Thread: Bush, Rove Face Criticism From Activists Over Martinez Choic

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... refer=home

Bush, Rove Face Criticism From Activists Over Martinez Choice

By Catherine Dodge

Nov. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Grassroots grousing over the plan to install Senator Mel Martinez as Republican national chairman reflects the new reality facing President George W. Bush and his top political strategist, Karl Rove: The party faithful aren't as faithful any more.

The choice of the Florida lawmaker represents both the president's penchant for picking long-time Bush family loyalists and Rove's view that Hispanic voters are vital to the future of the party.

The move is running up against party activists who since the Republicans' Nov. 7 election drubbing are far less susceptible than before to Bush's and Rove's control. These activists say the administration's support for giving undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship, part of Rove's Hispanic strategy, undermined what would have been a vote-getting election message of tough border enforcement.

``Mr. Martinez, though I'm sure competent in many ways, doesn't help us create the impression that we are setting a new direction,'' said Republican Representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado, a leading advocate of the House Republican push for stricter immigration controls that helped kill Bush's proposals.

``I don't think he is someone who anyone believes will think outside the box,'' Tancredo said.

Martinez, 60, is a Cuban-American who would succeed Ken Mehlman, 40, in January. Martinez served as Bush's secretary of Housing and Urban Development before winning his Senate seat in 2004, and co-sponsored the Senate version of Bush's immigration plan.

Small, Decisive Gains

The last two presidential elections were decided by margins of 2.5 percentage points or less, making small gains with rapidly growing voting blocs such as Hispanics potentially decisive.

``It has long been Karl's and the president's understanding that the future of the Republican Party is tied to its ability to carry 30-plus percent of the Hispanic vote,'' said Grover Norquist, an anti-tax activist and White House ally. The selection of Martinez to head the party ``is a signal of the importance of the Hispanic vote.''

Not all House Republicans agree with Tancredo. Representative Jim Kolbe of Arizona, who favors Martinez, said failing to boost the Hispanic vote would ``spell a very serious problem for the Republican Party.'' Peter King of New York disagrees with Martinez's position on immigration but supports his selection because ``it shows that we are more of an inclusive party.''

Sharpening the Debate

Even so, the Martinez selection, coming after the party's poor showing with Latino voters on Nov. 7, has sharpened the debate. Republicans' share of the Hispanic vote fell to 30 percent from 44 percent in 2004, based on exit polls, raising the question of whether the decline is evidence of a need to redouble efforts to build ties to Latinos -- or of a flawed strategy.

Martinez ``is the example of the people you want to attract into the party,'' said Pedro Celis, chairman of the Washington- based Republican National Hispanic Assembly. He and Norquist, among others, say the Hispanic vote declined this year because of the anti-immigration drumbeat of House Republicans such as Tancredo. ``Immigration turned out to be a negative to the party,'' Celis said.

Meanwhile, many self-described conservative activists and Internet bloggers are hammering at the selection and the Rovian approach it represents.

Politics Over Principles

``The politics of this party has superseded its principles,'' said Angela ``Bay'' Buchanan, president of a Washington educational foundation called American Cause, and who ran the Republican presidential campaign of her brother, the conservative commentator Patrick Buchanan. ``We now put foremost as our priorities some kind of outreach.''

Online columnist Ryan Sager called the Martinez selection a ``Harriet Miers moment,'' drawing comparisons to Bush's abortive 2005 nomination of his White House counsel for the Supreme Court.

By selecting Martinez, ``Bush is picking someone again based almost entirely on loyalty to the Bush clan,'' Sager said. ``This isn't the George Bush Republican Party anymore. This party is about 2008 and where we go from here.''

Sager, Buchanan and others said Michael Steele, Maryland's soon-to-depart lieutenant governor, would have been a better choice. Steele, who is black, is a former state party chairman who this year ran a competitive but unsuccessful Senate race in an overwhelmingly Democratic state.

Rebuilding the Party

While the opposition to Martinez isn't likely to scuttle his appointment, some Republicans say that he isn't the hands-on organizer needed to rebuild the party. Republican losses would have been worse if not for Mehlman's grassroots efforts, said David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union in Alexandria, Virginia. ``Mehlman was a tremendous implementer,'' he said. ``No one expects Martinez to do that.''

Others agree with Scott Reed, a Republican consultant in Washington, who said the selection was ``good politics.'' He said that ``the president and Karl Rove thought he would bring ideas back to the base of the Republican Party and get it away from being just a mechanical operation.''

Martinez will keep his Senate seat and serve as general chairman, a role frequently given to active members of Congress. Robert Duncan, the Republican National Committee's general counsel, will oversee day-to-day operations.

Martinez's need to juggle two jobs could slow efforts to shore up the party, said New Hampshire political consultant David Carney, a former White House political director for Bush's father, President George H.W. Bush.

``It's hard to be building a party up from the grassroots and craft a message when you also have to represent your state,'' Carney said.

Not all House Republicans agree with Tancredo. Representative Jim Kolbe of Arizona, who favors Martinez, said failing to boost the Hispanic vote would ``spell a very serious problem for the Republican Party.'' Peter King of New York disagrees with Martinez's position on immigration but supports his selection because ``it shows that we are more of an inclusive party.''

Republicans don't need to prove they are an inclusive party. We have always been an inclusive party. Picking someone to run the RNC that thinks like a Democrat on illegal immigration is not the way to go here. Republicans don't care what your race, religion, national origin are. Real Republicans care about what your positions are. His positions totally conflict with what Real Republicans want to see happen in America which is the same thing that almost all Americans want to see happen in America which are:

1. Secure the Borders

2. Enforce US Immigration Law

Very Simple.

It seems that the more simpler something is, the more the politicians don't get it.

It's simple alright. RNC sends out request for funds signed by Martinez they get a postage paid brick in return.

What I don't get is why these parties feel they need to treat Hispanics like a bunch of babies. There are plenty of smart Americans of Hispanic heritage who can make up their own minds like the rest of us do.

The parties don't cater to us because they know we're going to think for ourselves.

What a bad way to treat people. There are Americans of Hispanic heritage who do not want amnesty either. They came legally, they understand the importance of upholding the laws of this country for their own futures and the rest of their fellow Americans.

Geez. Give the ones who want to become full-fledged Americans, capable of thinking for themselves a little credit.

Here Hispanic voters vote for us !! Our chairman is from Cuba !! Doesn't that make you happy !!? Vote for us !!

What a smack in the face for those who can read, listen, make sense of what is important for our country and make up their own minds.

The Republicans have really gone south. The good ones aught to break away and become Independent.

``the president and Karl Rove thought he would bring ideas back to the base of the Republican Party and get it away from being just a mechanical operation.''

The idea he brings to the base is 'amnesty' and the base is not buying it.

Originally Posted by LegalUSCitizen

Here Hispanic voters vote for us !! Our chairman is from Cuba !! Doesn't that make you happy !!? Vote for us !!

What a smack in the face for those who can read, listen, make sense of what is important for our country and make up their own minds.

The Republicans have really gone south. The good ones aught to break away and become Independent.

That used to be called a "token."
Naw. Just keep growing the right and pushing to the left. Bush and Rove will fall out into their true party then.

I don't mean to be cruel but many Hispanics only vote for Hispanics. When I was in university I instructor that was a Cuban lawyer and she told the class: "you have to be of Cuban background to be able to become a judge in Miami." Talk about discrimination!

Swatchick, discrimination against Americans is rampant in Miami.

Why do people think this saying is known around the world:
"When the last American leaves Dade County remember to bring the flag."

Everyone has heard that one.