Photo credit: curatorialcuriosities.wordpress.com
If the GOP is
still the party of the big tent, New Jersey Gov. Chris
Christie needs to check the roof over his section for a gaping
hole.
Over the past few days, Republican
establishment leaders have rained down on Mr. Christie with
a barrage of opinions — sometimes contradictory — in response to the
media-driven fury over the closing of lanes on a New Jersey bridge that has put Mr. Christie’s
2016 presidential ambitions at risk.
Some party leaders have suggested
“Bridgegate” is a small-potatoes scandal unworthy of attention, or pleaded to
give Mr. Christie the
benefit of the doubt. Others have shown far less sympathy, suggesting that the
New Jersey governor should own a controversy that emanates from his own
smashmouth political style.
. . .
Even former President George W. Bush’s
chief political adviser, Karl Rove, the
last Republican strategist to forge a winning
coalition
for the White House,
has gotten crossways with a vocal wing of the party by suggesting that Mr. Christie may
have earned some “street cred” last week with the tea party by quickly firing
the aides responsible for the lane closures and resulting traffic tie-ups.
coalition
for the White House,
has gotten crossways with a vocal wing of the party by suggesting that Mr. Christie may
have earned some “street cred” last week with the tea party by quickly firing
the aides responsible for the lane closures and resulting traffic tie-ups.
Tea party folks
shot back by suggesting that Mr. Rove and Mr. Christie may
both be out of touch.
“Rove’s statement
shows, as he [has] shown in the last election cycle, he has no idea what he is
talking about when it comes to the tea party or
elections,” said Cleveland Tea
Party founder Ralph King.
“The firing of [Mr. Christie‘s]
top aides was not enough to hide his RINO [Republican in name only] horn, and
it is laughable at best for Rove to think
this earned Christie any
‘street cred’ with the tea party movement.”
Political scandals can be
galvanizing, getting party members to rally behind figures they think are
unfairly accused or to abandon unsalvageable targets quickly. But the GOP has
been unable to do either with Mr. Christie.
Mixed messages
Republicans’ wildly varied
responses suggest party leaders are far apart on who should be the next face of
the party or
even what terms the next elections should be fought on. Is it pragmatic
politics or ideology that will beat the Democrats the next time?
Right now, the answer depends on
whom one asks.
That is, whether you ask conservative value voters OR the go-along get-along elite GOPs.
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