Schieffer: GOP Out Of Touch?

On paper, at least, Republicans ought to be feeling pretty good these days about their chances to take back the White House. Al Gore seems to be having nothing but problems.

In contrast, it has been a while since the Republicans had a more attractive group of candidates, a fresh-faced, popular, big state governor, a true American hero, and the first woman to be taken seriously as a contender.

But here's the part that is starting to worry even some Republican strategists: Whether it's killing a popular arms control treaty, reducing violence or regulating tobacco, the party's congressional wing seems to be having trouble finding ways to get on the same side of controversial issues that most of the public seems to be on.

A recent example: polls show that most Americans want some legal redress, some way to fight back, when HMOs treat them badly. Yet House Republican leaders managed to cast themselves as the defenders and protectors of HMOs.

This is not an argument about the merits of HMO reform or any other issue, but simply an observation about politics. When political parties have trouble finding a popular issue to call their own, they usually have a hard time winning elections, no matter how attractive their candidates.