Newsweek Article On Dissatisfied Offspring of GOP Icons

Faithful reader Andy Favor alerted me to this Newsweek article about descendants of Republican icons who are dissatisfied with the state of the party, and whether that presages some moderate exodus from the GOP. It's interesting -- if overstated -- food for thought, and the tone comes across less as "We wonder if this will happens and more as "we hope this happens."

In any case, the weak OC-link is Peggy Goldwater Clay is quoted in the article. And for all the pining for the "good old days" of Eisenhower Republicanism, it should be noted that Ike was elected at the head of a GOP tide in 1952 that put Congress in Republican hands for the first time in 20 years. Six years later, in 1958, the GOP suffered one of the worst shellackings in its history as the Democrats romped to a historic victory in the mid-term elections. So let's put the nostalgic pining for "Eisenhower Republicanism" as some magic elixir for GOP woes into perspective.

Another interesting aspect of the article, from a historical perspective, is it features Eisenhower's granddaughter Susan and Goldwater's daughter Peggy. Sen. Goldwater spent the 1950s excoriating "Eisenhower Republicanism,"  scorning one Ike budget as a "dime store New Deal" and campaigning for the 1964 nomination specifically to end the hold of "Me-Too" Republicanism on the party.

In any case, here's the article.

Comments

[demmother]

Seems to me that the Reeps got a pretty good spanking last year. I never agreed with Barry Goldwater, but I could at least respect his views.

People are getting fed up with the Bush/Rove brand of neo conservatisim that includes spreading Democracy thru invasion and occupation, dismantling our civil rights and using our Justice Department as a means to supress any opposition.

Some of us want our country back.

[stop pretending]

Funny how Dems rarely expressed their "respect" for Goldwater's ideology when Goldwater was active in politics. Back in 1964, they called him a dangerous lunatic who would start World War III and hinted not-so-slyly that he was a racist, to boot.

But now that he's dead and they like latching onto his pro-choice views to beat up conservatives, liberals fall all over themselves to express their "respect."

Liberal revisionism at its best.

[Andy Favor]

I doubt there are many people in Orange County who have advocated for a Reagan/Goldwater Republican more than I have. Specifically I have been promoting Ron Paul every way I can. However, given that the big government advocates still appear to rule the day in the Republican Party, I did want to alert people that they can meet the person who I think will be the Libertarian candidate for President. I do not think Peggy Goldwater Clay will send the message she would like to send by voting for the Democratic candidate in November 2008. So I urge those who are interested in voting for smaller government to come to the Carl Straus restaurant at Metro Point in Costa Mesa on May 20th 1:30. Wayne Root will be flying in. Check out www.RootforAmerica.com for more information on this dream canddiate. (Well almost dream candidate. Gen. Norman Schwartzcoff is still my number one dream candidate. He almost ran in 2004 on the LP ticket.)

[redperegrine]

C'mon, "stop pretending." You have a selective memory. Remember how in the 80s Republicans like RR started to embrace the good old virtues of "Give 'em Hell Harry" and the "Senator from Boeing"? All part of a strategy to make the then Dem leadership look kooky fringe. It's all part of the game to undermine your opponent and even draw off some of his traditional base. As I recall even that old windbag Hubert Humphrey got some kind words.