GOP strategist: 'Elections have consequences'

The former press secretary for ex-House Speaker New Gingrich says Republicans must decide whether to vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor on the long-held premise that "elections have consequences" or whether to mount a vigorous campaign against a nominee who "has a lot of things going for her."

"It's a liberal replacing a liberal which means that it will not change the nature of the court," said Rich Galen, who also served as press secretary for former Vice President Dan Quayle.

Galen spoke with Greg Corombos of Radio America/WND. The audio of the exchange is embedded here:

"This is probably not the right time to shoot off a whole lot of ammunition in terms of this particular nominee," according to Galen.

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He contends the confirmation process would be a "bigger deal" if one of the conservative members of the court were to leave during the Obama presidency.

Galen described how Newt Gingrich drew independent voters to the Republican Party in 1994 by pointing out "what was wrong with a very liberal Democratic Party" and by "being open to everybody coming in."

"We shouldn't be in a position where we have to choose a party of Rush Limbaugh or Dick Cheney against a party of Colin Powell or Tom Ridge," said Galen.

"If you want to be a majority party, the edges, by definition, have to get further and further apart."