Thursday, March 28, 2024

Newsflash to GOP: You’re Going to Get Attacked

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0)
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Frank, I agree: that was one horrific interview on abortion for Scott Walker.

For some reason or another, many politicians think that they can package their beliefs in such a way that will prevent them from being attacked and at the same time advance a cause.

But that’s not reality.

Time and again, we’ve seen the most nuanced politicians (mostly on the Right) get attacked on an issue even after they have moved to the “center” or downplayed that issue as not being central to their candidacy (what?).

Mitt Romney comes first to mind. Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and Emily’s List all spent millions attacking him as being “extreme” on abortion rights and all but claimed that he was the general of the War on Women. The attacks were so fierce that Romney even ran an ad touting the fact that he SUPPORTS abortion in certain cases.

The truth is that the Left doesn’t care about anything except a full surrender. That’s why the Truce Strategy fails, just as all one-sided truces fail. The unilateral truce you’ve declared only shows the Left where to attack and make you run.

My advice to candidates running for office? Stake out the positions that you truly hold, advance them where you can, and publicly defend your position.

If you think that abortion ends the life of an innocent unborn child (and are on the record as saying such), don’t brag about supporting measures that “ultimately keep [abortion] between a woman and her doctor.” This reeks of hypocrisy and cowardice, and it’s exactly why people don’t trust or like politicians.

Instead, explain the America that you’d like to see. Explain what you would do as President. Explain what the right thing to do would be and why. Explain why your opponent is wrong. Put them on defense by playing offense. The team at American Principles in Action has made this easy.

Terry Schilling is the executive director of American Principles in Action.

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