds with their own leadership.
The worst news in this poll is that there is still only one broadly popular Republican:
Person
Favorable
Unfavorable
Never Heard Of
DK/Can't Rate
Sarah Palin
44
42
3
11
House Minority Leader John Boehner
21
17
44
18
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
23
16
41
20
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal
23
22
41
14
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty
16
12
52
20
Radio Talk Show Host Rush Limbaugh
27
46
6
21
John McCain
55
37
*
8
John McCain is the sole well known, nationally popular Republican. Unfortunately the poll didn't break out party affiliation for McCain's favourability ratings, because I suspect he is less popular among Republicans than other groups.
The number of people who still don't know who either Boehner or McConnell are is important to note too. Back in 2006 we laughed at Republicans for trying to make a big deal about Pelosi becoming Speaker, but almost no one knew who she was, so it didn't work. While the debate over the soundness of picking on Limbaugh continues, it is clear in one regard he was a better target than the Congressional leadership, if only because the country knows who Rush is.
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