California politico Steve Schmidt, former head honcho of the 2006 Schwarzenegger re-election and big wheel in the campaign of ersatz President John McCain was interviewed on the radio show of longtime FR friend Hugh Hewitt. Hugh posted the transcript of that interview up on his blog here.
On Miss California Carrie Prejean’s statement in support of traditional marriage:
"I think it’s counterproductive to the cause of people who are concerned about equality for gays, because many people that are sympathetic to the cause that will be turned off by a closed-minded attitude being directed, as you said, you know, in Miss California’s instance."
April 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Miss California has more courage and speaks for a majority of Californians. When you slam her you slam all of those who support traditional marriage. Why has Schmidt come out of the woodwork all of a sudden?
April 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am
As someone who supported Senator McCain in both the Republican Primary and the November Election, I find Mr. Schmidt’s comments on this issue to be very disappointing. He’s allowing personal considerations to warp his political judgement and undermine his professional reputation.
April 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Maybe because he understands the writing on the wall that we might lose the younger generation due to the party’s attitudes on LGBT people. Basically the party is even too conservative in Liberal areas where we could gain representation like the Silicon Valley, Burbank, Pasadena, Torrance etc. If we want to protect our 2/3rds protections, get some inclusive candidates.
Republican Party is becoming more irrelevant. We will only become a regional party with these views. If we want the Democratic Party to be more like the PRI in Mexico go on ahead.
April 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I listened to the interview live, and was surprised to hear Mr. Schmidt say he did not
have any problem with TV anchor Charles Gibson’s condescending, demeaning
“interview” of ANOTHER courageous conservative woman, Governor Sarah Palin.
Remember Gibson glaring over the top of his glasses at Ms. Palin as if she were
a 14-year-old arriving late for class? Mr. Schmidt also gave Katie Couric a pass
for her attack on Governor Palin.
And for Matt Munson…. “Survey USA” did a national poll on April 21st about Carrie
Prejean’s defense of Traditional Marriage at the Miss USA Contest.
73% of those responding said courageous Carrie did a “Good Job” answering the
question on marriage, while only 20% said she did a “Bad Job”.
* Among voters UNDER AGE 35, 63% said Ms. Prejean did a “Good Job” when
she defended the institution of Marriage as defined by majorities of California voters
in 2000, and again in 2008.
You can read those results for yourself right here:
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=f975bd27-33a6-4579-8716-7bc0fe49a96b
So, please, Mr. Munson save us the tired cliches about the GOP having to move to the
Left to win support from younger voters. I heard EXACTLY the same jive in the 1970s…
that if we nominated Ronald Reagan for President the Republican Party would be destroyed.
How did THAT work out?
April 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I was not talking about the issue of how Carrie lost the title due to having the wrong question asked during the beauty pageant. I was talking about Mr.Schmidt’s earlier statements at the Log Cabin convention. Even if his sister was not lesbian, he knows the writing on the wall about our party’s future. It is not good. North Eastern US and the West Coast, will likely stay Democratic.
The Obama vote share in 2008 explains my rationale. Even if its not marriage, saying NO to LGBT issues not including marriage is not a winning issue. Wonder why we lost AD 80 and will probably lose SD 40 as usual.
I actually did vote for McCain, I knew Obama would ruin our economy and cause nations like North Korea to test us.
And Mr.Sills, most of those voters especially in California moved out due to our high taxes and the collapse of the aerospace industry. And in the Silicon Valley we are a third place party behind Decline to State. I do not think its based on our economic issues. It is based on social issues.
April 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Here is a late-breaking bulletin just handed to me… Barack Obama does not
support same-sex marriage and has said so repeatedly.
2nd Bulletin: Assembly District 80 voted FOR Proposition 8, defending
traditional marriage, and ditto Senate Dist. 40.
3rd bulletin: SD 40 is currently held by a Democrat (Ducheny), not by
a Republican.
April 29th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Steve,
Call Arlen Specter, he needs a campaign manager. You would be perfect now that he has admited he’s a Democrat.