The stories you want. The opinions that matter.
No, thanks
Tag: rnc
Joe Biden

RNC Responds To Biden Announcement With Weirdly Ominous Ad (VIDEO)

On Tuesday, April 25, President Joe Biden confirmed something that many fellow Democrats had been anticipating: He is running for reelection and is officially seeking the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination. So far, only two other Democrats have officially entered the primary: anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and new age self-help guru Marianne Williamson. And most of the Democratic Party is expected to coalesce around the president in 2024, from centrists to liberals and progressive.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) responded to Biden's announcement with an attack ad obviously designed to terrify voters — an ad that RNC critics are slamming for its use of artificial intelligence (AI) software as well as for listing things that haven't actually happened.

In the RNC video, ominous-sounding music plays while imaginary headlines of the future are predicted: "An emboldened China invades Taiwan. Financial markets are in freefall as 500 regional banks have shuttered their doors. Border agents were overrun by a surge of 80,000 illegals yesterday evening…. It feels like the train is coming off the tracks."

Responding to the RNC ad on Twitter, the Washington Monthly's Bill Scher posted, "Very weird choice to go after an incumbent with fictional depictions of the future instead of problems in the present." Axios' Alex Thompson noted, on Twitter, that the RNC ad "is 100 percent generated by AI software meant to create images that look and feel real" — images depicting "an imagined dystopia look at the future" if Biden is reelected in 2024.

Thompson observed, "Why it matters: AI-generated images are disrupting art, journalism, and now politics. The 2024 election is poised to be the first election with ads full of images generated by modern Artificial Intelligence software."

Democratic strategist Sam Cornale slammed the RNC's use of AI software, tweeting, " When your operative class has been decimated, and you're following MAGA Republicans off a cliff, I suppose you have no choice but to ask AI to help."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Republican National Committee

Republican National Committee Vows To 'Go On Offense' Over Abortion

Republicans didn’t get the big red wave they expected in November’s elections, thanks to voter anger over harsh abortion bans. So how are Republicans going to do better in 2024? By embracing harsh abortion bans, if the Republican National Committee has anything to say about it. That’s the party’s official position as laid out at length in a resolution passed by the RNC on Monday.

See, the problem is that Republicans didn’t talk about abortion enough in 2022. “Instead of fighting back and exposing Democratic extremism on abortion, many Republican candidates failed to remind Americans of our proud heritage of challenging slavery, segregation, and the forces eroding the family and the sanctity of human life, thereby allowing Democrats to define our longtime position,” in the resolution’s words.

The RNC passed the resolution in the wake of Ronna McDaniel’s reelection as chair and, in that context, it looks like a Kevin McCarthy-style concession to the far right. McDaniel was reelected easily compared with McCarthy’s 15 rounds of speaker votes, but the chair fight drew enough attention, and her opponents drew enough votes, to give her reason to try to shore up her right flank. As ways of doing that go, though, “more abortion bans” is a glorious gift to Democrats.

The resolution for action moving forward is twofold. First, there’s a plan to “go on offense,” aka lie. “The Republican National Committee urges all Republican pro-life candidates, consultants, and other national Republican Political Action Committees to remember this proud heritage, go on offense in the 2024 election cycle, and expose the Democrats’ extreme position of supporting abortion on-demand up until the moment of birth, paid for by the taxpayers, even supporting discriminatory abortions such as gender selection or when the child has been diagnosed with Down syndrome.”

That is simply not the position of the Democratic Party. So that’s step one: “Hey, Republicans, you didn’t lie about Democrats enough in 2022! Fix that in 2024!”

The second part of the action plan is to pass more anti-abortion laws, specifically ones based on disinformation. Yep, voters dealt you a historic rebuke in 2022 over the anti-abortion laws you had already passed, but this time is going to be different.

“The Republican National Committee urges Republican lawmakers in state legislatures and in Congress to pass the strongest pro-life legislation possible – such as laws that acknowledge the beating hearts and experiences of pain in the unborn – underscoring the new relics of barbarism the Democratic Party represents as we approach the 2024 cycle.”

The “beating hearts” part means six-week abortion bans based on the first signs of cardiac activity that come long before anything that could reasonably be described as a heart has formed. Those bans prohibit abortion starting at a point before many people know they are pregnant.

The “experiences of pain” part is a mainstay of Republican anti-abortion legislation, often used as an argument for 15-week abortion bans. Except a 15-week fetus does not and cannot feel pain. Here’s what the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has to say on the issue: “The science conclusively establishes that a human fetus does not have the capacity to experience pain until after at least 24–25 weeks. Every major medical organization that has examined this issue and peer-reviewed studies on the matter have consistently reached the conclusion that abortion before this point does not result in the perception of pain in a fetus.” The 24 to 25 weeks at which the capacity to feel pain develops, by the way, is also right around the viability threshold that was a critical part of the rights guaranteed under Roe v. Wade.

The RNC probably thinks that part one of the plan—tell lies about Democrats being the real extremists on abortion—will overwhelm part two of the plan—pass more of the kind of laws that voters rose up against last year. But the losses of hardcore anti-abortion politicians like Arizona Senate nominee Blake Masters, Pennsylvania gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano, and Michigan gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon suggest that “go harder on abortion” may not be the key to success in battleground states.

If Republicans want to try that, though, please proceed. Anti-abortion bills are not going to get through the U.S. Senate or get President Joe Biden’s signature, but if House Republicans want to pre-write Democratic campaign ads by passing some message bills showing what they would do to ban abortion at the federal level if Republicans got full control of government … great, thanks guys. If Republicans manage to pass more state-level abortion restrictions, real suffering will follow in those states, as has already kicked off in the states that have passed harsh restrictions.

But the low-hanging fruit has already been picked—the states that don’t yet have abortion bans are probably ones where, even if Republicans propose such bills, they may encounter trouble passing them, potentially even from fellow Republicans who look at what happened in 2022 and decide that maybe extreme opposition to abortion is not a winning tactic.

Abortion, and the long-term consequences of banning it, aren't going anywhere as political issues because they're not going anywhere in people’s lives. If Republicans want to keep being loud and proud about which side they’re on, that’s helpful in ensuring that voters know what their votes mean when Election Day rolls around.

​Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the official position of the Republican National Committee (RNC) on abortion?

The RNC passed a resolution calling for Republican candidates to embrace harsh abortion bans in an effort to do better in the 2024 elections. The resolution also calls for Republicans to "go on offense" and lie about the Democratic Party's stance on abortion and for Republican lawmakers to pass more anti-abortion laws.

Why did Republicans perform poorly in the 2022 elections with regards to abortion?

According to the RNC, Republicans failed to talk about abortion enough in the 2022 elections, allowing the Democrats to define their stance on the issue.

What is the first part of the RNC's action plan regarding abortion?

The first part of the RNC's action plan is for Republicans to "go on offense" and lie about the Democratic Party's stance on abortion, claiming they support abortion "on-demand up until the moment of birth, paid for by the taxpayers."

What is the second part of the RNC's action plan regarding abortion?

The second part of the RNC's action plan is for Republican lawmakers to pass more anti-abortion laws, specifically ones based on misinformation, such as six-week abortion bans based on the first signs of cardiac activity.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

House Republicans Clash Over Budget

Cut Social Security, Medicare Or Pentagon? House Republicans Clash Over Budget

It’s a familiar pattern, Democrats say: Republicans run up federal deficits when they’re in the White House, then suddenly become deficit hawks once again when there’s a Democratic president. When GOP lawmakers passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and then-President Donald Trump signed it into law, the Republican National Committee (RNC) wasn’t worried about the United States’ federal deficit.

"The national debt has risen by almost $7.8 trillion during Trump’s time in office," ProPublica noted a week before the conclusion of Trump's term in 2021. "Trump had the third-biggest primary deficit growth, 5.2 percent of GDP, behind only George W. Bush (11.7 percent) and Abraham Lincoln (9.4 percent). Bush, of course, not only passed a big tax cut, as Trump has, but also launched two wars, which greatly inflated the defense budget. Lincoln had to pay for the Civil War. By contrast, Trump’s wars have been almost entirely of the political variety."

But under Democratic President Joe Biden, House Republicans have — as liberal economist Paul Krugman emphasizes in his New York Times column — reemerged as deficit hawks.

Slashing federal spending is a prominent topic among the GOP’s new small majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. But journalist Ursula Perano, in an article published by the Daily Beast on January 30, emphasizes that GOP lawmakers are debating exactly what they want to cut.

Consequently, the ongoing deficit wrangle has thrust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) into conflict with his conservative caucus.

Perano reports, “When Republicans took control of the House this November — and took back some control over the federal budget — they did so with a promise of widespread cuts to government spending. But as those conversations have started developing between members on Capitol Hill, a less catchy reality is coming into light: Spending cuts are easier promised than delivered.”

When McCarthy appeared on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on January 29, he insisted that cuts to Medicare and Social Security are off the table in talks on raising the debt ceiling. But he said that cuts to other parts of the federal budget, including defense spending, are open to discussion. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia is calling for cuts to military aid for Ukraine.

The House Speaker told CBS News, “I want to make sure we’re protected in our defense spending, but I want to make sure it’s effective and efficient. I want to look at every single dollar we are spending, no matter where it is being spent.”

Although McCarthy vowed to leave Social Security and Medicare alone during that interview, other House Republicans don’t necessarily see it that way.

Perano explains, “Instead of wide agreement on when, where, and how to cut spending, members are still haggling over how to start. The defense budget is huge, but some Republicans are cautious to be seen cutting money for the military and national security — a line-item Republicans have fought to increase for decades. Social Security and Medicare are allegedly on the table, but it’s a red line for some Republicans that former President Donald Trump — still the most prominent Republican — has insisted they should not touch.”

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current budget situation in the House of Representatives?

The House Republicans are currently clashing over the budget, with the decision to cut either Social Security, Medicare, or the Pentagon.

What are the consequences of cutting Social Security?

The consequences of cutting Social Security would be a reduction in benefits for the elderly and those with disabilities.

What would happen if Medicare were cut?

If Medicare is cut, it will reduce healthcare coverage for seniors and those with disabilities.

Tucker Carlson Wants His Very Own RNC Chairwoman (VIDEO)

Tucker Carlson Wants His Very Own RNC Chairwoman (VIDEO)

Fox News star Tucker Carlson responded to the GOP’s dismal showing in the midterm elections by pointing fingers elsewhere and demanding accountability. Two months later, his call for new House and Senate leadership has gone unfulfilled. But Carlson is still urging the party to replace Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel with Harmeet Dhillon, a GOP official and longtime presence on Fox who is seeking the position.

Dhillon is challenging McDaniel, the RNC’s chair since 2017, on largely technocratic rather than ideological grounds. Dhillon has no problem with the motley crew of extremists the GOP nominated in 2022 — in fact, she is very much part of that milieu. A 2020 election conspiracy theorist, Dhillon has described Fox host Laura Ingraham and right-wing troll Dinesh D’Souza as “long-time mentors,” and her law firm has represented Donald Trump, the RNC, and a host of Republican causes and far-right figures. McDaniel said in early December that she already had the votes to be reelected. But Dhillon has been working the right-wing press and appears to be making inroads with some state parties ahead of the RNC winter meetings later this month, where she and McDaniel will debate before the vote.

Carlson is among Dhillon’s most prominent supporters. He gave the challenger a platform to launch her bid in early December and has hosted her repeatedly over the past month. The Fox host uses his highly rated and influential program to praise her candidacy and to promote negative reporting about McDaniel, whom he’s suggested no one should support. Carlson’s pro-Dhillon campaign sets him apart from his prime-time colleagues, who have been more neutral, and Fox’s “news side” anchors, who have instead promoted McDaniel, while aligning him with the right’s insurgent wing.

While both have been Fox regulars for years, Dhillon has in recent months appeared more frequently and on higher-rated programs than has McDaniel. Dhillon has made 14 weekday appearances on Fox since the midterms; 13 of them came on the programs of Carlson or Ingraham. McDaniel, meanwhile, has made only 6 weekday appearances, all of which came on the network’s “news side” shows.

When Carlson hosted Dhillon on December 5, he left no doubt whom he supported for RNC chair. He introduced her as “our friend” and “frequent guest on the show” (she has made at least 66 appearances on Tucker Carlson Tonight since August 2017). After giving her the opportunity to announce her run for RNC chair and to go through her talking points, Carlson closed the interview by praising his guest and offering a testimonial on her behalf.

“I love it, I love it,” Carlson said. “I can vouch for your toughness. It's absolutely real and much needed. Godspeed. Harmeet Dhillon, we are rooting for you. Thank you.”

Carlson again promoted Dhillon’s candidacy when she returned to the program on January 5.

“I don't understand why Republicans seem to have this instinct to reward failure and mediocrity,” he said. “Nothing against the current occupant of that office, who seems like a fine person, but given the record, how could anybody, how could any RNC member for a moment consider supporting that person again? I don’t understand it.”

And in a third interview on January 11, Carlson praised Dhillon as someone who “plans to try and change” Washington, D.C.

Carlson also devoted a December segment to a report that McDaniel had overseen lavish expenditures for luxury clothing, private plane use, flowers, and staff retreats.

Carlson’s prime-time colleagues Ingraham and Sean Hannity, both powerful figures in the GOP in their own rights, have been more reticent. Ingraham has praised both candidates; while she has given Dhillon opportunities to make her case on her show, the Fox host has not weighed in on whom the party should pick. Hannity, meanwhile, has not mentioned either McDaniel or Dhillon on his Fox show since Dhillon launched her bid. While handing off to Ingraham on December 7, Hannity explicitly said he wasn’t going to take sides.

“I like Ronna McDaniel a lot. I've said that I like her. She's a great person and great, great woman,” Ingraham told Hannity. “But, I mean, you do have to make the case as to why you actually deserve to get reappointed.”

“I'm not getting involved in that match,” Hannity replied.

In addition to Carlson, Dhillon is a favorite of former Trump aide Steve Bannon, who has hosted her on his War Room show, and Turning Post USA founder Charlie Kirk, who has urged RNC members not to reelect McDaniel. Dhillon was “was promoted extensively” at TPUSA’s youth conference in December, where she “was featured on live broadcasts and conservative talk shows set up from the conference’s media row, culminating in a live podcast recording with commentator Tim Pool from the convention hall.”

She has also touted recent appearances with the likes of Glenn Beck, John Fredericks, Liz Wheeler, and Dave Rubin.

Under McDaniel’s tenure at the RNC, the party became deeply mired in the right-wing fever swamps. But Dhillon has no interest in pulling it out.

Reprinted with permission from Media Matters.