Dangit, the other day, I stuck up for Meghan - and she repays me with this awful interview?

I like Meghan...but this is not her kind of reporting

Stephley- I'm beginning to think McCain's rationality and potential are limited to what her reactions to Ingraham the other day.

"So, you studied chemical engineering? Tell me about shoes. Tell me about lip gloss...."

Blech.

Supriya would be just fine as a first lady. It's her presidential counter-part I'd be worried about.

Honestly, this "interview" is so thin that I can't possibly form an opinion on Mrs. Jindal from it.

The Jindal's will be major players on the Republican stage for decades to come. he is young, brilliant, and has measurable accomplishments.

From an interview I saw of her, she seems like a very interesting woman. I was really looking forward to reading something a bit more in depth. And I agree with Mich. I am not a fan of her husband's policies ideas.

I can't form an opinion from these "highlights" ... I can't really see how her response to "the importance of fashion in politics" indicates how well she would act as a first lady.

I am strangely drawn to the dudes comb-over on the far right.

"How important is fashion in politics?"

Because inquiring minds want to know. Blech.

CG that is some comb over, WOW.

i'm always really impressed with how educated she sounds - this isn't the first time that she's been interviewed, although it does cross too many topics. in any event, i think that she could be a good first lady - but we need to let this president and his wife get their footing and then see if we're looking for someone new in the white house.

"How important do you think fashion is in politics?" Meghan McCain needs to take her vapidity somewhere else. She, like the rest of the Republican Party, still hasn't figured out how to be relevant to voters. Hint: It'll take more than a blog and a pair of stilettos.

Meghan McCain has never been super-interested in politics, luna. Her blog and her public persona has always been more pop-culture based than political.

By the way, I would hardly call these highlights. Sure, McCain didn't ask any hard-hitting questions, but she did ask Jindal about her culture, how her husband presents himself, a foundation she started, and many other more substantive issues.

She has, however, stated that she has an interest in helping the Republican Party become more relevant. I support anyone who will help overhaul the Republican Party as I think they have a lot to add to the conversation, but Meghan McCain is not doing them any favours.

When did she state that?

I heard her talk about that in an interview with Rachel Maddow - she was all about how to make the party more relevant and moving it forward.

Interesting. I did a quick search and can't seem to find it on YouTube. Do you remember about how long ago it was?

If you go to CNN you can see the transcript of her interview with Larry King. Its interesting to read her take on things, especially her views on the Republican party.

Thanks! I will have to go over and read it. I have always heard her say that she's not a diehard Republican, so it's odd for me to think that she would want to devote a ton of time to the party's image. I haven't read much on her in a while, though, so I'll have to check it out.

So for Republicans to become relevant we just need to become Democrats?

Nah, that won't work.

How astute.

Democrats aren't relevant either.

OMG, you've cut me to the quick!

You're the one with the snarky remarks. How about answering the question instead of posting your bs?

I did: 'nah, that won't work' following your question means no, becoming Democrats wouldn't make Republicans relevant.
It's hard to believe you were serious in asking the question.

Why would I ask the question if I wasn't serious? Maybe one or two people on here said Republicans weren't relevant to voters and I would like to know why. Don't answer it if you think it is a stupid question.

Here is an excerpt from Meghan McCain's interview, I think it gives insight into what she thinks would make the party more relevant :

McCain: I consider myself a progressive Republican. I am liberal on social issues. And I think that the party is at a place where social issues shouldn't be the issues that define the party. And I have taken heat, but in fairness to me, I am a different generation than the people that are giving me heat. I'm 24 years old. I'm not in my 40s, I'm not in my 50s and older.

King: Therefore, you must, based on what you said, disagree with your father? ... Do you discuss it?

McCain: We have a very big generation gap between me and my father. Yes, we discuss them. He's very open-minded. I was raised in an open-minded home. I was raised a Christian, but I was raised open-minded Christian -- one to accept people, love people, not pass judgment. ...

I believe in gay marriage. ... I personally am pro-life, but I'm not going to judge someone that's pro-choice. It is not my place to judge other people and what they do with their body.

I agree with her on all of that, I guess I just thought those were her views, not necessarily that she was on a mission to make the party more relevant.

Anyway, a lot of people don't realize it, but the Republican Party actually uses resources/technology in ways similar to the Democratic Party. (I specifically remember a portion of Bush's campaign website dedicated to volunteer recruitment, etc.) I think that slightly altering the message and focus of the party would help leaps and bounds more than sillier pursuits, like becoming more "hip."

Not serious and stupid don't mean the same thing.

I don't think it's a surprise Lil that the Republicans do use the technology that the Dems do. You guys have a divide on message and focus not unlike the Dems did in the '70s and you saw how long it took to fix that...

It is a surprise to a lot of people, though, steph. I have had countless people tell me about the "new" ways the Obama campaign used technology when in fact he was using many of the same methods Bush used.

Thanks, My.

Well, I consider the economy to be relevant and I vote Republican, but next time it may be Libertarian if the Republicans choose another candidate like McCain.

Oy Lil, it's frustrating when people think they've discovered the wheel - they're not smart enough to realize that they got lucky or just hit a nerve.

Brendel, somehow the Republicans have to balance your interests, the far right and the moderates...

It really is, steph!

Although, I will give some of these people a pass, because I think a lot of them had just never volunteered for/worked on campaigns before. It just got frustrating to hear over and over.

And I agree about balancing interests. I also think that putting economic issues at the forefront of the message will really help. I feel like, unless they make some huge shift, the Republican Party will generally draw more socially conservative voters because they will pretty much always be more socially conservative than the Democratic Party. I also feel like most (but of course not all) socially conservative people are also fiscally conservative. However, I do feel that there are quite a few people who are fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I mean, you would think it would be Politics 101 that you would try to draw in the people who could go either way, without alienating the base. So, yeah, I basically just said what steph said about balance, but in a much more long-winded way.

I agree with that Stephley, and Republicans I think need to come up with positions on issues in the modern world: like pollution, innovation, global responsiblity. Right now it seems (and I stress my choice of word 'seems' here) that the Democrats are the only ones addressing these issues. Either they become more progressive to meet these new challenges or will become less relevant. JMO.

My's got a point - IF, and I realize to you it's a huge IF, Obama brings the economy under some control, it may not be THE hot button issue in the next two elections - then Republicans will need a 'we'll take it from here' message that will grab people. You'll need a fallback to the economy.

"It is a surprise to a lot of people, though, steph. I have had countless people tell me about the "new" ways the Obama campaign used technology when in fact he was using many of the same methods Bush used."
Lil, I agree with this. What the Obama campaign did technology-wise was different by a matter of degree.

"only by a matter of degree"

Yeah, they definitely reached more people, but I think that was more the message than the medium.

The two senators from Maine, and Spector from Pa., are the three main reasons, that the Republicans can not find "their voice"

Hmmm, I think the issues might run deeper than the three of them.