There is nothing like watching the extravagant implosion of one’s enemies.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, is going up in smoke, Bern-ing away (yes, you read that right!). Some Democrats want her out. The Bernie Sanders supporters want her to pound sand. For all the trash-talk about a Republican clown car, the Democratic Party is a hideous car wreck on the side of the road. The news is spreading fast and everyone is rubber-necking as they drive by. A socialist Independent-turned-Democrat is turning the Democratic Party inside out, exposing its corrupt core. Sanders called for her smoldering ouster, and the rank and file are lining up behind him.
Schultz, however, has been self-immolating for years. The powers that exist to prop up the DNC have worked overtime, and failed nonetheless. The lame-stream media has propped up Little Debbie all this time, but vigorously attacked RNC Chairman Reince Priebus every time he opened his mouth. And speaking of mouth, Wasserman Schutlz should have shut hers a long time ago. She once told her colleagues to stop calling the Affordable Care Act “Obamacare.” Makes sense, since Obama never really cared about the American people or our healthcare in passing that terrible law.
She has frequently thrown firebombs at Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, too. When he signed into law the unprecedented Act 10 collective bargaining reforms, Wasserman Schultz smirked that Walker had “awakened a sleeping giant.” She was thinking of Big Labor, but should have considered We the People. While Walker was campaigning for a successful second term, Wasserman Schultz blurted out “Walker has given women the back of his hand.” Abusive and insensitive, Wasserman Schultz later apologized, and likely regretted her hateful comments, which backfired on Democrats and fired up Republicans. Schultz cannot defend her pro-abortion remarks either. She kindled some heated debates with conservative stars like US Senator Rand Paul, a doctor with more insight into medicine than Wasserman Schultz or anyone else in the Democratic Party.
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She has deservedly taken a lot of flak for setting the stage for a Hillary Clinton coronation, too. Six DNC debates, mostly on weekends to diminish the viewing audience (and increasing Clinton’s weak chances), and the restless liberal masses are getting tired of Little Debbie’s Hillary pandering.
Of course, her biggest failure as chairwoman falls on her larger-than-appropriate presence in the national media. Shouldn’t she be assisting candidates down ticket to hold onto their seats? Come to think of it, as she faces a stiff challenge from a well-funded outsider, she may well be out of two jobs: chairwoman and congresswoman.
After perusing Debbie’s worst hits, the readership here and abroad should reflect on the statesman-like work of the current RNC chairman, whom Van Jones lamentably praised.
Priebus tried his hand at elected office once, and did not make it. Perhaps DWS should have refused a House seat when she became chairwoman, too?
Unlike Wasserman Schultz, Priebus stays behind-the-scenes as much as possible, a team-builder rather a self-promoter.
And he has done a masterful job.
Before the RNC, Priebus chaired the Badger State GOP, notably the year when Republicans swept the Wisconsin state legislature and the governor’s office. Wisconsin has retained a blue hue since 1988, but the Republican red is taking over. Walker’s win came about with help from Priebus, who learned how to align the tea party enthusiasm with the more established party machinery.
While Democrats endured massive loses in Washington and all over the country, the Republicans exposed their weak links and the need to grow elsewhere, though. The previous RNC Chairman, Michael Steele, was stirring up unconstructive storms of controversy. Republican operatives had been frequenting strip clubs. He shot his mouth off too often, and at the wrong people.
The chairman is the coach, not one of the team-maters, but Steele fought on the field too much, and left too few victories behind. A winnable New York state House seat fell through GOP fingers that year, and donors were ticked off. Reince stepped up for the chairmanship, and after seven ballots, beating out the incumbent by one vote at the first ballot, Priebus took over.
The Wisconsin native has presided over the storm of internal-external politics of a party trying to hold onto the base while expanding its brand. Despite the terrible turnout of 2012, Priebus worked with the winners and developed new game plans.
Reaching out to minorities, improving the tech capacities of the party, he harnessed the social media audience to #StandWithTed during his 22 hour filibuster against Obamacare. He talked back to the media during interviews, and called them out for their heinous, brazen bias. When left-wing hot spots like MSNBC engaged in slimy racial attacks against Romney and his black grand-child, he cut off ties with the corporation until they apologized. Following the disaster of a debate which opened with “Name your greatest weakness,” Priebus cut off further debates with NBC altogether.
Finally, a chairman who fights rather than placates the media.
Mr. Priebus has remained upbeat and optimistic throughout the 2016 primary season. Despite the #NeverTrump crowds, Priebus reminds his frustrated peers that Trump is bringing new voters to the party. The illiberal media narrative falls apart, and Trump unraveled the ribbon. A 50-state strategy looking beyond red and blue, Republicans are bringing a star-spangled restoration to a bitterly divided nation.
Whether he just happens to be in the right place at the right time, or has developed superior leadership skills—or both—Priebus has an accomplished record steering an American political party from utter failure to incredible success, and the unprecedented legacy of holding this powerful position during the administration of an opposing president.
Who can forget the 2014 election? For the first time in decades, if ever, Republicans threw five Democratic U.S. Senate incumbents out of office! Thirty-one governors, massive numbers in state offices all over the country, Priebus has a legacy that party operatives can only dream of.
One that Little Debbie will never know.
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