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President TrumpDonald TrumpUS, South Korea reach agreement on cost-sharing for troops Graham: Trump can make GOP bigger, stronger, or he 'could destroy it' Biden nominates female generals whose promotions were reportedly delayed under Trump MOREs address last weekend to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), in which he publicly identified his opponents, had all the charm and grace of another speech given in 1979, by Saddam Hussein, in Baghdad.

If you have not seen that speech, let me set the scene. On July 22, 1979, Hussein, who had just been installed as Iraqs president, addressed senior officials of the Baath Party. Address is actually too delicate a description. It was a verbal (and afterwards, literal) firing squad. After announcing he had uncovered a conspiracy to overthrow him, he had a Baath leader take the stage and identify 50 people by name in the audience who he claimed were co-conspirators. One by one, each man was escorted from the room by uniformed guards.

Give Hussein credit he knew how to hold his audience. When he dramatically dabbed the faux tears from his eyes with a handkerchief, a flurry of white handkerchiefs rippled across the audience. At one point, someone rose to his feet, chanting Long live Saddam! The entire audience what was left of it anyway erupted in a heartfelt chorus.

I am not comparing Trump to Hussein. But the former presidents speech in Florida was built on the same principles: publicly purge your opponents from the ranks, use fear to erase doubt and demand slavish loyalty from your followers.

Trump called out Sen. Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDemocrats near pressure point on nixing filibuster We need a voting rights workaround Biden takes victory lap after Senate passes coronavirus relief package MORE (R-Ky.), questioning his own endorsement of the Senate Republican leader. He called Rep. Liz CheneyElizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyGOP senator defends Cheney, Murkowski after Trump rebuke Marjorie Taylor Greene's delay tactics frustrate GOP Paul Ryan to host fundraiser for Cheney amid GOP tensions MORE (R-Wyo.) "a warmonger, a person that loves seeing our troops fighting"; and Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyGraham: Trump can make GOP bigger, stronger, or he 'could destroy it' Democratic centrists flex power on Biden legislation Ron Johnson grinds Senate to halt, irritating many MORE (R-Utan) grandstander. His list also included Sens. Ben SasseBen SasseIs nonpartisan effectiveness still possible? Senators introduce bill creating technology partnerships to compete with China Garland's AG nomination delayed by GOP roadblocks MORE (R-Neb.), Richard BurrRichard Mauze BurrRick Scott caught in middle of opposing GOP factions Bipartisan bill would ban lawmakers from buying, selling stocks Republicans, please save your party MORE (R-N.C.), Bill CassidyBill CassidyTrump was unhinged and unchanged at CPAC Republicans, please save your party Senate panel splits along party lines on Becerra MORE (R-La.), Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsSenate rejects Sanders minimum wage hike Murkowski votes with Senate panel to advance Haaland nomination OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Interior reverses Trump policy that it says restricted science | Collins to back Haaland's Interior nomination | Republicans press Biden environment nominee on Obama-era policy MORE (R-Maine), Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiGOP senator defends Cheney, Murkowski after Trump rebuke Trump promises to travel to Alaska to campaign against Murkowski GOP votes in unison against COVID-19 relief bill MORE (R-Alaska), Pat ToomeyPatrick (Pat) Joseph ToomeySasse rebuked by Nebraska Republican Party over impeachment vote Philly GOP commissioner on censures: 'I would suggest they censure Republican elected officials who are lying' Toomey censured by several Pennsylvania county GOP committees over impeachment vote MORE (R-Penn.), Reps. Tom RiceHugh (Tom) Thompson RiceMarjorie Taylor Greene's delay tactics frustrate GOP Republicans, please save your party Republican Party going off the rails? MORE (R-S.C.), Adam KinzingerAdam Daniel KinzingerMarjorie Taylor Greene's delay tactics frustrate GOP Republicans, please save your party House GOP campaign chief: Not helpful for Trump to meddle in primaries MORE (R-Ill.), Dan NewhouseDaniel (Dan) Milton NewhouseRepublicans, please save your party Six ways to visualize a divided America Here are the GOP lawmakers censured by Republicans for impeaching Trump MORE (R-Wash.), Anthony GonzalezAnthony GonzalezTrump promises to travel to Alaska to campaign against Murkowski Trump presses GOP to stop using name for fundraising Trump announces new tranche of endorsements MORE (R-Ohio), Fred UptonFrederick (Fred) Stephen UptonBiden convenes bipartisan meeting on cancer research Republicans, please save your party Democrats snipe on policy, GOP brawls over Trump MORE (R-Mich.), Jaime Herrera BeutlerJaime Lynn Herrera BeutlerRepublicans, please save your party Wray says no evidence of 'antifa' involvement in Jan. 6 attack Arizona rep to play leading role in GOP women's group ahead of midterms MORE (R-Wash.), Peter MeijerPeter MeijerRepublicans, please save your party Biden sparks Twitter debate over pronunciation of Midwest supermarket chain Will the post-Trump GOP party be coming anytime soon? MORE (R-Mich.), John KatkoJohn Michael KatkoHouse-passed election bill takes aim at foreign interference Biden to meet with bipartisan lawmakers on infrastructure Federal agencies ordered to patch systems immediately following flaw in Microsoft app MORE (R-N.Y.) and David ValadaoDavid Goncalves ValadaoRepublicans, please save your party Democrats snipe on policy, GOP brawls over Trump Six ways to visualize a divided America MORE (R-Calif.).

Conservatives such as Kinzinger, Sasse and others worry many Democrats.

I will confess: from an entirely partisan perspective, the toughest opponents for Democrats are the Kinzingers, Romneys and Cheneys. They are true conservatives who remind American voters that they are in politics not for power alone but the power of their ideas, including balanced budgets, the dignity of work, the power of innovation in free markets. They are conservatives who support traditionally conservative approaches to policy incremental and thoughtful and partisan but not populist.

Watching Trumps speech last Sunday may have delighted Democrats. It may be in my own partys long term electoral interests to stand back during an ugly Republican purge; to watch a GOP fratricide that induces ugly primaries and alienates moderate voters; to sit in the stands and hoot at the gladiatorial combat between Trump and McConnell and the 16 others on his enemies list. On the other hand, America will be worse off. We need two parties competing on rational ideas; not one party and one nihilistic movement steeped in conspiracy theories and based on idol worship rather than ideas. You know what I mean the kind who would display a six-foot golden statue in Trumps image at the CPAC event.

A two party system needs, well, two parties. And a political party requires leaders who can instill discipline in the ranks to advance the set of ideas that attract voters. Trumps speech on Sunday confirms that he does not seek to rebuild the GOP; instead, he seeks to remake it in his craven image. To borrow a republican phrase, he wants to repeal and replace jettison any Republican who questions him and replace them with those who promise an unquestioned loyalty to his persona. It may have worked for Hussein and the Baath Party in 1979 it should not work for Trump in America in 2021. Republicans, please save your party.

Steve IsraelSteven (Steve) J. IsraelRepublicans, please save your party How Democrats can ensure Trump never runs again Biden doubles down on normal at White House MORE represented New York in the House over eight terms and was chairman with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 2011 to 2015. He is now the director of the Institute of Politics and Global Affairs at Cornell University. You can follow his updates @RepSteveIsrael.

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