If we could turn back time… (I)
We’d probably comment on this piece from November 2007. Michael Gerson writes many positive things about one Pat Robertson:
The Kingmaker’s New Subject
Pat Robertson’s support for Giuliani surprised many. It should not have. […]The kingmaker has been Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network. Robertson has a history of odd and disturbing public statements on issues from the causes of hurricanes to the assassination of foreign leaders. But as the son of a senator, he has generally taken a pragmatic approach to politics, with the goal of being a player rather than a prophet. After his own bid for the White House, Robertson founded the Christian Coalition to give the religious-right grass-roots clout within the Republican Party. […]
Robertson’s public endorsement of Giuliani last week surprised many. It should not have. His predisposition has always been to influence Republican politics from the inside. He has doubtlessly received assurances from Giuliani on the appointment of conservative judges and is calculating he can maintain influence within a Giuliani administration.
Gerson delivers the punchline but a few paragraphs later:
Leaders such as Robertson mainly exercise broad influence in the imagination of liberals.
Yet clearly not in the mind of conservative pundits — or in the Republican primaries where, according to Gerson, Robertson managed to get assurances from a then-leading contender that he would make judicial appointments that Robertson would approve of. It’s all in your heads, liberals! [Edited a bit for clarity.]
So in the imaginary security and warmth of the hardnosed Guiliani administration the regal whim of the fanciful Robertson would only be a sweet temptation ?
At half the price ?
Deal !
Leaders such as Robertson mainly exercise broad influence in the imagination of liberals.
He’s right. I imagine that Robertson kneels every night in tearful praryer, asking Jesus for forgiveness for worshipping Mammon.
Kingmaker, eh? I always thought of Robertson as The Freshmaker.
Robertson is very foolish on many levels. His endorsement for Rudy smacked of political posturing to me, and it went all wrong. The only smart idea he had was taking Saddam out without waging war on the entire nation. That could have saved lots of bloodshed.
He presents himself as a leader, but, instead, he should be saying,
“Don’t Follow Me”
Dr BLT
http://www.drblt.net/music/dont.mp3
Most of these so-called “conservative leaders” don’t speak for the average conservative. They need to spend more time engaging in the sorts of activities suggested in my cover of the old Who classic,
Squeezebox
Dr BLT
http://www.drblt.net/music/SqueezeBoxDemo2.mp3
Shorter Michael Gerson: I have no idea what I’m talking about, but that’s okay, as my readers forget each sentence I write as it passes through the transom of their minds.
BLT, you need to go to http://www.sadlyno.com/archives/8690.html immediately. There is a musical throwdown in the offing and your mad skillz are required.
I have an idea for these “average conservatives” who the “conservative leaders” are (allegedly) not speaking for.
Stop voting for them, stop showing up at the rallies in droves, stop repeating the talking points, stop blaming the Liberal Media.
Is that so hard?
Oh, Righteous Bubba.
Why did you go there?
uhh… i think that you meant to include a link for the source of the second quote as well as the first, right? like to send both articles to people i know who howl about the liberal msm…
Righteous Bubba said,
February 7, 2008 at 23:18
“BLT, you need to go to http://www.sadlyno.com/archives/8690.html immediately. There is a musical throwdown in the offing and your mad skillz are required.”
I’ve reluctantly taken that bait.
It’s from the same piece — sorry if that wasn’t clear. :-/
My head seriously and genuinely just exploded.
“Leaders such as Robertson mainly exercise broad influence in the imagination of liberals.”
Is that “broad influence” anything like the “wide stance” you folks have been talking about?
Eagerly awaiting the joke part, BLT.
If I spell it out for you, in might ruin the joke for others.
Actually, Robertson and his fillet mignions are going for the double psche out of them libruls! He endorsed 9iu11iani for one reason and one reason only. He could quickly change his stance and do something else. Kind of like Senator Craig, but that’s another story.
The moral of the story? Morals are really sweet if you are a Republican, because it is really hard to justify the reality of a “moral.”
Being non-faith based, we tend to put our money on the reality of a candidate of our choice. Which, of course, makes it harder to change your mind mid-stream regarding who has better morals today.
Etc.