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

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

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

Stem Cell Funding Headed for Another Veto

The senate today voted to authorize federal funding for stem cell research that would lead to -- either directly or indirectly -- the destruction of human embryos. The president is expected to veto it. I hope he does. If allowed to pass, the federal funding would result in the destruction of embryos for scientific purposes. It would result in the further disrespect of the sanctity of human life.

There are other promising scientific discoveries that should be pursued instead of embryonic stem cell research. Adult stem cells should be further researched as should the recent discovery of stem cells in amniotic fluid. I'm interested to see what Professor Robbie George will have to say about this most recent attempt by the democratic controlled senate.

I recently read an article about other stem cell research that would not promote the destruction of embryos. This research which some republicans seek to fund would allow research on embryos which scientist determine are not capable of surviving in the womb. This opens another interesting discussion -- and scientific avenue -- which must be considered instead of embryonic stem cell research.

The debate about embryonic stem cell research is an important one. It will (at least should) be an important part of the debate in the upcoming presidential election. If a democrat is elected president, and we still have a democratic controlled congress, then we certainly will see federally funded embryonic stem cell research. All the more reason to support (and elect) a conservative republican back to the White House.

Jerome

Fred Thompson for President?

One former senator from Tennessee decided not to run for the White House but The Hill is reporting this morning that another former senator from Tennessee might be interested. And another former senator from Tennessee is lining up support. The story in The Hill is that former senate majority leader Howard Baker is on capital hill lining up support for a Fred Thompson campaign. Many of you remember that Thompson got his start by serving as the chief republican counsel on the Senate Watergate Committee in 1973. Later he successfully ran for the senate and later left public office. He is now an actor on the NBC show "Law & Order" where he plays the lead district attorney general.

Thompson's interest in the White House tells me that there are still a lot of republicans who are not satisfied with the current list of potential nominees. Howard Baker still commands a lot of influence. He successfully lead President Bush's legal team during the 2000 election recount in Florida. It will be interesting to see if Thompson jumps in.

On a different note, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is blogging this week about The Watchers by Mark Andrew Olsen. Please follow these links to read reviews and to find out more about Mark's book.

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

Who Will Fill Conservative Void?

The question that many are asking so early in the 2008 presidential campaign is who will fill the conservative void? What Robert Novak and other pundits are asking is who is the real conservative who will step to the front of the republican candidates? The consensus is that so far there isn't one. John McCain or Rudy Guiliani can't fill the void although Guiliani plans meet with some conservative leaders tomorrow. Mitt Romney is certainly trying to secure the conservative base into his camp.

I've mentioned Mike Huckabee often as a potential candidate who could secure at least the social conservative votes. Some are trying to solicit him to run for the U.S. Senate rather than the White House. Another name that I ran across yesterday but had completely forgotten about is Jim Gilmore. I don't know anything about him other than what is on his exploratory committee website but he seemed to make waves at the Conservative Political Action Convention in Washington this week.

I think it is important that we have a true conservative in the top tier of the republican candidates but no one seems to be stepping up at this point.

On a different note, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is bloggin this week about A Valley of Betrayal by Tricia Goyer. I hope you get a chance to read the reviews and purchase Tricia's book.

Jerome

Long Lasting Impact of Christianity on Politics

Many try to exclude faith and religion from politics. But where would our culture be without men and women of faith like William Wilberforce? Wilberforce was an evangelical who helped bring an end to the British slave trade. There is a movie out called Amazing Grace about Wilberforce's life. I haven't seen it yet but it might be worth catching. Here is some more information about Wilberforce.

Would someone else have stood up if Wilberforce had not? Perhaps. But the truth is that Wilberforce did. His faith required it. What about today? Are there local, state and national leaders who will allow their faith to impact their decision making? What about the current slate of presidential candidates? Do they apply their faith to how they serve in office? Personally, I find a candidate's faith important to whether I support them or not. I know many disagree with me. But there must be something inside a person that impacts how they will make decisions. If it is not their religious faith, then what is it?

On a different note, I saw an article today that there is a remote possibility that Joe Lieberman might switch to the republican party. And it would be caused by the senate democrats' push for a vote on the war in Iraq. Wouldn't that create entertaining chaos in the senate?

Jerome

Single Issue Voter

If there is one issue on which you base your vote, what is it? What litmus test do you apply to candidates, particularly presidential candidates? I don't think I have just one, but I might. And if I am a single issue voter, that single issue is the candidate's stance on abortion. Joe Carter at Evangelical Outpost has a post about this subject today. He quotes David Gushee who is a professor at Union University, my alma mater, and someone who I see often. David doesn't live far from me and his writings are read extensively in religious circles, particularly in the area of bioethics. As Joe Carter and David Gushee both point out, where a person stands when it comes to the sanctity of human life is an extremely important issue. And I think it will indicate what other types of decision that person will make such as what jurists to nominate to the federal bench. It is a single issue but it has many tentacles.

So where do some of the leading republican candidates stand on the issue of abortion? Mitt Romney professes that his views have evolved over time and that he is now pro-life. Some question when this conversion actually occurred. There is no question that Rudy Guiliani is pro-choice and that will create a tremendous hurdle for him toward the republican nomination. Likewise, John McCain's position on abortion has been fluid.

Candidates like Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee are clearly pro-life but their names are never mentioned in the same breath as the big three.

If you have a single issue that determines your vote? Is it abortion? If so, which candidate are you leaning toward? Are there any democratic candidates who are pro-life?

Jerome