The Two Types of Conservatives

The real behind-the-scenes battle that the Andrew Breitbart/Shirley Sherrod episode has exposed has been going on for decades. It's between those conservatives who relish their identity as aggrieved minorities and love to throw tacks on the road -- think Lee Atwater and Karl Rove -- and those who not only believe in the power of conservative ideas (Rove, at times, Mike Deaver, Mark McKinnon, David Frum), but believe that a debate about ideas will win them more votes than poking liberals with sticks.

Or, if you're inclined to professional wrestling, the Ideas guys wrestle like Hulk Hogan and Rick Flair; the tacks guys wrestle like Cactus Jack and Manny Fernandez.