My old boss at Public TV, Richard W. Hatch, was a brilliant political analyst. He devoted his entire 50-year career to dissecting, studying and analyzing all things politics. There really wasn't much about the subject that Dick Hatch didn't know.
Dick had a theory about the Republican party, which he imparted to a group of us young legislative reporters back in the early 1980's, while we were stealing a rare spare moment in the press room of the North Carolina state legislature.
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| Richard W. Hatch says the Republican party will not fall apart, no matter what any of the "experts" say. |
By that time, Dick had already spent several decades as a political journalist, and his theory was based on personal observation.
Another 30+ years have passed, and I'm writing about Dick's views on the Republican party because they are every bit as valid today as they were then.
Dick believed that the idea of a cohesive Republican party was a complete myth.
He based this on a pattern of behavior, which we can see playing out today in its most extreme fashion.
Unlike Democrats, who have been a relatively stable group whose basic egalitarian ideals haven't changed all that much in at least a century, the Republicans have been a fractious bunch that entire time, if not longer.
The GOP has had an ability to coalesce for an election, according to Dick, but only for that election. After that, it's say hello to Mr. Mayhem. And the party has been unable to break the pattern.
We're seeing an extreme example of a party in pieces right now. But if Dick Hatch is correct, and he'd always been in the past, we'll see the various factions come together before November.
No matter how severe their internal fight appears to be, the GOP is just repeating a familiar, albeit this time exaggerated, pattern.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, the top elected party official, says he's not yet ready to support his party's candidate.
History, Dick Hatch, and I say he will. The Cleveland convention is still more than two months away, and in politics that's an eternity.
Like the many Democrats who will hold their noses and support Hillary Clinton, the Hatch Theory says most of the GOP will do the same for Donald Trump.
Talk of a spin-off third-party candidate emanating from the Republican ranks is completely idle.
Dick passed away last year at 85. I truly hope he's able to watch this unprecedented presidential race from the other side. If he is, I know he's thoroughly enjoying it.
Dick, whenever I hear talk about the GOP falling apart, I think of you and what you told me that day so many years ago.
Thanks for the memory.
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