The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss

Posted on | November 6, 2013 | 43 Comments

In 2006, Michael Brendan Dougherty described the habitual lament of digruntled Republicans: “If it were more like me, the Republican Party would be better off. It’s failing because it’s like you.”

Whenever Republicans lose, we are forced to witness the ugly spectacle of this sectarian internecine blame game re-enacted, a tradition that dates back at least to 1948, when the “Eastern Establishment” handpicked Tom Dewey as the GOP nominee.

The sad and familiar spectacle was shamefully repeated after Barry Goldwater’s 1964 defeat which, with an eye on an approaching anniversary, reminds me of something: Years ago, I interviewed a veteran of the ’64 Goldwater campaign who pointed out that the man who made the crucial difference in that election was Lee Harvey Oswald.

The GOP had scored gains in the 1962 mid-term election and (despite the retrospective “Camelot” glamour with which the Kennedy presidency has been cloaked), by late 1963 JFK’s popularity was sinking amid a storm of controversies. The conservative backlash that would eventually elect Republicans to the White House for all but four years of the 24 years between 1968 and 1992 was already taking shape, the New Deal Democrat coalition was showing signs of stress fractures and — as the senior Goldwater campaign official told me — if John F. Kennedy had not been assassinated in November 1963, Barry Goldwater almost certainly would have been elected in 1964.

Hypothetical “what-if” alternative histories are interesting to contemplate, when we think about the extent to which America’s problems today are a direct consequence of LBJ’s disastrous “Great Society” failure, a deliberate expansion of the Welfare State that has proven almost impossibly difficult to stop, much less to roll back.

However, we must live in reality, not in hypothetical alternatives, and this is also true of Ken Cuccinelli’s heartbreaking loss in Virginia. Everybody who knows Cuccinelli swears by the guy — a brilliant policy-minded conservative and relentless campaigner who, nonetheless, got defeated by Democrat Terry McAuliffe.

The basic reasons for this loss were apparent nine weeks ago, in late August, when I started writing an article on the Virginia campaign for the October print edition of The American Spectator:

How does Terry McAuliffe, an old Clinton hand from New York, win the Virginia governorship? Simple: He talks about women’s issues and paints his Republican opponent, Ken Cuccinelli, as a dangerous extremist.
Energy policy, not social issues, was the assigned topic of the late-August event in the Washington suburb of Arlington where McAuliffe recently spoke. But polls showed McAuliffe with a double-digit lead among the commonwealth’s women voters, so the candidate stuck to his campaign’s message: Ken Cuccinelli hates women, hates gay people, and hates science too.
“We cannot be putting walls up around Virginia by attacking women’s rights, scientists or gay Virginians,” McAuliffe said in his opening remarks at the Consumer Energy Alliance forum. “This is a fundamental difference in this race.… Ken Cuccinelli has shown that he will spend his time in office fighting social, divisive, ideological battles, and those battles have defined his career.” . . .
One glance at the 2012 exit polls [in Virginia] explains a lot about Terry McAuliffe’s gubernatorial campaign tactics. Romney won 51 percent of the male vote, but Obama pulled in 54 percent of women. Any Democrat seeking to exploit this gender gap understands it involves basic cultural values. Romney actually won among married women (53 to 46 percent), but lost unmarried women by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, 64 to 35 percent. Religious voters favored Romney, who won nearly two-thirds of Protestants who attend services weekly, while voters who say abortion should always be legal favored Obama more than 4-to-1.
It’s no wonder, then, that Democrats spent the summer hammering away at Cuccinelli’s stance on abortion and other social issues. . . .

You can read the entire 2,500-word article, which was filed on Tuesday, Sept. 3 — the day after Labor Day — and yet fairly well summarizes what we now know: McAuliffe invested his huge fundraising advantage in early attack ads that “defined” Cuccinelli before the Republican candidate had enough money to reply effectively. By the time Cuccinelli began fighting back, he was on the defensive, and had already lost a key segment of the electorate. You should ignore any post-election analysis that doesn’t address that basic tactical problem.

Ben Domenech performed a post mortem on the Cuccinelli campaign that touches on some of these points, and I also like Steven Ertelt’s article, “Lesson From Cuccinelli’s Loss: Pro-Lifers Must Go On the Offensive on Abortion.” You cannot win an argument that you’re afraid to make. Pro-life is a winning position, if argued effectively and consistently by articulate and attractive spokesmen — and spokeswomen, I hasten to add. Most of the really outspoken pro-lifers I know are women, but unless pro-life women aggressively step forward with their message, the liberal media will always find a way to ignore them.

Whatever explanation you accept, the important thing to avoid — if conservatives are to go forward with an eye on victory in 2014 and beyond — is the kind of angry, disgruntled, self-indulgent finger-pointing that Michael Brendan Dougherty described so accurately. That doesn’t solve any problems, and tends to undermine the spirit of cooperation necessary to effective coalition politics.

 

 


Category: Conservatism 101, Election, Fear. Loathing., Virginia

Comments

43 Responses to “Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss”

  1. MrEvilMatt
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:04 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss: In 2006, Michael Brendan Dougherty desc… http://t.co/lRd7PEYhLk

  2. CHideout
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:04 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss: In 2006, Michael Brendan Dougherty desc… http://t.co/Bpi3pw58HW

  3. Resista38176897
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:04 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss: In 2006, Michael Brendan Dougherty desc… http://t.co/Logmb5qNbA

  4. jwbrown1969
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:04 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss: In 2006, Michael Brendan Dougherty desc… http://t.co/8nykO21wFH

  5. Lockestep1776
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:04 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss: In 2006, Michael Brendan Dougherty desc… http://t.co/VtbCMFKgok

  6. Citzcom
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:04 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss: In 2006, Michael Brendan Dougherty desc… http://t.co/pefsfFwboZ

  7. KarenDoe50
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:13 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/LO93BtdMIk

  8. rsmccain
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:19 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/qOvm0mP8qM @ProLifeStuff @michaelbd @EdMorrissey #tcot

  9. rsmccain
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:21 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/qOvm0mP8qM @StevenErtelt @proteinwisdom @AmSpec

  10. DocWashburn
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:24 pm

    RT @rsmccain: Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/qOvm0mP8qM @StevenErtelt @proteinwisdom @Am…

  11. ali
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:25 pm

    “Whenever Republicans lose, we are forced to witness the ugly spectacle of this sectarian internecine blame game” http://t.co/fmKpXQWq54

  12. Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss | Dead Citizen's Rights Society
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:27 pm

    […] Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss […]

  13. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:30 pm

    Blessed are the peace makers. Still, I know Cuccinelli was sold out by many on our own side. Kris Kristiekreme is shilling today for Lindsay Graham.

    So Reagan’s 11th commandment and all that, but also never forget to watch your own back.

  14. N0rleansLady
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:30 pm

    RT @rsmccain: Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/qOvm0mP8qM @ProLifeStuff @michaelbd @EdMorr…

  15. itsEric
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:31 pm

    RT @rsmccain: Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/JpM6occYYn @bdomenech @AceofSpadesHQ @ali

  16. FormerUSN
    November 6th, 2013 @ 2:39 pm

    RT @smitty_one_each: TOM Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/w39LvAHaIt #TCOT

  17. ajpwriter
    November 6th, 2013 @ 3:04 pm

    Well spoken. The bloodshed at Ace’s is already causing the furniture to float.

    Cuccinelli nearly won anyway. 404Care is not going to go away. And I’m doubtful if this race is really that much of a bell-weather. There’s still another year before congress runs it’s circus.

  18. Mm
    November 6th, 2013 @ 3:31 pm

    For me, this election confirmed that democrats are provincial, unserious rubes, or completely corrupt. Seriously, no one in their right mind believed that Cucinnelli would ban abortion and birth control. Banning them would be illegal in light of SCOTUS opinions; moreover, he has never stated that he would try to do any such thing. Yet, female Virginia college students told a friend’s daughter that Cuccinelli would ban both. Back in the 90s, former Hawaii gov. Ben Cayetano (D), pulled a similar stunt on Jewish opponent Linda Lingle (RINO). His campaign spread the rumor that she would “ban Christmas.” It worked.

  19. RS
    November 6th, 2013 @ 3:37 pm

    I think Jeff Goldstein is correct. The GOP elites are too jealous of their places at the trough and are willing to compromise on principle to maintain their power and the invitations to all the right parties. Thus, we’re told to “shut up” about social issues, even in the face of a Gosnell abattoir.

  20. OldmanRick
    November 6th, 2013 @ 4:18 pm

    Excellent article and spot on. On a level playing field Marxist dims lose hands down. However, they can’t win on policy, so they have to isolate, marginalize, attack, and destroy. And, sadly, it always works when dealing with low information voters, the gimmedat crowd, illegal aliens, and the straight party line voter crowd

  21. Dems Propose Bill to Make Obama Retroactively An Honest Man | Regular Right Guy
    November 6th, 2013 @ 5:03 pm

    […] Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss […]

  22. Adjoran
    November 6th, 2013 @ 5:30 pm

    Going back to Marshall Coleman’s first run, every sitting Attorney General who ran for Governor in Virginia resigned his office first – except Cuccinelli. He tried to do two full time jobs, and couldn’t.

    Blaming people or groups for money they didn’t invest in a guy behind roughly 9-10% in polls the entire campaign doesn’t work unless YOU gave money to those groups and that campaign. Otherwise, you’re just a whiner with no skin in the game anyway.

    The RNC gave Cooch as much as the DNC gave Mac, even though they had far less cash on hand. That Michael Steele blew a bundle in Virginia in 2009 on a race that was already won is irrelevant to all but those bent on deceiving their low-information listeners. Steele was fired for throwing around money like that.

    The fact is MacAuliffe outraised Cuccinelli 2-1 and Democratic unions and PACs flooded the state in multiples of what Republican groups spent. AND YET, if not for the three weeks of shutdown theater which took all the coverage 24/7 at the critical point in the campaign, Cooch might have closed the gap and won. But that last point means no sainthood for Cruz, so must be denied vigorously by his cult.

  23. rsmccain
    November 6th, 2013 @ 7:15 pm

    RT @itsEric: RT @rsmccain: Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/JpM6occYYn @bdomenech @AceofSp…

  24. sokeijarhead
    November 6th, 2013 @ 7:40 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss : The Other McCain http://t.co/371MtbO5ql

  25. rsmccain
    November 6th, 2013 @ 7:43 pm

    RT @Citzcom: Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss: In 2006, Michael Brendan Dougherty desc… http://t.co/…

  26. thatMrGguy
    November 6th, 2013 @ 7:45 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/tK9BYTbwlN

  27. Mm
    November 6th, 2013 @ 7:54 pm

    “He tried to do two full time jobs, and couldn’t.” Former Governor Tim Kaine also had the job of head of the DNC while he was governor. He was elected senator. Politicians have subordinates to run the show, and they can also walk and chew gum at the same time.

  28. Becca Lower
    November 6th, 2013 @ 8:14 pm

    You had me until you made that gratuitous attack on Cruz. Too bad, because on 1 point you didn’t go far enough. I hear that MacAliffe got zilch from the DNC.

  29. BeccaJLower
    November 6th, 2013 @ 8:18 pm

    Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/wqnOOAbS3T… via @Rsmccain h/t @thatMrGguy #VAgov #tcot

  30. Bob Belvedere
    November 6th, 2013 @ 8:29 pm

    Becca: What Ben Franklin said of John Adams is true of Adjoran:

    I am persuaded, however, that he means well for his Country, is always an honest Man, often a wise one, but sometimes, and in some things, absolutely out of his senses.

  31. Bob Belvedere
    November 6th, 2013 @ 9:36 pm

    As Jeff said in a Tweet earlier: It’s not scapegoating when they really are the cause. Identifying those working to thwart us is essential.

    https://twitter.com/proteinwisdom/status/398157785503764481

  32. dellabenghazi
    November 6th, 2013 @ 9:39 pm

    RT @BeccaJLower: Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/wqnOOAbS3T… via @Rsmccain h/t @thatMrGg…

  33. Becca Lower
    November 6th, 2013 @ 10:36 pm

    Annnnd, that’s why I love you, Bob!

  34. mVespa1
    November 6th, 2013 @ 10:40 pm

    @rsmccain with some excellent post mortem analysis … http://t.co/tqzeExvcVb #vagov #tcot

  35. lizthatch
    November 6th, 2013 @ 10:53 pm

    Excellent! Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/bxRHe7w7AU via @rsmccain

  36. The Uncomfortable Truth | Something Fishy
    November 6th, 2013 @ 11:05 pm

    […] The Other McCain often covers Virginia politics, and we recently had an election ’round these parts, in which a slimy inner-Beltway rat from out-of-state who plans to hand out taxpayers’ money to his cronies won by a narrow margin. […]

  37. rsmccain
    November 6th, 2013 @ 11:08 pm

    RT @lizthatch: Excellent! Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/bxRHe7w7AU via @rsmccain

  38. loritootle
    November 6th, 2013 @ 11:31 pm

    RT @Citzcom: Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss: In 2006, Michael Brendan Dougherty desc… http://t.co/…

  39. Gabby_Hoffman
    November 7th, 2013 @ 12:30 am

    RT @lizthatch: Excellent! Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/bxRHe7w7AU via @rsmccain

  40. Eric Ashley
    November 7th, 2013 @ 12:39 am

    Might as well destroy the RINOs first as they won’t play fair. Besides, its more fun.

  41. No RNC
    November 7th, 2013 @ 12:44 pm

    Cooch got beat by Blacks & Illegal Immi voters & yet his campaign (run by RNC pukes) never addressed the issues of Illegal’s cost, Hispanic Gangs or Black on white Crime. This is tratorous actions and the Repukes of all stripes need to manup or get out of the way!

  42. PWCTEAParty
    November 7th, 2013 @ 2:06 pm

    RT @lizthatch: Excellent! Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss http://t.co/bxRHe7w7AU via @rsmccain

  43. FMJRA 2.0: Master Of Puppets : The Other McCain
    November 9th, 2013 @ 4:28 pm

    […] Dougherty’s Law and the Blame Game: The Truth About Cuccinelli’s Loss […]