Today’s version of Republican insiders who are concerned about the tone:
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Thursday that he was concerned that Republican stances on social issues would alienate voters and make “the party look like it isn’t a modern party.”
Giuliani added that he was “absolutely” sure that the GOP’s stance on issues like abortion and contraception could open it to the risk of a rising third party.
“I’m concerned about how do we get back the Northeast as a voting bloc when we seem to be not modern enough on social [issues],” Giuliani said to CNN.
The former mayor went on to say the issue of gay rights, in particular, could be increasingly difficult to justify.
“I think the biggest problem right now, I think abortion you can work out … but I think the gay rights issue is a more current one right now. I think beyond all the religious and social parts, it makes the party look like it isn’t a modern party, it doesn’t understand the modern world we live in,” Giuliani said.
And:
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Thursday that he found it “troubling” that the 2012 presidential candidates are “appealing to people’s fears and emotion” on the campaign trail, according to reports.
Bush expressed concern about the type of rhetoric the candidates were using, but didn’t offer specifics or mention names.
“I used to be a conservative, and I watch these debates and I’m wondering, I don’t think I’ve changed, but it’s a little troubling sometimes when people are appealing to people’s fears and emotion rather than trying to get them to look over the horizon for a broader perspective, and that’s kind of where we are,” said Bush, according to Fox News.
“I think it changes when we get to the general election. I hope,” he added, according to wire service UPI.
Yeah, when these two men are basically looking for the exits, you know the GOP has jumped the shark. Or, in Santorum’s case, they’ve jumped the Sacred Sperm Whale.
“A noun, a verb and 9/11” is concerned about the tone?
Well, basically the situation is that you’ve got somewhere between a quarter and a third of the electorate who won’t even think about voting for you unless you tell the other two thirds to three quarters to go fuck themselves. If you’re a Democrat you have the luxury of just writing off the Tea Party, but if you’re a Republican you’re stuck with them.
“I used to be a conservative…” said Bush
What is he now, then?
I think he was shooting for some version of “I haven’t left the Republican party; the Republican party has left me.” Yeah, whatever . . .
Wahat is he now?
A politician aspiring to higher office.
Much higher.
Sibling rivalry and all that. Imagine growing up with a knucklehead bully like George W. as your older brother.
EWWWWW!!!!
He just wants to get even.
AG
Shorter Rudy and Jeb: “I’m available for a draft”
Don’t know about Jeb but Rudy is probably going to be waiting for a long time.
The only draft Rudy will be feeling is the one that he feels as he is shown the door.
How many times can he fail?
No matter how many that may be, it will never be enough for me. Not as far as this New Yorker is concerned. I didn’t like him before he climbed on top of the 9/11 dead to promote himself. And then? There he was, in a commandeered apartment overlooking the killing grounds, humping his mistress while he watched the action out of the window and phoning Bernie Kerik to whoop it up and put together some more power scams.
A political ghoul.
The lowest of the low.
AG
I liked the episode in which he fired the highly-successful, accomplished police chief because he got too much good press, and tried to get the force to be less abrasive with the public.
That was special.
Second take:
BooMan got it backwards. Jeb and Rudy aren’t looking for Exits, they are looking for Entrances.
So not only was the speech overshadowed by the empty stadium seats, but he ends it with this?? I mean dude should never go off script.
Ann Romney Drives ‘a Couple of Cadillacs,’ Says Mitt
Wow.
Ok, Rudy Giuliani, the former cross dressing mayor of New York, I can understand, but Jeb Bush? That’s sobering. . .
The Establishment knows that they went too far. Their followers believed their BS, and are now voting policy over party. To allow that to continue would be disastrous for the GOP. So they let this year’s crop of candidates represent those insane policies, and when they lose, the Establishment has an excuse to cut them out of the party. Statements like these make Jeb and Rudy sound sane and reasonable, which will serve them well when they run in ’16.