As the Illinois returns came in last night, and Governor Romney racked up an impressive win, albeit in historically light voting, Washington supporters of the House GOP met at a massive \u2013 and massively successful (it raised $12 million) \u2013 fundraising dinner\u2026 and inadvertently demonstrated the crosscurrents in the party.<\/p>\n
The main speaker was South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, an attractive, smart, effective political leader. \u00a0A product of Tea Party politics, Haley nevertheless endorsed Romney months ago. \u00a0She was clearly the best thing Romney had going for him as he was losing the state\u2019s presidential primary.<\/p>\n
In her remarks Haley delivered an intelligent critique of President Obama\u2019s tenure \u2013the historic context of federal government growth starting in the 1930s, that today is not the 1930s despite the administration\u2019s apparent belief otherwise, the disaster of overspending and over-borrowing, politically self-serving regulation, pandering to unions, abuses of power, and resulting economic stagnation when we so desperately needed a 1980s-style vigorous recovery.<\/p>\n
It was a winning performance, though on the edges not quite ready for prime time. \u00a0At any number of places, she set up what could have been big applause lines. \u00a0One additional phrase here and there and she could have brought out the cheers and virtually compelled the media to quote her. \u00a0But that extra phrase never came \u2013 and the speech, though engaging, fell, to these ears, just slightly flat.<\/p>\n
But a sad souffl\u00e9 speech (right chef, right ingredients, still doesn\u2019t rise) is not what I mean by demonstrating crosscurrents. \u00a0The crosscurrents were in what was said and what wasn\u2019t said earlier in the program.<\/p>\n
The \u201cwhat was said\u201d part came from the honoree of the evening, Congressman Jerry Lewis. \u00a0The National Republican Congressional Committee gives an award each year. \u00a0Last night the California congressman was its recipient.<\/p>\n
And, yes, he is an impressive man. \u00a0One of the presenters made reference to Lewis\u2019 desire to learn Spanish. \u00a0But according to the Almanac of American Politics<\/em> (2010 edition), Lewis became fluent in Spanish years ago, to accommodate to demographic changes in his district. A professional legislator who served in the California assembly when Ronald Reagan was governor, he has spent adult life in politics and public service, by most accounts to good effect. A veteran of national security affairs at my table leaned over as the congressman accepted the award and whispered that Lewis was personally responsible for the Predator drone program. \u00a0Years ago, Lewis championed the innovative system that in many respects rescued American operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and pushed it through the appropriations process, apparently over considerable opposition. \u00a0One right call like that is enough to give any member of Congress an honored place in the history books.<\/p>\n But Lewis has also become an emblem of what many consider the too-cozy-by-half ways of Washington \u2013 and that side of him was on display last night. \u00a0In his brief acceptance remarks, he called for compromise in Congress. He said that sometimes good ideas come from the other party. \u00a0Members needed to take note and look for ways to form broad coalitions.<\/p>\n Looking from one perspective, of course, Lewis was speaking a legislative truism. \u00a0But it didn\u2019t take a Washington insider to see that such a pillowey platitude when uttered from this podium at this dinner had a steel-spear-sharp point.<\/p>\n