Advancing Conservatism: An Interview with Kate Obenshain
How did your political career begin?
I was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, and my father was very active in politics. In fact, he ran for the U.S. Senate and won. However, he died in a plane crash, and John Warner took up the mantle and was elected to the senate in 1978, so he’s been there a long time. That’s when I got involved – when I was a little girl. I was one of those strange children that loved political speeches and watching the news. When I was ten, Reagan became President, and that really solidified my desire to be involved and try to make a difference. He was everything I believed in – he had this capacity to comfort and inspire a nation after the disastrous presidency of Jimmy Carter. Now, we are on the precipice of having another Carter-esque administration – and that should really be scary. Young people don’t remember, but many of the things Barack Obama talks about – that’s what Carter did as President. It should make old-timers sit up and take notice, and young people should turn to their history books.
What was it like running the Virginia GOP?
It was the hardest job I’ve ever had and hopefully ever will have. The best part of the job was working with the grassroots, working with the people that put on the potlucks, or the chicken dinners, the auctions, and the barbecues. Those are the people who make up our party; they are the foundation of our party. They are willing to leave their families, their kids, jobs, and go out and sacrifice and build the party because they believe in it because it supports their values. The harder part was dealing with the elected officials or the party officials. With a governing body of over 80 people, its like trying to heard cats. There’s a lot of complaining and second-guessing, and really you have to decide that your vision is for the party. Mine was build the grassroots, build the party from the ground up, implement technology, because the democrats are getting so far ahead of us. I became chairmen in 2003. I got to go through the Karl Rove/ Ken Mehlman election of President Bush, and I got to see what is happening at the local and state level. It made me have an appreciation for how important technology is, but also how to run a campaign from the bottom up, to make sure you have everybody on board, to make sure you have all your coalitions addressed, and everybody pulling in the same direction. That’s the reason George Bush became our President in 2004 – because of the massive operation to focus on technology and micro-targeting, [such as the] focus on what magazines people read so you could send mailings to their house that pique their interest. Overall, it was a fascinating experience, probably the hardest experience of my life, but the most rewarding too.
We see that in 2004, 54% of the electorate described themselves as “Conservative” or “Slightly Conservative.” Why do you think Sen. Obama has such a spectacular following?
We’re still figuring it out. [Chuckles] He (Sen. Obama) is a phenomenon. He has this unique ability to connect to individuals, and I think that’s what it really is. His lofty rhetoric based on “change” and bi-partisanship, really appeals to people. People love the idea that we’re not going to be bickering and that we can just be one glorious happy family. I think it’s a disservice to our country because the reason our country and way of life is so vibrant is because we have the free and open exchange of ideas. It’s because we have Democrats and Republicans who argue from their hearts what they believe and because of that clash of ideas we come out with the best possible ideas. We have to sell our ideas to the American people. We don’t do what Barack Obama is stating, “We’re going to go beyond your ideas, and have consensus and harmony.” That is based on nothingness – it’s based on feelings and emotions, and he has a unique ability to touch people’s emotions. Sen. Obama gets them to turn away from ideas, logic, and reality and have people reaching for this nebulous notion of peace, joy, hope, and change. I can’t explain how he has done this from a technology standpoint. But yes, he has implemented the Karl Rove playbook, play-by-play. He has developed coalitions in unions, churches – all the national coalitions and brand new coalitions. He has been working on them masterfully for at least two years, but arguably longer than that. But it’s really his hypnotic rhetoric that really disturbs and bothers me. But as a student of American history, I see our country going in a different direction with Barack Obama and it makes me very uncomfortable.
Oftentimes people confuse the Conservatism and “Republicanism.” Where do you think the difference is, and why is the line often times blurred.
I am a conservative first. I champion ideas and analyze elections. I’m a Republican because I think the GOP is the best vehicle for furthering our conservative ideals. It is the only practical political vehicle right now for furthering conservative principles – and the best. Some people say, “ I’m a Republican first and I’ll do anything to support and build the party, just for the sake of the party.” I think your party is determined by your philosophy. My philosophy is what drives me. Furthering and promoting an individuals freedoms and liberty – that’s why I’m involved. I can do that best by articulating my position in newspaper articles on college campuses, speaking at conferences, but also being involved in the Republican Party structure. So really, I see it as a vehicle to further my ideas. I fight to keep the conservative party conservative; I fight those internal battles between moderates ad conservatives. I get in there, roll up my sleeves, and fight hard to make sure the governing body of the party supports conservative principles.
In 2006, you left the Virginia GOP. How did you keep active in the political arena?
The first thing I did in 2006 after George Allen lost the U.S. Senate race [that] is I went to work as his Chief-of-Staff for the brief time until the end of is term. George Allen was one of the reasons I became involved in the party – his beliefs in the founding principle of our country and his “conservative-first” stance. I wanted to see his term out and wrap it up in as positive a manner as I could. After that, I don’t really know how but FOX News called me. I think National Review had noticed and then recommended me to them. I was requested to speak on FOX News sort of as a
“talking head” or political analyst. So, I have done that consistently for three years now – also MSNBC, CNN, Larry King. I never watch it, but I’m on it! [Laughs] I also have four children, and that is what I spend the bulk of my time doing – being a mother to these four children. But at the beginning of the summer I decided that in addition to doing television and speaking on college campuses, I wanted to do something full time where I could really be promoting my values and my principles. The means for doing that for me is Young America’s Foundation (YAF.) At the beginning of the summer, I went to work as a vice president there. I’ll be doing a lot of media work, but also just working with the students on college campuses. We own the Reagan Ranch out in California, and our goal is to pass along Ronald Reagan’s principles and visions to you guys – the rising generation. The ideas of Reagan are in essence those of our Founding Fathers. Unfortunately, young people don’t know that – they don’t know Ronald Reagan. If we can pass along a little bit of Ronald Reagan to the next generation, I believe we would do a real service to our country.
All across America, we see conservatives harangued for their opinions. This is happening so much so that some are breaking away from the movement. What is your opinion on such conservatives, and what about those of us who haven’t abandoned the cause?
Let me just say that those “conservatives” that are jumping ship, they love where they are right now because the liberal media loves them – so do Democrats. But in a couple weeks time, they’re going to be dropped like a hot potato. Nobody’s going to care about them; they’re going to go back to being scorned and disdained by the Left – just as John McCain has experienced. Those conservatives are enjoying their little day in the sun after they’ve been used, because that’s what the Left does. Whenever I start to think I’m hot stuff, something great happens, or I get a particular accolade, all I have to do is go to the blogs to bring me down a peg or two – I keep my feet on the ground. It’s stunning to see how cruel, vicious and untruthful people are. All I can say is it’s done a lot to strengthen my faith, and I think that’s been a great outcome of the criticism of it. You realize you can’t care what all these people, who have too much time on their hands, think about you. You have to care what your Creator thinks about you and the people closest to you. I am again in it because I feel as though I have a purpose, and that is to share what I believe are right ideas, and I’m not going to stop because I irritate some people on the Left or, frankly, people within my own party. I see a lot of those folks for what they are.
Wabash, being an all-male school, doesn’t often get a female perspective on things. What is your opinion on Sarah Palin as a woman and as a conservative?
Sarah Palin has suffered the most grossly sexist treatment of any woman on the public scene that I have ever witnessed. Most of it is coming from the Left – from those supposedly open-minded, tolerant, feminists, or progressive men who claim to be so high and open-minded. It reveals their cause is a complete and utter sham. Their entire careers have been built on something false because they do not believe in equality for all women. They believe in equity and supremacy for liberal women. It has nothing to do with all women. Conservative women suffer more scorn and contempt than any [other] women do – it’s appalling. Coming from the perspective of a, not hockey, but a soccer mom, I love Sarah Palin. I love the image she projects. I love her confidence in being a mother and being proud to carry her infant son onto the stage. You don’t see women in the spotlight doing that – ever. Some people think it’s a weakness to have a baby and act in your role as a mother. Gov. Palin is saying it is not only OK; it is essential that we put our children first in our lives. That’s why she carries baby Trig on stage.
Do you think Gov. Palin was a good choice for John McCain?
I think she was the best choice for John McCain.
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