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Bill Kristol is kidding, right?

November 02, 2009 10:22 am ET by Jamison Foser

Washington Post columnist Bill Kristol on the split in the GOP:

Now, obviously, there are times when divisions in parties can be damaging. But what's happening in the GOP right now looks to me more like healthy turmoil than destructive recklessness, more like vigorous competition than bitter fratricide. It could get out of hand. But for now, the ideas are more Reaganite than Buchananite, and the spirit more problem-solving populism than demonizing demagoguery.

Wait, what?  A significant portion of the GOP has spent the past year yelling about the president's birth certificate and death panels and death books and the like ... and Bill Kristol says the "spirit" on the Right is "more problem-solving populism than demonizing demagoguery."  

I'd hate to see what this guy considers "demonizing demagoguery."

Just this past weekend, the Republican candidate in a special congressional election dropped out of the race and endorsed her Democratic opponent rather than the Conservative Party nominee -- a nominee who had called her "the Bernie Madoff of New York politics."

Yeah, nothing "demonizing" there.  And that's how Republicans are treating each other lately.

Tags: The Washington Post, William Kristol

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    • Author by IRONY 101 (November 02, 2009 10:32 am ET)
      6  
      Yea, Bill...you keep pushing Sarah Palin's career and the Republican Party will be the minority party for years to come.

      Your ego prevents you from seeing the damage you and fellow neoconservatives have caused the Republican Party. But that's okay, you and Sarah Palin will still draw a paycheck anyway...and that's what really matters, isn't it?
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    • Author by epkklk851 (November 02, 2009 12:00 pm ET)
      1  
      Right, it's always healthy to have party heavy hitters bringing in and backing a ringer over a local, involved candidate who is then forced by cirmcumstances to bow out and endorse the opposition party candidate because she felt betrayed by her own party. This district has been Republican for about 140 years, and they decided to risk that because she wasn't Conservative enough? What about personal freedom? What about the Big Tent Party? What about local choice? For a party that has been spending so much time talking about freedom and responsibility, what about the people of New York's 23rd. Where are their rights and their voice in this?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by princeofwheels (November 02, 2009 12:08 pm ET)
      2  
      GOP....R.I.P.
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    • Author by DellDolly (November 02, 2009 12:46 pm ET)
      2  
      I hope this division really hurts them.

      The guy they're now backing is so bad it's silly. He doesn't live in the district (not a requirement, but it'd be nice), he doesn't know anything about local issues (the reason we have a House of Representatives is so that we get representatives who will know about local issues, after all!), and he is a lousy candidate. He was interviewed by the largest paper in the area, in Watertown, where the great big Army base is, Fort Drum, and he didn't know how to answer any of the questions they posed. Then he complained about not being prepared, like it was the newspaper's fault. Turns out, the newspaper had written an editorial telling him what questions they would ask him, but he was too ill-informed about reality to even think to look in the newspaper before he went to an interview with the editors of that newspaper.

      How inept could he be?

      I guess inept enough that Bill Kristol is happy with him!
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    • Author by rwmacdonald2091 (November 02, 2009 12:59 pm ET)
      3  
      Can anyone here tell me when Bill Kristol has ever been right about anything?
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      • Author by political_left-religious_right (November 02, 2009 1:36 pm ET)
        1  
        Sure! It was in his first sentence:

        Now, obviously, there are times when divisions in parties can be damaging.


        Of course, when he says anything specific and not already known by 99% of the populace, and that turns out to be correct, that will indeed be a milestone.
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        • Author by bilbo_dies (November 02, 2009 2:09 pm ET)
          1  
          Well, he isn't totally off base. Having a vigorous debate about which direction the party should head in (keep going the way we are or turn around and head back towards reality) should be good for any political party.

          I think the problem with the Repubs, currently, is that the crazies (define them as you must) are running a scortched earth policy, and that any moderates are expected to toe the conservative line or get out. It really doesn't matter that reality may not work the way they want, or that the PEOPLE who actually vote, may not parrot their views, it is what they want that is important.

          You can see it on Kristol's face anytime Juan Willians points out the black hole of reality in Kristol's view point. (doesn't happen much but; it does happen) I think if Bill had a gun he would pull it and use it, well, except that he would get his hands dirty.
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        • Author by west0605 (November 05, 2009 3:04 am ET)
             
          and unfortunately Republicans feel so backed against the wall after the Obama election theyve become as fragmented as the left is typically. There are always two reasons the right can win: 1) they have a clear message and a party line, and 2) they are in line with a majority of Americans on non-social issues. Both are in jeopardy now. Looks like we Republicans could use our version of Clinton in the next election.
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