Former Bush OMB chief Nussle says GOP doomed for now

Former Iowa Congressman and Bush OMB director Jim Nussle says GOP chair Michael Steele doesn't have what it takes to save the Republican party.

Nussle, who served in the House of Representatives from 1991 - 2007 and was President George W. Bush's last OMB chief, told the Des Moines Register that Steele was not the figure the GOP needed to turn itself around.

"I don't think we've found that yet in Michael or anybody else yet for the party," he said. "So we're going to have to struggle through that for a while."

Sgt Hulka

The Republican party has been looking for it's new "big toe" for some time weathering two massive election day defeats in 2006 and 2008. Not to mention, the near comedic showdown between Rush Limbaugh and Steele earlier this year over who was the de facto leader of the Republican party.

Then there was Arlen Specter's decision on Tuesday to change his party affiliation to Democrat and the news yesterday that GOP rising star Jon Huntsman, the very popular governor of Utah, was kicked out of a Michigan Republican event for not being "Republican enough."

Help...

Nussle's advice?

"The party, I believe, needed to and still needs to go through a process where they say we want to have a national search for a CEO for the party, a new person who can fix things and change things."

As we noted yesterday, there may not be much time. A new Washington Post/ABC poll showing that only 21 percent of Americans identified themselves as Republicans.

Resurrection

Is he the new big toe?

"I have no designs on or interest in running for office at this time," he said. "My wife has told me, 'Don't ever say never,' so I haven't said 'never' yet."

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