Today’s Reading List – March 1, 2007

Posted by: John Schroeder at 06:40 am, March 1st 2007 — Comment on this post »

Days before presidential candidate John McCain visits Utah, his campaign says the Arizona senator condemns any attack against his opponent, Mitt Romney, over his Mormon faith.

Ah, but the condemnation is from a campaign spokesman, not from the horse's mouth as it has been from the other member of the Big Three – Giuliani. As we know and as the piece describes, McCain supporters have already made such attacks quite openly and vitriolically. The piece also contains the excuse along with the condemnation:

Of course, a candidate really can't control supporters in such a large campaign, says Allan Lichtman, a professor of history at American University in Washington, D.C., and a presidential elections expert.

"It's impossible," Lichtman says, "especially when running a presidential campaign all over the country and you're as well known as McCain."

Sadly, I expect the stuff that has been spreading in South Carolina and elsewhere to continue. It may go off the press radar, but . . . .

Lowell: There's a little more on this over at The Hedgehog Blog.

Polling shows Evangelicals moving in Guliani's direction. It's awful early to talk about momentum; I mean, it wasn't that long ago the Chicago Bears returned the opening kick-off in the Super Bowl and look what happened to them. James Taranto and Peter Suderman have some interesting analysis, some of which I agree with. However, it is so early, all most people know, including Evangelicals, is that Rudy was the heroic mayor of NYC on 9-11. Such behavior would indicate a generally conservative mindset, and he is conservative fiscally, but once those Evangelicals hear his stance on social issues.

It is interestng to note that Republican discontent inside the Repubican party towards the current president has been from the group that is fiscally conservative, though not necessarily socially so. Guliani could play on that developing fault line, but then he would have to rely on social conservatives having nowhere to land come the general election. However, I think they might just stay home in such an event.

A leftie screed about religious attacks on Romney. The rhetoric is a bit much, but it is nice to know there is some reason left on the left.

Perhaps the most unusual take on The Question I have seen yet.

I just hope the rest of us are grown-ups too.

Local Iowa TV interview of Romney. Be sure and link to the video. No doubt some will accuse the reporter of throwing Romney softballs on the question, but I think it's just right. The reporter, in phrasing the questions the way he does reveals that he has to particular religious axe to grind, something remarkably unusual right now.

This video is the left making fun of religious people in general. Sometimes funny, the punch line is, to my mind, abhorent. But sadly I see much of the debate concerning The Question going along the same lines.