McConnell smells the coffee

Mitch McConnell has realized what every Democrat knows: the GOP is becoming a regional party. More impressive, McConnell also realizes that this is a problem.

“We’re all concerned about the fact that the very wealthy and the very poor, the most and least educated, and a majority of minority voters, seem to have more or less stopped paying attention to us,” McConnell said in a speech at the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting. “And we should be concerned that, as a result of all this, the Republican Party seems to be slipping into a position of being more of a regional party than a national one.”

In stark terms, the Kentucky Republican added: “In politics, there’s a name for a regional party: It’s called a minority party. ... As Republicans, we know that common-sense conservative principles aren’t regional. But I think we have to admit that our sales job has been.

“And in my view, that needs to change,” he said.

In my view, I'm perfectly happy with the GOP staying a regional party.

Actually, that's not true. I appreciate the need for a robust and principled majority. But I am also enjoying the Democratics having enough of a majority to get things done.

If McConnell is saying this, he knows that there are lots of people who agree with him. As a Southerner, he has the street cred to challenge the wisdom of focusing only on the South. But as Senate minority leader, he doesn't really have the stature to do much about it. In other words, good luck fighting this intraparty battle, Mr. McConnell. We'll see you in 2010.