Social Conservatives and the Republican Party

Where do social conservatives fit in the Republican Party? I ask this because many, many conservative pundits don't like Mike Huckabee or his brand of politics. The pundits take the position that the republican party has been successfull because of the coalition between social conservatives, fiscal conservatives and those to whom national security is the upmost important. The old three legs of the stool analogy.

The knock against Huckabee is that he only represents one leg of the stool and the other two legs don't like him. The pundits claim that Huckabee can't hold together the republican coalition and will loose to whoever the democratic candidate is. For example, the Club for Growth (Pat Toomey's organization) can't stand Huckabee. They claim he raised taxes as governor of Arkansas. Huckabee disputes the claim and rebuts it with this. Also, Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform seems to have taken a softer view toward Huckabee than has the Club for Growth.

The ational security wing of the party has chastised Huckabee for his "arrogant bunker mentality" statement when referring to President Bush's foreign policy. They also point out that Bush's foreign policy has been successful since we haven't been attacked again since 9/11.

Yesterday Governor Huckabee issued this statement regarding the types of judges he would appoint if president. I like his position on this. Appointing conservative judges to the federal courts is very important.

So, if Huckabee can't satisfy all parts of the republican coalition, who can? Romney seems to have shifted positions in recent years to make himself more acceptable to all legs of the stool. Giuliani is strong in national security, okay fiscally, but the social conservatives can't stand him (dispite Pat Robertson's endorsement). McCain is strong in the national security issue, strong in cutting expenses, but opposed President Bush's tax cuts in 2001 and 2003. And the social conservatives are queasy about him after what he said during the 2000 presidential campaign. Fred Thompson appeals to all three legs of the coalition but can't gain any traction. Fred said earlier this week that South Carolina is his "firewall" which means that if he doesn't when there, he'll probably get out of the race.

So of McCain, Romney, Giuliani and Huckabee, who will get the nomination? Only Huckabee is appealing to social conservatives. If one of the others gets the nomination, what does that say to social conservatives? And if Huckabee is the nominee, will the FisCons and national security elements of the party stay home on election day? It is a very interesting and trying time for the republican party. Only Fred Thompson has the ability to appeal to all branches of the coalition and if he drops out of the race we may see the coalition falling apart.

On a slightly different front, I ran across a website I didn't even know existed: God Tube. It is a Christian version of You Tube. There is a presidential poll on the front page of the website if you'd like to participate. Huckabee is, to no one's surprise, currently leading the voting.

There is also a website that has a candidate calculator that let's you see which candidate most closely aligns with your beliefs. Try it. You may find the response interesting.

And lastly, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Happily Ever After by Marilyn Griffith. I hope you get a chance to pick up a copy.

UPDATE: Republicans like Hugh Hewitt and Rick Santorum don't think highly of John McCain either. Hugh Hewitt is pushing Mitt Romney -- who keeps finishing second.

Jerome

Classic Fred

Here is a link to a post on RedState about some "yearbook" questions the AP sent to all of the candidates and Fred Thompson's responses. Its classic Fred like the Michael Moore cigar video and the "no hands show" at the DMR debate last week.

Fred needs a lot of buzz over the next couple of weeks and stuff like this may get him some. You have to give it Fred, win or loose, he's certainly having fun.

Jerome

Fred Surge?

I've pointed out before that political campaigns are all about momentum. About a month ago I posted about whether Fred Thompson was waiting for just the right time to peak. It may be happening -- right on time for Thompson's campaign.

The rave in the last couple of weeks has been about Mike Huckabee. There were even headlines that read "Huck-a-boom" as he surged ahead in polls in Iowa and South Carolina. But since Tuesday, Fred Thompson has captured the headlines.

Fred's rebellion toward the Des Moines Register editor who moderated the debate on Tuesday has been the sound bite from that debate. Fred has been the talk of the town since Tuesday. The American Spectator declared that Fred isn't dead. There is even talk of whether Fred can surge in Iowa. And with Huckabee apologizing to Romney and Hillary apologizing to Obama, Fred decided he should apologize too. Fred's been on his A game this week.

The polls have Thompson running third in Iowa behind Huckabee and Romney. But in South Carolina he has moved back into second place. Although he is a distant third in Iowa, he could really gain some momentum if he closes that gap. Even if he finishes third in Iowa, he could snatch the momentum away by coming in a close third -- much closer than he's polling at now. That momentum could catapult him into either a South Carolina win or a strong second place finish there. Either one would keep his momentum going into the Super Tuesday primaries on February 5. And who knows what could happen then? He may not win enough delegate votes to take the nomination but he might get enough to be a player in a brokered convention.

On a different note, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing What Lies Within by Karen Ball. I hope you get a chance to pick-up a copy of this book.

Jerome

History Made in Madison County

We're watching history being made in Madison County. The filing deadline was yesterday for the county mayor's race and only Jimmy Harris and Don McLeary filed petitions. Both men are running in the republican primary in February. Jimmy Harris was appointed mayor effective July 1, 2007, making him the first republican to ever hold the office. But with Harris and McLeary running in the republican primary, and no other candidates, one of these men will be the first republican elected to hold the office of Madison County Mayor. That will be history.

Jerome

All Huckabee All The Time

All the buzz the last few days has been about Mike Huckabee . . . and virtually only Mike Huckabee. Here is a video from a Nightline segment on Huckabee. An article in the L.A. Times. Clarence Page has a piece today as well.

And there is always the bad coverage like this column by Byron York.

The knock against Huckabee -- at least from the Club for Growth crowd -- has been Huckabee's record on taxes in Arkansas. Yesterday Joe Carter addressed some of those issues head-on.

Huckabee is routinely asked religious questions like creationism v. evolution; whether Mormonism is a cult; etc. And I think his answers have been splendid like this response he gave to Wolf Blitzer at the debate and this one about Mitt Romney's faith.

What does Huckabee's rise mean to the other campaigns? It must be negatively affecting Romney and Thompson because each have attacked Huckabee recently. But who does he help? Could it be McCain? There has been talk recently about a Giuliani-Huckabee ticket. But what about McCain-Huckabee or even Huckabee-McCain?

Huckabee is kicking up a lot of dust and is currently the man with all the attention. But Dick Morris is convinced that when the dust settles it will still be Giuliani v. Clinton. We'll see.

On a different note, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Bluegrass Peril by Virginia Smith. I hope you get a chance to pick up a copy of this book.

Jerome

What is Driving the Huckabee Surge?

The short answer is "social conservatives". But is there a longer answer? Mike Huckabee has little if any money and certainly doesn't have the infrastructure in Iowa that Mitt Romney has. So how is he getting his message out?

This Washington Post article implies that there is a grassroots network of "pastors, parents who home-school their children, and other Christian conservatives." It appears that there is a broad based support among social conservatives in Iowa for Huckabee. Even Tim LeHaye, co-author of the popular Left Behind series of books is making campaign appearances with Huckabee.

Huckabee has also tapped into the network of Christians that was compiled by Redeem The Vote. RTV has an impressive list of 71,000,000 names and e-mail addresses of Christian voters. 71,000,000! And even though RTV offered access to the list to all candidates -- democrat and republican alike -- only Huckabee took them up on it. And it appears to be paying off for him in Iowa.

Huckabee has recently condemned the push polling by an organization called Trust Huckabee, stating that it doesn't represent what his campaign is about. And the Weekly Standard's Dean Barnett admits that he underestimated Huckabee. Even Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform seems to have softened to Huckabee.

But can Huckabee's momentum last? Assuming he performs well in Iowa (finishes first or second), New Hampshire is a much bigger test. And Huckabee's position on social issues important to evangelical voters won't play as well there as it has in Iowa. Then there is Michigan and Nevada. But after that is South Carolina and Florida. If Huckabee looses his footing in New Hampshire, he very well could regain it in South Carolina before the Super Tuesday primaries on February 5.

A few days ago we were talking about a Giuliani-Huckabee ticket. But will there soon be talk of a ticket with Huckabee on top?

Jerome

Polling Started in Madison County Mayor's Race

I received a call tonight from a polling company that asked questions about the Madison County Mayor's race. I was interested to learn that one of the candidates is spending money on polling. My best guess -- and after talking to a reliable source -- is that the Jimmy Harris campaign may be the one polling. My source doubts that Don McLeary's campaign has enough money to be spending on polling. The pollster even mixed in a few presidential campaign questions for good measure.

The Madison County Mayor's race is an important one and will likely be decided in the republican primary. The qualifying deadline for all candidates for the mayor's office is December 13. So far only McLeary and Harris have picked up petitions. No democrats and no independents. If that holds true, then we will know who the next mayor will be in February even though the general election isn't until August.

I haven't found anyone -- republican or democrat -- who understands Don McLeary's thought process or strategy for jumping into this race. Earlier I opined that McLeary's strategy could only be for democrats and independents to vote in the republican primary in February. After talking to some democrat friends I'm convinced that this scenario won't happen. Most local democrats are mad at McLeary for switching parties and won't lift a finger to help him. In fact, I heard from a reliable source that some democrat lawyers in town called a republican lawyer and asked what they could do to help Harris beat McLeary. Interesting.

So if the crossover vote isn't going to happen, what is McLeary's strategy? Could he be hanging his hat on name recognition only? Is he hoping that republicans who aren't hard core party members will vote in the republican presidential primary; then see his name on the ballot for mayor and pull the lever for him because they recognize his name? Surely that isn't his strategy but what else could it be?

And what will McLeary do if he looses? There is no way the leadership of the local republican party will get behind him in any other race in the future after he's challenged Jimmy Harris. If he looses this race, then I suspect McLeary will be finished in local republican politics.

Jerome

Stem Cell Research

Big news yesterday regarding stem cell research. It seems that despite all the protestations from liberal groups about President Bush's veto of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, that the same -- if not better -- cures can be obtained without the destruction of human life. National Review Online has several stories today on this subject but none more succinct than this one by Wesley J. Smith. President Bush did what was morally right and science has now vindicated that decision. This issue will certainly have an impact on the 2008 presidential election. The democratic candidates have been placating to the liberal interest groups by promising federal funding for embryonic stem cell research (a/k/a the destruction of life for scientific purposes) and will now be called on it. The debate on this topic now shifts in favor of those who are and were opposed to federal funding -- and the research in general -- of embryonic stem cell research.

Fred Thompson has consistently been opposed to embryonic stem cell research and in favor of adult stem cell research. He issued this statement yesterday. I applaud Fred for his unwavering stance on this important issue.

I haven't seen a public statement on this issue from Mike Huckabee since the news yesterday but here is a link to his website page on this issue.

This Pew Forum web page summarizes all of the candidates positions and indicates that Romney supports using embryos left over from fertility treatments but prior to 2005 broadly supported embryonic stem cell research. McCain and Giuliani both support increased federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

So Thompson and Huckabee have both consistently been opposed to embryonic stem cell research. To me that speaks volumes of both candidates. Perhaps with this new break through in science the other candidates will change their positions. Preserving human life is important and no life should be expended for the purpose of scientific research.

Jerome

Fred Thompson -- Picking The Right Time To Peak

Much has been made since Fred Thompson entered the presidential race about Fred being lazy, not having the heart for the job, disappointing, etc. But perhaps that's all part of Fred's plan. Keeping expectations low and then exceeding them would generate a tremendous amount of momentum. Before he formally entered the race, Fred was viewed as the saviour of the conservatives. Everybody was hyped up and Fred was the buzz everywhere. And then he formally entered and by everyone's account he fell flat. His poll numbers have slowly drifted down. But it may all be by design.

Fred must pick the right time to peak. If he peaks too early, then there will be others who have time to pass him. Peak to late and the momentum will have passed him by. But keep expectations low; let everyone talk about him being lazy, not wanting the job, etc.; and then pick up steam at just the right time might just be the game plan for Fred.

Larry Kudlow likes Fred. He interviewed Fred recently and wrote about the fire in Fred's belly that is beginning to show.

In the Real Clear Politics Blog this morning Tom Bevan asked whether Fred is dead or just resting. I suspect the latter. I know some of Fred's campaign people. They've got a strategy. And just when everyone has pushed Fred to the curb he'll do something to gain the momentum. And could that something be an endorsement from James Dobson? If you recall, earlier this year Dobson said that Fred Thompson was not a Christian and that he didn't have the "want to" to be president. Could that position be changing? Fred picked up the National Right to Life Committee's endorsement last week. Could other conservative Christian leaders' endorsements be far behind? I think there is a lot of wisdom in Fred reaching out to evangelical Christians.

I don't think Fred is being lazy. I think Fred is doing things the way he wants to. And I think he's lying in wait for just the right time to peak and steal the momentum away from the other candidates.

Jerome

How Divided Is The Religious Right?

There has been much made in recent days about the division among religious right leaders over endorsements for the 2008 presidential election. I've even talked about it on these pages. But is there really a division?

Here is a link to an article in the New York Sun that discussed this issue. It takes the concept of the "Evangelical Crackup" to task. I think the points are valid. During the primary season voters -- whether they are leaders or just common people like you and me -- have the only real opportunity to support and vote for who they really want to. You'll find people who will support Mike Huckabee in the primary election because he more closely mirrors their beliefs than other candidates in the republican field but will support the primary winner in the national election even if it is not Huckabee. Some may support Giuliani in the primary season even though he doesn't match their social beliefs because they feel that he is more electable in the general election than other candidates. I think either way is fine but it doesn't reveal some alleged "crackup" in the religious right as some have pronounced. I'd rather the conservative Christian leadership all support the same candidate because I believe when united the religious right will be difficult to defeat. But such uniformity is hard to achieve during the primary season.

There is also some murmuring about a Giuliani - Huckabee ticket. It is an interesting concept. Giuliani who can attract more moderate/liberal voters in blue states coupled with a socially conservative Huckabee. Giuliani would certainly put New York State in play and the democrats must win New York to accumulate enough electoral votes to win the White House. Here is another link to the Red State blog that discusses the same concept.

On a different note, I had the opportunity to go on a quail hunting trip at Tumbling Creek this week. It is a first rate hunting lodge and if you like quail hunting you should certainly check it out.

Jerome

What Will Be Impact of NRLC Endorsement?

There will be many articles and blog posts today and tomorrow about what impact the NRLC endorsement might have on the Fred Thompson campaign. David Fredoso has a pretty good piece on National Review Online where he interviews some people from Iowa. They basically say they'd like to see the reasoning behind the NRLC endorsement before they line up behind Thompson.

I pointed out in my earlier post the rationale contained in the NRLC press release, but is there something we're missing? Why did NRLC issue its endorsement now? Was it to sway voters away from Giuliani and toward Thompson? I don't think so. Giuliani is running in fourth place in Iowa and has basically written off the Iowa caucuses. So Thompson doesn't need the NRLC's endorsement to beat Giuliani in Iowa. What about Romney? Could be. Romney's pre-presidential campaign conversion on the abortion issue has pursuaded some evangelicals and pro-lifers to follow him but not many. Most still can't get past Romney's faith. I think the real reason for the NRLC endorsement and the timing of it has to do with Mike Huckabee. Huckabee has been making great strides in recent days mainly because of his showing at the Value Voters meeting in D.C. A strong showing in Iowa -- primarily among evangelicals and the pro-life community -- would give Huckabee tremendous momentum going into New Hampshire and South Carolina. So Thompson needs to finish ahead of Huckabee in Iowa to keep Huckabee from taking the momentum from there and beating Thompson in South Carolina. And that's what I think is the reasoning and timing behind the NRLC endorsement. Thompson needs the bump to finish ahead of Huckabee in Iowa and NRLC is trying to deliver that for him.

Jerome

Mike Huckabee Moving Up

Mike Huckabee continues to move up not only in political polls but also on Technorati. Technorati maintains most popular lists and "Mike Huckabee" is the 7th most popular search phrase. Click on Huckabee's name and you can see numerous blog entries about Mike Huckabee.

Huckabee is now polling at 7.7% in the Real Clear Politics Average and his best showing is 12% in the Rasmussen poll. Back in the summer, Huckabee was polling at 2% or 3%. Guiliani still leads with Thompson second, McCain, Romney and Huckabee in fifth place. The Iowa caucuses are only about 2 months away and a strong showing there could really propel Huckabee into the top tier.

The media (even international media) continues to report that Fred Thompson's campaign is uninspiring. It will be interesting to see if Thompson's campaign gains some traction in the next few weeks ahead of the Iowa caucuses. I hope he does.

Jerome

Fred's In (Probably)

If you haven't already heard, the word on the street is that Fred Thompson is definitely running for president. He is expected to announce around the Fourth of July. Also, check out this article. There are several articles today on this topic. This blog questions whether Fred really wants it. Another article debates whether he will play well outside of the south. And still another discusses what other republican candidates a Thompson campaign will hurt (and this one does too). This recent buzz was generated as a result of a fundraising conference call Thompson had recently with large donors.

Frankly, I'm glad he's getting in. I think it will give some energy to the republican primary that is lacking so far, and if he wins the nomination I think he has the ability to beat any nominee the democrats put forward.

Jerome

Weekend Headlines

Here are some stories that ran over the weekend that I found interesting. Several writers discussed Rudy Guiliani's abortion position. Guiliani has sent mixed messages about his stance on abortion and he tried to clarify his position late last week. The Wall Street Journal said that the GOP needs to avoid a brawl over the abortion issue. It opined that an internal fight among the GOP over abortion will open the door wide for a democrat to win the White House. Pat Buchanan has a different take on the issue and stated that Guiliani is not welcome in Buchanan's GOP -- which he defines as the party of Reagan. And lastly on this issue, Peter Brown of RealClearPolitics published an article that Guiliani's decision to de-emphasize the caucuses in Iowa and the primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina defies history and logic.

Fred Thompson told a reporter in Florida that he isn't rushing his decision. With the Florida primaries on January 29, it seems to me that he might need to speed up his deliberations, though.

Mike Huckabee may have scored some points in the republican debate a week ago but may not get support from a former staffer who now runs the South Carolina GOP.

Recent poll averages show Guiliani leading, with McCain second, Thompson third and Romney fourth.

Jerome

The Religious Right Kingmaker

I found this article in the Wall Street Journal particularly interesting. It labels Richard Land as the "would-be" kingmaker among conservative Christians. Clearly he doesn't like or support Guiliani. I get the impression he could get behind Mitt Romney if he takes a lead -- and Land's advice. And then there is the litmus test of electability. While Land likes candidates such as Huckabee, Brownback and Hunter, he doesn't find them electable. And he certainly isn't in favor of a Gingrich candidacy. But one thing did catch my eye in this article. Land is quoted as saying that a Fred Thompson candidacy was "tantalizing." That's interesting.

Land is clearly playing his cards close to his vest and hasn't endorsed a candidate yet. But we conservative Christians are in a strange predicament this presidential election. The lending contenders are far from perfect. Of the top tier, Land clearly finds Romney's candidacy as the most likeable. He refused to describe Romney's changing position on abortion as a flip flop but rather as a journey to the truth.

Speaking of Fred Thompson, he has also generated some interest in the British press. This report in The Telegraph indicates that many former Ronald Reagan allies are lining up behind Thompson. And the Draft Fred Thompson campaign has moved into Texas. I think an announcement by Thompson is imminent.

Jerome

Is He In or Not?

More Fred Thompson. The Weekly Standard has an interview with Fred Thompson that is really enlightening on several topics. One that is important to me is that Thompson affirmatively states that he is pro-life. There have been reports since Thompson's senate campaign years ago that he was pro-choice -- at least in some instances. He tries to clear that up in this piece. Also, Bill Frist is quoted as saying that the story about Thompson's lymphoma needed to get out early -- before Thompson announces that he's running.

It certainly sounds as though Thompson is running. Some firmly believe that he is not. While others are even more certain that he is. My best guess is that he is leaning toward running. I think he must announce before the end of June. He is way behind in fundraising and has a lot of ground to make up.

So while all of the republican candidates are swarming all over Iowa, Fred Thompson is sitting at his home outside of Washington waiting for just the right moment. We'll see when that is.

Jerome

Richard Land Warms to Possible Thompson Candidacy

Much of the political news this week was about the fundraising by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Obama won the first round but they both raised a ton of cash. And cash is what it takes to run an effective campaign. Both should continue to be very formidable throughout the primary. John Edwards continues to hang around but Clinton and Obama will soon be chasing all other democratic candidates from the race.

In the midst of the reporting over the democratic fundraising, this article ran quietly. Richard Land, the president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, had positive comments to say about Fred Thompson. This is on the heels of James Dobson negative comments last week. Dr. Land had no praise for Rudy Guiliani or Newt Gingrich.

Also, this article brought Rudy Guiliani's liberal social views back to the forefront. As Dr. Land pointed out, most social conservatives will have trouble pulling the lever for Guiliani in the primary.

Senator Lamar Alexander was in Jackson today and spoke at a small gathering at the Old Country Store. The stop was part of his tour across the state announcing that he plans to seek reelection in 2008. Much of the talk in the room was also about a possible Fred Thompson campaign for the presidency.

The grassroots drive to draft Fred Thompson continues to grow. He must make a decision in the next couple of months, though. He is falling behind on fundraising -- although Thompson has the ability to raise money quickly. Mitt Romney had a huge first quarter in fundraising and it will take a lot for Thompson to catch-up to Romney in that area -- if he gets in -- given how late in the race it is. But from this poll that shows Thompson in third place in the republican field -- ahead of Romney -- you wouldn't know that Thompson isn't even in the race yet.

Jerome

Polls Show Fred Thompson Moving Up

Two polls were released on Monday that showed Fred Thompson clearly moving into third place among republican candidates -- and he isn't even a candidate yet. Real Clear Politics has a link to both the USA Today/Gallup poll and the Zogby poll. Thompson's gains appear to be at the expense of Guiliani and Romney. There was also a report out this week that the John McCain camp says it will not reach fundraising goals by the end of March.

In researching some sites about Fred Thompson I found this list by Congressman Zach Wamp of why Fred Thompson should be president. Wamp is a congressman from east Tennessee.

And then there is this interview with Governor Mike Huckabee. He seems to be lost in the crowd and hardly mentioned anymore (not that he was mentioned a lot before).

The web is buzzing with Fred Thompson. His potential candidacy seems to be hitting Mitt Romney and Rudy Guiliani the hardest. John McCain is languishing. And the primaries are still almost a year away.

Jerome

Fred Thompson Still the Topic of Conversation

I haven't posted all week because I've been consumed with the decades old desegregation lawsuit in Madison County and in trying to obtain unitary status for the school system. So I haven't had time to blog.

But in looking back at the week I was surprised at the number of hits on my blog from people looking for information about Fred Thompson. The search requests for Fred Thompson far exceeded any I've ever had for the other republican candidates like Rudy Guiliani, John McCain or Mitt Romney. Many of the search requests were for information about Thompson's religious beliefs. I would like to know something about that too. I've asked around but can't find any public pronouncements by Thompson on this point. Perhaps he will make one some time.

There really does seem to be a tremendous amount of interest among conservatives about Thompson. I've received two e-mail blasts from Bill Frist and his VOLPAC. I've received e-mails from friends wanting me to sign a petition at Grass Roots Voters urging Fred Thompson to run. One friend's e-mail said "finally a candidate I can support." What is it about Thompson that is exciting conservatives?

My last post outlined his positions on issues important to conservatives, but is it just that? He has been married previously but that doesn't seem to dissuade conservative Christians from getting behind him. I suspect it is the old litmus test I talked about before: electability. He has the conservative credentials and conservatives see him as someone who can win.

Some pundits believe that Guiliani and Romney will keep Thompson out of the race. Others say that he is in line to take Paul Harvey's place on his popular radio show and that is too enticing to Thompson.

I don't know if Thompson will get in the race or not, but I do know one thing at this point. He certain is garnering more attention than the candidates who have already announced. Will see if the conservatives are able to draft Fred Thompson.

Jerome

Back to Politics as Usual

It's been almost a week since I had time to post. I was out-of-town most of the weekend attending the Mega Book University with Terry Whalin. I've spent the first part of this week catching up and brainstorming some other writing projects. Now it's time to get back to the regular routine.

Ever since the Drudge Report flashed the sirens and posted in bright red letters that Scooter Libby had been convicted of perjury, etc., the media has been consumed with the story. Jurors have been interviewed, claims that this conviction puts Vice President Cheney and the entire White House in a bad light have been raised by liberal media, and there have even been calls for President Bush to pardon Libby by at least one of the jurors. It has consumed several days of news cycles and it will be interesting to see if the fallout has any impact on the 2008 presidential election.

Somewhat lost in the Scooter Libby hoopla were a couple of articles about Rudy Guiliani that I read over the last couple of days. First was this one that ask whether Guiliani can get past the first date. It is an issue I addressed some time ago. Then I said that Guiliani would have a very difficult time winning the republican primary but would be a very electable candidate in the general election against any democratic candidate, including Hillary Clinton. The other article opines that evangelicals will vote for Guiliani because of his wartime leadership despite his positions on gun control, same sex marriage and abortion. It is the electability litmus test. Guiliani does have a huge lead in early polling in the USA Today polls.

The question continues to be whether a true social conservative will move into the top tier of republican candidates. So far it isn't happening. And as more money is raised by the leaders, the chances of it happening continue to diminish significantly. Will conservative republicans look to the electability test rather than where a candidate stands on important conservative issues? So far it appears to be the case.

Jerome