On Foreign Policy, The GOP Candidates Are ‘All Over The Map’
Donald Trump is “100 percent” in favor of Vladimir Putin demolishing the Islamic State terror group. Jeb Bush thinks he’s “absolutely wrong.” Marco Rubio has written off Rand Paul as a “committed isolationist” while Ted Cruz positions himself in the ideal “middle ground” between them.
Welcome to the Republican Party’s foreign policy muddle. While the GOP is relishing a chance to vigorously prosecute what it has disparagingly dubbed the “Obama-Clinton foreign policy legacy” in the general election, it first must resolve its own identity crisis, as evident in the fourth Republican debate Tuesday night.
An eclectic cast of White House hopefuls sharing a stage in Milwaukee were in discord over Russia, Syria, Islamic terrorism and military spending. In one camp were staunch hawks including Bush and Rubio. In another stood more dovish candidates Paul and Trump.
“There’s no question that among the candidates on the stage, the party is all over the map,” said Ford O’Connell, who worked on John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign and is neutral in the race. O’Connell voiced confidence that eventually, the hawks will prevail.
Here’s What It Sounds Like When Generation X Runs For President
Declaring Tupac Shakur superior to The Notorious B.I.G. Listing off favorite Clinton-era episodes of The Simpsons. A romantic epiphany that involved a foam party and a pay phone.
It could all be late-night chatter in a mid-1990s dorm room – or the recent musings of Republican men vying to be the leader of the free world.
Generation X has hit the campaign trail.
For the first time, multiple members of Gen X are running for president – candidates who came of age during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, the fall of Communism, the first Gulf War and the 24-hour news cycle. They expertly quote from ‘80s and 90s movies and music. They admit to being hooked on video games and binge-watching "mind candy" television.
Politically, they are painting themselves as young, fresh alternatives to lead the country in a new direction, away from candidates named Bush and Clinton. Their politics largely lie in the same narrow band as most of the rest of the GOP field. What’s different – often around the margins, sometimes front and center – are the stories they use to relay those views and the experiences that shaped them.
“We live in an HBO, ESPN, TMZ society,” said Republican strategist Ford O’Connell. “Most people do not follow politics that closely. Sometimes, talking about something other than politics can be smarter than talking about politics.”
Read more from Katie Zezima and Sean Sullivan at The Washington Post
How Marco Rubio’s Aggressive South Carolina Strategy Threatens Jeb Bush
The critical early-voting state of South Carolina is emerging as a crucial front in the rivalry between Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and former Florida governor Jeb Bush. Expectations for Rubio are soaring, Republicans say, putting pressure on Bush in a state his brother and father won — a state which has earned a reputation as a firewall protecting front-runners from insurgent underdogs.
Rubio, an underdog for the nomination who faces opponents with longer political resumes and deeper roots in the GOP, is in some ways an unlikely bet for South Carolina. As of now, he is averaging under 5 percent support there in recent polling.
But for years, he has been laying a foundation, often informally, in the vital early nominating state where he will officially campaign for president for the first time on Saturday.
The operatives trying to get Rubio elected also illustrate how hard he intends to compete in the state. Rubio’s team is being led by a small army of seasoned South Carolina operatives. Bush is relying in South Carolina on two strategists who have spent most of their professional careers outside the state.
Beyond staffing, Rubio’s political platform presents Bush with a challenge. His attempt to appeal to both ends of the GOP spectrum — he was elected to the Senate as a conservative rebel but has since also endeared himself to the establishment wing — and his aggressive national security posture is ideal for South Carolina, Republicans say.
“He should do very well in South Carolina because they like that hybrid tea party-establishment person who is also a defense hawk,” said Ford O’Connell, who worked on the 2008 presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Christie Is Hitting The Midterm Campaign Trail Hard. It Could Be His Key To Political Recovery.
Chris Christie is the Republican governor of New Jersey. He's also the chairman of the Republican Governors Association -- which may be a more important title this year when it comes to his presidential prospects.
Christie's chairmanship, as expected, has enabled him to barnstorm the country ahead of the midterm elections. He's attended RGA events in 34 states since taking over as chairman last November, including stops in crucial early nominating states like New Hampshire and Iowa. And he's raised a whopping $75 million for the RGA through the middle of September.
On Wednesday, Christie kicked off a three-day, four-state swing that will take him from Florida to New England. At a time when the governor is trying to repair his troubled image -- and with the dawn of the 2016 presidential race fast approaching -- his path to political recovery may run through his flurry of campaign stops.
"He's going to build up a lot of chits and a lot of good will in a lot of key states," said Ford O'Connell, a Republican strategist who worked on John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign.
But at a time when Christie is asking the party faithful for a second look, helping Republicans keep their jobs or win more powerful ones in November is his best hope for winning or reclaiming good will.
"He was on life support. Now he's walking on two legs," said O'Connell.
Rick Perry Faces A Tough Road To 2016. His Comparison Of Homosexuality To Alcoholism Shows Why.
By all accounts, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) is seriously weighing another run for president in 2016. But his remarks at a San Francisco forum Wednesday underscored one of his main challenges: sticking to the script.
In an appearance at the Commonwealth Club of California, Perry likened homosexuality to alcoholism. His remarks received national attention Thursday and were panned by gay rights activists. The events raised questions about whether Perry's apparent attempts to soften his image and convince donors and power brokers he can run a viable campaign against stiff competition after falling flat in 2012 can work.
"Whether or not you feel compelled to follow a particular lifestyle or not, you have the ability to decide not to do that," Perry said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper. "I may have the genetic coding that I'm inclined to be an alcoholic, but I have the desire not to do that, and I look at the homosexual issue the same way."
Added Republican strategist Ford O'Connell, "When you go out and make comments like that, mega-donors and key activists and voters are shaking their heads."
Perry is set to step down at the end of this term as the longest-serving governor in Texas history. Over the past year, he has been traveling the country to promote Texas's economic climate and try to poach businesses from other states.
Romney Faces Twofold Challenge In Getting Campaign Back On Track
As Mitt Romney struggles to put a cascade of missteps behind him, the Republican presidential nominee faces a twofold challenge: first, to steer the conversation back to the economy, and second, to prevent his recent difficulties from curdling into a perception that the race is becoming unwinnable.
Republicans, although anxious, point out that polls show their nominee remains within striking distance of President Obama and that seven weeks remain before Election Day.
But Romney’s stumbles, if they continue, could jeopardize his party’s prospects down the ballot. Already, the GOP is facing a steeper climb in its efforts to retake the Senate and the prospect of losing seats in the House.
The latest controversy — over a leaked video in which Romney disparaged nearly half the country as Obama-supporting, government-dependent slackers — is at a minimum preventing his campaign from presenting a clear set of proposals for fixing the economy that it hoped would close the deal with the electorate.
“Republican candidates who reside in moderate-to-left-leaning districts who need to keep the Democratic base pacified and still have to pull a sizable portion of independents to win: That is precisely who is hurt by this,” said GOP strategist Ford O’Connell.
Seniors Hold Favorable View Of Paul Ryan
Good sign for Romney-Ryan ticket, who must win seniors and the state of Florida if they are to unseat the incumbent Obama-Biden ticket.
An ABC News/Washington Post poll released early Wednesday found that 50 percent of senior citizens 65 years and older have a favorable view of Paul Ryan, the GOP vice presidential pick, while 35 percent hold an unfavorable view. Fifteen percent, the poll found, don't have an opinion.
Democrats had expected Rep. Ryan (R-Wis.) to be especially unpopular with older Americans because of his budget proposal, which shifts Medicare into a subsidized private insurance model system for those currently under the age of 55. President Obama's campaign has hit Ryan hard for his Medicare plans, saying they would raise healthcare costs for seniors.
But Ryan, since presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney tapped him for the ticket, has not shied away from his budget plan. He has countered with attacks on Obama, claiming he weakened Medicare by cutting funds to pay for his healthcare reform bill.
A Ron Paul Third Party Bid Would Doom GOP Presidential Nominee
Texas Congressman Ron Paul is not going to win the 2012 GOP presidential nomination. But as a third party candidate, he would likely doom the eventual Republican nominee's chances of defeat President Obama in next year's general election. The Washington Post's Scott Clement weighs in:
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul (R-Texas) is gaining steam in his race for the GOP nomination, up to his highest level yet — 15 percent — in the new Washington Post-ABC News national poll. He trails President Obama by a mere five points among registered voters in a possible general election matchup. But should Paul fall short of winning his party’s nod and opt to run as a third-party candidate, the survey finds he could seriously shake up the 2012 political calculus, largely to Obama’s benefit.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ties Obama at 47 percent among registered voters in the poll, but fully 21 percent of all voters say they’d pick Paul as an independent candidate over either Romney or the president. Obama would win such a three-way match-up by 10 percentage points. The potential damage is less obvious for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who trails Obama by eight points in a two-way contest and 11 points with Paul in the mix.
As a third-party contender, Paul would draw heavily on Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP, and less so from Democratic ranks. As a result, Obama takes a smaller (albeit significant) hit in a three-way race than either of the two leading Republicans.
Would he actually stage a third-party run? Paul refused to rule out the possibility earlier this month on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” saying he’s “not even thinking about it.” Nevertheless, Paul refused to endorse John McCain in 2008 and held a rally coinciding with the Republican national convention that year. His heightened national support and still loyal base of supporters could make an independent run more tempting this time around.
