Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Is the Republican Party too rigid?

Details

  • Description

    Charles Krauthammer on Jeb Bush's recent criticisms of the Republican Party

  • Duration 5:13
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Politics

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

-- -- speaking uniform sponsored by the Bloomberg News organization former Florida governor Jeb Bush said his father and Ronald Reagan.

-- I feel very comfortable among some right wing elements of the Republican Party.

-- -- -- from Washington analyze that statement Charles Krauthammer.

Does Jeb Bush have a point that some Republicans.

Simply will not comparable.

You know -- doctrinaire and is it my way or the highway and we're not gonna go into any negotiation we saw that a little bit with the Tea Party around.

The debt debt downgrade we saw that a little bit there does he have a point.

I don't think so on our and that's why -- try to walk it back today but he wanted back for the wrong reasons.

His problem is that he was equating his father was Ronald Reagan.

And they went out -- his father was a very good president history -- smile upon him but he was no Reagan.

-- what his father was a moderate Republicans -- moderate conservative.

Reagan was a movement conservative leader of the movement.

You -- -- he was -- worst event in those eight years and rigidity is a virtue.

I mean today we use a word ideology as a pejorative.

I think it needs to be resurrected an ideology means they coherent set of ideas.

And policies and Reagan have them.

And he pursued them and I think he would be very comfortable today.

With the Tea Party and Republican Party -- in fact I think he would say.

As Paul Ryan said after the 2010 election -- -- got a radical change in direction of the Republican Party.

Paul Ryan said we have lost our way.

We have entertained this kind of moderate conservatism.

As his father as the -- bush father said.

Kinder and gentler.

As George W said.

-- compassionate conservatism.

That was a variation they did but I think the Republicans has spoken that was not the way to go and this is a return to Reagan in his life.

Now isn't it true though that Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill a very strong relationship that was.

Back and forth and there was legislation that was embraced by both parties back -- a Reagan was a master.

At basically -- -- his point of view which was conservative.

Tool a liberal guy like O -- Where that kinda has vanished now on both then -- I mean Barack Obama's not call -- and a conservative people for consultations.

So it has vanished on both sides it isn't that what Jeb Bush is trying to get back.

Whether you think that's what he's saying he's wrong.

The reason Ronald Reagan was able to get his program through even with Tip O'Neill.

Is because he -- on a very strong ideological platform.

He won a mandate a landslide in 1980.

He said I'm gonna cut taxes by a third.

There was no resisting a president who wins by explicitly saying I'm gonna do X.

No matter how radical it is and then he wins gets a -- he did it.

So Tip O'Neill really could not stand in the way of that.

-- Reagan was able to mobilize public opinion.

The fact that he got along well with tip -- simply speaks -- political skills which every ideologue.

Every politician every president going to happen.

And he worked very well with the rest of the Democrats but the Democrats were in a losing position because Reagan had the idea is in the and the people behind him.

That is very different it was different in the bush years and that's where there was more compromised -- often would give away.

Some of the but on principle shrinking government.

Stronger national defense cutting taxes he was -- -- compromising.

And -- he got his way.

That's exactly what Republicans ought to be doing and if they win the frenzied 2012.

That's what they should do OK now did they Republican Party -- Jack.

The real strong conservative -- point of view by.

Choosing Mitt Romney over say.

Rick Santorum.

What I'm not sure -- Santorum was his huge emphasis on social issues.

Was a -- united Reagan -- he was strong.

In principle and rhetoric -- -- but he talked about a cut economics.

He talked about smaller government stronger defense that's what he talked about.

And that's what he did he's not a guy who -- did anything on abortion I can assure you of that even though he was sympathetic really anti abortion movement.

So no I think Romney was the best look there was nobody else in those debates -- was a plausible president.

Who would've had a chance at winning this is an -- Of the field it was a weak field.

Romney was the only man on that stage man or woman who was a plausible president who could win that is not to say that the parties didn't have.

Other potential candidates who would have been far more Reagan had an idea that's far more conservative Paul Ryan and Daniels -- Who for their own personal reason next week decided not to run I gotta run -- -- we don't wanna talk to you about.

The changing country.

That if Ronald Reagan and invited by the sheer magnetism of personality and leadership skills -- I think you -- huge advantage.

But the country's different now than it was when he first took office.

32 years ago so we'll talk about that would draw.

Load More