One thing to watch for tonight at the debate: Who will go on with the greatest emotion about the tragic loss of Jerry Falwell?
I say this in light of the fact that the religious right vote is considered up for grabs.
I know that sounds tacky and cynical and all that, but I will still be watching for it, along with about a thousand other things.
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It was people like Falwell, Pat Robertson, Jim Bakker, Ralph Reed (the worst), and Jimmy Swaggart who kept me away from organized religion until I was 40 years old.
I’m pretty sure that if the question is “What Would Jesus Do?”, the answer is not “Run a multi-million dollar television ministry”.
The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Matthew 23:11,12 NIV
Regarding your question, Brad — I would say that Romney would be considered the longshot 🙂
I’ll be watching tonight but my hope is that Mayor Bloomberg of NYC decides to make a third party run. That would be a fantastic way to throw the two party monopoly into chaos. A self-financed campaign that would dwarf (pun intended) that of Ross Perot.
It’s not unrealistic to think he could win both New York and Florida. Could he win Texas over Guiliani? California over Hillary?
Bloomberg facts: Eagle Scout, B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins, Harvard MBA, net worth of $5.5B, ranked 7th in philanthropy… here’s a tidbit that might get him Brad’s vote: In August of 2006, Bloomberg donated $125 million to a worldwide anti-smoking initiative designed to curb smoking and introduce anti-smoking measures throughout the globe and Bloomberg extended New York City’s smoking ban to all commercial establishments, including bars and nightclubs.
My biggest personal issue with his policies would be on his pro-immigration stance.
Doug, while Brad will like Bloomberg’s anti-smoking initiatives, if he runs with Chuck Hagel I think that’s a ticket I think you’ll find Brad won’t support. Ironic, if it turns out that we actually finally WILL have an “Unparty” ticket to vote for in ’08.
Hagel’s choice of words on Face the Nation last Sunday were notable in that they mirrored much of what Joe Lieberman said in the last campaign. Democrats and Republicans “have been hijacked by the extremes of their two parties.” He went on to say “I am not happy with the Republican Party today. It has drifted from the party of Eisenhower, of Goldwater, of Reagan, the party that I joined.” If you switch “Republican” to “Democratic” and substitute “Truman, Kennedy, Clinton” for the other names, you pretty much have an exact Lieberman quote.
If they do run (which I doubt), I’ll be very curious to see how this non-partisan ticket is received by this blog.
Re Falwell, rest in peace. But Brad is right, it will be interesting…whoever fields the first question, on no matter what topic, will probably feel compelled to work in a little tribute. The interesting one to watch for on the sincerity meter will be McCain. Giuliani, too, could be up for an Oscar tonight. Incidentally, all those out there who think Rudy’s qualified to be President based on his leadership of NYC during 9/11, might want to check this out.
Yes, and I’d be for a Lieberman ticket. You are right that I would not be for a ticket with Hagel on it — or the other person on the ticket would have to have an awful lot going for him.
Just being something other than a Democratic or Republican nominee doesn’t do it. For that matter, being a Democratic or Republican nominee doesn’t disqualify you. If your attitude toward your party is like Lieberman’s or McCain’s, then the party label has done you know harm in my book.
The problem is indeed what the parties have BECOME. And party members who resist and fight that bad craziness are good people.
McCain is paying the maniacal Sen.Mike Fair $7,000 a month to get the religious right vote in SC.This could be a golden opportunity.
According to Jimmy Carter,people like Falwell are responsible for what the parties have become.From a Newsweek interview-
The country has grown more overtly religious since you ran for office, and so have our politics. Is that good for democracy?
No, I don’t think so. I tried the best I could all the way through [my] campaign and when I was in office—although I am a religious person—never [to make] it into a ploy. In fact, I objected to that very strongly. I was brought up believing in a very rigid separation of church [and state], but now there’s been a melding of an extraordinary degree between the Republican Party and the more conservative Christians. And this is not only an anomaly, but I think is contrary to the best interests of our democratic principles.
As far as McCain goes…sincerity is everything. Once you can fake that, you got it made. Ed
It’s easier to blame others for ones’ failure to have a relationship with God than it is to admit that one simply didn’t want the relationship himself. Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart were (and may still be)rascals of the worst sort. I think Falwell was inflammatory because he was fearless and unswerving in his stand for Christ, and didn’t care whether it upset people or not. People are generally afraid of individuals who are unafraid to take a stand though the heavens fall. Do I think that some of the things these men did were wrong? Of course. Nevertheless, none of these men kept anyone away from God…if someone was kept from God, he did the keeping himself. These men were just his excuse. Ed
Still a McCain fan, Brad, after his answer/evasion of the flag issue? Here’s your chance to say you will not endorse McCain because of it.
As for the entire debate, I was most impressed by Huckabee, Romney, and Hunter.
Huckabee is likable and had the line of the night, saying the Republican Congress spends money like John Edwards in a hairdresser shop. Huckabee also is a Fair Tax candidate. That makes him my favorite.
Hunter was surprisingly strong. Romney held his own.
Guiliani was terrible, in my opinion, especially his mock indignation over the Ron Paul 9/11 attack theory. Rudy’s other answers were either evasive or tried to trump up his tough guy facade. He just doesn’t appear presidential.
McCain missed his chance in 2000. He might be a reasonable VP choice but he can’t win it. He’s older now than Reagan was when he was first elected. He’s also going to have a tough time de-linking himself from Ted Kennedy and Russ Fiengold and still appease the Republican base.
Hopefully the field will be cut soon. Thompson was awful. Tancredo’s a one note candidate (immigration). Brownback is forgettable… as is Gilmore. I’d vote for Ron Paul if he was 67 and not 77. Loved his stance on abolishing the Dept. of Ed, Dept. of Energy, and Dept. of Homeland Security.
Ed says: “Of course. Nevertheless, none of these men kept anyone away from God… if someone was kept from God, he did the keeping himself. These men were just his excuse.”
If you are responding to my comment about staying away from organized religion because of people like Falwell, you are off track. I never said I stayed away from God. God doesn’t need a cable channel… nor a phone bank to handle donations…
nor a multi-million dollar home.
Jerry Falwell was an egotistical moralist/fundraiser/politician-wannabe who let his ego surpass his Christianity. Hopefully he ended up on the up escalator and not the down…
And let’s not forget that Falwell said that 9/11 was essentially God’s response to Roe V Wade.
If Jesus thought you were helping out on propagating truth, love and harmony, he would have given you more time to live on this earth…at 73 your time is up!
Jesus is a very smart man in my eyes. There is no room for more HATE in this world of ours.
I am glad your dead you tub of donkey crap!
Doug, I was trying to be polite by being oblique. But, yes, I was responding to what you said. I probably responded clumsily, but what I meant was this: It is true that men like Falwell and Swaggart (although I think there is a million miles of difference between these two) can do harm to others by setting poor examples and being hypocritcal or dishonest or whatever they are. However, my reading of scripture tells me that in the last day, the Righteous Judge will not ask me whether I was unfaithful because of the poor examples set by Jerry Falwell or Jimmy Swaggart. I will be held responsible for my actions and mine alone, apart from what any other human being may or may not have done or been. This was all I meant, and I certainly wasn’t trying to argue with you about anything. Ed
pdx said: “There is no room for more hate in this world of ours.”
THEN pdx said: “I’m glad your dead you tub of donkey crap.”
Ladies and gentleman, I give you exhibit A in support of home schooling. Ed
pdx, critical thinking and building logical arguements are not your strong suit are they? I’m sure you have talents in other areas. Ed
suits
Falwell Farewell: Rev. Jerry’s Ten Most Un-Christian Statements
Pensito Review editor Buck has been leading a prayer vigil for the past year or so urging the Lord to “call home” prominent televangelists. Now that Jerry Falwell has been the first of the big-time grifters to get the call, here’s a list of some of the things he said here on earth that might mean he is finding the afterlife a wee bit warmer than he expected.
1. 9/11 was caused by gays, feminists, pagans, the ACLU and PFAW, September 2001:
“I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say ‘you helped this happen.’”
2. Tinky Winky is gay, February 1999:
“He is purple – the gay-pride colour; and his antenna is shaped like a triangle – the gay-pride symbol.”
3. Mohammed was a terrorist, June 2006:
“I think Mohammed was a terrorist. He – I read enough of the history of his life written by both Muslims and — and — non-Muslims, that he was a – a violent man, a man of war.”
4. Secularists hate Christ, December 2004:
“Well, the fact is that lawyers today, over 3,000 of them in America — Christian lawyers, constitution, conservative lawyers — have offered their services at no charge, pro bono, to certain groups of constitution firms to do war with the ACLU, with the secularists, with Americans United, and all who hate Christ and want to drive God from the public square.”
5. Archbishop Desmond Tutu is a phony, September 1985:
“I think he’s a phony, period, as far as representing the black people of South Africa.”
6. The Antichrist is a Jewish man alive today, 1999:
“If he’s going to be the counterfeit of Christ, he has to be Jewish. The only thing we know is he must be male and Jewish.”
7. Gay sex equals bestiality, November 2004:
“So here we have now same-sex marriage. What’s next, polygamy? … Why not? And why not bestiality?”
8. Flag burners should be whipped, September 2006:
“You know when I see somebody burning the flag, I’m a Baptist preacher I’m not a Mennonite, I feel it’s my obligation to whip him. In the name of the Lord of course. I feel it’s my obligation to whip him, and if I can’t do it then I look up some of my athletes to help me.”
9. Bush critics should beaten, September 2006:
“But, as long as at 72 I can handle most of the jobs I do it myself, and I don’t think it’s un-spiritual. When I, when I, when I hear somebody talking about our military and ridiculing and saying terrible things about our President, I’m thinking you know just a little bit of that and I believe the Lord would forgive me if I popped him.”
10. Christians must be the most intolerant people in the world, March 2006:
“I want my people to be the most intolerant people in the world.”