Peggy Noonan channels Robert Taft, tells tea party to 'stop the insults

The Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonan dedicates her column Friday channeling the spirit of the late Sen. Robert A. Taft. Why channel Taft? Who knows.

Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonan

But using him as her spokesman, Noonan doles out some advice to the tea party Republicans in Congress:

But the tea party has a lot to learn, and quickly. "It's not enough to feel, you need strategy. They need better leadership, not people interested in money, power and fame. Public service requires sacrifice. I see too many self-seekers there.

"The tea party should stop the insults—'RINO,' 'sellout,' 'surrender caucus.' It's undignified, and it's not worthy of a serious movement. When you claim to be the policy adults you also have to be the characterological adults. Resentment alienates. An inability to work well with others does not inspire voters."

Noonan (still speaking as Taft) also says tea partiers should avoid being "the fool of radio stars who rev you up for a living. They're doing it for ratings."

@eScarry