Today’s Reading List – December 20, 2006

Posted by: John Schroeder at 06:41 am, December 20th 2006 — Comment on this post »

Hugh Hewitt analyzes the big three and lobbies for the biggest boost talk radio could imagine.

David Saperstein takes a shot at the "Is America a religious nation?" question and ignores an eminently important fact: the "government square" is increasingly encroaching of the public square – religion MUST push back.

Henry Kissinger hooks up with McCain after talking with Romney. Despite the fact that Iraq IS NOT Vietnam, the public is increasingly wanting to see it that way, and I am not sure Kissinger handled the end of that all that well.

Lowell: I'm not sure any Republican presidential candidate wants to be seen too close to the architect of Vietnam and detente.

Romney and the new media. Old news to these bloggers.

Lowell adds: We find an example of just how hard it seems to be for the MSM to find anything new to say about the Republican field in this numbingly familiar AP story:

This time, all three top-tier hopefuls – McCain, Giuliani and Romney – face challenges in winning over the critical constituency.

Although his voting record on social issues is largely in line with conservatives, McCain has caught flak for his involvement in averting a Senate showdown over the president's judicial nominees and his position that tough border security should be paired with an eventual path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants.

Romney, for his part, is a Mormon and hails from Massachusetts, a liberal bastion, both potential turnoffs for Bible Belt conservatives. In recent weeks, he has found himself having to explain inconsistencies in his record on gay marriage and abortion.

Giuliani, who was New York's mayor when terrorists struck the city, ranks high in popularity polls and is heralded for his response to the attacks. Yet, the former mayor supports gun control, same-sex civil unions and abortion rights, stands that run counter to a majority of the GOP conservative base.

Note that we don't see the words, "McCain, an Episcopalian who rarely attends church," or "Giuliani, a Catholic." That Romney's religion is always mentioned is nothing new, or even necessarily a bad thing. It's just a fact.