In an interview with editors from the New York Times, Gov. Mitch Daniels offers his thoughts on the course the party should take to return to power, including what issues ought to be discussed in the 2012 Presidential campaign.

Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana offered a piece of advice to fellow Republicans: “Lay down the philosophical swords” to begin rebuilding the party and tackle the nation’s immense challenges. But he urged Republicans to not become too emboldened by the discontent in the electorate.

“Somebody said anger is not a strategy,” Mr. Daniels said in an interview today with editors and reporters from The New York Times. “We have to preach that in our own congregations.”

Mr. Daniels, who is in the middle of his second term as governor, said the politics of a midterm election year would likely prevent Republicans and Democrats from having a serious conversation about the future of Social Security, Medicare and other government programs. But those discussions, he said, should be included in the next presidential race. — New York Times