Goldberg: GOP Needs Its Own Obama

2009 May 10
by bc3b

Jonah Goldberg believes the GOP needs its own Barack Obama, a charasmatic leader who can ignite the party.

from → Everything else

17 Responses leave one →
  1. 2009 May 10 9:01 am
    [1]
    phineasgage permalink

    Goldberg and the rest of the NRO Corner twits can go twitter themselves.

    The less we hear from them, and the less influence they have on the future of conservatism, the better.

  2. 2009 May 10 9:10 am
    [2]
    bc3b permalink

    While I generally agree with you on NRO Phineas, I think Goldberg is one of the more realistic ones there (as opposed to Pretty Boy Lowery). The Bushes and Dole are hardly the type of politican that get the base of the party excited.

  3. 2009 May 10 9:13 am
    [3]
    janzam permalink

    It’s a bit long, but sardonically humorous…..

    The Democrats’ Dictionary
    A Commentary By Debra J. Saunders
    Sunday, May 10, 2009
    Doublespeak is alive as Democrats pull the strings in the White House and Congress 24 years after 1984. What do they mean when they engage in Democrat-speak?

    I know I’m not worthy, but I’ve got an assignment, so I shall borrow a page from Ambrose Bierce, not with a Devil’s Dictionary, but a Democrats’ Dictionary. The easy part: There’s no dif.

    Academic freedom: Full license to espouse liberal thought to unformed minds.

    Bailout: Billions upon billions — trillions really — of government aid doled out to financial institutions to remind voters of the need for strong regulation.

    Biden, Joe: Running-at-the-mouth politician, but, hey, he was elected vice president.

    Bipartisanship: 40 Republicans and 60 Democrats.

    Bush, George W.: Big-spending, war-waging Republican.

    Cheney, Dick: Satan.

    Clean coal: What Santa Claus puts in Democrats’ stockings so they don’t have to admit that their global-warming agenda is anti-coal.

    Climate change: Global warming during a blizzard.

    CNN. Unbiased news network whose reporters battle “right-wing” media.

    Deficits: Overspending before 2009, or spending practices that President Obama inherited. For current usage, see: Investment.

    Extremists: Abortion opponents.

    Fox News: Unlike CNN, biased news network.

    Global warming: An apocalyptic theory that every scientist believes in — except dissenting scientists who don’t count — best bemoaned
    from one’s Gulf Stream jet en route to an international conference on the environment.

    God: What people in small towns clung to before Obama won the White House. See: guns, anti-immigrant or anti-trade beliefs.

    Health care costs: A spiraling chunk of the U.S. economy that can be reduced by providing health care to all Americans. Really.

    Homeland security: Gun control.

    Iraq: An immoral war, once the focus of numerous anti-war demonstrations, which Democratic leaders vowed to end immediately upon winning the White House — until Obama won the 2008 election.

    Liberal: The L-word, a term unfairly hurled by name-calling right-wing kooks.

    Lieberman, Joe: Former Democrat turned Independent senator from Connecticut. Sellout.

    McCain, John: Former GOP maverick who — the nerve — turned out to actually be a Republican.

    Middle class: Families that earn less than $250,000 — until Washington decides it might be a good idea to pay for all the new Obama-era programs.

    Nuance: Homeland Security Janet Napolitano’s decision to refer to terrorist attacks as “man-caused disasters.” Formerly known as Doublespeak.
    Obama, Barack. God, at least in Detroit.

    Oil: A crude substance used to fuel other people’s cars.

    One hundred days. The first in a series of holy days during which dutiful media preside over national thanksgiving.

    Palin, Sarah. White-trashy grandmother utterly unqualified and too dim-witted to be vice president.

    Pandemic: CNN-speak for flu.

    Pelosi, Nancy. Grandmotherly House speaker who could not be expected to understand that when Bushies authorized waterboarding of high-value detainees, it actually might happen.

    Progressive: Liberal.

    Public transportation: What other people should take to work.

    Regulation: The threat of a salary cap for executives with firms receiving federal funds.

    Republican Party: The party of the rich — if the California inland empire and Central Valley are rich, and Beverly Hills, Marin County and Malibu are not.

    Sacrifice: Something Bush never asked for during time of war.

    Now a tax hike for 95 percent of working families while U.S. troops fight in two wars abroad.

    Specter, Arlen: Republican turned Democratic senator from Pennsylvania. Free thinker.

    Stimulus: A rush in the nether regions at the prospect of spending trillions of dollars you don’t have. Not to be confused with: Banking.

    Surge: A tactic involving troop increases that could never work in Iraq, but always made sense for Afghanistan.

    Tobacco: Toxic substance that should be overtaxed or banned — unless it is marijuana. Then see: Medicine.

    Tolerance: An essential element to civil societies; individuals deemed insufficiently tolerant must be re-educated.

    War on terror: The fairness doctrine, the only weapon that can harm America’s true enemy, Rush Limbaugh.

    Waterboarding: Torture — unless a plane piloted by terrorists hits a reservoir.

  4. 2009 May 10 9:14 am
    [4]
    drdog09 permalink

    Seems funny that Goldberg would post that having just experienced Palin’s ability to draw a crowd. (and for Chek, forget all your usual disavows.) The woman can excite the base or didn’t Goldberg notice or is it he doesn’t care? If its the latter then Goldberg is infected with the beltway virus as well.

  5. 2009 May 10 9:17 am
    [5]
    conservativetony permalink

    Charasmatic s/b Charismatic

    Sorry to be so an–

  6. 2009 May 10 9:25 am
    [6]
    conservativetony permalink

    Goldberg is a Liberal first, last and always. People like him never have any suggestions for their own party. Even when their side was losing, they still had the audacity to tell us what we were doing wrong.

  7. 2009 May 10 9:47 am
    [7]
    chekote permalink

    I will not say another word about Palin until she gives an interview or makes some kind of an appearance.

  8. 2009 May 10 9:51 am
    [8]
    chekote permalink

    Actually, Bernie Goldberg said the same during a Hannity Show. Charisma is all you need if you belong to the political Left. If you are on the Right you need charisma and substance like Reagan had.

  9. 2009 May 10 9:59 am
    [9]
    Neo Khan permalink

    “Jonah Goldberg believes the GOP needs its own Barack Obama, a charismatic leader who can ignite the party.”
    =======

    The irony is that, to some extent, Obama is doing a pretty good job “igniting” the GOP.

    But as far as our ‘own leader’ (or the face of our party) is concerned…

    …I believe that John Kasich is among the best of the best who can not only accomplish the task of being a charismatic leader who can ignite the party., but he also has the unique potential to draw in MANY independents, libertarians etc. – while virtually guaranteeing that both OHIO and PENNSYLVANIA will go solidly Red.

    My 2¢ anyway…
    :cool:

  10. 2009 May 10 11:02 am
    [10]
    knighthawktfc permalink

    {ot} – In WI court says police may GPS track your car without warrant. slip, slip, slippery slide -woohoo!

    -back to the regularly scheduled thread.

  11. 2009 May 10 11:29 am
    [11]
    drdog09 permalink

    KH,

    I wonder how that conflicts with the WI stalking law? Section 6m specifically addresses electronic means. Nor did I see any alluded exclusions for investigative/police purposes.

    There goes another bag of popcorn. Would be an interesting case to watch if one comes to the Bar.

  12. 2009 May 10 1:22 pm
    [12]
    knighthawktfc permalink

    Interesting indeed and quite ironic don’t you think?
    I don’t see any law enforcement personnel exemption in that statue though.
    But I guess you would have to a) know your being targeted and than b) file charges for stalking.

    btw you notice the labor dispute exemption in there 940.32.5? Nice that those participating in labor disputes seem exempt from 940.32.

  13. 2009 May 10 1:40 pm
    [13]
    janzam permalink

    Jonah Goldberg writes tongue in cheek, but there is something to be considered in his overall message.

    So what does this mean for conservatives? Well, it doesn’t mean that we should stop debating ideas. But it also probably means that we won’t have a chance to implement those ideas until the GOP finds a winning salesman or vessel for them, and that person doesn’t seem to exist right now.

    In this telegenic world, style, delivery and warmth are needed to carry the substance of a leader’s words. Had Reagan been as cold and unapproachable as Nixon, I think his whole legacy would have been viewed much differently. He was able to speak and write with substance, aided by his acting ability to have a wonderful performance.

  14. 2009 May 10 2:22 pm
    [14]
    bc3b permalink

    Janzam -

    Love your definitions.

  15. 2009 May 10 2:27 pm
    [15]
    chekote permalink

    Jan

    I disagree that Reagan’s legacy would have been viewed differently if he was like Nixon. The defeat of the Soviet Union was a remarkable achievement and would stand on its own regardless of Reagan’s style.

    Reagan’s style helped him go over the media’s head and connect directly with the American people. That’s the real value of a great communicator especially when your political opponents control Congress.

  16. 2009 May 10 2:41 pm
    [16]
    chekote permalink

  17. 2009 May 10 4:05 pm
    [17]
    rightwingyahoo permalink

    Bennett may be right, time will tell. The idea that Kyl is the future makes me sick. I’d take Palin over Kyl any day.

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