Who Leads Republicans? Apparently They Don’t Know Either
USAToday covers a Gallup poll in which Americans were asked who speaks for the GOP. A majority of Americans couldn’t name anyone.
A 52% majority of those surveyed couldn’t come up with a name when asked to specify “the main person” who speaks for Republicans today. Of those who could, the top response was radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh (13%), followed in order by former vice president Dick Cheney, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former House speaker Newt Gingrich. Former president George W. Bush ranked fifth, at 3%.
So the dominant faces of the Republican Party are all men, all white, all conservative and all old enough to join AARP, ranging in age from 58 (Limbaugh) to 72 (McCain). They include some of the country’s most strident voices on issues from Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court to President Obama’s policies at home and abroad. Two are retired from politics, and one has never been a candidate.
The Republican party is the party of old white men, and the relatively youthful (compared to Gingrich and Cheney anyway) Rush Limbaugh was the number one vote-getter. Republicans, haven’t we been telling you that you’re lead by the “RNC” – Rush, Newt, Cheney?
I love this quote:
“We cannot be a party of balding white guys,” says former Republican Party national chairman Ed Gillespie, a White House counselor for George W. Bush. “We have to have a broader appeal, but there’s time for us to make that change.”
That’s what we’ve been telling the Republicans! Will the Republicans listen to Gillespie or is he being RINOed as we speak?
There was lots of interesting data in the poll. 63% of Republicans rated their party favorably and 33% rated their party unfavorably. In contrast, 8% of Democrats rated their party unfavorably.
Question: What comes to mind when you think of …
The Republican Party
1. Unfavorable 25%
2. Conservative 16%
3. Favorable 7%
4. No direction 6%
5. Cater to the rich 6%
6. George W. Bush 4%
7. Close-minded/Not open to new ideas 3%
8. Cater to big business 3%
9. Poor economic conditions 3%
10. Pro-military/Pro-war 2%The Democratic Party
1. Liberal 15%
2. Favorable 10%
3. For the people 10%
4. Socially conscious/progressive 10%
5. Big spending 8%
6. Unfavorable 6%
7. Self-centered/Out for themselves 4%
8. Big government 3%
9. Barack Obama 3%
10. Welfare 2%
UI’s serious advice is renounce the violent extremists, lessen the emphasis on social issues and find new economic ideas (more than tax cuts for the rich).
Tags: Republican Party
Did you notice? No Palin anywhere…..
No Michael Steele or Mitt Romney.
Politics is cyclical. Republicans held the White House for 28 of the past 40 years. They run an incompetent candidate, and lose in ’08…big deal.
Some early generic ’10 polls show the battle for Congress at 50/50. It’s way too early, but it’s probably safe to say that the death of the Republican Party has been greatly exaggerated.
It’s be cause the liberal media hates old, white guys. Or that’s what I’ve heard some old white guys saying on this topic.
McCain was the ‘liberal media’s’ Republican of choice….’a man not afraid to cross the aisle,’ etc.
Of course, in reality, they knew he couldn’t win…as I did.
Actually, he stood a small chance of winning, until… he picked Palin. Yes, yes, I know she’s the darling of the 20%ers, but she scared the living daylights out of everyone else.
“No Michael Steele or Mitt Romney.”
Actually, Steele and Romney were both in the poll and came in with 1-2%.
We are leaderless. This should help to clarify that for people. And it hurts the effort not to have a unifying figure.
Also, if you look into the poll, it was Democrats who drove up Rush’s ranking, just as 20% of GOPers chose Pelosi over Obama because they know her negatives are higher.
“Of course, in reality, they knew he couldn’t win…as I did.”
Ah, yes. The scorekeeping continues. This is what the right wing lives for — “see, I told you so!”
Actually, the high point of McCain’s campaign was when he picked Palin; then his inept handlers went to work on her. I only wish that she had been the candidate, instead of McCain.
Yes, they never should have let Palin near Katie Couric.
I only wish that she had been the candidate, instead of McCain.
Me, too.
USA Today has never catered to the deep thinkers but the folks who like news predigested in graphics.
Do they really offer in-depth analysis of any issue?
The WSJ is a real bargain and it comes to the door every morning before the sun rises.
Why would the GOP need a leader? It is the opposition party. That happens in 2012. The GOP at this point should have many leaders.
As for U. I., please follow your own unsolicited advise. We don’t need it. We have no desire to appeal to folks like you. The party has never embraced violent extremists. Are you whacked or did you have too much wine too early? It is not just you, but this blog has really sucked wind this week.
Where is around the horn?
The ’12 election could be tough for the Republican presidential candidate….after all, he’ll be running against God.