November 07, 2007

An Irrelevant Endorsement

Fifteen years ago, this was an important endorsement. A decade ago, it was one that might have made a difference. But let's be honest -- does anyone really care what Pat Robertson says anymore.

Televangelist Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition, endorsed Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani on Wednesday.

"It is my pleasure to announce my support for America's Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, a proven leader who is not afraid of what lies ahead and who will cast a hopeful vision for all Americans," Robertson said during a news conference with Giuliani in Washington.

The former New York mayor backs abortion rights and gay rights, positions that put him in conflict with conservative GOP orthodoxy, and has been trying to persuade evangelical conservatives like Robertson to overlook their differences on those issues.

Evangelicals have split in their support for the leading Republican candidates. Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, a favorite of Christian conservatives who dropped out of the race last month, endorsed fellow Sen. John McCain of Arizona on Wednesday. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney recently announced that Paul Weyrich and Bob Jones III were on board with his candidacy.

It isn't that I don't have a certain amount of respect for Robertson -- I do. Rather, it is a question of how relevant he is to the process today. Twenty years ago he was a candidate for the presidency. His star has fallen since then, or rather it has been eclipsed by other leaders on the evangelical right. I just don't know that he is the sort of heavyweight that James Dobson would have to be considered. Indeed, it will only be something for those who hate the religious right, like homosexualist blogger and columnist Andrew Sullivan, to froth about.

Oh, and as for the Brownback endorsement of McCain, I consider it about as relevant as an endorsement from Tommy Thompson, another failed presidential candidate who could not even make it into 2008.

Posted by: Greg at 10:55 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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1 It is significant because Rudy's ability to get nominated hinges on whether the Christian right wing is willing to suspend their passion about social issues (mostly meaning the abortion issue) in which they disagree with Guliani. My hope has been that the hard right Christians would see the GWOT as vitally important enough to vote for a Repulican who can beat Hillary even though he may not be aligned with them on social issues. I want Rudy to be our next POTUS and I've always feared that the Reps. would not nominate him. I don't think any other Rep. can beat Hillary. If Pat Robertson, a Christian who is about as far right as anybody, endorses him, it becomes more likely that other hard right Christians will follow and solidify the nomination for him.

Posted by: Doug Purdie at Thu Nov 8 09:38:48 2007 (00DOn)

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