McCain Campaign Manager: GOP Is Generally "Bereft of Ideas" For Health Care Reform

This sure isn't going to get as much attention as his assessment that picking Sarah Palin to be the GOP candidate in 2012 would be "catastrophic" for his party, but John McCain's 2008 campaign manager Steve Schmidt also harshly criticized his fellow Republicans today for not having a comprehensive health care reform alternative.

In an appearance at The Atlantic's First Draft of History conference, the longtime GOP strategist did argue that individual Republicans, notably Rep, Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), were "advancing ideas" on health care legislation.

"But the party holistically is bereft of ideas," Schmidt added.

In May, Roy Blunt essentially acknowledged as much when speaking to the National Review.

In recent years, says former GOP whip Rep. Roy Blunt, “no more than two dozen” Republican House members have been deeply engaged in the health-care issue.

Blunt claimed at the time that this lack of interest and ideas was changing, but apparently not enough for his Health Care Solutions Group to actually release the health care plan he "guaranteed" he'd present.  Or tell anyone what's in the "boxes" of proposals he says he's put together.