This gem of idiocy was burried over the holidays what with terrorism and turkey on the menu, but it really is worth addressing.
One Curly Haugland, GOP chair of North Dakota is throwing his hat in the ring for RNC chair and fired a warning shot across the bow at other non RNC challengers and at Michael Steele in particular.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/27/steele-meeting-resistance-in-bid-for-rnc-post/
The above article in the Times includes such quackery as:
"In my estimation, 168 committed members of the Republican National Committee are a powerful army of qualified advocates for Republican principles; certainly much more threatening to the Democrats than one celebrity spokesman," Mr. Haugland said.
And:
"Your chosen path to leadership of the Republican National Committee exemplifies the problem we should immediately seek to resolve, that being the practice of allowing nonmembers to exert undue influence in the process of selecting our leaders" Mr. Haugland wrote Mr. Steele. "Getting the Republican Party back on the right 'track' is a job rightfully left to the Republicans who have been elected to run this railroad."
I found it very intersting to note that Curly's objections extend to others who HAVE been part of the RNC though not currently holding office.
Mr. Haugland said his objection to nonmembers seeking the RNC chairmanship applied also to Chip Saltsman, former Tennessee Republican Party chairman and campaign manager for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's presidential bid.
Meanwhile South Carolina GOP chair Katon Dawson (who also worked closely with Mike Huckabee on the election campaign of Glen McColl and on the front lines for SC's first black state legislator Tim Scott ) is under fire for of all things being a 'closet racist' in his country club membership???
Now call me stupid.. but I'm figuring that anybody with a brain in their head knows that dogging Steele in public right now, is about as benificial to your carreer in conservative politics, as dogging Palin during and after the election.
Curly has NO base in that RNC group, or support from influential voices in the movement outside it. He has no chance of winning that chairmanship. Which to me, begs the question, who stands to benfit the most from this 'insiders only' policy?
And wouldn't you know.. If Newt, Steele and Saltsman were out of the way.. one Saul Anuzis, GOP Chair for Michigan, (and a supporter and surrogate for Mitt Romney during the primaries) moves straight to the front of the line, becomming an almost shoe in for the spot.
He's been making the rounds gladhanding all the good ole boys, and has used his hard earned money to roll out with a splashy almost presidential campaign style website for his candidacy.
Now I won't go so far as to say that this is a Machievellian move by Mitt's surrogates to get his guy into the top spot, (Any more than I would say Huckabee is pulling the strings on Saltsman's candidacy, or that Newt may play kingmaker for Steele in exchange for his support in the future) These guys all have legitimate experience and resumes to challenge for the spot..but only the politically naieve don't see that every move fits into a bigger puzzle.
This IS politics people... and Curly is falling on his sword for somebody.. Because NOBODY is going to back him up on this ridiculous suggestion that 'more of the same' is going to lead the GOP out of the wilderness. He's officially dead to most conservatives. Which means somebody pretty important to someone must stand to reap the benifits of his political death.
Or he could just really be that dumb.
It will be very interesting to see how this power struggle plays out.
My money's still on Newt/Steele although my heart is definately with Huck/Saltsman
