Craig Shirley On Vichy Republicans

Several years ago, I coined the phrase "Vichy Republican" to more aptly describe sellout Republicans.

Of course, Vichy refers to the weakling French president during World War II, Marshall Phillip Petain, and the town of Vichy where the Nazis formally took over France and how Petain knuckled under so easily to the Nazis. Petain even tried to make France a part of the larger German order. France always exceeded its quota of Jews handed over to the murderous Nazis. 

When I came up with the phrase, I was thinking of Nicolle Wallace at the time, a one time Bushie who fifteen minutes after Bush left office heard the jingling of thirty pieces of silver offered by the little watched MSNBC, the closest thing we have to Tass here in the United States. They can be relied upon to mouth the party line, without any intellectualism. And she sold out to them so easily. You’d never want to be in a foxhole with Nicolle or follow her into battle. 

But another person the phrase Vichy Republican applies to is Mitt Romney. As he judges others, it is time to judge Romney. 

He came into politics bashing Ronald Reagan and the GOP and is now going out bashing Donald Trump and the GOP. Yep, the very same party that once was foolish enough nominated him for president. Talk about buyer’s remorse. No wonder the Republican Party is called the Stupid Party. He never understood American conservatism probably confusing Fredrich Hayek with Salma Hayek. 

Yes, we are all trying to forget that low patch in American history, but it also needs to be remembered—or known about Romney is he is from a family of yellow bellied cowards. When he was alive. John McCain was once overheard in a Green Room remarking about Romney's sons, "Five sons and not one put on a uniform for their country?" 

We all know and honor McCain’s honorable life of Navy service (including years as a POW) as well of that of his father, his grandfather and the rest of his family including a son who also followed his father into the Navy. 

There is nothing in the Mormon faith that prevents a man from serving his country, and there is in fact an entire website dedicated to Mormons who served America in the military. Men like Brent Scowcroft who served in the Air Force and later was a National Security Advisor to presidents Gerald R. Ford and George H.W. Bush. 

But as many know, Mitt also never served in the Vietnam War, never served in the military content instead to count his inherited wealth. He claimed a religious deferment. 

But did you know that Mitt's father George, who was later governor of Michigan, was of serviceable age during World War II, yet never saw a day of action, never spilled his blood for his fellow man, never fought to oppose Nazism or the totalitarianism of the Empire of Japan. He was a spokesman for the auto industry, comfortable in his confines at his home in Michigan. Research shows no infirmities for him to prevent him from military service. 

It gets better. Or worse if you are a Romney sycophant. You see, Mitt's grandfather, Gaskill, did not serve in World War I, though like George and Mitt, he was of age. He was a little old at the time, but he could have served earlier in the Spanish American War, like Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders, but failed to do that as well. 

There you have it; an unbroken line of Romneys, all avoiding military to their country at times when their country needed them most. 

As Mitt departs from the public scene, it is important to remember him as being nothing more than full of sound and fury., signifying nothing. 

Craig Shirley, president of Shirley and McVicker, is also a Reagan biographer and presidential historian. He is the author of eleven books, six on Reagan including the new, The Search for Reagan.

• Vichy Republicans

• RINOs

• Mitt Romney

• Nicole Wallace

• George W. Bush

• Donald Trump

• 2024 Election

• John McCain

• Mormon faith

• George Romney

• military service