THE GOP IS AN INTENSE PARTY OF 20 % OF CITIZENS

I imagine that the left is delighted at this trend.


RADICAL RIGHT
Conservatives At War With Themselves

After spending weeks arguing over talk radio host Rush Limbaugh's leadership role in the Republican Party earlier this year, tensions within the GOP and the wider conservative movement are escalating again. This month, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) sharply criticized Fox News' radical right-wing host Glenn Beck, saying that "only in America can you make that much money crying," and Beck is "aligned with cynicism" (criticism which Beck described as a "badge of honor"). Graham later argued that the Fox News host "doesn't represent the Republican Party," and in front of a group of fired-up tea party activists (who are now also fighting amongst themselves), the South Carolina senator said bluntly, "We're not going to be the party of angry white guys." Soon after, Beck lashed out at Graham. "You gotta ask yourself, is the problem the angry white guys or is it the Obama-lite guys?" Beck said referring to Graham. "I think I'm going to stick with the angry people over there. Because they're only angry about you,&qu ot; Beck exclaimed. But the backlash against Beck from the conservative establishment has begun to boil over. On Sunday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich expressed concern with the latest Weekly Standard cover that identifies Limbaugh, Beck, and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin as the faces of the GOP. "You know, you can have a very, very intense movement of 20 percent," Gingrich argued, referring to their respective bases of support, adding, "[but] you can't govern." Indeed, Gingrich has been making the very same arguments in a new intramural dispute over which conservative candidate to support in New York's 23rd Congressional District special election coming up next month -- a dispute that has split various factions within the conservative movement.

THE OLD PARTY: President Obama forced a special election in New York's traditionally Republican 23rd when he named the district's incumbent, Republican John McHugh, as his Army secretary. The local Republican Party nominated State Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, who has since drawn a challenger from the right, Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman. Scozzafava backs abortion rights and has "broken with the Republican conference...on high-profile issues such as same-sex marriage, greenhouse gas emissions, sex education in schools and gender identity discrimination." The race "has put two former House GOP leaders on different sides, the NRA against the Club For Growth...the House GOP leadership against its own back-benches," and "purist" versus "big tent" Republicans. Gingrich, who has taken "considerable heat" from right-wing activists for supporting Scozzafava, defended his approach as a means to rebuild the GOP. "I just think it is a mistake for the Conservative movement, to think splitting in the special elections is a smart idea, if we give that seat to the Democrats, shame on us," he said. Gingrich also lashed out at his critics. "If some people in the Republican Party want to go around the country purging everyone they disagree with, they're going to rapidly make this a minority party for a generation." He also accused Hoffman backers of trying to "impose national values on a local race." The NRA backs Scozzafava for her solid support of gun rights, and the House GOP leadership -- including Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), and NRCC chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX) -- have donated to her campaign. Rep. Peter King (R-NY) lashed out at Hoffman's base of support. "A vote for either of her opponents is a vote for Nancy Pelosi and her far-left, radical agenda."

THE TEA PARTY: At the same time, Hoffman -- who is in a competitive race with Scozzafava and the Democratic candidate Bill Owens -- has garnered considerable support among activists, right-wing bloggers, and more far right Republicans. Former House Majority Leader (and de facto tea party movement leader) Dick Army called Hoffman the "real Republican" in the race, while former Alaska governor Sarah Palin made a purist argument in offering support for the Conservative Party candidate. "Unfortunately, the Republican Party today has decided to choose a candidate that more than blurs the lines, and there is no real difference between the Democrat and the Republican in this race," she said. Other high profile conservatives such as the Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol, former senator Rick Santorum, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Steve Forbes, and former senator Fred Thompson have all said they support Hoffman's candidacy. Just yesterday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) endorsed Hoffman, again making the purist argument. "We cannot send more politicians to Washington who wear the Republican jersey on the campaign trail, but then vote like Democrats in Congress on issues like card check and taxes," he said in a statement. Hoffman has also been endorsed by the Club for Growth, Concerned Women of America, and evangelical leader Gary Bauer. Even House Republican Conference chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) -- who recently dismissed the notion that pundits like Limbaugh and Beck "only speak for a small group of activists" -- has refused to endorse Scozzafava.

ATTACKS ON GINGRICH: Last night on his Fox News program, Beck attacked Gingrich for supporting Scozzafava. "Now they have a true conservative candidate with major firepower behind him that they can fully support," Beck said of Hoffman, adding, "Only problem, the GOP continues to back the Obama-lite Republican." After airing a clip of Gingrich saying, "My bias is to be voting for the nominee of the local party because I don't want to second-guess the local party," Beck lashed out. "Well, I do, I do. I couldn't disagree more with you on this one. You don't defer to the party because they think she has the best chance to win. You vote for a person you agree with most, not on all things, the one you say OK and it doesn't matter what party they're in," Beck complained. He then cried out, "How can you sleep after voting for the ACORN-supported and accepted candidate? It's ACORN, for the love of Pete!" "Gingrich does this all the time," Club for Growth Executive Director David Keating said. "He does whatever the party committee asks him to." Keating added that Gingrich "likes to cultivate this image of being an innovator and a thinker and so on, and then he endorses the most tired, worn-out, special interest-genuflecting candidate you can possibly find." Last night on Fox News, Gingrich shot back at his critics. "I just find it fascinating that my many friends who claim to be against Washington having too much power, they claim to be in favor of the 10th Amendment giving states back their rights, they claim to favor local control and local authority, now they suddenly get local control and local authority in upstate New York, they don't like the outcome," ; Gingrich said.

-- americanprogressaction.org