The second phase of this Republican renewal plan is arguably more important than the first. The Party must design and implement an effective media strategy, in order to trumpet the new message. Recent history teaches us that largely correct policy fails in the marketplace of ideas when employed by ministers who cannot articulate goals, values, and grand strategy. This new Republican offensive must relentlessly characterize the ideas behind the rhetoric. They must concentrate on the oft-maligned “mainstream media”, that is the Broadcast and Cable networks, along with the important daily newspapers and the major weekly news magazines. Certainly, a Republican project must also target the alternative media like talk radio, the opinion e- journals, and the weblogs. Finally, the Party should take a page from the Clinton playbook and issue an avalanche of e-mail messages and FAXES, on a daily basis if necessary, to keep the public informed and poised for the next step in the continuing offensive.
Therein lies a potential Republican political strategy. What are the chances that this strategy could succeed? In the current climate, with the Republican Party teeming with accommodationists and opportunists, not to mention the RINOS (Republicans In Name Only) the chance that an avowedly conservative opposition strategy would succeed is a questionable proposition. Still, the conservative opposition led by the likes of John Shadegg, Mike Pence, and Eric Cantor might just make this work. If they do they can thank Robert Taft and his famous epigram that “The duty of the opposition Party is to oppose…” for a roadmap and a historical precedent.