Former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe weighed in on the GOP civil war that is the special congressional election in NY-23 during an appearance on Meet the Press this morning, calling it “a remarkable phenomenon” that “could affect our politics for years to come.”
Moderate Republican Dede Scozzafava suspended her campaign in NY-23 — and today endorsed Democrat Bill Owens — after a number of prominent Republicans, including Sarah Palin, backed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman instead of Scozzafava.
“A centrist Republican has been ridden out of that race,” Plouffe said, adding that the Palins, Rush Limbaughs and Glenn Becks of the world “basically are hanging a ‘Moderates Need Not Apply’ sign outside the Republican National Committee headquarters.”
“It’s a very curious strategy,” Plouffe said.
The former campaign manager — who’s promoting a new book — also took a shot at Fox News, siding with the White House in the ongoing conflict between the Obama administration and cable news network.
During the last sixty days of the 2008 election, Plouffe said, “it turned into a 24-hour propaganda channel for the McCain campaign.”
“You have to put a spotlight on some of the irresponsibility coming out of that network,” Plouffe said.
