Newt Gingrich has a point - Narrow base appeals hurts long term

[rhombus]

From 'Ol Newt,


---- Newt Gingrich, who is considering a bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, says his party's biggest mistake is thinking that the way to a lasting majority is to emphasize its conservative voter base.

"A base-motivation party inherently, in the long run, drives away the non-base,"Mr. Gingrich said.

The better way, he says, is to define the opposition on specific issues so that the Democrats are exposed as espousing views shared by a small minority of voters.

"Ronald Reagan understood that arguments should be made where we have huge advantages with virtually all Americans," Mr. Gingrich said. "He was brilliant at avoiding base-narrowing appeals and emphasizing base-broadening appeals." ----


More -
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070114-113624-6868r.htm






I've to agree with Gingrich on this. For 2008, keep this in mind. Very narrow base appeal candidates will find it tough to win the general election. I'm not saying ignore the base, I'm saying Democratic candidates should define their issues as "majority" issues and paint the Repubs as the extremists. It's a reason why issues like minimum wage increase, stem-cell research, medicare/medicaid negotiations on prescription drug costs, etc. have proved to be winners for Democrats.

[MrRobotsHolyOrders]

1. Yes!

Newt Gingrich, who's electoral base is completely limited to ultra conservatives Trekkies who value leaving cancer stricken wives, is talking about broad based political appeal.

RUN NEWT RUN.

[peekaloo]

5. I enjoyed that !

:applause:

[MrRobotsHolyOrders]

6. I try

Lord, how I try.

[illinoisprogressive]

2. he is right. I've thought of that before myself. You must have broad

appeal to get elected and last. Not just the left or right base.

[MrRobotsHolyOrders]

3. Of course

But I've also thought that if I stopped worrying about what's my Top Five Dub Albums Ever, and went to law school, I'd suck less as a person.

Newt appeals to nobody. He's a zealot, he's unattractive, and when he gets worked up he makes horrifying accusations about people/things/countries that he spends months apologizing for. His broad appeal couldn't be less if he tried (and he does!).

[unkachuck]

4. funny....

....after we've spent 6 years watching the repugs give their narrow Nazi base anything and everything their little fascist hearts desired, rewarding a party base is now a bad thing?....

....what does this mean?....we, the Dem base, should now broaden our perspective, forget about things that we may have wanted and focus on long-term party unity and appearance?....until the repugs have time to regroup and regain power?....

....the best way you keep the base and non-base from being driven away is to deliever to the base, bullshit everyone else but unlike the repugs and Newt, don't get too greedy....