EXACTLY THE RIGHT WORDS – AT 7:26 P.M. ET:  We've said many times at Urgent Agenda that one of the noblest things you can do in politics is to keep your movement honest.  It's one of the hardest things as well because it often means taking on friends.

Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, today showed how it's done, as he confronted current problems at the Republican National Committee.  From The Politico:

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the recruitment chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said on Sunday the Republican National Committee needs to clean up its house in the wake of news that it spent nearly $2,000 at a bondage club in Hollywood.

“The RNC does have some challenges they need to correct — not only do the American people request it, but the Republicans request it as well … If we’re going to show the American public we believe in accountability back to Washington, we need to make sure the RNC has accountability just the same,” McCarthy said on "Fox News Sunday."

Precisely.  Speaking gently, without meanness, McCarthy frames the issue as one of responsibility and credibility.  He also understands that, contrary to the sneering observations of some elitists, the American people are indeed watching, and do indeed care. 

When Fox host Chris Wallace noted that McCarthy didn’t give RNC Chairman Michael Steele a vote of confidence, McCarthy suggested that Steele needed to implement reforms at the committee.

“Michael Steele has worked very hard," McCarthy said. "When you find the challenges going forward this past week, he was not at the location. He’s trying to correct it. But you’ve got to bring the trust back, and that may mean shaking up some roles within the RNC as well.”

COMMENT:  Most movements and parties that fade away are not destroyed from the outside.  They destroy themselves.  Although Democrats have won some recent elections, their party is weaker nationally today than it was in its heyday – the period from the 1930s through the early 60s – because it has conceded far too much power to reckless factions.  We saw that at work as Democrats bullied Obamacare through the House, thoroughly indifferent to public opinion.  The Democrats have not disciplined their own party.

McCarthy's warning should be taken seriously.  He has the interests of his party, and his country, at heart.

April 4,  2010