Ralph Reed: Getting is Right, Prescribing it Wrong -- Chastises Republicans

Getting it Right, Prescribing it Wrong -- Reed Chastises Republicans for Looking Nasty

Tuesday, September 9th 1997: Well, I'll be dog-blamned! Ralph Reed, now that he's in it for the money, has allowed wisdom to eclipse dogma from his new Georgia digs. The former Christian Coalition crusader slapped fellow Republicans -- some of them his clients -- warning that they "look mean" when accusing others of having "wrong values."

Of course this wisdom could come from any ninth grader who could read aCNN poll, but I have to hand it to him for coming clean and telling the very guys and gals he helped get elected that it's time to get serious and stop eroding their credibility by launching spurious attacks on Democrats and then following with absolutely no substance.

Longtime readers of this column will remember my exhaustive search on Reed -- exploring the "Saint or Satan?" question. Many of you encouraged me to dig up dirt on Reed, but frankly there wasn't anything to find.

Now Reed, the spitting image of Howdy Doody -- or Mad Magazine's Alfred E. Newman (take your choice), is defending a fellow cartoon character -- Mickey Mouse, although Reed remains pacific in his support for the "Baptist Boycott" of Disney.

Disney is laughing all the way to the bank, and hasn't noticed a lot of Christians telling their kids that Donald Duck is the devil.

In what Reed's office calls a seven page "strategy memo" he offers that unproved allegations of wrong values make Republicans look downright nasty -- "This is particularly true of popular fictional characters, whether Murphy Brown or Mickey Mouse," he wrote in the memo.

"Many voters are turned off when a discussion of values curdles into a personal attack," Reed followed. "Avoid this at all costs."

But many Republicans won' t heed Reed's sage advice. They're too busy watching Al Gore's polls which show him taking a 6-9% reputation hit since the beginning of the year when his favorable scores were at 65%.

Reed recognizes that Gore will have a tough time should Janet Reno appoint a special prosecutor to investigate his alleged campaign finance abuses, but he also knows that presidential elections are three years out and that American voters have a kneejerk reaction to politicians -- especially Republicans -- who kick a guy when he's down. This is especially true in that the Thompson Committee hasn't come up with a scintilla of evidence that Gore orchestrated or had any part whatsoever in the Hsi Lai Temple incident.

Reed wrote, "Vitriolic calls for a special prosecutor only make (Republicans) look mean and partisan," Hearings on the Democratic fund-raising affair "have been wholly disappointing" so Republicans can't count on the scandal sweeping them to election victories," Reed added.

So what does Reed think Republicans should stress? Well, he recommends that they emphasize issues like education, welfare and abortion and soften their "tax cut" strategy which lacks luster in this beefy economy.

In an indirect attack on Speaker Newt Gingrich Reed said, "capitulations to Clinton" and the "lack of a coherent Republican agenda" are cause for alarm heading into the 1998 elections. Here, Reed is alerting The Speaker and the rest of the GOP who haven't chosen to buy a first class ticket on the Christian freedom train, that an increasingly wide gap between congressional Republicans and their conservative base will only do them bitter harm come the mid-term elections in 1998.

But does Reed want the Speaker to step down? He said the "maudlin coupe attempt" against Gingrich also hurt the GOP. But what does he mean by maudlin? Is that a code word for "failed." If the coup had been successful and Newt was trashed, would Reed have a better chance to push his Christian agenda?

You betcha.

Reed may be encouraging, between the lines, a fresh attempt to oust Gingrich with or without realizing it. But one thing's for sure, his advice to Republicans is good -- until one gets to his prescription for victory. Emphasizing welfare and abortion worked well in the late eighties and early nineties during a rage of American greed born of panic when voters realized there might be nothing left after the rich ate them alive. But pushing the tired abortion agenda, and encouraging further attacks on the poor isn't constructive advice.

Bill Clinton has already taken the education plank from Republicans who seem more eager to disband the Department of Education and surrender the future of American education to the states. Americans, especially those living in Reed's "Hometown South," know darn well that trusting State government to educate their kids is folly. The highest illiteracy rates in the United States, led by Mississippi -- A Baptist stronghold -- dwell in Southern States.

The truth is that Republicans have no agenda and really ought to stick to tax-cutting strategies -- primarily because that's they only issue they have going. A related issue is the IRS. Republicans would do well to really streamline Internal Revenue, and perhaps push for a flat tax. This is an issue that tests high on the American agenda. It's also one that Democrats have avoided like the plague.

But today I'm writing to congratulate Reed on his good advice. Despite himself, Reed has, in a quest for his share of campaign cash, stumbled on something smart. Republicans would do well to heed his advice -- at least in terms of "meanness", but if they do, voters will see there's nothing left. What Reed is really saying, without saying it, is that the GOP has shot it's wad. It has little choice but to wallow in personal accusation, Democrat bashing and infighting.

Reed may want to switch and counsel Democrats in the future. You know, a few of them are Christians too.