GOP plan for victory in 2016: Preach to the choir

From TheFreeDictionary.com -

preach to the choir - to make one's case primarily to one's supporters; to make one's case only to those people who are present or who are already friendly to the issues.

From the Washington Post, written by Ed O'Keefe -

The Republican National Committee formally decided Friday not to partner with CNN and NBC News for any presidential primary debates during the 2016 election cycle, a rebuke of the networks’ plans to air programs about Hillary Rodham Clinton and an attempt to seize more control of a crucial element of modern-day campaigns.

From Politico, written by James Hohmann -

Speculation that conservative radio talking heads like Mark Levin, Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh could moderate debates has ensured positive coverage of the new push on their programs.

“Put together your own debates with your own moderators, whoever you want, and focus on real Republican issues in these debates rather than whether they’re going to do a Hillary Clinton miniseries or not,” Limbaugh said on his show last week. “In this current modern age, there’s no reason anymore to treat these mainstream media people as mainstream objective and nonaligned reporters.”

Without offering evidence, he speculated that ABC’s George Stephanopoulos coordinated with the Obama campaign to ask Romney about contraception during a primary debate so they could create “the war on women” narrative.

“Wherever you go outside of Fox, you are going up against the Democrat Party with people disguised as journalists,” said Limbaugh. “Why do it?”

I'd mock them for trying to limit their national exposure to just most fervent of their base, but I think it's a brilliant plan.

Of course, I'm a Democrat.  :)

It's pretty much official: Jan Brewer has accepted her lame duck status...with the emphasis on "lame"

The governor of Arizona has relatively few things that she can do without approval of the lege.  One of those things is to officially accept the canvass (results) of an election.

The ceremony involved in the acceptance of the canvas also gives her the opportunity to bond with the people who benefitted the most from the election, the new leadership in the lege.

Also known as the people she needs to be chummy with if she wants to have any influence at the lege during her lame duckness (her term expires in 2014 and she can't run again).

So when the canvass was officially accepted on Monday, where was Brewer?

Not there.  Not sure exactly where she was, but it wasn't in Arizona doing her job.

From the Arizona Republic, written by Mary Jo Pitzl -

Brewer out of state; aide won’t provide details

 

Gov. Jan Brewer is out and about this week, but don’t look for her in Arizona.

 

The GOP governor left the state Sunday and doesn’t plan to return until Saturday, according to the notice she is required to file with the Arizona Secretary of State. But beyond that, mum’s the word from her office, other than to note that she is on official state business.

I don't know where she is, but apparently, the definition of "official state business" has been expanded.

Greatly.

From Politico, written by Kenneth Vogel (emphasis mine) -

 

A week after Election Day, three Republican governors mentioned as 2016 presidential candidates — Bobby Jindal, John Kasich and Bob McDonnell — each stopped by the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino to meet privately with its owner Sheldon Adelson, a man who could single-handedly underwrite their White House ambitions.

 

{snip}

 

So, too, did a pair of governors not considered presidential aspirants — Rick Scott of Florida, who is up for reelection in 2014, and Jan Brewer of Arizona, who will be term-limited out of office.

Hitting up big donors for funds for a presidential campaign is "official state business"?  Since when?

As I am writing this, news is breaking that Brewer will be visiting Afghanistan later this week.  My question is this trip something that will benefit Arizona and Arizonans, or is it just a taxpayer-funded pre-presidential campaign photo-op?

Update snipped from Facebook at 8:24 p.m.

Now, I think the thought of a Brewer presidential candidacy is laughable, but we should all remember that Brewer is probably no dumber than George W. Bush, and he ended up buying, blustering, and BS'ing his way into two terms in the White House.