Political Hotsheet
By

Brian Montopoli /

CBS News/ June 17, 2011, 2:05 PM

Haley Barbour: Tea Party must stick with GOP

Haley Barbour AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
NEW ORLEANS -- Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour told a crowd of conservative activists at the Republican Leadership Conference Friday that they should not "get hung up on purity" when it comes to the Republican nominee for president.

"In politics, purity is a loser," said Barbour, a well-connected GOP insider who earlier this year decided to forgo a presidential run in 2012.

"In this business," he added, "it is unity that wins elections."

Barbour said only one "perfect" person had ever walked the earth - presumably Jesus Christ - and said voters should see someone who they agree with on 80 percent of issues should be considered an ally, not an enemy.

Barbour said that this was the first time in his decades in politics that people are regularly telling him that "I'm afraid my children and grandchildren are not going to inherent the same country I inherited."

"Those are the stakes for this election," said Barbour.

That's why, he argued, that the Tea Party cannot effectively serve as a third party, splitting votes on the right.

President Obama "can't lose if we split the conservative vote," Barbour said, adding that "the left is dying for the Tea Party or the whatever party to become a third party."

Barbour, who deemed the GOP field "wide open," predicted a hard fought primary battle. He said when that battle is over, conservatives must remember that, in the words of FedEx founder Fred Smith, "the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."

And that main thing, Barbour said, is electing a new president in 2012.

Barbour's speech also included a number of shots at Mr. Obama on energy policy and the claim that Republicans will win if the issues don't become muddled because Americans agree with them.

There has been a perception that Republicans are disappointed with their options to take on Mr. Obama, but conference-goers have said in interviews that there is at least one candidate who they support. When Barbour said "there are a bunch of good choices" in the GOP field, the audience responded with applause.

© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
19 Comments Add a Comment
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jimbom121 says:
You mean the GOP is not the Tea Party? Funny since they share office space, consultants and funding.
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Asok_II says:
Dear Haley,

I have some news for you. I'm registered GOP but will never in a million years vote for that lying, slimy used-car salesman weasel Romney if he gets the GOP nomination.

In fact, I'm starting to think that I'm inclined to vote for Obama if Romney is nominated. Obama purposefully put us in this economic mess with his rampant and deliberately destructive socialism, as well as all of his other deliberately destructive policies, so I say let Obama finish the job! Let him and his damned Socialist Democrat party own their legacy of destruction forever. Let the people of this country make no mistake about what Democrats are all about and what they really do when they rule. Let there be no excuses!

Because if Romney is elected instead, the country is still going to go down in flames, but the climax of destruction will occur on Romney's watch, allowing the Marxist media swine to convince the na?ve public that it's all the Republicans' fault.

However, if Obama were to be re-elected, then in future elections (at least a generation or two), the choices should be clear based on the utter destruction wrought by eight years of Obama and the Socialist Democrats. Hopefully after eight years of economic devastation our people would have learned their lessons and would choose prosperity over tyranny, at least for a while longer.

And what if the people want even more of the Socialist Democrats after eight years of terror and destruction? Then unfortunately for we who work and think and know better, the majority will deserve the government they select. But what about you and I, you say? Well, it would be a good time to start a new country within this country, I think. It would be time to select a few good states and migrate there en masse and take them over at the ballot box. It would be time to go Galt.
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jimbom121 replies:
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Obama purposefully put us in this economic mess with his rampant and deliberately destructive socialism, as well as all of his other deliberately destructive policies, so I say let Obama finish the job!
--------------------------------------------

Was Obama president in 2008?
pasha128 replies:
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Did Obama even propose the FY 2009 budget? -- NO again Bush controlled both.
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stn_sage says:
If the articles haven't been conveniently pulled from
circulation, if you look at statements HE and other
"leaders" of the GOP have made over the last year,
you would find that they have labeled the TEA Party
everything from a fringe group to a fad! But, most
importantly, non-consequential in it's ability to
cause change in the political system!
But now, all of a sudden, the TEA Party must remain
within the GOP!? What a sudden reversal of stated
importance it has been granted!
Personally, I believe TEA Party members are going to vote for
and rally around politicians who will represent the general
public and not the ultra-wealthy and special interests!
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greenlantern1 says:
Is Barbour proud of Herbert Hoover or FDR?
Lincoln bolted, from the Republican party, to form the Union party.
Teddy Roosevelt bolted to form the Bull Moose Party.
They were great Americans!
Clifford Spencer
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pasha128 says:
Apparently Haley Barbour believes the Tea Party has the capability of sinking two ships -- their own and that of the Republican Party.
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Starburst9 says:
Who sold this madness to the American people? Some of America's wealthiest corporations,CEO'S, and foundations-they are behind the lobbying,the propaganda on Fox Nouze, and the Tea Party itself.They all sold their souls to the Devil himself,on the backs of the people who just want a job and just try to do the old American way. They are destroying America right in front of your eyes and when we are down and out you are to blame yes the ones that do not do there homework and find the truth it is not with the Congress we have today I will tell you that
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justme2012 replies:
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And who do you think controls the news you watch?

Ever ask youself that?

Ever ask yourself what foreign country paid Obama $820,000 last year alone which is almost twice his salary as POTUS? Ever ask yourself what he had to do to EARN that money? Ever asked yourself why he's dumping his American Treasury investments?

Ever do YOUR homework?

I know the answers to most of the questions, do you?

Do you even care? Or are you a good little sheep?
san850 replies:
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@justme2012.....do you REALLY think most folks are stupid enough to believe your nonsense?

President Obama's foreign income is the portion of book royalties that were earned through foreign-market sales, received from his literary management companies.....this is a FACT which is easily proven beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Where do you do your research? Oh, never mind...we know it includes FAUX News(?) and many radical right-wing hate blogs who spew nothing but lies and propaganda against the President. You are the "good little sheep" following the herd and saying what you are told to say.
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Starburst9 says:
Here is a change we could believe in: make EVERY politician wear there backers logos on their suits like NASCAR drivers do
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Starburst9 says:
Lets start with the Koch brothers, David and Charles. These guys made a large fortune by inheriting a medium=sized one,and using it to bully their way up to become two of the richest 20 people in America. They are also far right-wing, laissez-faire extremist who fund groups with benign names like Americans for Prosperity-though the only prosperity they care about is their's and their mega-rich brethren.
These two corporate billionaires are the moneybags behind the supposedly "grassroots" Tea Party movement.
As far as this Tea party Quackery goes I feel you cannot clean up a creek till you get the hogs out of it, Mr. Barbour you and Dick Army and the Koch brothers are some of the hogs we need to get out of that creek before this country can go forward not backwards as this republican congress is taking us. They blame Obama but who makes the laws, not Obama, the Congress,, the continuation of policy to only help the rich and make the rest of us pay blame yourselves for this mess
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justme2012 replies:
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Really?

The only time I ever hear of them is from socialists on blogs?

Wish they'd send my Tea Party some money!
san850 replies:
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Agree Starburst9.....The Tea Party is certainly not the "grassroots" organization they would like for you to believe. Their primary puppetmasters are the Koch Bros. It is a movement predominated by low to middle-income, middle-aged and older white males who are angry about ANY government entity and hostile to ANY societal change. They are also easily influenced to do their puppetmasters' work....believing any lie they are told and more than willing to perpetuate these lies.

Tea Partiers generally have an anarchist streak with antagonism toward ANY authority. They are belligerent and lack any coherent program or alternative to the very policies they constantly condemn.

They are constantly screaming, "We want to take back our country".....but just how far "back" do they want to take it?

Bottom line: The Tea Party is fundamentally about simply venting anger at change it doesn't like...NOT about fixing what's broken. They are loud and obnoxious.... I predict this will be their downfall.
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Myopinion046 says:
The Tea Party should stay with the GOP, but kick out all gay rights supporters like Giuliani and Huntsman!
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justme2012 replies:
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Most of the Tea Parties are about fiscan conservatism.

Not sure what you belong to.
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