GNP Update

For those who live in Washington and can't get enough Grand New Party (and how could you?), Reihan and I will be doing an AEI event tomorrow at 2 PM, with David Frum and Ruy Teixeira as our interlocutors. (Translation: We'll get grilled.)

Also, since Bill Bennett was kind enough to have us on his show this morning, let me add my voice to the chorus promoting a McCain-Bennett ticket ...

Comments

Between Bennett's slot machine jones and McCain's fondness for the craps tables, you could probably get Vegas behind this too.

Posted by SMK5 | July 7, 2008 12:03 PM

Also, since Bill Bennett was kind enough to have us on his show this morning, let me add my voice to the chorus promoting a McCain-Bennett ticket ...

Seriously? Do you want two people that can't get enough gambling on one ticket? As regards your AEI appearance, maybe you should get out and talk to some real folks if you want to remake the GOP.

Posted by Joe Klein's conscience | July 7, 2008 12:05 PM

SMK5:
Sheldon Adelson already is(Republicans in general, that is).

Posted by Joe Klein's conscience | July 7, 2008 12:12 PM

William Bennett? Really, Ross? Why would you prefer to elevate to renewed prominence just about the most embarrassing exponent of social conservatism in the country? I’m not talking about his hypocrisy, BTW (an old, overdone story), but about the arrogance, condescension, and incuriosity that are palpable almost every time I hear him talk and in almost everything he has done.

Then there’s the little matter of his cluelessness about policy, from drugs to foreign policy.

On the other hand, given his persona he might just put Obama over the top, so perhaps I should encourage this idea. But ... do we really want to risk another powerful, arrogant vice president a heartbeat away from the Oval Office and having God-knows-what influence over policy and staffing? No.

Posted by jason | July 7, 2008 12:32 PM

Oh My God. The link takes you to 'the Corner' over at 'Nat'l Rebuke'. There are claims that Bill Bennett has 'charisma'. That he fills people with 'enthusiasm'. Yeah---THAT Bill Bennett, I'm pretty sure.

The letter writer says he has the standing to 'take the fight' to O'Bama because 'Bill Ayers is a criminal'. Meanwhile, Our John gets to 'stand above the fray'. John McCain has never ever stood above a fray. Who are these loonie-bin-escapees talking about?

They say Bennett's paleo-Catholicism will bring voters in vast herds to their ticket. Oh Yeah.
They think Bill has a special attraction for African-American voters. After all, he shares all their important issues: Education, drugs, family breakdown, religion in society. Oh Yeah.

So clueless. No wonder they are getting their clock cleaned.

Posted by JohnMcC | July 7, 2008 12:46 PM

Awesome. I clicked the comments expecting some moron to say: "He has a gambling problem!!!!" And boy, oh boy, I wasn't disappointed. Seriously, KosKids, how does it feel to be so gosh darn predictable? I am only surprised it wasn't MoeLarryAndJesus. Of course, he would have been humorous. You guys (SMK5, Joe's Klein's conscience, et al) are just unfunny idiots.

Posted by Philip Marlowe | July 7, 2008 1:01 PM

Awesome. I clicked the comments expecting some moron to say: "He has a gambling problem!!!!" And boy, oh boy, I wasn't disappointed.

Well, what did you expect? He does have a gambling problem. There's something ridiculous about a guy who scolds everyone else about their moral failings, and at the same time is putting hundreds of thousands of dollars into slot machines.

And Ross, seriously, Bennett? Why not David Vitter or Larry Craig?

Posted by Dave | July 7, 2008 1:45 PM

Philip Marlowe:
Nice to see you take your name from a Raymond Chandler book. KosKids? Is that the best you have? I know you can do better. As usual, Republicans miss the forest through the trees. Do you know the problem on the right? It's that all its supposed "leaders" are of the "Do as I say, not as I do" type. Do you know what that means? That means that no one respects them. Do you really like it when Bennett admonishes you for sinning, then goes out and does the exact thing he warns you against doing?

Posted by Joe Klein's conscience | July 7, 2008 2:27 PM

Thanks Joe Klein, makes me want to click on your name and read a whole bunch more!

Bennett makes mistakes, so that means he can't talk about sin. Is that the thesis? So why do you or MoeLarry get to lecture other people about being a-holes?

Posted by Ferrell | July 7, 2008 3:05 PM

"Do you really like it when Bennett admonishes you for sinning, then goes out and does the exact thing he warns you against doing?"

Actually, the really interesting thing about Bennett is that he almost never included gambling among the list of sins he railed against. Considering that gambling addictions are far more likely to wreck marriages and destroy lives than, say, allowing lesbians in Vermont to form civil unions, this would seem to be a curious omission for a man as dedicated to public virtue as Bill Bennett.

As it turns out, he's worse than a hypocrite. He's the sort of guy who redefines morality to suit his own purposes and preaches against everyone else's vices but his own. The sort of fine, upstanding Christian who can dump more than a million dollars in Vegas and excuse his own behavior by saying "I don't play the milk money." It's almost a shame that there isn't really a heaven, because it would be entertaining to watch this slimeball try to squeeze through the eye of a needle on camelback.

But I suppose all this is just gravy for a moral values voter like Ross. Bennett is anti-abortion, so all else is forgiven. But if Ross thinks the median voter will be enthused by the prospect of receiving stern lectures on moral depravity from a high-roller, he really needs to get out more often.

Posted by LaFollette Progressive | July 7, 2008 3:54 PM

I apologize Joe Klein - I wasn't thinking straight.

It always happens when I post comments and have a cock in my mouth at the same time.

Not a good multi-tasker!

Posted by Ferrell | July 7, 2008 4:31 PM

Ferrell,

As a gay man I find that offensive.

Posted by Philip Marlowe | July 7, 2008 4:33 PM

Philip,

I can't hear you. I have a cock in my ear.

Posted by Ferrell | July 7, 2008 5:22 PM