Bush cautions GOP to stay open-minded

[babylonsister]

Advice from * = Kiss of death?


Bush cautions GOP to stay open-minded

By BEN FELLER
Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Down to single digits in his days left in office, President George W. Bush is warning the Republican Party not to become "anti-immigrant" as it regroups from defeat and retools its leadership.

"It's very important for our party not to narrow its focus, not to become so inward looking that we drive people away from a philosophy that is compassionate and decent," the departing president said in an interview broadcast Sunday, nine days before his term ends. "My call for our party is to be open-minded."

After Republicans lost control of Congress in 2006, the party took another thumping in November, when Barack Obama won the presidency and Democrats expanded their control of the House and Senate. Bush was not on the ballot either time, but both elections were seen at least partly as a repudiation of him.

"Obviously, we got whipped in 2008," Bush said.

Republican leaders are re-examining both their message and their messengers. Bush said the party need not change its basic tenets such low taxes and a strong defense. But he warned that there ought not be any "litmus tests as to whether or not you can be a Republican."

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BUSH?SITE=CONGRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Wetzelbill]

1. lol nt

[MarianJack]

2. Oh My!

He certainly set an example now, didn't he?

[tanyev]

3. *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop*

I think I hear the sound of heads exploding in Freeperville.

[L0oniX]

4. Drunk again?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. Translation: "We need the Hispanics if we're going to go anywhere".

That's about the only thing Bush has been actually right and consistent on during his presidency. Too bad the hateful jingoism of the rest of his and his party's message ruled the day and drowned out any possibility of appealing to Hispanic voters, who go overwhelmingly Dem.

[Juche]

9. Pretty much

Latinos swinging back to the dems helped Obama pick up New Mexico, Colorado & Nevada. Had Kerry won those 3 states back in 2004 (He lost all 3 by about 125k total votes total) he would've had 271 EVs to Bush's 267. Dems will probably carry Arizona and Texas by 2012 or 2016 because of the latino vote there.

The main right wing talking point that all the right wing media outlets are espousing on the economic collapse is that "the housing collapse happened because ACORN and liberals forced banks to loan money to poor people who are unqualified and couldn't pay it back", which is code for the idea that liberal organizations forced banks to loan money to poor blacks and poor latinos who couldn't pay it back, now non-poor white people have to suffer the consequences.

With people who espouse that idea (Hannity, Limbaugh) or O'Reilly grasping onto any crime story involving a latino he can being the mouthpieces of the GOP I don't see an age of minority tolerance anytime soon. Which is fine. The GOP has lost latinos, blacks, non-christians, women, GLBT, young people, single people, etc. All they have left is middle aged married christians in the south and northwest. Fine by me.

[Still Sensible]

6. Immigration reform, one of the few

areas where Bush has been on the right track all along. Too bad he didn't use some of his political capital early on to make something happen.

[Contrary1]

7. "Stay open-minded"...like they have always been?

:rofl:

[opihimoimoi]

8. Down to 7.4 Approval rating and he still gives advice?? He is a JOKE

He is Warning the Pub Partry??? Warning now is it??? Like HE listens to warnings....LOL

The man is so delusional...

He sez he gave the Presidency his ALL....LIKE FUCKIN HELL HE DID...

He gave us SHIT and he knows it...

Fuck him...

POTUS? MORE LIKE POS

[machI]

12. The Bush adminstration single handly runs the Republican party off into the ditch

Then Bush wants to give advice to the folks whose careers he has ruined.



I hope they take his advice!

[opihimoimoi]

14. I think most have learned the hard way...they got Had by Bush/Cheney

and are to be shunned as in their Convention...

[Posteritatis]

15. 7.4? Really? Bahahaha! (nt)

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. Ya mean where their brains leaked out?

Their thick skulls won't ever absorb anything anyway.

[spanone]

11. bu$h* cautions.....bwahahahahhaaa

[leftofthedial]

13. the irony! AAAACCCKKK!

It's like a whirlpool in a cesspool.

[Mz Pip]

16. Who said irony is dead?

It's amazing that these words are actually coming out of the mouth of someone whose mind is shut like a steel trap in just about every area other than immigration. Bush was much more moderate on immigration than most of the nutjobs in his party.

I doubt anyone in the GOP is listening. It is looking to have Ken Blackwell as RNC chairman. Talk about open minded - NOT!