WILL COLE AND BOEHNER RESIGN FROM THE HOUSE LEADERSHIP?

Who gets tossed under the bus?

As we mentioned earlier, pressure is mounting on Boehner and Cole-- from each other, from ambitious members of their caucus, and from Republicans around the country-- to step down from their House leadership posts. Speculation was rife in DC that Boehner would push Cole aside if his abysmally-flawed strategy backfired in Mississippi the way it had just a week ago in Louisiana. It did, but Cole isn't out as NRCC chair yet.

Republican Party propaganda arm, Christian Newswire is reporting that grassroots activist Richard Viguerie is demanding a change in Republican congressional leadership.

The Republican Party must have new leadership, or conservatives will continue to withhold support, and the Party will crash in flames in November, Richard A. Viguerie, publisher of ConservativeHQ.com, said. "Accordingly, Republican Party leaders must resign."

"Leaders in the White House, the Congress, and the Republican National Committee and its affiliates, along with most Republican leaders at the state level, have failed-- or outright betrayed-- the conservative voters who put them in their positions," Viguerie said.

"The result is that the Republican Party's brand has become a negative to an extent greater than in the Watergate era, perhaps even worse than in the days of Herbert Hoover."

Viguerie noted that:

• The number of new Republican voters is flat while Democratic voter registration is skyrocketing.

• Contributions to GOP candidates and Republican committees are way off, while donations to Democrats are setting records.

• In primaries, votes for Republican candidates at all levels are running far behind the Democrats.

• And in recent special elections, the GOP lost long held Congressional seats in Illinois, Louisiana, and Mississippi – all in districts carried overwhelmingly by President Bush. A single election can be a fluke, but when Republicans lose three seemingly safe seats in a row, disaster is looming.

"The hard work of the last 50 years by millions of conservative campaign workers, donors, candidates, writers, intellectuals, and activists has been trashed," Viguerie said. "The conservative movement has been set back 10-20 years – possibly even permanently – by politicians consumed by power, including, but certainly not limited to, Denny Hastert, Tom DeLay, John Boehner, Roy Blunt, Mitch McConnell, Trent Lott, George W. Bush, Karl Rove, party chairman Mike Duncan, and their friends.

"Some deserve more of the blame than others, but they are all part of an Establishment that has brought the Republican Party down.

"For things to change, for conservatives to be justified in once again giving our contributions, our volunteer efforts, our energy, and votes to the GOP, the Party must clean house. The Party leadership should resign immediately.

"Republicans are doomed to wander in the political wilderness until this generation of weak-kneed, no-vision, inarticulate, afraid-of-the-liberal-media politicians are replaced with principled conservatives in the mold of Bill Buckley, Barry Goldwater, and Ronald Reagan.

"The Party's leaders turned against the principles you once espoused – conservative principles – and, in turn, conservatives and the American people have turned against you. Things will not get better until you accept responsibility, and resign.

"You have stayed too long. For the future of the Republican Party, for America, and the cause of freedom: GO!"

Today's Washington Post holds out hope that Cole may not be forced out, although that story may have been planted by DCCC operative who are desperate for Cole to continue on until November. A friend of mine at the DCCC called me and said he's praying that Cole just keep investing all their money in Jeremiah Wright advertising. The National Journal also reports that the GOP may let Cole screw up a few more times before pulling the plug on him. Among the Stay the Course Repugs defending Cole are Eric Cantor, Jeb Hensarling (who blamed the GOP brand for their electoral disasters), Marsha Blackburn (who blamed Senator Roger Wicker) and Howdy Doody who said "Changing people for the sake of change does not address the challenges we face."