Good News From the Campaign Trail

Posted by jrosenhouse on June 9, 2008
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From Robert Novak’s column in today’s Washington Post:

Shortcomings by John McCain’s campaign in the art of politics are alienating two organizations of Christian conservatives. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family is estranged following the failure of Dobson and McCain to talk out their differences. Evangelicals who follow the Rev. John Hagee resent McCain’s disavowal of him.

The evangelicals are not an isolated problem for the Arizona senator. Enthusiasm for McCain inside the Republican coalition is in short supply. During the four months since McCain clinched the nomination, he has not satisfied conservatives opposed to his positions on global warming, campaign finance reform, immigration, domestic oil drilling and how to ban same-sex marriages.

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Comments

  1. #1 qetzal
    June 9, 2008

    I fervently hope that all Christian fundamentalists become alienated from McCain. Both to reduce his chance of winning, and to reduce the fundy’s influence on his administration (and by extension, Repubs in general) in case he does win.

  2. #2 SLC
    June 9, 2008

    Re Robert Novak

    Mr. Novak, for the information of Prof. Rosenhouse, is a member of the neofascist Opus Dei society and a former pal of convicted traitor and spy Robert Hansson. I would take anything he writes with several tons of salt.

  3. #3 Jason Rosenhouse
    June 9, 2008

    SLC –

    Novak is not a source I usually quote favorably, but he’s not exactly reporting on something farfetched or outside the mainstream here. Besides, I’m still glum that Hillary Clinton is not going to be the nominee so I need to find happy political news wherever I can.

  4. #4 Ben Abbott
    June 9, 2008

    I am hopeful that the opinions on the issues of global warming, campaign finance reform, immigration, domestic oil drilling and how to ban same-sex marriages do not form the foundation for those who call themselves conservative.

    Meanwhile I am confident that conservatives are generally not minions for the likes of James Dobson and Rev. John Hagee.

  5. #5 travc
    June 9, 2008

    Be very wary of the ‘speaking out of both sides of the mouth’ nature of some of this. In the blogosphere we have a term for it ‘concern trolling’.

  6. #6 Chris Bell
    June 9, 2008

    Sorry your candidate didn’t win, but glad to see you’re ready to support Obama.

    Everyone was mad about everything when Jefferson beat Burr in the 1800 election, and Jefferson addressed the hyper-partisan atmosphere in his first inaugural:

    During the contest of opinion through which we have passed the animation of discussions and of exertions has sometimes worn an aspect which might impose on strangers unused to think freely and to speak and to write what they think; but this being now decided by the voice of the nation, announced according to the rules of the Constitution, all will, of course, arrange themselves under the will of the law, and unite in common efforts for the common good. All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression. Let us, then, fellow-citizens, unite with one heart and one mind. Let us restore to social intercourse that harmony and affection without which liberty and even life itself are but dreary things.

    Hope it brings some comfort.

  7. #7 Jason Rosenhouse
    June 10, 2008

    Chris Bell –

    Very comforting, thanks!

  8. #8 Valhar2000
    June 10, 2008

    Meanwhile I am confident that conservatives are generally not minions for the likes of James Dobson and Rev. John Hagee.

    True, but as long as the GOP continues to rely on those guys and their ilk to win them elections, all conservatives might as well be like them.

  9. #9 Tom Jackson
    June 10, 2008

    See http://www.reluctantvoter.com/ for the general conservative reaction to John McCain.

  10. #10 KeithB
    June 11, 2008

    As Ed Brayton points out, it looks like McCain is using the Supreme Court as a way to woo the Christian Right:
    http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2008/06/mccain_and_the_supreme_court.php

  11. #11 Program ve Oyun ?ndir
    September 3, 2008

    thanks

  12. #12 ?zle Bir ?eyler
    September 3, 2008

    thanks thanks

  14. #14 kpss
    September 3, 2008

    Meanwhile I am confident that conservatives are generally not minions for the likes of James Dobson and Rev. John Hagee.