The media and moderate Republicans, convinced that these issues are the party's weakness and that its libertarian economic ideas are its strength, have interpreted Bush's remarks as a rebuke to Republican Puritanism.
The moderate Republicans interpreted Bush's remarks as praise.
mnli hypothesis: The moderate Republicans interpreted Bush's remarks as praise. premise: The media and moderate Republicans, convinced that these issues are the party's weakness and that its libertarian economic ideas are its strength, have interpreted Bush's remarks as a rebuke to Republican Puritanism.