There is a cyclone of analysis happening in the aftermath of the 2008 elections as to the status of the Republican Party. The old strategy of low taxes and small government is being crucified as a message that no longer excites voters. That is flat wrong. The party’s problems are more with the messengers than with the message.
While it’s possible to commend President Bush for a job well done in certain aspects, it is very difficult to say he has been a good communicator. Senator McCain was certainly no match for Senator Obama. Republicans now need to install new leaders in Congress who can convey a clear message. Additionally, the new chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) has to be more than a technician. That person must be a skilled communicator. The clear choice is Michael Steele.
I first met Mr. Steele during his bid to the U.S. Senate (Maryland) in 2006. Seven minutes into our breakfast, I abruptly stopped him. I made the point that he was an outstanding candidate. This was because he was able to plainly and clearly enunciate policies that Republicans believe in and do it with a positive tone. Usually when meeting a politician, one can discover communication skills in short order. Mr. Steele has an innate, unpretentious appeal that the new party leader must display. Some might call it charisma – the point is he is just plain likeable. If you disagree with what he says, you will still come away with positive feelings about the message.
More importantly, he knows how to run a political organization. He has done so in the state of Maryland at the county level and as State Chairman. His successful organization of Maryland allowed Republicans to win the Governorship for the first time in forty years. He knows how to win in a blue state which is an asset necessary in the party’s national chairman.
Mr. Steele understands that a fifty-state operation must exist where candidates are recruited that can win in the districts in which they are running. Not every candidate will be ideologically pure, but they will support the core Republican principles and help to put Republicans in seats of power. You get those strong local candidates by building at the city council, school district and state assembly level. Those are the building blocks of a winning party. The Republicans may have taken a pummeling on the national level in 2008, but the losses at state levels were relatively low, and there were some strong victories in certain states. The national leadership needs to draw from that bench to enlist the best candidates to make significant inroads in the House and Senate in 2010 which should be a favorable year for Republicans.