Republicans are mounting a comeback (just like the Detroit Lions)

The only way to go is up...

Not only the motto of the 0-16 Detroit Lions but also of the Republican Party.

The Republicans are attempting a comeback. And that's a good thing for the remaining member(s) of the GOP. After all a new Washington Post/ABC poll shows that only 21 percent of Americans identify with the party.

New image

So to invigorate the base and perhaps add new members to the team, the GOP has launched an initiative called the "National Council for a New America."

House Republican Whip Eric Cantor is coordinating the effort alongside a powerful group of council members including John McCain, Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, Bobby Jindal, and Haley Barbour.

A letter announcing the initiative was sent out on Wednesday night.

"The NCNA will be a dynamic, forward-looking organization that will amplify the common-sense and wisdom of our fellow citizens through a grass-roots dialogue with Republican leaders,” they wrote. “However, this is not a Republican-only forum. While we will be guided by our principles of freedom and security, we will seek more than just our ideas.”

Bottom line? The goal is to win elections. Starting in 2010.

Concrete

On a conference call this morning, McCain said that the initiative isn't a "re-branding effort, but an effort to include as many Americans as possible” to come up with “concrete solutions for our country and our future."

"This is not a Contract with America, this is a conversation with America," he said.

No

They really want to get rid of the reputation as the "party of no" which is something that Utah Governor Jon Huntsman has been saying.

You know, the guy that was booted from an upcoming Michigan Republican event because he's too liberal (despite enjoying an 84 percent approval rating in Utah).

But Huntsman's not mentioned in the new effort. Neither is Sarah Palin.

What about the de facto leader of the Republican party, Rush Limbaugh Michael Steele? Nope.

That doesn't mean they can't be members though.

“There is no one who’s not been invited to join,” McCain said. “We are hoping that leaders across this country will join this effort.”

Moose

Cantor concurred saying that they just haven't been able to talk to Palin yet.

"We want her participation and involvement in this," he said. "This is not an organization that is meant to be exclusive."

To read the extraordinarily long letter announcing the new council, click here.

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