September 10, 2008 News+Opinion » Jack Hunter

The single-issue GOP puts conservatism last 

The War Party

by Jack Hunter
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After vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's Republican National Convention speech last week, the pundits were impressed, the party was ecstatic, and even the Democrats recognized that the Alaska governor may be a formidable foe.

In hindsight, it's hard to imagine John McCain picking a better running mate, as the small town, straight-shootin', outside-the Beltway mother of five has not only become the life of his party, but has been successful in making everyone forget that Republican leaders could care less about any of the conservative values she represents.

Conservatives have been uncomfortable with McCain since the primary and rightfully so. McCain's support for campaign finance reform, his opposition to drilling in ANWAR, his vote against the Bush tax cuts, his subscribing to global warming hysteria, and his sponsorship of a bill that would have granted amnesty to illegal aliens are in direct opposition to what most Republicans believe. But still, say Republicans, he is the best man to fight the war on terror.

Consider two of the most prominent speakers the Republican National Committee saw fit to represent their party last week — Rudy Giuliani and Joe Lieberman.

The former New York City mayor is indistinguishable from Hillary Clinton on most issues, but is now considered a Republican star because he can invoke 9/11 with authority, and doing his best Mussolini impression, he can bang the drums for war abroad and a larger police state at home like no other.

If Obama, as Republicans claim, is indeed the most liberal Democrat to ever run on a major presidential ticket, then I defy you to show me where he stands to the left of Lieberman. In addition to being Al Gore's running mate in 2000, Lieberman stands for universal health care, supports partial-birth abortions, is anti-gun, and opposed Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court. When WTMA host Richard Todd had the opportunity to ask radio host and former City Paper columnist Michael Graham why such an avowed liberal was being embraced by the Republicans, Graham replied, "Because he understands that foreign policy comes first and I agree with him." When Todd asked the same question of South Carolina convention delegate Cyndi Mosteller, she said, "Because he understands the importance of 9/11."

"This is a big tent party," she added.

But apparently the tent wasn't large enough for Republican Congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul, whose counter-convention in Minneapolis drew upwards of 12,000 supporters who listened to a day's worth of speeches on reducing the size of government, returning to the Constitution, and a bringing the Republican party back to its conservative roots. Paul, who received more votes during the primary than Republican convention speakers Giuliani and Fred Thompson, had to organize his own event because, due to his opposition to the Iraq war, the GOP would not even let him in the door at his own party's convention. Literally.

When I had the opportunity to ask Mosteller why antiwar Republicans like Paul or North Carolina Congressman Walter Jones or Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel were not given a voice at the convention, she replied, "If you get a tent too big, it's bound to have holes in it." When pressed, Mosteller added, "Hagel could not even get up on a national stage and even make a case ... and you know why? Because the surge has, by God, worked." So much for the big tent.

In a country where upwards of 60 percent of the people believe the Iraq war was a mistake and our troops should be brought home, the few Republicans who agree with the American majority are not to be tolerated in the GOP. If you are pro-gun control, pro-socialized health care, pro-choice, pro-amnesty, all of these liberal positions can be tolerated so long as you are pro-war. If you are a staunch conservative on virtually every issue, if you're not pro-war, you're no longer welcome in the Republican Party.

Palin, who reportedly once supported staunch antiwar conservative Pat Buchanan for president, mouths the same neoconservative foreign policy rhetoric that now defines her party. Another place, another time, far removed from the context of the McCain campaign, the likeable and conservative Palin might have given a different speech.

But for now this is irrelevant. Palin will be to McCain what Spiro Agnew was to Richard Nixon and Dan Quayle was to George H. W. Bush — conservative vice presidents who had virtually no impact on the moderate presidents they served. In a McCain administration, it is more likely that we would see Lieberman appointed Secretary of State than Palin being given any responsibilities more significant than office secretary. And if there is one thing this election, this party, and their convention made clear, it's that Palin's entire purpose is to pacify traditional conservatives on the multiple issues they still care about, so that in Republican victory, McCain and the neoconservatives can finally get to work on their only issue.

Catch Southern Avenger commentaries every Tuesday and Friday at 7:50 a.m. on the "Morning Buzz with Richard Todd" on 1250 AM WTMA.

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Its been many years since American politics was directed by principle. The Bush policy that the USA (alone) has the right to violate the sovereignty of another country to execute its passions is in full force. The Bush policy that it should lie to Mr. Average America to get them on side for illegal international actions (WMD etc.) is now standard policy. The appointment of a really inexperienced female governor to a position that could lead to becoming President of the USA (just to get the votes from an uneducated sector of voters) is somewhat like a company hiring strippers to enliven (get the boys out) to their annual convention. No, the days of principle are long gone and the country is surely on the down-slide of its short empire. And the Republican party and its neo-con backers are the best at throwing principle to the wind.

Posted by JDonald on September 12, 2008 at 11:30 AM | Report this comment

Very good column, Jack. Unfortunately, it is all too true.

"If you get a tent too big, it's bound to have holes in it."

I had to laugh at this comment by Cyndi Mosteller. She is absolutely correct on this and I intend to be one of the holes this November by supporting Chuck Baldwin. McCain has infuriated me on a number of issues, this last time around with his amnesty beloved by the Wall Street Journal/Weekly Standard crowd and his stupid comment about how "we are all Georgians". I am, but I live in the one west of y'all, not the other one.

This is a real hobson's choice. You can vote for someone who will wreck what is left of the economy or you can vote for someone who will start WWIII.

The media has the claim about Palin supporting Buchanan placed in the wrong election years. According to this writer it was in 1996.

http://www.vdare.com/kennedy/080902_palin.htm

Posted by Ryan1 on September 12, 2008 at 2:18 AM | Report this comment

I don't think Palin would sit and be simply a secretary. She would voice her opinions and keep a following. Most VP's will sit quietly and do as their told with hopes of becoming president, not so with Palin. She already has and would again risk her political career than sit idly by. McCain will already have to deal with a Dem congress, he needs support from the right and cannot alienate Palin.
McCain has had to compromise on many things in order to be the republican nominee. But he's still a fiscal conservative and doesn't like big government.

Posted by midrider on September 11, 2008 at 5:12 PM | Report this comment

Sadly, Palin didn't support Buchanan in 2000. She worked for Steve Forbes' campaign.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html

Posted by ronrutherford on September 11, 2008 at 4:19 AM | Report this comment

Actually, as long as you say that God is on our side, then anything goes. You don't even have to be "Christian" enough to care about people. Look at the "Christian qualities" Palin shows when allowing shock jocks to call a cancer survivor a "cancer and a b****" :


http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=sara+palin+bitch+cancer&hl=en&emb=0#

The Anchorage Daily news reported this on January 25th, 2008 http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/293639.html

Posted by DeenaLarsen on September 10, 2008 at 10:48 PM | Report this comment

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