Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Angry Republicans tear into leadership for its 'arrogance' Date: Sat, 14 Nov 92 16:22:11 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NATION;NEWS ANALYSIS \HD Angry Republicans tear into leadership for its 'arrogance' \BY Ralph Z. Hallow \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES The first sign of open revolt has broken out among normally docile and loyal Republican state officials fed up with their national party leadership. "The GOP has controlled the executive branch for the last 12 years. Unfortunately, today we have little to show for it," six Republican National Committee members said in the bitterly worded Nov. 6 letter to other RNC members. The letter was signed by three state GOP chairmen - Fred Meyer of Texas, Evelyn McPhail of Mississippi and Craig Berkman of Oregon; and three national committeemen - Ted Welch of Tennessee, Perry Hooper Sr. of Alabama and Ernest Angelo Jr. of Texas. The minirevolt erupted less than 10 weeks before the Jan. 29 election of a new RNC chairman. Behind the insurrection are long-smoldering resentments among RNC members toward what they see as self-serving, overpaid and out-of-touch GOP leaders and consultants in Washington. Slamming the "arrogance and disrespect displayed by our own national organization," the signers said RNC members outside the Beltway are intent on heading off the election of any of several Washington insiders competing for the RNC chairmanship. Mr. Meyer, in an interview yesterday, singled out RNC Chairman Rich Bond as typical of the arrogance of Washington insiders. "He never called me once to ask what we think about anything," Mr. Meyer said. "If we are to build our party, the individual we select should not have national political ambitions, nor should [he] be committed to a national candidate," the letter said. The only active campaigners for the RNC chairmanship so far are: Haley Barbour, a veteran RNC member from Mississippi and Washington consultant; Spencer Abraham, executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee and a former Michigan state GOP chairman and senior adviser to Vice President Dan Quayle; Labor Secretary Lynn Martin, a former congresswoman from Illinois; and former Army Secretary Howard "Bo" Callaway, a former Georgia congressman who served as Colorado GOP chairman after moving to that state. Mr. Abraham, Mr. Callaway and Mrs. Martin have sent letters to RNC members soliciting support, but the angry ones would rule them out as Washington insiders. Also excluded would be Charles Black, a senior adviser to President Bush's campaign, and retiring Minnesota Rep. Vin Weber, who was co-chairman of Bush-Quayle '92. Mr. Bond responded angrily to the letter with a letter of his own to Mr. Welch, dated Nov. 10. "Your letter is loaded with inaccuracies, myths and old truths," Mr. Bond wrote. Many Republicans interviewed last week seemed intent on rebuilding the party and on avoiding recriminations over the loss of the presidency and setbacks in the Senate, House and gubernatorial elections. The emerging RNC rebellion caught some, especially in Washington, by surprise. "While we can all point fingers or assign blame after losing the White House, it serves no purpose," Mr. Bond said in his letter. "Frankly, letters such as yours accomplish little, especially when based on little fact and less compassion." The RNC will hold its annual winter meeting in St. Louis Jan. 28-29 to pick the successor to Mr. Bond. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM