Republicans, Beware.

If Republicans intend on improving their brand over the next few months and years, it seems important that the party learn what it can from the impressive victory of Scott Brown in Massachusetts. What are a few essentials the party should keep from the Brown upset?

Here is what I learned from Mr. Brown's campaign:

1. Stay within yourself. Don't over-reach or overstate. 
2. Just speak plainly, directly. 
3. Use anger gently, and make sure you intellectually, and not just viscerally, understand that anger.
4. Be humble, or at least give the appearance of humility. Steer clear of arrogance. 
5. Listen well. Then speak. When someone asks a question, look directly at the person the whole time. Speak ONLY when your interlocutor is done. (I am not saying Brown has this down perfectly.)
6. Know your neighbors, their worries and fears. REALLY know them. 
7. Don't EVER presume. 

What to worry about now?

1. That the mainstream media, and the DNC, are going to do EVERYTHING possible to up-end Mr. Brown.
2. That Mr. Brown and his party present themselves as entitled, inevitable, or invincible. 
3. That Mr. Brown lets his guard down and says or does something really, really stupid: The press will be watching him more intently than anyone else in Washington, even more than the president. Will he be cautious? circumspect? 
4. That Mr. Brown strays from his focus -- that of representing Massachusetts -- and instead gets pulled into the limelight, the celebrity limelight and all its trappings. Hopefully he shies away from TV appearances and book deals and all that stuff. He can do that later. He's not the new Ted Kennedy.
5. That Mr. Brown becomes too preoccupied with building bridges between disparate views, and thus compromises his convictions for political gain and camaraderie. He must not let himself be perceived as RINO. 

If the Republican Party hopes to succeed in leading America, it must do so with a measured, humble, normal and realistic message, attitude and voice. And if Mr. Brown wants to succeed in the US Senate, he must not spend his time bickering with his Democratic colleagues, debating opponents through the media, or letting others control the debates in which he finds himself. HE must control those debates when Massachusetts and its junior Senate seat are at stake; and he MUST spend time communicating with like-minded constituents at home and across the country.

One thing is apparent: Mr. Brown almost makes being a Republican look cool. And if he is as conservative as he claims to be (on some issues), then his biggest gift to the political maelstrom that is America may be to make conservatism not only look desirable, sophisticated and hip, but to show that it actually is.

Just a few hasty thoughts.

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