I returned home to the great state of Tennessee about 7 years ago. (At the time, I planned on running for Congress in 6-8 years... which would be about now. That is another story for another time.) Upon my return, I began attending local Republican Party meetings.
Local Parties / True Believers
Local party meetings, for any party, are interesting. If you are not in the heat of an election, the meetings are small and made up of true believers. These people are well informed. They care deeply about issues and ideas. They are a little geeky in that they watch C-SPAN, read books on policy, know history and search the Internet for off season tid-bits. To my wife's dismay, I include myself in the "a little geeky" group. They are like the football fans that watch old games on NFL TV or ESPN Classic 365 days a year. The fight over ideas is in their blood! Most of these people are not planning to run for office. They are not carefully parsing and positioning for their own future gain. They are fighters... they believe.
Take Back the Governor's Mansion!
My first local party meeting was in Murfreesboro, TN. There was a discussion about "taking back" the Governor's mansion. I sat quietly...puzzled...thinking... "isn't the Gov. Don Sundquist a Republican?" Then I realized ... he is a Republican... but he really is a RINO. In fact, he was barely even a RINO. He supported creating a state income tax! For Tennessee Republicans, talking about creating a state income tax is like a discussion of who controls Jerusalem while sitting in an Orthodox Synagog in Israel. Sundquist supported all sorts of "moderate" tax, regulatory and spending policies. He had completely lost his true believers. They had disowned him. They were passionate about "taking back" their party.
A Tennessee Lesson
While true believers can easily distinguish real conservatives from RINOs, the general public, establishment / paid Republican party staff and the press do NOT make the same distinction. Republicans were all painted with the same brush. So, when election time came in Tennessee, we got a moderate Democrat as Governor. The fact that a true Conservative Republican was running against the former Democrat mayor of Nashville, didn't resonate with voters. Too many heard Republican and simply equated him with the RINO... Don Sunquist.
Taking Back The White House
This is where McCain has such a BIG problem with the true believers in the base. Bush has strayed so far from the heart of the true believers (except for appointing judges) that McCain's many non-conservative, press loving, maverick positions make them feel like a win will be more of the same... or worse. He has to tap into something else to sway the base... to entice the true believers.
My Favorite Bumper Sticker - McCain's ONLY Viable Strategy
If you drive through the South and Midwest, you see them all the time.... football bumper stickers. My favorite one is all about "the rivalry." And that is what McCain has to tap into. It just isn't about running against Obama. Every pundit says that for McCain to win, the election has to be a about Obama. I am saying something different. The appeal has to be more emotional. It has to be like ... College Football!
Favorite bumper sticker theme...
- My favorite team is Ohio State - My second favorite is whoever is playing Michigan
- My favorite team is Alabama - My second favorite is whoever is playing Auburn
- My favorite team... you get the idea....
McCain's Political Version Has To Be...
My favorite candidate is a true conservative...
My favorite candidate is a true conservative...
my second favorite is whoever is running against Obama!
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
He has to pray that is enough...
because that is all he has!
NOTE: Getting a clear and consistent conservative message out there, especially on taxes, would be a huge step forward. I just don't believe that is possible with McCain and his team.
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