Disturbed by what he perceives as a lack of urgency on the part of the GOP’s slowly developing presidential field, conservative media critic Brent Bozell believes it’s time for Republican candidates for president — both declared and undeclared — to get with the program or step aside.
“When you see so many critical issues facing the country and some of them are so damn important — when there is a desperate need for presidential leadership at this point, those who would want to be considered president of the United States as a Republican better start coming up with those ideas,” the founder and president of the Media Research Center told the National Journal’s Hotline on Call on Thursday.
Bozell, 54, said that if a Republican candidate doesn’t step up soon and start laying out an ambitious policy agenda that satisfies the party’s conservative base, there could be a steep price to pay.
Frustrated Republican voters, he said, could begin looking beyond the GOP for somebody to lead the conservative movement — possibly someone outside the Beltway who has considerable business experience.
“If some third-party candidate emerges, he could sweep them aside,” he cautioned.
Bozell, who has been highly critical of the leading Republican candidates, including former governors Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, and recently blasted former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich for calling Rep. Paul Ryan’s proposal to overhaul Medicare “right-wing social engineering,” said that he was deeply disappointed by the seemingly languid approach of those running, or thinking of running, for the Republican nomination.
“Where are they with the dramatic proposals when this country is going to hell in a hand basket?” the nationally-syndicated columnist and frequent television commentator asked of the current crop of Republican candidates.
“The GOP leadership, and most especially its presidential candidates, need to get with the program,” wrote Bozell on the ForAmerica.org website on Wednesday.
“If the GOP is incapable of articulating a vision that returns America to Constitutional conservatism, then maybe conservatives should start thinking the unthinkable: a new party,” he said. “There is no luxury of time to debate and discuss and, as usual, postpone the tough decisions. They are upon us. Will we continue on the path to European socialism, or will we once more be a nation based on individual freedom, a virtuous and principled society and limited government? It’s time the GOP step up or move aside.”
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