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Can Social Conservatism Still Win?
Can a staunch social conservative still win an election in an increasingly Democratic state? We’ll find out in November if Bob McDonnell wins the governorship in Virginia. You can read an article exploring his controversial views in depth here.
Here are some highlights:
- He described working women and feminists as “detrimental” to the family
- He criticized a Supreme Court decision legalizing contraceptive for non-married people
- In 2001, he voted against a resolution in support of ending wage discrimination between men and women
- He opposes abortion, even in cases of rape and incest
Unsurprisingly, his Democratic opponent Creigh Deeds is trying to put these social issues front and center. He hopes that moderate suburban women in northern Virginia will sour on McDonnell of his social views. I’d normally expect it to work.
But in this electoral climate it might not. Right now, the biggest worry is the economy. Moderate suburbanites are as concerned as anyone else. They’re concerned they could lose their jobs and homes.
To the extent McDonnell can keep this election about the economy his controversial social views should have only a limited impact. True, some feminists who pay enough attention to know all of the details I listed will be horrified and incensed. But most of them were probably already voting for Deeds.
Many suburban women could be persuaded to vote for McDonnell if he has a better economic message. He can make the argument that “I’m going to make sure you have a job and health insurance. This election isn’t about social issues, it’s about the economy.” He can also say as he already has that he’s changed his mind on some of these issues since he’s been in office.
Remember too, that McDonnell doesn’t need to win every female voter. He was going to lose liberal women anyway. He just needs to avoid being blown out among moderate women, and he can focus on turning out the Republican base to win.
In an ordinary year, his views would be much more of a problem. But in an economic crisis, social issues almost always recede. President Obama was able to win last year, despite voting against the infants born alive protection act as an Illinois state senator. Ironically, that same dynamic will probably help a conservative culture warrior in Virginia.
-Marcus Gadson
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Oil Painting Of Fox News Anchor Patti Ann Browne For Sale On Ebay
I laughed my ass off for about five minutes when I saw this. Frankly, it’s the highlight of the week.
The Notorious P.A.B. (Patti’s alter ego) is represented in a lovely oil painting. If you don’t watch Fox News this painting will mean nothing to you.
If you watch Fox News, but don’t watch “Red Eye” at 3 AM during the week you probably won’t get the joke.
I’ll explain what’s in the painting, but if you don’t know what it means you’ll have to look it up yourself.
Patti Ann Browne is sitting on a thrown with Fluffy McNutter on a leash. At her feet are the heads of Greg Gutfeld, Andy Levy, and Bill Shultz. In the background are a series of unicorn heads one of which I assume belongs to Unicorn Jones.
This is the most bad ass painting ever.
Place your bid for it on Ebay!
-Chris Jones
(hat tip johnny$)
AFL-CIO President Named Head Of NY Fed — What Could Go Wrong?
From the WSJ:
The Federal Reserve chose a labor leader to succeed a former Goldman Sachs executive as the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of New York’s private-sector board of directors.
Denis Hughes, president of the New York state branch of the AFL-CIO, had been serving as acting chairman of the New York Fed board since May, when Stephen Friedman stepped down from the position.
Put big labor in charge, that’s the ticket!
This calls for a repost of the best union ad ever:
Why Unions Want ObamaCare
If you’re wondering why labor unions are so committed to passing Obama’s health care reforms — here’s why.
It’s all about the money.
Israel Needs To Bomb Iran
Former UN Ambassador John Bolton wrote an excellent piece in the (pay 2 play) Washington Post yesterday suggesting it was time for Israel to strike Iran.
As usual, Bolton is right. I came to realize the moment Obama was elected what his real game plan for Iran was.
As Ace masterfully points out this morning, Obama is attempting to buy time much like the mad Mullahs are.
Obama never had any intention of stopping Iran from developing nukes regardless of his rhetoric. He’s simply trying to put off what he sees as the inevitability of Iran’s weapons program.
Like Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama has the mindset of an appeaser.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that president Obama will under no circumstances go to war with Iran. It’s not going to happen and was never going to happen.
The question is whether or not Israel will decide to buck the USA and go it alone against Iran. There’s no doubt a nuclear armed Iran is a threat to the entire world, but for Israel it’s a nightmare.
President Ahmadinejad’s hatred of Jews is comparable only to that of Hitler. He would take great pleasure in annihilating Israel, even if it meant certain destruction of his own country.
My hope is that Israel is merely waiting as long as possible to attack Iran so as to allow Obama to save face at home. In other words, allow Obama to play his Kabuki theater of “vigorous diplomacy” for as long as possible.
Israel should remember that president Obama is only the president for a little while, but a nuclear armed Iran is forever.
Kasparov: America Should Support Iranian Protesters
A man who certainly knows a thing or two about protesting for freedom is Russian chess champion Gary Kasparov.
Vladimir Putin has no greater foe in Russia than Kasparov. He’s been arrested too many times to count for leading marches in Russia against the authoritarian regime that Putin has created.
If Kasparov were not famous the world over, he would have been killed long ago. His fame is the only thing that has kept him alive under a regime that routinely murders journalists and jails people who speak out against the government.
Therefore, when Kasparov speaks out on issues like the protests in Iran he has a certain amount of credibility.
In today’s Wall Street Journal, Kasparov has an excellent Op-Ed about the protests in Iran and offers an interesting perspective.
Mr. Putin has a great deal riding on the outcome in Iran. With the Russian economy teetering, he needs a steep increase in oil prices to stave off the collapse of his government. So he has been working to increase tension in the Middle East and now sees the Iranian crisis as potentially helpful — if Ahmadinejad comes out on top.
…For Mr. Putin, the unknown factor in all of this is how the West will respond to what’s happening in Iran. It could give him pause if Iran faces penalties of real significance for using lethal force against nonviolent protestors. Surprisingly, European leaders are showing unusual assertiveness in condemning the Iranian regime.
Kasparov goes on to say that president Obama is wrong to sit on the sidelines while everything plays out.
He says the president’s warning that “the world is watching” is meaningless, because the behavior of the Iranian regime over the last 30 years proves they don’t give a damn who’s watching.
Sen. Richard Lugar and CNN’s Fareed Zakaria are singled out by Kasparov as well for supporting president Obama’s timidity.
Kasparov concludes by saying there’s no reason for America to hold back if we can do something that would potentially tip the balance inside Iran.
There is no reason to withhold external pressure that can tip the balance inside Tehran. Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi is not an ideal democrat. But should he and his supporters win power they will owe their authority to an abruptly empowered Iranian electorate. It is reasonable to expect that the people will hold a Mousavi government accountable for delivering the freedoms that they are now risking their lives to attain.
Millions of Iranians are fighting to join the Free World. The least we can do is let the valiant people of Iran know loud and clear that they will be welcomed with open arms.
Unlike many on the right, I actually thought president Obama’s statements at the beginning of this crisis were correct. I think his measured response in the beginning was appropriate.
However, as images and video of Iranian citizens being brutalized and killed by Iran’s Nazi brownshirts are being broadcast around the world, America has a moral responsibility to throw our support behind the protesters.
We should be condemning in the strongest possible language the treatment of protesters.
This is a chance for president Obama to go on national television and ask the Ayatollahs of Iran to let their people have freedom.
New Iran Crackdown Reported
This from CNN:
Security forces wielding clubs and firing weapons beat back demonstrators who flocked to a Tehran square Wednesday to continue protests, with one witness saying security forces beat people like “animals.”
At least two trusted sources described wild and violent conditions at a part of Tehran where protesters had planned to demonstrate.
“They were waiting for us,” the source said. “They all have guns and riot uniforms. It was like a mouse trap.”
“I see many people with broken arms, legs, heads — blood everywhere — pepper gas like war,” the source said.
I hope the protesters have the courage to keep this up, because it’s only going to get worse.
Prejean To Guest Host On Fox & Friends
This from U.S. News:
Miss California and Miss USA runner-up, Carrie Prejean, tossed around in the battle over gay marriage, will be a one-day guest host for Fox News Channel’s popular morning show Fox & Friends, Whispers learns. She will host the 6 a.m.-to-7 a.m. slot on May 27, filling in for Gretchen Carlson—the 1989 Miss America—who will be off that day.
This is good news. Carrie would make an excellent addition to the top notch talent at Fox News.
New Republic: Sotomayor May Not Be Liberal Enough For Supreme Court
The New Republic makes the case that president Obama should be careful about appointing Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.
According to TNR, she may not be liberal enough. The far left is concerned that she may not be strong enough to move the court “in a different direction.”
Sounds like the kind of judge republicans should get behind. She may turn out to be the lesser of many evils.
The FOX Nation Is Here
The FOX Nation has finally launched this morning, and it looks pretty sweet. It allows readers to opine on pretty much everything.
Biden’s SEIU Pal Arrested For Pickpocketing
During the presidential campaign, VP Joe Biden was visiting with his union pals during his phony “Walk A Day In My Shoes” publicity stunt.
One of the guys Biden “walked” with was an idiot who sits on the board of the SEIU. His name is Marshall Clemons and he’s a custodian for the Iowa school system.
Biden being the regular guy he is (wink wink) helped Marshall buff floors and change air conditioning filters. However, Marshall has a new pair of shoes Joe should try walking in — county jail slippers.
Marshall Clemons was caught on tape pickpocketing people and was subsequently arrested in possession of several wallets other than his own.
Iraqi Shoe Thrower Gets 3 Years In Prison
The repugnant shoe throwing journalist who insulted president Bush by hurling his footwear at him was sentenced to three years in prison today. If I wasn’t working right now I would organize my neighbors and dance on top of cars celebrating and waving the flag, but like I said — I’m working.
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