RNCDebate.org - RPRs vs. Ruffini (MichelleMalkin.com)

[Lucille]

Malkin - The GOP’s Grover Norquist problem

GOP insiders and party activists are excited about today’s RNC chairman debate hosted by Grover Norquist and Americans for Tax Reform. Norquist will moderate the debate beginning at 1pm Eastern this afternoon at the National Press Club in Washington DC. The event will be broadcast on C-SPAN and streamed at RNCDebate.org. And lots of conservative Twitter users will be in attendance. Questions ostensibly will come from grass-roots conservatives, though a heated battle broke out between Ron Paul supporters who want to focus on policy and electoral-driven Beltway strategists like Patrick Ruffini who only want “good” questions that focus on strategy. Chastises Ruffini:

Whether it’s Ron Paul Republicans or movement conservatives or moderates, my message to all is one and the same: the RNC is not a policymaking body — nor should it be. It cannot make Republicans in Congress spend less, worthy a goal as that might be. The RNC’s job is to win elections — period. That means the RNC is made up of good political people — not policy wonks — who with all due respect, you wouldn’t want making policy.

All the candidates for RNC Chairman are good conservatives. RNC members should choose the one who will win elections. As I’ve written over the last few days, technology, strategy, and tactics are not the only things — and success in these areas is inextricably linked to having a Republican message “we can believe in.”

I’ve had my disagreements with Ron Paul supporters, but I see nothing wrong with their desire to grill RNC candidates on issues that matter to them. The RNC may not be a “policymaking body,” but its policy positions drive “strategy” and “tactics” and donor outreach efforts.

Michelle then proceeds to call Norquist part of the problem:

Some of us have not forgotten how Norquist made common cause with the left-wing zealots at People for the American Way in a forum bashing the Patriot Act — and how he forged even more dangerous alliances in the name of Muslim GOP outreach.

 

[MRoCkEd]

Stick to economics, Michelle. On personal liberty and foreign policy you suck.

 

[Lucille]

Here's more of the Ruffini post via NextRight:

Below the fold are the top 10 questions that are relevant to the job of RNC Chairman, including some Ron Paul questions and a question about the authenticity of our small government message. I will be voting all of these up and encourage you to do the same, regardless of whether you agree with the specific angle the questioner is taking. I will also be exercising my right to vote down any questions that are not relevant to the job of RNC Chairman, ensuring a 2 vote swing from irrelevant to relevant questions. I went through every question for about 10 pages to generate this list.

In light of the success of the Ron Paul presidential campaign attracting large numbers of young activists to the conservative cause, what specifically will you do to ensure they become Republicans?

Allahpundit gets his shots in:

Expect plenty of “big tent” rhetoric and emphasis on expanding the GOP’s presence online, with possible curveballs coming from the “Magic Negro” kerfuffle or one of the many user-generated questions submitted by the Paulnuts who are now monopolizing the site. Sample: “Will you add opposition to fiat money (including the Federal Reserve system) to the Republican platform?”

At least Ruffini and Malkin didn't insult us.

 

[Anti Federalist]

or one of the many user-generated questions submitted by the Paulnuts who are now monopolizing the site.

Oh, fuck these people.

I am really, and I mean REALLY, sick and fucking tired of "mainstream" republican thought shitting on us, over and over and over again.

And all the while the party goes down to crushing defeat after crushing defeat.

To see how badly this current crop of ham fisted fuck ups has damaged the republican "brand", one only needs to look at last November.

 

[Lucille]

Oh, fuck these people.

I am really, and I mean REALLY, sick and fucking tired of "mainstream" republican thought shitting on us, over and over and over again.

And all the while the party goes down to crushing defeat after crushing defeat.

To see how badly this current crop of ham fisted fuck ups has damaged the republican "brand", one only needs to look at last November.

I feel the same way. It just never f'n ends.

Those RedState a$$hats are still bashing and banning RPRs, even thought they said the site ban would only last until after the primaries (iirc).

HATE

 

[slacker921]

I'm watching the debate and they just asked the question about "smaller federal government" ... it's pretty obvious that the candidates read the questions and thought about them. Ken Blackwell did a good job on that question.. which means the odds of him going anywhere are about zero.

Also.. I bet they won't use my question because of my username. heheh..

oi... most of them are so far in denial it's not even funny. It's not looking good for the GOP...

 

[angelatc]

Stick to economics, Michelle. On personal liberty and foreign policy you suck.

She did not support John McCain. And she is sticking up for us against Patrick Ruffini.

Politics makes strange bedfellows. We don't need to let her touch us, just let her lie there sometimes.

 

[slacker921]

.. are there any Ron Paul supporters at the debate??

 

[angelatc]

....one of the many user-generated questions submitted by the Paulnuts who are now monopolizing the site.

That's just a neocon coughing up blood. We domainted fundraising, we dominate the internet, we were the most active GOPers. Taking the party wasn't ever going to be a cakewalk, but we can do it.

(Monopolizing the site - snicker! We rule!)

 

[MRoCkEd]

Seems like they aren't using any of the top questions at this debate.
At least the black guy in the middle had the guts to name George Bush as one of the worst republican presidents for opening the door to bigger gov't (like hoover).

 

[Primbs]

Mr. Ruffini was part of the problem in taking down the party.

 

[Zapem]

Stick to economics, Michelle. On personal liberty and foreign policy you suck.

Malkin is also one of the people who ridiculed the lawsuits against Barack Obama being Constitutionally eligible to run for POTUS.

When Ron Paul even agreed to the Constitutional problem with Obama, she decided to lump us all in with 9/11 Truth Conspirators. She's an idiot and I've lost any interest in her ramblings.

She knows nothing about law or politics. She's nothing more than a blogger with a journalist degree that pops her head into FOX news slots when they're lacking people to interview, imo.

 

[slacker921]

Seems like they aren't using any of the top questions at this debate.
At least the black guy in the middle had the guts to name George Bush as one of the worst republican presidents for opening the door to bigger gov't (like hoover).

+10.. that's Ken Blackwell... if I'd been in the crowd I'd have given him a standing ovation... the others were all pussies.


DANG! They're asking the "what will you do to keep the Ron Paul supporters" question...

 

[Primbs]

Maybe there will be change?

They have thought about Ron Paul alot to have these answers.

 

[dannno]

Wow, that is some terrible, awful doublespeak. Even MM can see it.

 

[slacker921]

they skipped over the Federal Reserve questions though.. ah well. Bet there won't be any questions about getting the US out of the Middle East either.

There were some good responses to the "include Paul supporters" question.

 

[Lucille]

I dropped by RedState to see what they had to say.

Inclusive and welcoming, as always:

As you are probably aware, Americans for Tax Reform is having a debate tomorrow for the candidates for RNC Chairman. Individuals can vote for the best questions to be asked.

Paultards have gone into the ATR website to disrupt the process. And it is very clear that they have absolutely no freaking clue what the RNC Chairman actually does; they’re asking a bunch of irrelevant hoo-hah. Let’s take action.

Below are the questions Patrick Ruffini and I agree are very relevant to the debate.

1. Please register at the website then vote for the questions below.

2. Clicking the names of the people in this email will take you to their questions.

3. Vote for each of these questions.

4. Vote down any questions that reference Ron Paul, the Federal Reserve, the Gold Standard, Austrian economists, crazy ass conspiracy theories, the Illuminati, the Zionist conspiracy to make Ron Paul incontinent, etc. [NOTE to the Paultards: none of those questions is relevant to the RNC Chairman's race except for the couple listed below the fold here.]

Let’s mobilize.

Clicking the names of the people below will take you to their questions to be voted on.

In light of the success of the Ron Paul presidential campaign attracting large numbers of young activists to the conservative cause, what specifically will you do to ensure they become Republicans?

– Jon Seehusen

Bailouts, senior prescriptions, No Child Federal school governance…Please explain how the GOP-brand effectively stands for “smaller, less intrusive government” today, and your plans to restore that brand.

– BrianB

Having been a lifelong Republican for over 30 years, and having participated since the last election cycle at the precinct committee officer level of Republican party politics I am gravely concerned that the Republican Party is soley interested in running candidates who have paid their dues, so to speak, instead of supporting/running the right candidate for the right moment running on the right issues/message at the right location, i.e candidates who can win races. …

– Blonduxo (goes on to be a Ron Paul question, but these concerns are very valid)

While many people in the party have spoken about the importance of young voters, few have offered concrete plans on how to work from within the RNC to attract young voters back to our party. What, specifically, would you do to make the Republican Party an attractive option for voters 18-29 years old? Please include any ideas you have for specific programs, policy initiatives, or organizational restructurings you would commit to as RNC Chairman.

– Charlie Smith...

NOTE to Erick Erickson: FU

Reading the comments in the thread now. HATE

Commenters Jim and profg, I like.

 

[Sandra]

It's the end of Michelle Malkin, she has no relevance, just another blogger.

 

[PhantomSTi]

Wow, I shouldn't be as shocked as I am from a site like RedState.. But, seriously those people just don't get it. Every time I see something from that site quoted on this site all I hear is this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW4jQw9lLzs).

The Neocons are becoming the minority, everyone I know that is a Republican (that is not very active in politics) have agreed on me with everything that I've said about limiting the size of Government and also teaching them about the cancerous system the Federal Reserve is, all I am echoing is Ron Paul's platform.. I then tell them I'm a Ron Paul supporter and they are literally awe struck. Not a lot of people have even heard of him, and the people that did hear about him during the Primaries (me telling them about him) didn't ever get to hear his platform because within the debates he either got no time, or he was blackballed by the ridiculous questions asked.

Comments from those RedState douche canoes only ENERGIZE me to spread the truth even further, thanks guys you just pour more gasoline on the fire.

 

[Lucille]

Wow, I shouldn't be as shocked as I am from a site like RedState.. But, seriously those people just don't get it. Every time I see something from that site quoted on this site all I hear is this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW4jQw9lLzs).

The Neocons are becoming the minority, everyone I know that is a Republican (that is not very active in politics) have agreed on me with everything that I've said about limiting the size of Government and also teaching them about the cancerous system the Federal Reserve is, all I am echoing is Ron Paul's platform.. I then tell them I'm a Ron Paul supporter and they are literally awe struck. Not a lot of people have even heard of him, and the people that did hear about him during the Primaries (me telling them about him) didn't ever get to hear his platform because within the debates he either got no time, or he was blackballed by the ridiculous questions asked.

Comments from those RedState douche canoes only ENERGIZE me to spread the truth even further, thanks guys you just pour more gasoline on the fire.

That video was hysterical!

RedState sux, and their new format is a joke. It's as slow as molasses, the look is off-puttingly boring, and the Recommended Diaries have been the same for like a month.