They should fight!

Stuart Schneiderman links to a National Review article by Michael Walsh urging Republicans to fight on. He points out that

After suffering an ignominious loss in the 2004 presidential election Democrats mounted a domestic political insurgency against the Bush administration and the Republican Party.

To its eternal demerit the Bush administration failed to defend itself. It never fought back.

Unfortunately, I think that may be true. Bush was above politics, honoring his office by trying to run things with dignity, and not bothering to fight back against the constant onslaught of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and the media.

Then, it was John McCain's turn. Schneiderman writes,

Republican pusillanimity continued through the 2008 presidential election when war hero John McCain acted as though he was “too proud to fight.” The Obama campaign pounded the Republicans and McCain was beaten badly.

But, what about the Tea Party victories in 2010?

After their 2008 defeat Republicans launched their own domestic insurgency against the Obama administration. It coalesced around the Tea Party and produced significant electoral gains in the 2010 mid-term elections.

But then, in an effort to unlearn the lessons of the past and to placate the mainstream media Republicans called off their insurgency and nominated Mitt Romney for president.

Romney sailed through his opposition in the Republican primaries, although I preferred the Newt Gingrich "fighting back" strategies, especially with the media.

Romney was Johnny-on-the-spot when it came to trashing Republicans but he, like McCain, was “too proud to fight” the Obama campaign.

Worse yet, in nominating Romney the Republican Party abandoned its best issue: Obamacare.

Romney suffered an ignominious defeat, dragging the party down with him.

Now, Michael Walsh writes in National Review that Republicans should adopt the tactics that worked for the Democrats. They should launch their own domestic political insurgency. Republicans should not conciliate; they should not rebrand; they should not re-message. They should fight.