I’ve had a number of conversions with conservatives, libertarians and disaffected Republicans about the fractured state of the center-right movement and the involved parties’ unwillingness to compromise on anything and everything, despite the dire consequences this November if we don’t.
It’s a shame Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Reince Priebus’ speech was slated for the Reagan Banquet at CPAC on Friday, when most conference goers (and non-conference goers) are drinking and partying, because his address was one every one who considers themselves center right should have heard.
Priebus made the most compelling call for party unity I’ve heard so far this election cycle. His speech was perfect. He was not too pushy, not too desperate. He was gracious to conservative faithful without pandering. Most importantly, his speech was genuine. It was clearly heartfelt.
Priebus said he hates being referred to as an ‘establishment guy’ because ‘nobody likes that guy,’ and that he doesn’t want to co-opt the conservative movement, he wants to be part of it, because it will take a united front to defeat Barack Obama.
“This election is not about this Party. This election is about this country,” Priebus sad.
Priebus talked of Obama’s “unrelenting march to the Far Left” and the threat it presents to our national security and our individual liberties.
“Barack Obama’s priorities are not America’s priorities,” he said. “He is the first unapologetic leftist who has lived at 1600 Pennsylvania.
“To him ObamaCare is more sacred than the Bill of Rights.”
Priebus assured CPAC’s donors last night that the national party is going to be competent this year “because that’s what you’d expect.”
It was you’d expect from the national party. But anyone who remembers the reign of Michael Steele, the immediate past chair of the RNC, knows that the national party can’t always be counted on to be the most ‘competent’ organization.
I would know. I worked in the political department during Michael Steele’s term. I left the RNC shortly before Reince was elected, so I never made his acquaintance until much later.
After watching Steele misappropriate money toward a nationwide bus tour that was more about bolstering his own image than it was about the “Fire Pelosi” initiative and helping Get Out The Vote (GOTV), I was concerned about the future of the Republican National Committee. Major donors stopped giving to the party headquarters. They turned instead to grassroots organizations that are key to helping the GOP on the ground but are unable to financially aid the GOP presidential nominee because of campaign finance laws.
I was skeptical that, ‘a simple guy from Kenosha, Wisconsin’ could save the party. But Priebus has proved to a phenomenal party chair. When he took the reigns last year in January, the RNC was more than $22 million in debt. Now the RNC has more than $20 million in cash on hand – more than the DNC, which had half the debt the RNC had this time last year.
If there is anyone who can provide the leadership to unite the center-right movement and provide the resources to beat Barack Obama, it’s Reince Priebus
