The premise of NCFANA is pretty interesting, although the U.S. has just gone through a record-long election cycle that dominated the news, essentially the Republicans are saying that they have no ideas about how
to handle the difficulties confronting the nation. As a result of the lack of viable platform to appeal to the center of Americans, Eric Cantor wants to create a new Republican Platform with the following features:
1.) Think contract with America.
2.) Think vague ideals, as Cantor is pretty clumsy.
3.) Think about avoiding the social conservative Rump.
Evidently "Freedom" has become the Republican word of the year.
http://republicanwhip.house.gov/...
Basic observations:
Eric Cantor
1.) Eric Cantor is clumsy.
He poorly transitions between questions from audience members back to his talking points.
Essentially trying to co-opt Democratic framing on issues, e.g. "we need health care reform."
He watched Barack Obama's greatest hits DVD -- "We are going to come together"
and tried to repeat it as many times as possible.
2.) Cantor has little real clout now.
However, Cantor appears to be supported by the Bush clan and Mitt Romney.
Remember the Bushs supported Romney.
Perhaps the NCFANA is Cantor's attempt to emulate Newt.
John Bush
Bush really did not say much, just answered the questions well -- he brought up
McKinsey Consulting an awful lot which I found interesting.
He seemed to be thinking " I will never mention my dad or brother by name."
Mitt Romnney
1.) Mitt is still in Campaign mode.
As a result he mentioned a lot of the key phrases that accompanied his move to conservatism:
"Principles and Values" --- "Silent Majority" except that they aren't.
"Washington DC is so bad" except there are in North Virginia.
"Townhall"
A very weak townhall format where the three stooges basically punted questions back to talking points,
and tried to avoid taking too many shots at Democrats.
I don't think there were more than 100 people in the audience, as the venue was a pizza place.
More than 50 people crowded into a pizza parlor to hear former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney speak.
http://www.foxnews.com/...
Mitt probably took the most shots, and sounded like a candidate for office rather than a listener.
Who showed up?
Eric Cantor
Mitt Romney
John Bush (Jeb)
The press -- or "dreaded MSM," who were, interestingly enough, allowed questions.
(CBS, Time, Bloomberg)
50 people
Who did not show up?
(the folks who were included in the press release)
Arizona Sen. John McCain
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal
John Boehner
Mike Pence
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
John Carter
Pete Sessions
David Dreier
Kevin McCarthy
Roy Blunt
Mitch McConnell
Jon Kyl
Lamar Alexander
John Cornyn
John Thune
Some Highlights ------------------------->
7.22
http://www.c-span.org/...
John Bush mentions the budget deficiet without speaking about his brother's amazing doubling of the ddebt.
"Budget Discipline" -- where was this during the Bush II years?
8.30
John Bush calls Americans Stupid.
14.30
Flip Romney ignores his promises in MA.
16.30
Flip Flat out lies surprise
Government caused the housing bubble -- as opposed to private sector CDO market.
a small problem
1.) If gov't caused housing bubble -- you must blame Bush.
(later Flip says he is willing to place "1/2" the blame on the GOP).
24.30
Flip in typical fashion tries to have it both ways on the MA health plan
1.) It worked so well!
2.) Generally he says it will not work for the entire U.S. -- today he says this is what the U.S. shoudl do.
26.15
John Bush with a typical false analogy on Chrysler Bankruptcy.
27.30
Cantor lies about Card Check -- "depriving the secret ballot" etc.
Highlight of the hour
35.00 Confused Teabagger Shrugs -- "Obama is the flower child of Saul Alinsky" and "people learn more listening to Rush Limbaugh's show than in high school or college.
"
38.00 John mentions the obligitory "forgotten man" reference.
40.00 the "Freedom" stump speech by Mitt -- of course that doesn't apply to GLBT or Pro-Choice, or Card Check
etc.
All in all the town hall was a boring failure with the exception of the confused tea-bagger who seemed to think he could go Galt.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney compared the GOP to Americans fighting the British during the Revolutionary War. "We are the party of the revolutionaries, they [Democrats] are the party of the monarchists," he told the overwhelmingly Republican crowd, saying the Republicans needed to "once again lead the American Revolution."
h/t Anne993 Another great quote from Flipster