Slate: No Fight Left (bleak days for College Republicans)

[marmar]

An orchestra for the group behind affirmative-action bake sales and "Deport an Immigrant" football..... :nopity: :nopity: :nopity:



No Fight Left
Just like grown-up Republicans, College Republicans face an identity crisis.

By Lydia DePillis
Posted Monday, June 8, 2009, at 10:15 AM ET


The College Republican National Committee is a famously cutthroat operation. Karl Rove and Lee Atwater learned the ropes there in the 1970s, dragging then-RNC Chairman George H.W. Bush into a disputed election. More recently, two people you never heard of (at least until their campaign was hilariously recounted in the New Republic) spent several hundred thousand dollars in a bare-knuckled fight for chairman.

By historical standards, then, this year's convention, which took place last week at the Renaissance Marriott in Washington, D.C., was tame. There was only one contested race—for the Midwestern regional chair, fought with Midwestern collegiality—and no constitutional amendments to debate. This uncharacteristic politesse could not have come at a worse time: the first convention in the age of Obama, the first in eight years without a Republican in the White House. After an election in which young voters went 2-1 for the Democrat, colleges Baracked the vote, and Sarah Palin was trotted out as a role model for youth, what's a young conservative to do?

According to those headlining the conference, who ranged from the baby-faced Rep. Aaron Schock, 28, to the rapidly fossilizing Phyllis Schlafly, 75, the party needs to diversify. Get back to principles. And, oh, use Twitter.

On the first point: Most speakers exhorted the students to recruit more black and Hispanic members, to get outside the stuffy-white-guy stereotype that follows the party like a shadow. This became especially awkward at Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty's keynote speech, where seven white guys—including the College Republican of the Year, white guy Leigh Wolf—sat on the dais to his right. Last year's national leadership had three women; this year's has none. According to those present, in his speech, RNC Chairman Michael Steele singled out the one black woman in the room for special recognition. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.slate.com/id/2219989/?from=rss

[imdjh]

1. What I want to know is how someone like Schlafly can go out in public.

I'm not sure I would recognize her on the street, especially around here where 75 year old women with starched hair and frozen masks are common, but surely those in the know around her home turf would know her on sight. How can she walk from the beauty parlor to the drug store without someone giving her an earful?

[Papa Boule]

2. I beg your pardon?

Most speakers exhorted the students to recruit more black and Hispanic members, to get outside the stuffy-white-guy stereotype that follows the party like a shadow.

Easier said than done. You can't have your "Southern Strategy" cake and eat it too.

[VWolf]

3. Exactly. Why on earth would

a minority espouse the prinicples of the Republican party???

[damntexdem]

4. I guess Steele knows a token when he sees one.

And of course approves.

[undeterred]

5. "stuffy-white-guy stereotype" is the truth

Jeez, they act like they're so misunderstood. :nopity:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Did they tell them exactly how to recruit minorities?

Was it by trashing Sotomayor? Or use of stereotypical props like the stuffed monkey that someone took to a McCain Palin rally?

[Romulox]

7. Rename themselves "College Bluedogs". Problem solved. nt

[Brewman_Jax]

8. Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of...

(insert appropriate term here.) :evilgrin:

Recruit more minorities? Why? They already represent those persecuted white anglo-saxon protestants, esp. males. I don't think they have room for anyone else. :rofl:

[AwakeAtLast]

9. I take it that a lot of "Karma Punch" was served.

;)