RNC

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Steele Will Head RNC
 Steele Will Head RNC 

Steele Will Head RNC

(Newser) - Michael Steele emerged from a grueling contest today to become the first African-American chairman of the Republican National Committee, Politico reports. The six-ballot process, the most drawn-out in years, ended in the rare election of a non-member. “This is awesome,” the former Maryland lieutenant governor said, drawing a...

GOP Struggles (and Twitters) to Close Tech Gap

Candidates competing for chairman brag of networking chops

(Newser) - With the Republican National Committee voting for a new chairman today, the candidates have been busy competing not on ideological grounds but on who has more Facebook friends, and who's more adept at Twittering, the Wall Street Journal reports. In rebuilding the party, one strategist declared the top priority to...

McConnell Tells GOP to Shape Up, End Bush 'Drag'

(Newser) - The top Senate Republican warned today that the GOP risks remaining out of power in the White House and Congress unless it better explains its core principles to woo one-time faithful and new loyalists. Mitch McConnell spoke to party activists gathered in Washington to elect a new national chairman tomorrow,...

Competition to Lead GOP 'Dirtiest Ever'

Anonymous e-mails accuse candidates of racism, incompetence

(Newser) - Things have gotten ugly in the race to chair the Republican National Committee, in which a vote is due tomorrow. Anonymous e-mails have thrown some hard elbows, the Washington Times reports—one this week featured a mock-up USA Today front page reading, “RNC members choose ‘whites only’ chairman,...

At RNC, Change Means Bashing Bush

Former loyalists lash out at ex-president in race for new chairman

(Newser) - In deciding on a new chairman, Republican National Committee members are wrestling with ambivalence about George W. Bush, the Washington Post reports. Incumbent Mike Duncan, appointed by the former president, faces something of a backlash. Duncan “never criticized Bush when the president was wrong,” says one member. “...

Palin's Pricey Duds Wind Up in Trash Bags

(Newser) - As promised, Sarah Palin turned her expensive campaign outfits over to the RNC, but the costly threads haven't gone to charity, reports the conservative New Majority website—they're in trash bags at RNC headquarters. A committee spokesman says the $180,000 wardrobe is being "inventoried and will be appropriately...

36 Years After Roe, Obama Affirms Support for Choice

Thousands protest on anniversary of landmark abortion ruling

(Newser) - President Obama acknowledged the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade today by reaffirming his support for the abortion rights that ruling secured, CBS reports. “I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose,” Obama said in a statement, adding that, regardless of political persuasion, reducing unwanted...

RNC Candidates Must Measure Up to Dems' Kaine
RNC Candidates Must Measure Up to Dems' Kaine
analysis

RNC Candidates Must Measure Up to Dems' Kaine

Candidates look lightweight compared to Va. guv, DNC chair

(Newser) - Since Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine took over the Democratic National Committee last week, Republicans—in the midst of choosing Kaine’s RNC counterpart—are concerned that their contenders aren’t quite in Kaine’s weight class, reports Politico. Imagining the inevitable on-air debates, one Republican stresses the importance of choosing...

Blackwell Calls Homosexuality a 'Compulsion'

Would-be RNC chair says gays can just say no to rogue urges

(Newser) - Another candidate for the position of Republican National Committee chair may have put his foot in his mouth: Ken Blackwell, the former Ohio secretary of state, told gay radio host Michelangelo Signoreli that gays and lesbians suffer from a “compulsion” that they “can choose to restrain.” Blackwell...

At a Crossroads, Split RNC Has Diverse Choices

Two of 6 candidates are black; may offer needed image change

(Newser) - Having lost the presidency to a Democratic party making new demographic inroads, the GOP faces a revealing choice about whether to elect a black party chairman, reports the New York Times. As Republicans try to rebuild in the wake of the election, two black candidates, in a pool of six,...

Want to Lead the GOP? Name- Drop Reagan
Want to Lead the GOP? Name- Drop Reagan
OPINION

Want to Lead the GOP? Name- Drop Reagan

Would-be RNC chairs bash forlorn party, wax poetic about the '80s

(Newser) - Asked to name their favorite Republican president, the six men vying to chair the RNC delivered a unanimous verdict: Lincoln, Schmincoln—bring back the Gipper of yore, said they. At a debate yesterday, the would-be chairmen labored mightily to top each others’ love of Reagan, Dana Milbank writes in the...

'Magic Negro' Flap May Help GOP Pol
'Magic Negro' Flap May Help GOP Pol

'Magic Negro' Flap May Help GOP Pol

RNC members rally against outrage over tasteless satire

(Newser) - When a conservative politician is called racist, expect a backlash. The fracas over Chip Saltsman’s distribution of the song “Barack the Magic Negro” in his campaign to be Republican National Committee chairman has, as per usual, caused compatriots to flock to his defense, Politico reports, and may actually...

RNC Chief 'Appalled' by Rival's Use of 'Magic Negro'

Duncan slams rival for distributing song

(Newser) - The Republican National Committee’s chairman has scolded a potential successor for distributing a song entitled “Barack the Magic Negro,” Politico reports. “I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate," said Mike Duncan, who is vying for re-election to his post. He...

RNC Hopeful Sends Out 'Barack the Magic Negro'

Saltsman puts Obama song on holiday CD

(Newser) - A candidate for chair of the Republican National Committee has included a song called “Barack the Magic Negro” in a Christmas mailing, the Hill reports. Chip Saltsman said, “RNC members have the good humor and good sense to recognize” that the song, written by Paul Shanklin and sung...

RNC Chief: GOP Needs Better Ideas

Private memo outlines stark assessment of party's current state

(Newser) - Republican National Committee chief Mike Duncan laments the sorry state of the GOP in a private memo to committee members obtained by TPM Election Central. The memo, written to explain the creation of the new "Center for Republican Renewal" think-tank, acknowledges that the party has too often put politics...

The Contenders for RNC Chair
 The Contenders for RNC Chair 

The Contenders for RNC Chair

In a "very, very, sleepy" race...

(Newser) - A largely thankless job running a down-and-out party—no wonder these guys are fighting tooth-and-nail. Politico handicaps the candidates for Republican National Committee chair:
  • Mike Duncan: The current RNC chair’s record is mixed. Despite his prolific fundraising, he presided over both the 2008 disaster and the mini-rebound the party
...

McCain 'Can't Promise' to Support Palin for Prez

Tells ABC his 'corpse is still warm,' and there are other 'great governors'

(Newser) - John McCain can't guarantee that he would back his own vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin if she ran for president in 2012, he conceded in a surprisingly weak show of support on ABC's This Week. McCain praised Palin, but repeatedly ducked questions about backing her in a future...

GOP Video Spotlights Obama-Blago Ties

(Newser) - Republicans posted a video today that questions Barack Obama’s old links to Rod Blagojevich, Politico reports. Titled "Questions Remain," it urges Obama to reveal contacts between his team and the scandal-plagued governor. The video shows that Obama advised Blago in his 2002 campaign, and endorsed Blago's...

Obama Appointments Leave Little for GOP to Knock

Foreign-policy, economics teams peppered with respected, relatively conservative appointees

(Newser) - Barack Obama’s Cabinet picks leave Republicans with few lines of attack, Politico reports. In contrast to campaign rhetoric that painted Obama as a radical leftist, the retention of Robert Gates and selection of McCain buddy Jim Jones has won praise from GOP stalwarts. Karl Rove himself said Obama’s...

GOP Hopeful Belonged to Whites-Only Country Club
GOP Hopeful Belonged to Whites-Only Country Club
ANALYSIS

GOP Hopeful Belonged to Whites-Only Country Club

Katon Dawson, candidate for RNC chair, resigned from SC club this summer

(Newser) - One of the candidates for chairman of the Republican National Committee belonged for more than a decade to a whites-only country club, Greg Sargent notes on Talking Points Memo. Katon Dawson, chairman of South Carolina’s Republican Party, resigned from the club in September as he was preparing to run...

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