Another winner for The BRAD BLOG’s rarely bestowed, but much sought after “Intellectually Honest Conservative Award.”
Today’s winner (in actuality, this year’s winner, seeing as it’s been a pretty dim year so far), conservative icon and author Richard Viguerie, who yesterday called at the “Ultimate John McCain” website for the entire Republican Leadership, from George W. Bush on down, to “resign immediately.”
He charges “disaster is looming” following the Republican loss of the third previously “safe” U.S. House seat in a row on Tuesday, in Mississippi’s special election where Bush reportedly defeated Kerry 62% to 37% in 2004. AP announced the Democratic candidate Travis Childers the winner of the MS-01 race, in the heart of the “solid South” by a remarkable 54% to 46% thumpin’.
In its wake, Viguerie names names, and declares the entirety of the GOP leadership has “failed — or outright betrayed — the conservative voters who put them in their positions…The hard work of the last 50 years by millions of conservative campaign workers, donors, candidates, writers, intellectuals, and activists has been trashed.”
“The conservative movement has been set back 10-20 years ““ possibly even permanently,” pens the man once referred to as the conservative “funding father” and creator of political direct mail fundraising. The “party Establishment…has brought the party down,” he writes, adding “the party must clean house. The party leadership should resign immediately.”
He goes on to say Republican leaders have “nothing” to offer Republican voters and are motivated by “nothing except a craving for power,” before concluding with a direct command to the GOP Leadership: “You turned against the principles you once espoused ““ conservative principles ““ and, in turn, conservatives and the American people have turned against you. Things will not get better until you accept responsibility, and resign…You have stayed too long. For the future of the Republican Party, for America and the cause of freedom: Go!”
Ouch. Extended, must-read excerpts from his blistering — and we mean blistering — rebuke of those who have hijacked his party, follow below…
The result is that the party’s “brand” has become a negative, to an extent greater than in the Watergate era, perhaps worse than in the days of Herbert Hoover.
…
[I]n recent special elections, the party lost longheld congressional seats in Illinois, in Louisiana, and, yesterday, in Mississippi ““ all in districts carried overwhelmingly by President Bush. A single election can be a fluke, but when Republicans lose three seemingly safe seats in a row, disaster is looming.
The hard work of the last 50 years by millions of conservative campaign workers, donors, candidates, writers, intellectuals, and activists has been trashed. The conservative movement has been set back 10-20 years ““ possibly even permanently ““ by politicians consumed by power, including but certainly not limited to Denny Hastert, Tom DeLay, John Boehner, Roy Blunt, Mitch McConnell, Trent Lott, George W. Bush, Karl Rove, party chairman Mike Duncan, and their friends.
Some deserve more of the blame than others, but they are all part of a party Establishment that has brought the party down.
For things to change, for conservatives to be justified in giving our contributions, our volunteer efforts, our energy, and votes to the GOP, the party must clean house. The party leadership should resign immediately.
And in a last, fiercely stinging parting shot, Viguerie writes…
To Republican leaders, I say: You turned against the principles you once espoused ““ conservative principles ““ and, in turn, conservatives and the American people have turned against you. Things will not get better until you accept responsibility, and resign.
You have stayed too long. For the future of the Republican Party, for America and the cause of freedom: Go!
Richard Viguerie comments on the failure of Republican leaders to adhere to his party’s “principles”. However, he has been silent on this point until now. He, like most Republicans, was content to accept administration policies as long as power was maintained. He is not upset by abandonment of so-called conservative principles. Rather, he regrets losing three special elections and realizes that the public has, however belatedly, given up on the Republican “brand”. Turning on his party leaders only after the worm has turned is hypocrisy in the extreme. As your introduction points out, Viguerie is himself a key leader of the Republican party. Jumping ship (or throwing the rest of the crew overboard) is not deserving of any award. It is simply cynical and cowardly.
Odd, isn’t it? Karl Rove, it turns out, is the best thing that ever happened to the DEMOCRATIC party. Thanks, Karl, for putting a permanent stink on all Republicans, for turning the party of Lincoln into the REPUBLICAN CRIME FAMILY.
Sunny Steve –
Actually, Viguerie has been quite outspoken about this for some time, having set up ConservativesBetrayed.com some time ago.
This, however, was the most direct I’ve seen him be. At least lately.
FWIW.
BTW, I’ll be Guest Hosting the Peter B. Collins Show tomorrow (Friday) and am trying to see if Viguerie is available to come on as my guest. If so, of course, I welcome to call in with your questions/concerns etc. during the show!
Brad:
Thanks for the rebuttal re: Viguerie. I am pleased to be corrected and made aware of his earlier break with the Republican party. My comments do apply, unfortunately, to the large majority of Republicans in the Congress, who enabled all Bush policies when they held the majority, and who have been so united in blocking attempts to change course since 2006. Their ability to doublethink points of principle is astounding: eg. McCain recently compromising his stance against torture and the entire Republican establishment ignoring Senator Vitter’s two escapades with prostitutes. I do note that Viguerie appears to be quite comfortable with Rush Limbaugh as a fellow champion of the conservative cause. A more craven hypocrite on matters of principle than Limbaugh, I cannot conjure up.
Um, wouldn’t that make Nancy Pelosi President of the United States?
Re “Republican leaders have “nothing” to offer Republican voters and are motivated by “nothing except a craving for power.”
Along these lines, McCain’s possible running mate, Carly Fiorina,said this at a Washington press conference:
“There is no job that is America’s God-given right anymore.”
Wonder how that’s going to sit with their white working-class guys demographic.
Unbelievable, huh?
“The conservative movement has been set back 10-20 years ““ possibly even permanently,” pens the man once referred to as the conservative “funding father” and creator of political direct mail fundraising. The “party Establishment…has brought the party down,” he writes, adding “the party must clean house. The party leadership should resign immediately.”
Thanks for the article Brad.
It’s nice to know that there are Republicans/conservatives that aren’t “bat shit crazy” and don’t drink the kool-ade the GOP Leadership offers.
Maybe in 15 or 20 years the Republicans/conservatives will realize that they can’t subject most Americans to their extreme right wing form of thought.
As my dad always told me.
Live and let live.
Troubled
Now, if we can just get some Democrats to start saying things like this.
i’ve been saying for years now that this republican party is not the republican party of my father’s generation. it’s been crazymaking to listen to these tin men yapping about small government and fiscal conservatism and all the rest of their usual bullshit, while behaving in exactly the opposite manner.
i’m savoring a marvelous helping of schadenfreude watching these jackasses cannibalize one another. goes down very smooth, so tasty and delicious.
I wouldn’t call Ronald Reagan a “conservative”. He and Bush did more federal spending than all other presidents combined. And Bush with a Republican congress to boot!
Goldwater? Yep, I’d call him a conservative. Not Reagan!
Reagan started the tax on unemployment. That’s right! Kick ’em when they’re down! Reagan wanted to LOWER the minimum wage! Reagan “meddled” in other countries (Iran Contra) and should’ve been impeached! NOT “conservative”!
Goldwater yes, Reagan no! Absolutely not!
He’s dead-on with everything else he said. The present Republican Party are NOT “conservatives”. I’m surprised more real conservatives don’t come out like this guy, and kick these bastards out of the party.
He’s right on the money, that these creeps took over the Republican Party! Who are they? They’re not “conservatives”! I think we’ve been saying that, though, haven’t we?
I don’t have much of a problem with real conservatives. I think liberals and conservatives (real ones) have a lot in common. Ron Paul is a real conservative. American Free Press is a real conservative newspaper. I like both. They both HATE these “Republicans” worse than we do! Just like this guy does!
Power corrupts everyone. When the Democrats had all the power, it was easy for the New Gingrich Republicans to take over. It’s like once they get in there, they’re just after power and money.
They DID fuck over their voters! They promised to “clean up” if you voted them in, and they became corrupt! They said, “Give us a chance, and see what we’ll do”. Republican voters (and others) trusted them, and they screwed them over for money and power! This guy is exactly right on that count!
But there’s still too many people out there that think of labels or party’s instead of the person!
The Republican Party can be proud of its stance, and therefore ought to encourage Senator McCain to select as his running mate Senator Larry Craig. PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD WITH MCCAIN & CRAIG! RIDE THE STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS WITH MCCAIN & CRAIG! STAND UP FOR McCAIN & CRAIG!
PLEASE NOTE: I’ve booked Viguerie as my guest on Friday, 5/16 at 5pm PT (8pm ET) when I fill in to Guest Host on the syndicated Peter B. Collins Show during my normal weekly guest slot. For folks who had good questions above, please feel free to call in with them during tomorrow’s show if ya like to ask Viguerie about ’em live! 888-5-PeterB!
How do we know this isn’t a case of “too much, too little, too late”–especially when it emerges that the GOP’s probably consulting fortune-smellers and other weird and unwholesome types for electoral strategy as may (howbeit unwittingly) prove disastrous?
It’s not that they turned their backs on their constituency, think it through.
Who runs the media? Large corporate conglomerates!
Who profits from (offensive) defense spending? Large corporate conglomerates!
Who has profited from every single major piece of legislation over the last 2 decades? Large corporate conglomerates!
Corporate uber alles!
They have served their corporate constituency very well. They’ve merely lied quite successfully about who their constituency is.
Now, however, the genie is exiting the bottle. And no amount of media spin or blackout can put it back.
No amount of populace pandering legislation can put that genie back.
And, (hopefully), no military operation can defeat that genie.
Truth always wins out, and none but the most authoritarian follower types will be left to support their lies.
One huge battle remains, and that one is still up for grabs, for the corporate monster STILL controls the vote counting.
Hammering away at the lies with the mallets of justice and integrity have won the skirmishes, but don’t think for a moment that their corporate buddy’s machinations won’t be out in force in November.
Nothing short of an overwhelming anti-corporate voter turn out will win this war.
(Note, NOT anti republican/pro democrat, for their are PLENTY of unscrupulous corporate owned Dems out there too!)
Not only do the corrupted Republicans need to go, so too, where possible, does a significant message need to be sent out, in no uncertain terms, to the likes of the pandering Reid, Pelosi, Rockefeller and Feinstein.
Vote integrity, this November, not party. (although integrity does heavily favor the Dems)
There is no Republican party in America anymore. There’s the Democrats and the Fascists.
I used to be a Republican, btw, and just couldn’t do it anymore when it became apparent that the extreme right-wing fringe was taking it over. Hagee, Parsley, Hager, and all those other guys that got caught with hookers, or masseuses, or male interns, or whatever.
The GOP has been so thoroughly turned inside out, I think it’s possible it may not survive.
Mr. Viguerie fails to recognize that the present Republican leadership is the result and embodiment of the “conservative” revolution he helped to found. The vulture has come home to roost.
From the word go in 1994 when the Republicans occupied the chambers of Congress and the backrooms of K Street the sole operating “principle” was not the good of the nation but greed, raw and dripping with blood.
Scott Ritter
John Dean
Kevin Phillips
Barry Goldwater
and now Richard Viguire!
Anti Fascists Unite!
Mr. Vigurie is honest but wrong. The Republican leadership is totally loyal to core conservative principals. These principals actually consist of just one central goal and everything it takes to get there. That is the goal of further concentrating wealth and power in the hands of the super wealthy elite. Everything else – gay marraige, guns, god etc. are just distractions, lures to bring along the hayseeds. After all how else do you get the poor saps to vote against their economic interests. If you gave any random group of Republican leaders the level of power these assholes have had you would get the same result 100 times out of 100. This time the next Democratic President needs to bring them to justice. Bush, Cheney, Condi, Powell, Greenspan, Thomas, Sandra Day, Scalia, all of them. A fair trail, a conviction and execution by hanging. This is the prescription for traitors.
Sorry to sound glib on such a serious subject, but sometimes typos just tickle me:
Yes! Let’s give them a “fair trail” and then hang ’em!
Must be the heat… I’m seein’ the posse cowboys dragging a fresh trail to the hangin’ tree….
Thank you Ms. 99. Fair trial by jury of my peers before CONVICTION OF THESE TREASONOUS GREEDY 1% ELITE PARASITIC ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL LYING MURDEROUS CRIMINAL DESTRUCTORS. CLICK WATERBOARDING OK.
Bush and cheney best run like the molten metal found at all 3 collapsed WTT ‘s in the weeks after 9-11. Positively identified super thermate melted the steel required for the NY demolitions.
As is so often the case, Digby said it best:
http://tinyurl.com/5fryqu
Don’t ever let them pretend they didn’t say what they said. As Stephanie Miller often observes, we have recording devices.
Has he not heard of Ron Paul ?
Ron Paul is the only Candidate talking about
reversing everything and getting back to real conservatism. Even removing the IRS.
Totally. Zero income Tax.
Google Ron Paul.
I agree, Ron Paul is the only one who can save the republican party. Dr Paul has a true concern for the country. All these other clowns care about is money, power or they have allegiance to other countries.
Fooey, I say. Viguerie’s posing as an anti-Republican, much as McCain is still trying to pose as a maverick.
Who’s Viguerie going to support? OBAMA? Nah. He’s done his spouting and now he’ll go back to enabling. He’s playing the dissatisfied conservative for his OWN ENDS, never doubt that. As if!
Nice article. The arguement about whether Richard Viguerie is or isn’t a traitor enabler or a hypocrite seems kind of semantic. The point is that what he said is true. I’ve been blogging the same thing at my site. I don’t think the reasons he said it are as important as what he said. I’ve had the same ideas for a long time. Blaming everyone especially on the national level is counter productive. Sure I think leadership should be canned and quick. But who is going to do it? Think the leadership will or all their consultant companies that make up those syrupy condescending poll survey beg for money questionairs they spend fortunes on. We the people have to make the change. The time to make change is now, not after the election. Now is the time the term enabler is a bad thing, if we do nothing and help enable the status quo. I think Richard Viguerie gave the gun shot that might get things started. Newt shot a volley earlier. We have to get back to the real “bottom up” politics, not lip service, but at the precinct level we have to convince voters that they can trust conservative candidates again. We need leaders that will listen, that are honest. The people want to elect someone who will fix government not just claim lofty ideals. Republicans and Conservatives (WE) promised we didn’t deliver. Perhaps it would of been better if we would of died trying during the “Revolution” instead of slowly becoming this do nothing, change nothing, make things worse, condescending bickering mess we have become.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be a Conservative
Blog. http://conservativeinmuskegon.blogspot.com
Conservatism was always about power and greed. Goldwater wasn’t totally bat-shit crazy, but his ideas were ‘out of the mainstream’, to use a favorite wing-nut phrase. Buckley was smart and witty and charming and fun to watch and completely wrong.
The Ayn Rand cultists (Greenspan, anyone?) were no different than the Straussian neo-cons: ‘we are superior beings, we should be allowed to run the world.’ Of course, when they got the chance they made it work only for themselves, because the rubes don’t deserve more. It reminds me of John and Fanny Dashwood as they talk themselves out of helping his sisters.
I grew up in a town (Midland, MI) enamored of ‘conservative principles.’ It was a horrible place – racist, elitist, xenophobic and smug. Dow Chemical manufactured death all week and went to church on Sunday. Over the years I managed to wean my immediate family from the drug of conservatism (although my mom, God bless her, secretly voted for JFK) and we are all happier for it.
Powkat
I think a lot of Republicans like to point out that progressives are as vulnerable to the lure of smugness and elitism as anyone else, just maybe a little less honest about it. Everyone likes these drugs and they are dangerous.
I think the whole world would be happier right now if they hadn’t assassinated JFK for trying to bring that about.
I never thought I would agree with A repub. But mr. richard Viguerie is 100% right. When you have A u.s. pres. GWB, in Israel, attacking A sitting senator, barack obama. Having Mike Huckabee, saying( some one is pointing A gun at sen. Obama?) I guess huckabee is A lock now for the v.p. spot.Fryed squrriel for lunchat the w/house.
Cheney Not on Viguerie List!
Mr. Viguerie, would you speak to that?
My interview with Viguerie on Friday’s Peter B. Collins show can now be listened to online here.