In the Bargain, Richard Viguerie Wins a Rare, But Much Coveted BRAD BLOG 'Intellectually Honest Conservative Award'...
By Brad Friedman on 5/15/2008, 9:35am PT  

[UPDATE: Viguerie joined me as my guest on Friday, 5/16 at 5pm PT when I filled in as Guest Host on the syndicated Peter B. Collins Show during my normal weekly guest slot. You can now listen to that interview online here. - BF]

Another winner for The BRAD BLOG's rarely bestowed, but much sought after "Intellectually Honest Conservative Award."

Today's winner (in actuality, this year's winner, seeing as it's been a pretty dim year so far), conservative icon and author Richard Viguerie, who yesterday called at the "Ultimate John McCain" website for the entire Republican Leadership, from George W. Bush on down, to "resign immediately."

He charges "disaster is looming" following the Republican loss of the third previously "safe" U.S. House seat in a row on Tuesday, in Mississippi's special election where Bush reportedly defeated Kerry 62% to 37% in 2004. AP announced the Democratic candidate Travis Childers the winner of the MS-01 race, in the heart of the "solid South" by a remarkable 54% to 46% thumpin'.

In its wake, Viguerie names names, and declares the entirety of the GOP leadership has "failed --- or outright betrayed --- the conservative voters who put them in their positions...The hard work of the last 50 years by millions of conservative campaign workers, donors, candidates, writers, intellectuals, and activists has been trashed."

"The conservative movement has been set back 10-20 years – possibly even permanently," pens the man once referred to as the conservative "funding father" and creator of political direct mail fundraising. The "party Establishment...has brought the party down," he writes, adding "the party must clean house. The party leadership should resign immediately."

He goes on to say Republican leaders have "nothing" to offer Republican voters and are motivated by "nothing except a craving for power," before concluding with a direct command to the GOP Leadership: "You turned against the principles you once espoused – conservative principles – and, in turn, conservatives and the American people have turned against you. Things will not get better until you accept responsibility, and resign...You have stayed too long. For the future of the Republican Party, for America and the cause of freedom: Go!"

Ouch. Extended, must-read excerpts from his blistering --- and we mean blistering --- rebuke of those who have hijacked his party, follow below...

Republican leaders in the White House, the Congress, and the Republican National Committee and its affiliates, along with most Republican leaders at the state level, have failed – or outright betrayed – the conservative voters who put them in their positions.

The result is that the party’s “brand” has become a negative, to an extent greater than in the Watergate era, perhaps worse than in the days of Herbert Hoover.
...
[I]n recent special elections, the party lost longheld congressional seats in Illinois, in Louisiana, and, yesterday, in Mississippi – all in districts carried overwhelmingly by President Bush. A single election can be a fluke, but when Republicans lose three seemingly safe seats in a row, disaster is looming.

The hard work of the last 50 years by millions of conservative campaign workers, donors, candidates, writers, intellectuals, and activists has been trashed. The conservative movement has been set back 10-20 years – possibly even permanently – by politicians consumed by power, including but certainly not limited to Denny Hastert, Tom DeLay, John Boehner, Roy Blunt, Mitch McConnell, Trent Lott, George W. Bush, Karl Rove, party chairman Mike Duncan, and their friends.

Some deserve more of the blame than others, but they are all part of a party Establishment that has brought the party down.

For things to change, for conservatives to be justified in giving our contributions, our volunteer efforts, our energy, and votes to the GOP, the party must clean house. The party leadership should resign immediately.

And in a last, fiercely stinging parting shot, Viguerie writes...

The Democrats have firm principled beliefs. What motivates most Republican leaders? Nothing except a craving for power. What do Republicans offer voters? Nothing except “Elect us because we’re not Democrats.”

To Republican leaders, I say: You turned against the principles you once espoused – conservative principles – and, in turn, conservatives and the American people have turned against you. Things will not get better until you accept responsibility, and resign.

You have stayed too long. For the future of the Republican Party, for America and the cause of freedom: Go!

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Article Categories: Accountability, Intellectually Honest Conservative Award, Republicans