(CNN) – Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell painted a downright dismal view of the state of his party Thursday afternoon, telling Republican National Committee members the GOP is in grave danger of being marginalized to a regional party.
"We’re all concerned about the fact that the very wealthy and the very poor, the most and least educated, and a majority of minority voters, seem to have more or less stopped paying attention to us," the Kentucky Republican said on the second day of the four-day gathering.
"And we should be concerned that, as a result of all this, the Republican Party seems to be slipping into a position of being more of a regional party than a national one.
"In politics there's a name for a regional party, it's called a minority party," said McConnell.
The sobering remarks came one day before the 168 members of the RNC are set to elect a chairman tasked with steering the party out of its beleaguered status, and win back some of the voting blocs virtually abandoned the party last November, including minority and younger voters.
"My concern is that unless we do something to adapt, our status as a minority party may become too pronounced for an easy recovery," McConnell also said.
McConnell also laid some blame at the feet of former President Bush, whom he described a "man of principle," but one who did "not win any popularity contests."
"History shows that unpopular presidents are usually a drag on everybody else who wears their political label," he said. "It happened with Truman. It happened with Johnson. It happened with Nixon. It happened with Clinton in ‘94. And it happened in ‘06 and ‘08 with President Bush."
He said particular effort needs to be applied to attracting African American and Hispanic voters. Black voters have historically voted heavily Democratic, while Hispanic voters were significantly more Democratic than they had been in previous presidential elections.
"Too often we’ve let others define us," McConnell said. "And the image they’ve painted isn’t very pretty. Ask most people what Republicans think about immigrants, and they’ll say we fear them. Ask most people what we think about the environment, and they’ll say we don’t care about it. Ask most people what we think about the family, and they’ll tell you we don’t — until about a month before Election Day."
But McConnell addressed a a group deeply divided on where the Party should head in the next four years, a tension that has played out in the unexpectedly cut-throat race for the party's chairmanship.
The Senate Minority Leader, who faced an unexpectedly competitive race last year to retain his seat, told the Republican gathering it's not too late for the party to rebuild itself. But he warned the GOP cannot change its fundamental values in the course of trying to appeal to a wider cross-section of the country.
"You don’t get them back by pretending to be something else," he said. “And you certainly don’t gain voters by running away from the ones that are most loyal. But it’s clear our message isn’t getting out to nearly as many people as it should."
"...We should avoid the false choice of being a party of moderates or conservatives," he said. "America is diverse. The two major parties should be too. But this doesn’t mean turning our backs on commonsense conservatism, or tailoring our positions to suit particular groups. Our principles are universal. They apply to everyone."
From CNN Politics
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You, uh, may want to correct this to indicate that he is a Kentucky Republican, not a Kansas Republican.
No kidding. It's about time you got it.
Since when is McConnel from Kansas?
Mitch McConnell's from Kentucky, not Kansas.
The trouble with Republican "principles" is that they're mean-spirited, and they don't work. The things they cling to are the things that have been dragging this nation into the tar pits.
The Senate and House under McConnell & Boehner leadership has no credibility, time for the GOP to elect younger fresher leadership who really believes in inclusion of all not the usual good ole boys club who FAILED miserably, Boehner and McConnell offer nothing new but gridlock and obstructionists views.
If the Republican party moves to the left then I'm leaving the country. I refuse to be oppressed by a xenophobic, authoritarian, Socialist regime.
Sounds like someone is giving up. come on, just start sticking by your principles and not give up. We need honesty, integrity and we need for you to keep informing the public of all the pork that continues to plague DC. People were led like sheep to a slaughter on this election, that doesn't mean things will be the same the next time around. When people realize that the "One" cannot part water, then hopefully people will come back to their senses.
I don't need to hear it from McConnell. The GOP is over.
McConnell is from Kentucky, not Kansas.
The Repubs have ignored the vast majority of Americans for the last 30 years. It's called payback.
Boy, did this guy ever hit the nail on the head! If the Repubs are going to re-invent themselves, they better learn the theory of bottom up, instead of trickle down. They might start by distancing themselves from hosts like Limbaugh and Hannity, too devisive and only appealing to the very entrenched of the party. There is a new political landscape. With the country falling down around everyone and the disasterous Bush administration still fresh in everyone's minds, the party really needs to find new spokesmen. They need to attract members and not scare people away if they expect to survive.
I never thought I would say this regarding a republican, but I totally agree.
Oh ye people of little faith.....look to do the right thing and things can be restored. Right now, Republicans should be focused on helping build the economy up...so whole families aren't so desperate that they are killing themselves out of fear of hitting total bottom.....Again, We are our brother's keeper.
I'll say it again...turn back to God...and all things will come to order...for any party
I voted Repub at one time. Then they went nuts with religion and extremism. Standing for the very wealthy, and the very angry and afraid. They feed on fear. But they need to purge the Limballs, Hanity and O'Reilly dogma. At first that would weaken them, and guess what they are afraid of that too.
McConnell is from Kentucky.
Mitch McConnell represents Kentucky, not Kansas, as stated in the second paragraph.
Dump the Social views-or at least tone down the rhetoric in the North East and Upper Midwest-and you might change a few people's minds.
I will never fall for the GOP's tricks again.
They don't care about anyone but the rich.
McConnell says GWB shares some of the blame for the GOP's decline?
er, what was his first clue?
Nice, it sounds exactly like what Pat Buchanan was saying 5 years ago.
The problem is that the GOP has given up on conservatism for the last 8 years. Spending under Bush was out of control, the Neo-Cons lead us into nation building. They focused on giving tax cuts only to the wealthy instead of everyone. Then there was Katrina, the resurgence of the Taliban.
Ya, McConnell hit the nail right on the head...it'll be interesting to see if anyone is listening.
McConnell is from Kentucky, not Kansas.
HEAR! HEAR!!!!
see that blue closing in on red- POOF!
Mitch is a Kentuckian...not from Kansas.
McConnell is a Kentucky Republican not a Kansas Republican
The quickest way for the GOP to come back is to seize control from the social conservatives who have screwed up the Republican Party almost beyond recognition.
A melding of social moderates and fiscal conservatives will bring back the GOP in no time.
Not from kansas,,,,,,,, but he's not as dumb as the rest of the republicans.
"Our principles are universal. They apply to everyone." YOU WISH. The GOP (Grand Obstructionist Party) has become the party of "No". The country gave President Obama and the Democratic Party a mandate in November and the GOP think they have a mandate. President Obama met with the House Republicans, reduced his spending on infrastructure to give the GOP their tax breaks (which don't work), and how did they respond? Not one vote! The GOP's numbers will be even smaller in 2010 and smaller yet in 2012. In this modern age (which the republicans still don't get) of the internet, the GOP will find out that people no longer forget events of the past. More and more people will remember the names of the obstructionists, where it's most important, in the voting booth. The standard GOP lies no longer work on an informed public. So to the GOP, we simply say goodbye.
Certain conservative ideas hit their limit and collapsed. These included deregulation and trickle-down economics. Only an angry stubborn and relatively ignorant minority clings to these positions. But they're the base of the GOP, and that's why it's stuck.
This won't change by putting lipstick on a pig. The basic ideas of the Republican Party need to be changed.
What is unreal to me is that they seem SO completely unaware of why this is happening. It is because they refuse to change or adapt-look how they all voted NO yesterday. And they cling to old ideas. They come across as the stodgy, white, old party. AND, I hate to tell Mitch, but the middle don't like them either!! They need to get with the times or they will become completely irrelevant.
Oh my gosh!!! They are finally catching on? What took so long? I thought that party was for the haves and the have mores? They have completely lost me and will never get me back. Too bad.
Moving on....
OK First of all if you want credence to your story make sure you have the correct state from where the Senator comes from. Kansas? Boy you really proofed your story and researched it didn't you. McConnell is from Kentucky.
SHOCKER!!!! REPUBLICANS ARE A REGIONAL PARTY!??? SAY IT ISNT SO!!!
Isn't McConnell from Kentucky not Kansas!
Took long enough for the Republicans to realize that their votes are now irrelevant. Mr. McConnell you sound to level headed to be a Republican, it's never too late to change parties. You can always go independent. Given the rhetoric of the men up for leadership of the RNC I don't hold much hope for your party.
May this life-long Democrat offer some advice? Stop listening to and allowing Rush to be the definition of your party. Start becoming more socially liberal while still maintaining fiscal responsibility. Start advocating sex education rather than anti-abortion. And offer more real solutions to our country's problems. Tax cuts are not the answer to everything - especially when they lean heavily towards business.
Oh, and BTW, you can't really blame Bush. You controlled Congress for 6 of his 8 years and apparently didn't meet a spending program or tax cut you didn't like.
"We’re all concerned about the fact that the very wealthy and the very poor, the most and least educated, and a majority of minority voters, seem to have more or less stopped paying attention to us," LOL!
And if the Repubs continue to Rally a Full vote Against the the President who the People chose............they will continue to fall into oblivian..........well over 30 Repubs were going to vote in favor of the stimulus and got muscled down by their own party...........in a bad time like this............and you wonder why you continue to be so unpopular
Someone is talking sense in the GOP....but may be too late. or maybe done in by his own people.
McConnell should realize that his party's suffering is nothing compared to what his party has inflicted on the majority of Americans. It will be a long time before I vote for a republican again, with their voodoo economics, deregulation of banks, kowtowing to the oil industry, and neglect of the common man.
Maybe I misread and I certainly don't like to claim him, but Mitch McConnell is a Senator from Kentucky...
Correction: he's a Kentucky Republican, but I'd be willing to swap him to Kansas for a player to be named later.
McConnell is from Kentucky, not Kansas
Ways to reinvigorate the Republican Party:
* Start using the new technologies to interact with more people
* IGNORE everything Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly say
* Start being the party of fiscal conservatism once more – not just when a Democrat is at the helm of the presidency.
* Dump the religious right – they are choking the vitality out of your party
* Embrace environmental and resource conservatism a la Teddy Roosevelt
* Start embracing a "free market" not a "free-for-all market" approach
McConnell was one of the worst of the formerly powerful
Republicans and now he says they need to change.
Maybe he should retire and give us the change he speaks of.
Funny how losing makes you think.
Mitch McConnell – - – - – January 29th, 2009
"We’re all concerned about the fact that – - – - – - – - – the very wealthy and the very poor, the most and least educated, and a majority of minority voters, seem to have more or less stopped paying attention to us,"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Wow, Mitch. That pretty much leaves average White folks as the only Party members.
Yep......better do something to fix that or the republicans will be regionalized...........and marginalized.
McConnell is from Kentucky....
Oh oh, a descention in the ranks.... or is it just the ultimate intellectual, moral, and current social standard of the Republican party?
I believe senator McConnell represents Kentucky – not Kansas as stated in the article.
Thank you Sen. McConnell! There, lies the wake up call to the GOP. However, the million dollar question is, will the GOP leadership listen?
DO.
GOP = GREEDY OPPOSITION PARTY
RepubTards are well on their way to EXTINCTION!! Good riddance!!
He is staring reality squarely in the face which is good. "Horror Show"- Good in Russian language.
SHOCKER!!!! REPUBLICANS ARE A REGIONAL PARTY!??? SAY IT ISNT SO!!! I could have figured that one out just by watching the Republican convention where only old white people with stupid hats showed up. Playing the religion and fear card apparently is working too well these days.
NEWS FLASH: You tripled the size of the debt, committed war crimes and broke the law on a daily basis, nearly destroyed the economy with your complete and utter disregard of regulation. Why should anyone listen to anything you have to say?? Please spare us the complaints about the size of the stimulus bill. Your party wasted 10 times that amount during the last eight years and what do we have to show for it?
REPUBLICANS ARE DISGUSTING--------------
Good for McConnell. Introspection is called for here.
My parents were moderate Republicans – the kind that snot-nosed right-wingers would call "RINOs". In their last years, they were annoyed with how the hard right was taking over their party. And now, it"s even worse. Surely, principled moderates and conservatives can once again make the GOP a party that's worthy of respect.
For the record, I'm a liberal Democrat. But I part from some on my side in that I don't want the Republicans to be driven into the ground. If the party can decide to be more Barry Goldwater and less Sarah Palin, it can come back.
Well, when you show obvious favoritism to extreme minorities (religious right, rich, big business like oil and tobacco), what do you expect? Eventually the vast majority of people that don't fit in those categories will recognize that you have done nothing for them and leave. Couldn't happen to a better party, if you ask me.
It's not too late, but the knell starts soon. If they were smart, they'd stop playing games, show a little contrition, acknowledge where they've gone wrong and that they need to make changes to their ideology and rhetoric. Unfortunately, from the way things are playing out with the stimulus package, it seems they've chosen to do the opposite, becoming more entrenched, insular and bitter and engaging in gamesmanship in an attempt to gain leverage for 2010's election cycle. It will backfire like all the games this past year and it's somewhat sad they don't understand that.
THANK YOU, someone in the Republican Party with some intelligence. John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Lindsey Graham, John McCain, Rep. Gingrey, etc. are completely daft and would rather listen to the likes of Rush Limbaugh rather than the millions of voters who made their messages VERY clear on Nov. 4th.
The same old and tired CONSERVATIVE IDEALISM is no welcomed in the 21st Century!! Republicans just refuse to get it, they are set on self-destructing right before our eyes. It's really mind boggling.
When you take John Boehner and Eric Canter doing nothing but complaining about this stimulus package when THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MESS to begin with!!!!
Mitch McConnel is absolutely right, the GOP is doing their own selves in, they can't keep blaming the Democrats for their own incompetence!!
Republicans don't like us. Vote them out of office!
This is a surprisingly insightful analysis by Mitch, but he could have gone a step further by suggesting they unload thugs like Rush Limbaugh.
"You don’t get them back by pretending to be something else," he said. “And you certainly don’t gain voters by running away from the ones that are most loyal. But it’s clear our message isn’t getting out to nearly as many people as it should."
Yeah! Grab those bibles closer and keep the repub party buried deep in the neo-con redneck territory. That's surely the ticket for growth!
Getting "back to basics" is what will win more Congressional seats in 2010, and please disregard all of these silly biased polls put out by the liberal media as it is just a conspiracy against family values!
Go Coulter/Palin 2012.
Please...
as the House rethuglicans voted against the stimulus bill is a vote against the American people. GOP's seems still living in Bush era and in fact still trying keep this country in the 1950's era. they just don't get it! it's time to move on if not, it'll be years for the GOP to ever rule again. also it's time for the GOP to get away from the far right wing christian fundamentalist!!
The Republican base consists of three groups – white rich people, white racists, and white religious kooks. Once you figure that out, Mitch, and if you have the fundamental morality necessary to see what's wrong with it, then maybe you'll find the answers you seek. In short, your base is shrinking and increasingly irrelevant. Carry on, sir.
He's Kentucky. Not Kansas.
This guys is an idiot. Get back to the principles that got you to the majority. It's that simple. Conservatism.
They were conservative and successful at one point, but they didn't fight bush on his spending sprees. Tax cuts worked to bring up the economy after Clinton left and 9/11, but they borked it with all the excess spending.
Tax cuts (let americans spend the money rather than the govt) and conservative spending by congress is key. This is the plan that has worked EVERY time. Never in our history has it failed except when one side of the equation wasn't kept.
WE create wealth...the govt does not make money...PERIOD! It can only take what WE create.
The republicans will be alright. They will make steady gains in every election as long as there is a democratic president. But it may not be enough to take back congressional control if Obama continues to be reasonable. Obama needs to cut the size of the rescue plan and drop the spending the republicans want dropped. But he should also not lower taxes on people and businesses with income or profits above $250,000. He should increase the amount of infrastructure spending. Spending on education, health, refinancing mortgages, and technology should stay the bill and be increased. The TV conversion stuff should be dropped. Unemployment insurance extension should be very limited.
Keep on voting in lockstep against economic recovery without putting forward an honest and pragmatic alternative and you know what? You'll stay the minority party everywhere except the regions too ignorant, blind or backwards to care. Good riddance, I say!
In today world of Professionalism, all those who are Incompetent and Obsolete, will Fade Away or will be Rejected. GOP will be Eliminated because of its Failed Policies in the last 8 years, due to which we are in such a distress today. GOP really needs to CHANGE in order to survive.
mitch mc connell is cited as a kansasan in the article, which he is not..
Well it is what republicans want, look at there behavior the past 20+ years, it's plan CRAZI. What is sad is the GOP is really thinking they are correct when reality they know they are as wrong as 3-left FEET!
I have a feeling that the GOPs must be a lot more flexible, particularly, in matters of economics, abortion, extremely vociferous conservatism, and boisterous blurters who preach utter nonsense through radio and other media. Start by soul-searching and by bringing those vagabonds to listen to moderatism.
mr. mc connell is cited as a kansas republican in the article..which he is not..
Don't blame Republican Senator's problems on the Shrub. You old white men are just cantankerous and you know it.
We're tired of cantankerous. We want a government of several political ilks working together for the good of our COUNTRY -- not for a political party.
wake up - obstructionist behavior will get you voted out.
Senator McConnell is from Kentucky...
McConnell is a Kentucky senator; he's not from Kansas.
To bad they won't listen to you Mitchy. Well not to bad for me, but bad for you. HA!
I can't wait to see who they pick to lead them!
McConnell is right on with what he is saying. The Republicans have no room in their party for minorities, poor people, most women and certainly no gays. That just leaves rich old white men and redneck racists and they only get one vote each.
They would prefer to listen to Limbaugh and Hannity than the American voters and that will be very telling in the 2010 elections.
"in grave danger of being marginalized to a regional party"?
Well, you can stop worrying about that. It's already happened.
Maybe all of the remaining Republicans should crowd into Texas and then secede. This time, bet no one tries to stop them.
Cut government spending, reduce taxes and stay out of our business. Get back to the Grand Old Party and you may have a young hispanic voter who could vote for you. Keep wasting money on fences, border patrol agents, drugs, unneccessary wars and supporting a so called Christian nation and I'll keep voting Libertarian. I hope you guys fix yourselves or the party collapses...
Well, at least they admit it.
They might as well go all the way and accept it, particularly if they are going to keep bowing down for Limbaugh, holding up Palin as a model politician, and remain a party of stagnant, clueless white men.
Mitch McConnell is not from Kansas. Please edit your stories.
Yet they refuse to work with Democrats. Gee!!!!!
Your party really went down hill when John picked Sarah for a running mate. I am proud to say that today I no longer belong to your party I went to the independent party. Your party cannot get over the fact that you lost the election and you candidate and his running mate ran a very hateful campaign. Especially Sarah with her hateful rallys she had and neither her or John tried to stop it. And you thought this would win you the election and now you are trying everything in your power to go against the New President. I can say one good thing about John he gave a very good concession speech and for once he had control over the crowd. Then Sarah thought she could also give a speech thank god the Mccain people would not let her, it would of been nothing but hate ful words that would come out of her mouth.
perhaps if the GOP would stop following the lead of the likes of Hannity and Limbaugh both divisive polarizing figures and try to be more open to the groups he mentioned the Republicans would have a better chance. You can tell just by some of the ones that post here that they are bitter, sore losers, not willing to reach across and work with the other party and seem stuck in their little world of denial and seperation.
The solution is simple, instead of talking about principles they must actually adopt some principles and practice what they preach. The President's stimulus plan didn't receive a single Republican vote as they insist upon accountability and responsibility which the lack thereof during their reign is exactly why he is asking for the stimulus and America is needing a stimulus. The Republicans must be willing to accept responsibillity for our situation and then work with our President to repair our situation as a team through negotiation instead of back stabbing politics. We have a common enemy and it is ourselves and our wastefull ways we need a common solution and teamwork is the answer!!!
Old "turtle face" has it right this time. The Republicans will be a minority party for a long time with their hatred an elitist attitude!
The GOP lost its direction long ago, which is why the Libertarian party came about. If the GOP would just listen to the great leadership that Ron Paul writes and speaks about everyday, they would return to the status of the leading party of this great nation, and the American citizen would have their freedom and Liberty restored.
He is right and as long as they lay down for every Democratic wish they will only have less support. It is time for new leadership and McConnell and McCain should be put out to pasture!
Mitch Mconell is from Kentuky
I'd just like to point out that Mitch McConnell is from Kentucky not Kansas
He is from Kentucky, not Kansas, but who cares what the minority obstructionist says?
I'm sure tomorrow we'll hear an apology and retraction from him.
Mitch McConnell's (from Kentucky, not Kansas) comments just go to show how out of touch the GOP is. He recognizes that the American public wants change, but he is resisting having the GOP take a hard look at it's core values and review how they mesh with the country as a whole.
If they did take a look they would see why the republicans are going to be a minority/regional party for a long time to come. The three things that republicans need are acceptance, acceptance and acceptance. Unfortunately, the three things the republicans will never tolerate is acceptance, acceptance and acceptance.
Better marketing isn't going to get the same old tired, obstructionist, protectionist propaganda sold to more people who are not buying.
Why do republicans all look like rejects from 'The Wizarard of Oz' auditions?
Good comments from the Senator. If you listen to Rush, the GOP is doomed to be the party of angry white guys.
Correction: Mitch McConnell is from Kentucky.
not a very credible report...does not even know what state Sen McConnel represents.................it is KENTUCKY...not Kansas you morons
United States Senator for Kentucky, not Kansas
I think he is actually the Senator from Kentucky.
Mitch...........you have pinpointed some of the issues to build upon. It will be a long way back. It will take many many years to get back.......if ever. YOUNGER is where you all need to go. It is universal amongst all sex's, religions and races.
Democrats are socialists and Republicans are capitalists. We have clearly and undeniably reached the point of no return where most Americans have realized that it doesnt make sense to work and earn when you can can vote in a professional politician to underwrite your new found lifestyle with other people's tax money.
D'UH! Obstructing, demonizing and the like get you nowhere, Mitch, my man.
I don't like McConnell that much, but I am impressed by his candid remarks. As a former Republican myself, I see a sad future for the GOP. They really need to stop and reflect on who they are as a national party. I still believe in conservative values and guiding the nation based on moderate conservative principles, but the GOP has evolved into a hate-filled, divisive, and exclusive party. It's not all about "big government", "pro-life", "Christian Nation", "No Gays!", policies and stances. It is about becoming the party of Ab Lincoln again.
When you do not look much different than the other party, what do you expect. We already have a national party that likes to Spend Spend Spend, we do not need 2. We already have a party that believes that Big Government is the answer to all our problems, we don't need 2.
Republicans don't need Mavericks, they don't need Moderates, they tried that with McCain, H. W. Bush, Nixon and Ford. Republicans need to get back to the Constitutional principles of our nation's Founding Fathers. They do not need to move a little more left, quite the opposite. Republicans need to move toward what has worked for them and what the people of their party desire – Conservative Principles like that of Goldwater and Reagan. When there is no difference between the 2 parties, anything will do.
Ha...that picture is priceless. It's the look of a man who sees the walls crumbling all around him. The GOP house of cards is a-fallin'.
McConnell and his conservatives will always be a minority party until they realize that America is a diverse nation and the only way for a diverse nation to survive is by being tolerant of people who are different. Gone is the Goldwater libertarian streak. What happened to the fiscally conservative, socially tolerant party?
Kansas does not lay claim to Mitch: we're still graced with Brownback and Roberts.
McConnell is from Kentucky, not Kansas.
Is he just now noticing all this?
You let other people define you? Who? You mean "others" like Mr. Saltsman, Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin? Polarizing folks like that won't win you many elections.
I think McConnell was correct about his statements, although my guess would be that what he meant by regional party was party of the south. Nonetheless, I applaud that at least the Republicans are maybe, just maybe beginning to accept the fact that they have to change. They'd be off to a much better start, though, if they worked with Obama vs. against him.
It's good to see at least one major Republican acknowledge and reveal concern that the Republican Party is in grave danger of being seen as the Party of the Old South.
They are downright whiney about the Recovery package, which is truly ironic, since the Republicans are responsible for the mess we're in right now.
They have no humility, no shame. And it shows – boy, does it show.
The way the Republicans acted during the vote on the stimulis package tells me you are for the same 'ol "politics as usual" ...which I would have thought you would have noticed from this election....we don't want that no more.
I really do hope that the Republican Party is marginalized to a regional "Southern" party. The way they stand right now is just pathetic. It was really telling when watching the RNC nominate McCain how many minorities there were in the crowd. It felt like watching a Klan rally.
MR. MCCONNELL, WE DID NOT ABANDONED YOU. WE JUST NEVER VOTED. WE HAD NO REASON TO. BUT WHEN OBAMA RAN. HE GAVE US A REASON TO VOTE AGAIN.
You'll have this in a party with the wrong people and wrong ideas.
Just educate the ignorant people in your party sir and there maybe hope. Start with Limbaugh, Bortz, Beck and Hannity. Ignorance is a scary place to be in .
Sorry to disappoint you Senator, but until the GOP abandons the politics of fear and stops using wedge issues that primarily appeal to Christian fundamentalists, voters will not be returning. The GOP needs to stop trying to dictate American moral values.
I sympathize with McConnell, but in the past eight years Americans saw Republicans turn into a corrupt ruling party that rewarded the wealthy at the expense of working people, and recklessly led us into an unnecessary war through lies and deception.
Mitch, I have no idea why the President is trying so hard to reach out to you people. However, in my view, you can either work with him or consign yourselves to the political trash heap for the next thirty or forty years.
Memo to GOP in Congress: Just keep on voting against Obama, and in 2010 we'll just keep on voting against you.
Just a slight, but important correction: Sen. McConnell is from Kentucky, not Kansas.
He's from Kentucky
shhhh Mitch they might hear you...
When the liberals realize that they are going to have to pay the taxes to support the liberal agenda they are going to vote differently like in 1980 and 1994. We can pay more in taxes for energy than it cost to produce. We can pay more in taxes for universal health care than we pay in insurance premiums. We can give the government our pay and get paid $20.00 a month like Cuba. That is what the Welfare /Nanny State will result in. The government needs to cut spending not required by the constitution! (Defense and Strong Montetary System are the only federal expense required by the constitution. The rest are entitlements!)
With ya hoos like McConnel running the show the GOP should be marginalized. The GOP under current leadership are nothing but a bunch of hate filled Bible banging bigots.
A realist is speaking in recognition that the American pulbic has spoken. I hope the Republicans can change, grow and evolve into a substantive political force which balances, not hinders, the Democrats.
I have the same wish for the Democrats and believe Barack is the man to lead the nation back to political sanity.
Mr. Minority Leader the future is now.....the republican party is finito....the only way out is to break up and start over
The Senator is from Kentucky, not Kansas!
The fact that CNN doesn't even know what state their senate leader is from just proves further how irrelavent they are
I was a republican for over 25 years before I switched to "no party affiliation" a few years ago and I have to say Mr. McConnell, your (GOP) message is getting out and it's not pretty. I got your message that as a non-conservative I was not welcome or more importantly, not respected in the GOP. Same for the fact that I am not religious, wealthy or a faithful viewer of Fox News. I am however white, so I guess that is one point in my favor. Sadly, 1 point is not enough. When republicans get back to smaller (effective) government, respect one's privacy and keep out of individual's bedroom and doctor's offices and respect diverse opinions without labeling those who disagree with them "unpatriotic" or "unamerican", then perhaps more people will look towards the GOP again. Respect the american people and they will respect you back!
Mitch has his finger on it, but like his colleagues, he doesn't get it.
How can you be the culture of life party and indiscriminately send young people into harm's way with no plan for exit, and then treat them as if the their disposable when they return home?
How can you be sensitive to the immigrant experience when one wing of the party is afraid of them while the other seeks to exploit them as cheap labor?
How can you be the party of small government when your uber-candidate (W) expanded the federal bureaucracy to the nth degree and spent money like he was printing it in his basement?
How can you be the party of freedom when your core constituency won't allow people to love who they want, how they want.
I agree that the power of definition is awesome, but the Republicans are being defined by their choices, not liberal rhetoric. He said it himself, "we can't change our fundamental values". Maybe these 'values' need to re-evaluated because they don't resonate with the majority any longer.
lol he looks like micky mouse
Poor rich white guy. I'm feeling sorry for him while I drive my 90 Volvo with 280 thousand miles looking for cheap gas and the promise of the American Dream. Where will he get to play a free round of golf? Oh the humanities...
Dear Mr. McConnell,
Why should we put our hopes and faith in the GOP? When Reagan was president, I was a fairly well-to-do midwestern Caucasian young man who idolized him in many ways. He was a hero who took on the USSR and won! I didn't know much about Republican ideology back then, but then I got educated and started working with the inner city poor and immigrants in America. I soon discovered that life wasn't so glamorous for so many of the down-trodden and disadvantaged. I looked to my Republican party for help for the people that I had come to care about. I advocated for better education and programs to enhance their job skills, because deep down WE ALL want to live better lives and are we ARE willing to work hard and sacrifice to make ourselves better. But the GOP has never been a "party for the people" in my lifetime. GOP ideology is as bankrupted as Wall Street! And the problem with the GOP is that you guys know that you are out of touch with 90 percent of the real world. So what did you guys do? You borrowed ideology from the "religious right extreme nutcases" and tried to turn their bigotry into secular policies. Well, guess what? You're still out of touch with the world! The GOP is still a party of old white men with old ideologies that don't workl! Personally, I am glad that Mr. Obama's election has given you all a wake up call! America is not served well with just one political party, we need a two or more party system. Beware! Any party that does not represent ALL Americans is going to die a slow and painful death.
Hey McConnell, you are mistaken – Your message has been heard loud and clear and it has been rejected by the MAJORITY of the American people.
NO ideas
NO leadership
NO governance
NO cooperation
NO courage
NO sacrifice
NO common sense
NO understanding of how the rest of us live
= NO GOP