Is Jerry Falwell Still Relevant?

Reuters has an article where Jerry Falwell stated that he would like to have a like minded republican elected president in 2008 and at least one more conservative jurist on the supreme court. I would like to see the samethings. But I wonder whether Jerry Falwell still has much influence among conservatives and the republican party. It seems to me that the mantle of the religious right is now in the hands of personalities like James Dobson, Tony Perkins, Richard Land and Gary Bauer. I don't hear much about Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson unless they are making some outlandish statement that the networks pick up on.

Electing a conservative republican to the White House in 2008 is extremely important. Having a conservative jurist appointed to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court is also very important. I'm just not sure that Jerry Falwell can make either happen.

And I doubt even Falwell is feeling inspired by the crop of republican candidates: John McCain, Mitt Romney and Rudy Guiliani. But perhaps there is still hope of a true conservative emerging who will energize the religious right base of the party.

Jerome