This is, of course, precisely the line being spouted by hard-core movement conservative mouthpieces. But it's also quite congruent with the dominant line from the "bi-partisan" side of Versailles: Repubicans were not too extreme, ergo Obama should be very careful to listen to everything they have to say, and ignore his base instead.
The American people, on the other hand, think that it's the Republican Party that needs to move to the center [click image for wider version]:
But the majority of the Republican base agrees with Versailles--they're not the ones who need to move to the center! [click image for wider version]:
One immediate consequence of all the above is a split in attitudes on whether Republicans should work together with Obama. Yeah, that should work out fine. It's not just that the American people overhwelmingly want the Republcians to work with Obama, giving him the benefit of the doubt [click image for wider version]:
There's a longer-term aspect to this as well. Obstruct progress in dealing with the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression? Smooth! Because last time, the American people forgot the GOP=financial ruin equation far too quickly. This time, we want it to stick.
Another consequence is attitudes towards Sarah Palin. Note how prominently Palin figures in reasons to reject McCain [click image for wider version]:
Meanwhile, Think Progress plays up how popular Palin is among Republicans as a candidate for 2012:
Poll: 64 percent of Republicans want Palin to run for president in 2012.
In a new Rasmussen poll out today, Republicans overwhelmingly say that they want Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as their presidential nominee in 2012. Sixty-four percent of GOP respondents said that Palin would be their top choice in 2012:
When asked to choose among some of the GOP's top names for their choice for the party's 2012 presidential nominee, 64% say Palin. The next closest contenders are two former governors and unsuccessful challengers for the presidential nomination this year - Mike Huckabee of Arkansas with 12% support and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts with 11%.
Three other sitting governors - Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Charlie Crist of Florida and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota - all pull low single-digit support.
In the same poll, 69 percent of Republicans said that Palin "helped John McCain's bid for the presidency," even though exit polls found that 60 percent of voters felt that she was "not qualified to be president if necessary." (HT: John McCormack)
But it gets even better. In contrast to McCain, the chief negative against Obama was lack of experience--a point on which he already has Palin beat. After four years as leader of the free world? All I can say is, Palin 2012? Bring it on! [click image for wider version]:
If folks think the GOP is in a bad state right now, just imagine what it will be like once it's "fixed" its problems by moving sharply to the right. Those problems will be fixed, all right. Fixed in place for the next 30 years or so. |
