Category Archives: Social conservatives


Notes on Romney speech

It took me a lot of time to process Mitt Romney’s speech tonight. I had seen John McCain’s and Sam Brownback’s on TV. Romney’s was in sharp contrast to the others. He offered lots of details and great quotes like:

"Time to make out of wedlock births out of fashion."
"I will be a prolife president. Just […]

When reporters miss the story: Rudy and conservatives.

Alan Fram AP’s story about Rudy Giuliani and conservatives fundamentally misses the point. He says, "Giuliani’s Conservative Vote Tenuous." That would be true, if it turned out that his lead in polls was based on the vote of conservatives who don’t know what he thinks on issues. It seems that the important analysis of his […]

The limits of interest group leaders

Many people have commented on Bob Novak’s piece in the Post today. I thought that the most interesting point was, perhaps, this one:
But the situation is not a simple confrontation between the Christian right and Giuliani. The Gallup data suggest that Dobson and the Salt Lake City group may be out of touch with rank-and-file […]

Romney, Social Conservatives, and the Ocean ad

Earlier in the week, Mitt Romney released his "Ocean" ad. Jonathan Martin, typically exuberant in his praise of Romney, had this to say:
Second, it seems as though this ad is yet more evidence of Romney trying to "close the deal" with social conservatives.  The campaign increasingly views Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani as their […]

Fred and abortion

The whole thing about whether Fred Thompson is pro-life or not is kind of bizarre, especially when it is pushed by Mitt Romney’s campaign.
David Brody has a good rundown of the current critique. In the end, he has the right analysis:
I think at the end of the day these abortion incidents from the 1990’s […]

Evangelical Leader: “Rudy must be stopped”

The Christian Broadcasting Network’s David Brody has an interesting summary of a discussion that he had with an evangelical leader. There is lots of happy-talk about Fred Thompson. But, perhaps, the most interesting is the comment about Rudy Giuliani:
As a matter of fact, he told me point blank, "Rudy must be stopped" and there […]

Falwell and the debate

NYT’s Adam Nagourney had this to say:
1) Who will be the most effusive in paying tribute to the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the founder of the Moral Majority and a great power in the evangelical wing of the party? Will Mr. Falwell be to this debate what Ronald Reagan was to the Republican presidential candidates debate […]

Romney’s Silver Space Boot strikes again!

Mitt Romney is developing a real gaffe problem when it comes to science fiction. I have decided to call these his "silver space boot" (in mouth) problem. I will, perhaps, get in trouble for referencing Ann Richard’s "born with a silver foot in his mouth" line.
This time, he confuses French marriage law with something […]

Debate Mitt-flop Watch: Stem Cell

Mitt Romney tried to dodge a question on embryonic stem-cell research, but Chris Matthews asked the tough questions. Again, Mitt flopped. Last night he said:

MODERATOR: And you won’t take any from these fertility clinics to use either?
ROMNEY: I’m happy to allow that to […]

Debate Mitt-flop watch: Church and State

I was going to write on this but Deal Hudson beat me to it, and more articulately. Romney’s record:
As governor of Massachusetts, Romney ordered Catholic hospitals to administer emergency contraception to women who claim they had been raped.

Romney’s words last night:
I don’t say anything to Roman Catholic bishops. They can do whatever the heck […]