Well, we’re back. With a vengeance.

Here’s Rob Cornilles’s speech from Dorchester, 2011 – where the supposed “conservative” candidate is compromising, collaborating, and basically conceding before the game even starts!

Dorchester “Founder’s Speech”

March 5, 2011

The Republican Renovation

By Rob Cornilles

It’s wonderful to have my family here with me this weekend. Hats off to Dorchester for providing such a family-friendly environment.

But I know political animals from all “stripes” like to have fun. Unfortunately most of them don’t have a Dorchester, so they have to find other ways to amuse themselves, like dressing up in costumes … and stuff like that….

Ladies and gentlemen, fellow Oregonians, it’s a privilege tonight to stand in front of so many Dorchester alumni, who, through their perseverance, have paved the way for all of us; and the grassroots activists, whose example of energy and resolve these last two years have inspired more in Oregon to get involved; and our Republican legislators who stand on the front line, fighting for our cause each and every day. I’m humbled to address you tonight on some things that have been on my mind.

Picture this: Two cars are approaching an intersection, the second car tailing closely behind. The light turns yellow, and the first car brakes just shy of the crosswalk. The man in the second car slams on his breaks, sending his coffee and cell phone flying. He lays on the horn and starts yelling at the driver in front of him.

Suddenly, tap, tap, tap on the window and he looks up into the face of a very serious police officer, who orders him out of the car. Telling him to put his hands up, he cuffs him, and throws him in the back of the patrol car.

At the police station he’s searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, the same policeman approaches the cell and opens the door.

”I’m very sorry for the mistake,” he says. “You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the man in front of you and cussing a blue streak. I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ bumper sticker, the ‘Follow me to Sunday School’ license plate holder, and the chrome-plated fish emblem on the trunk, so naturally…I assumed you had stolen the car.”

Friends, in spite of all the talk and adornments, like that angry driver, do you and I always reflect what Republicans should be? Are we living and embodying the ideals that will gradually inspire our state – and all its factions – to finally take our lead? Do people watch us and say, “I want to join them,” “I want what they have!”?

Or, are we like the inventor who’s convinced himself, despite never having tasted it, that he’s come up with the best dog food recipe ever – only to realize that dogs just aren’t that interested? In politics – especially Oregon – it doesn’t really matter what we’ve concocted if, for whatever reason, the target audience takes a sniff and rejects it.

Speaking of dog food, I used to work for the LA Clippers, the “worst franchise in sports history” according to Sports Illustrated. When I first joined the front office, I was amazed at the sense of defeatism toward our much more successful rivals, the Lakers. This air of subordination permeated every internal conversation, every staff meeting and public appearance.

When they moved me into management, I could’ve quit and fled Clipperville. But instead I ripped off the Loser jersey and proved to Angelinos that, through an association with our team more than others, they could enjoy better results.

Of course it wasn’t easy. The Lakers were popping champagne bottles every June. We popped champagne bottles if we achieved a two-game winning streak.

So, without any control over team performance, how do you convince people to choose the lowly Clippers over the glamorous Lakers? For starters: you can’t get used to losing! I think some of our staff was so accustomed to losing, they just couldn’t stand the idea of winning. Maybe it’s easier to complain than to create.

Second, you don’t tell Laker fans they’re “crazy!” To ridicule or belittle would-be customers with, “Really, you’re a Lakers fan…? You gotta be kidding!” would have been nuts. I mean, they’re winning – killing the Clippers – year after year. Denigrating them wouldn’t make us better. They had to be doing something right. Heck, we couldn’t even practice self-flattery by labeling ourselves “their competition.” There was no competition – between the baskets.

But off the court, the Clippers’ message and methods had to be clearer, more relevant, more customer-centric. Ultimately, we did win LA’s allegiance, and our team became competitive. And though we never hung any banners from the ceiling, in those days the Clippers won over enough dedicated fans to make us a viable, respected, and (would you believe?) profitable franchise.

As Oregon Republicans, despite our encouraging wins in legislative races last year, we’re still the minority when you compare our numbers to the aggregate of Democrats and Independents. Most experts agree we didn’t beat the Democrats last year as much as they beat themselves.

Their arrogance and belief that they always “know best” was so thick in the last cycle that I remember having a dream where I actually died and went to heaven. Peter greeted me at the Pearly Gates and said, “Welcome, Rob. Right this way.” As I excitedly followed him down a long hallway towards a bright light, suddenly he stopped and pointed to a red line on the floor. “Now,” he said, “until we reach the end of this line, you can’t utter a word. Complete silence!”

We tip-toed down the hallway, and as we did I noticed numerous doors on either side of us – all closed. I could hear boisterous laughter on the other side of each door, which were labeled with “SEIU,” “ACORN,” “MSNBC,” “Huffington Post,” and so on.

Finally, we came to the end of the red line and Peter said, “Alright. You can talk now.”

“Well, what was that all about?” I asked.

“Oh, that’s where the liberals hang out. They think they’re the only ones up here.”

Like a basketball team, how do we go from being perennial also-rans to leaders of our state?

First, forget about “rebranding.” It’s an over-used term that most people don’t understand anyway. It doesn’t mean anything.

Instead of a Republican Rebranding let’s work for a REPUBLICAN RENOVATION.

If you’ve ever renovated a room or two of your house, it’s an admission that while there’s still a lot you like, some parts have lost their purpose or are no longer functioning as originally intended.

Of course, renovations of rooms and political parties don’t necessarily commence with agreement. For years, I was very close friends with the late Gordon Jump. (You know him as the Maytag Repairman — who before that was Mr. Carlson on “WKRP in Cincinnati”). One afternoon Gordon and I were having lunch, and I asked him how the remodeling of his kitchen and laundry room was going. He put his fork down and said, “Rob, if you and Allison ever decide to remodel your home, get a divorce first!”

While Republicans may disagree on where or how we want to fix up the Grand Old Place, we need to stick together. We can’t afford a divorce. It would leave us weaker and more vulnerable to Democrat domination. And, I hear divorces can be pretty expensive, too. Raising money in Oregon – unless you’re a D – is tough enough as it is.

Let’s acknowledge what we do agree on: The Principles of Republicanism. First, we like the foundation of our house, which is “individual liberty and opportunity.” And we’ll stick with the wiring, thank you very much, of “lower taxes.” And the pipes are still reliable, which we call “limited government,” because we know less is more for the American people. [NO WHERE IN HERE DOES HE SAY FISCAL CONSERVATIVE, OR FISCAL ANYTHING.]

But, when it comes to color schemes or flooring or window treatments, we sometimes wander down separate aisles.

Eventually and thankfully, like a strong marriage, Republicans come together. It’s called COMPROMISE. It doesn’t mean we cave on principles (individual liberty, lower taxes, limited government), but we adjust on policy.

If you’ve ever negotiated successfully, you know the best negotiation is when both parties leave, wishing they got more – or gave up less. Not unlike our Founding Fathers when drafting the Constitution.

And as a former congressional candidate, I was preparing to be a COLLABORATING CONSERVATIVE for my district.[HOLY MOLY HE SAID HE'S A COLLABORATOR] Some may choose to twist such statements and label me a tiger, er… a RINO… . But I’m a Republican Realist, cognizant of one, unavoidable truth: WE LIVE IN OREGON! It’s different here.

If you respect Charles Krauthamer as I do, then you remember how last summer he expressed disappointment when Christine O’Donnell won the Republican primary in Delaware. He insisted it had nothing to do with her Tea Party affiliation. No, Krauthamer simply pointed out: “Geography matters.”

Oregon Republican Realists, who live amongst and around one of the highest percentages of Democrats and Independents in the country, have to remember this. National polls are irrelevant – in Oregon. “Think local” isn’t just a good economic slogan; it’s a practical political principle.

Krauthamer wrote (to those who supported O’Donnell): “Of course Mike Castle is a liberal Republican! What do you expect from Delaware? A Jim DeMint?” He continued, “If Republicans want to be a national party, they cannot write off the Northeast, whose Republicanism is of a distinctly moderate variety. …You don’t stop (the Obama) agenda by nominating an O’Donnell in Delaware and turning a Senate seat from safe Republican to safe Democratic.”

So what is an effective Oregon Republican? Well, certainly it depends on where in the state you’re talking. But if we’re referring to a statewide or congressional Oregon Republican, you’d have to consider those who’ve been successful getting elected the last three or four decades. These people are creative, independent, gutsy leaders! – not finger-in-the-wind followers, or candidates who took orders and “lemming’d” their way down ‘group think.’

None of us believes we can win here by being Reactionary Republicans. We must remain Reasonable Republicans, persuasively inviting and including others – especially the Independents who, for whatever reason, aren’t comfortable putting an R or a D next to their name. This is how we can reverse this minority status!

To be Reactionary, on the other hand, say in business, in parenting, in relationships, certainly in politics is to be unreliable, untrustworthy, and unattractive. If all we needed to do in Oregon to win statewide was to flex our most strident ideological muscles, then Rush Limbaugh would be a shoo-in for Oregon governor someday. I am not putting money on that one.

Why doesn’t unbending obstinacy work in Oregon? Because a large percentage of Oregon voters are …unique! Our healthy population of Independents doesn’t like to be told what to think, especially if it’s coming from a party they’ve been led to believe favors the radicals and the rich. The so-called “tide” last November crashed against the Cascades because West Coast voters don’t yet equate the “R” next to our name with respect and reason. Maybe that’s why not one incumbent congressional Democrat on the West Coast lost in the 2010 election. And why not one Republican won statewide anywhere on the West Coast.

Moderation and geography matters here. Proof? Name the last rigid Republican ideologue to win a statewide or congressional race – not in Texas or Florida or Oklahoma, but in Oregon! Greg Walden? No. Gordon Smith? Not considered an ideologue.

Let’s go back further: Bob Packwood? Influential, yes; strident, no. Mark Hatfield? Powerful, but not rigid. Vic Atiyeh? About as middle of the road as they come. Yet how many inflexible ideologues have tried statewide in Oregon and failed?

Now, some of you will say, “You’re ceding principles for politics.” No, I’m actually agreeing with Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, who said at CPAC last month: “Purity in martyrdom is for suicide bombers.”

He also said, “I have no interest in standing in the wreckage of our Republic saying, ‘You should’ve done it my way.’”

Daniels made the case to CPAC delegates that a less strident conservative rhetoric wasn’t weak, it’s practical! “As we ask Americans to join us on such a boldly different course,” he offered, “it would help if they liked us, just a bit.”

Even our newest leader, Gov. Chris Christie, said last month that one of his soul mates is New York’s Democrat governor, Andrew Cuomo! Is Christie forsaking his principles, or just exercising collaborative conservatism?

Recently I learned that my own naming to the Board of Directors for a health care facility in Washington County actually caused a few in our Party distress and consternation. The charge is that I’m aiding a liberal organization and possibly abetting illegal immigrants. Why is it commendable to join a liberal school board, for example, but ill-advised to exercise influence over an organization that serves needy children who would otherwise fill up our emergency rooms?

Friends, I would rather affect positive change inside Oregon boardrooms than protest circumstances on our sidewalks.

If my comments here sound sacrilegious, consider that as Republicans, we know to separate religion from government. Because government is NOT our religion. Religion is our religion. Politics is politics. I’m grateful our Founders had the wisdom to see the difference.

Like the couple renovating their home, let’s put an end – starting at Dorchester – to the doubting of one other’s intentions, while freely debating policy. If we really believe we have time-tested principles on our side (and I do!), then the only thing that prevents us from winning more people over is… ourselves. This is our shared and somber responsibility.

In Oregon, to be a Convincing Conservative, you have to be a Capable Collaborator. Hey, no one did it better than Ronald Reagan, who famously told his staff, “The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20 percent traitor.”

I am not recommending we cozy up to those who have an extreme vision for America. As Reagan also warned, “When you get in bed with the Government, you’ll get more than a good night’s sleep.”

I am suggesting, though, that we have to go beyond telling Oregonians what Republicans are. We must show them what we DO.

At the Clippers, I could shout from the rooftops, “This is the year!”, but they’d heard it all before. They were tired of the slogans and wanted to see results. That’s what people expect of Government, and that’s how we Republicans should govern.

Let’s be tough, but temperate. Resolved, yet reasonable. Partisan, yes, but with persuasion.

I started my remarks with a story about a driver whose actions didn’t match his public claims. As Republicans, let’s remember that our principles are most likely to find acceptance – not only with diverse Oregonians, but amongst each other – if our actions match our claims.

Is our behavior motivating young or new Republicans to wholeheartedly join worthwhile, grassroots organizations like the Oregon Tea Party and AFP? Are we, the leaders of the Republican Party, acting in such a way that, as William F. Buckley said, “the most conservative candidates that are electable” would want to throw their life in the blender and run as an “R”?

Just like what the officer did because of the misbehaving motorist, we can’t let Oregonians misjudge Republicanism because of our actions. We have a greater responsibility to live up to the uniform we’ve been issued. And I am honored to wear the Republican jersey with you. As Tommy Lasorda once said, “My dream is to have players who want to play for what’s on the front of their jersey more than what’s on the back.”

Ladies and gentlemen, the Lakers back in the day were not my enemies, they were my opponents. And though their brain-dead fans were and continue to be misguided, uninformed, and embarrassingly shallow, I know that if I was able – back then – to win some of them over, together we can definitely enlighten and win over any misguided Independent and conservative Democrat voters amongst us today.

Let’s get to work on The Republican Renovation.