Liberation Theology Takes a Hit
Lee on Jan 15 2008 at 9:25 am | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Lee's Page, Uncategorized
Here’s some splendid news for those of us not delighted by the prospect of a liberation theologist takeover of the Republican Party. Rasmussen is reporting their new South Carolina numbers and Mike Huckabee has lost five points and Fred Thompson gained four since last week. Thompson now stands at 16%, Huckabee at 19%, with McCain reaping the rewards at 28%.
If Huckabee can be stopped in South Carolina, it’s quite probable that will be the end of him. Until of course John McCain’s advisers convince him to name Huckabee as his Vice Presidential nominee in order to appease the soc-con voting bloc (traditionally his strongest adversaries within the party).
Indeed, my friend Jason over at postpolitical (who is an ardent Huckabee supporter) is holding out hope for McCain to win the nomination if Huckabee fails, for precisely this eventuality. Even the slimmest chance of getting Huckabee anywhere near the levers of power is apparently enormously important to his supporters. But is it as important to his opponents to prevent that? It should be.
Reed Galen has an absolutely splendid piece on this very matter in Politico today. Galen, who worked in the Bush campaign in 2004, has said recently elsewhere that he could overlook Bush’s social conservatism because it was merely one component of a larger candidate package that was supportable. Whereas in Mike Huckabee’s case, any other components that even exist are virtually unsupportable.
For those of us who are Republicans because of non-faith-related issues, mainly fiscal conservatism and hawkish defense policy, Huckabee presents a serious conundrum. He provides us with a happily tax-hiking record and lacks even the most basic knowledge of current global events.
(Politico)
Galen is echoing Thompson’s argument in last week’s debate, that we are witnessing a “battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party.” It is such because if Huckabee were to be nominated even in a losing general election, the long-term repercussions for the GOP could be severe:
Focusing on a candidate’s faith would be a signal that it doesn’t really matter if you believe in bigger government, in higher taxes or that the United States can have a second-rate and uninformed foreign policy.
If you are the most religious candidate, the one who carries the cross higher and mightier than all others, you will wear the Republican mantle.
(Politico)
Consider that in 1972 George McGovern was utterly annihilated by Richard Nixon in the most comprehensive electoral rejection of a political platform in American history. But, in many ways this defeat had no effect in turning the Democratic party away from the Left…and in many ways strengthened the hold of the New Left over its machinery.
Galen ends his piece by lamenting:
We’re looking for a place to go. We’re looking for a voice to hear. We’re looking for a leader to follow.
Like our social conservative brethren, we also have principles we’re unwilling to sacrifice. And just because ours don’t publicly involve the Almighty or the afterlife doesn’t make them any less valid.
(Politico)
The Huckabee liberation theologists would disagree with Galen on that last point. In their modality of thought religious piety is typically mandatory for a candidate to possess political merit.
Which brings us back to the necessity of an alternative. In a similar moment to Galen’s while campaigning in South Carolina, Fred Thompson was confronted by a retired man by the name of Jerry Wolf. According to the Washington Times Wolf told Thompson: “South Carolina is yours for the asking. We’re asking you to step up to the plate and go for our hearts.”
Will he? South Carolina may be the decisive moment. If Thompson is unwilling to do what’s necessary to win the primary there, at the very least he can potentially knock Huckabee permanently out of the hunt with a strong finish. Were he only to do that, he’d have done the Republican party a tremendous service.
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