Call Me GOP

The election of Audra Shay as the new chairman of the Young Republicans has sparked much controversy within the group. As reported in The Daily Beast:

“I’m (like many) still trying to decide whether to quit, or fight, or try to help repair our organization’s reputation, or if we even deserve repair…There are a lot of YRs who want to take our party back, but the name has been damaged so much now, I’m not sure we want it back. There truly are so many good people involved, but I feel the damage has been done by these few extreme bad apples.”

What do you all think of the 38-year-old and the recent election? Is she truly representative of the party or an “extreme bad apple” that’s doing more harm than good?

You know, I often admire Meghan McCain for being a brazen, different sort of voice in the G.O.P. She confidently calls herself anti-Coulter, anti-Limbaugh, and anti…well, many of the loudmouths of the Republican Party. Here’s Out magazine’s profile of her (and the Huffington Post’s coverage of it). Meghan may be a more controversial character, but why can’t she (and others like her) be the voice of the G.O.P.? Is this, at least, how the party should be speaking to younger generations?

Michael Steele gave his party a pep talk at a fundraiser in Indiana. He also called for Republicans to reach out to the youth, saying, “This is not your mother’s or your daddy’s party anymore, it is your party…Step up and step in.” Read the story here.

Dick Cheney speaks to recent scandals and the future of the party.

“We’ve got some great talent out there, young people coming along that are going to do a superb job. I always remind people that in adversity, there’s opportunity,” he said (as reported by CNN).