Associated Press – October 1, 2007
NEW YORK – Some of the most politically influential conservative Christians in the U.S., alarmed by the prospect of a Republican presidential nominee who supports abortion rights, are considering backing a third-party candidate.
More than 40 Christian conservatives attended a meeting Saturday in Salt Lake City to discuss the possibility, and planned more gatherings on how they should move forward, according to Richard A. Viguerie, the direct-mail expert and longtime conservative activist.
Other participants in the meeting included James Dobson, founder of the Focus on the Family evangelical ministry in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and, according to Viguerie, Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, a conservative policy group in Washington.
However, Dobson spoke out against the idea of a third party even if “both Democratic and Republican nominees are known to be entirely unsupportive of the sanctity of human life, the institution of marriage and other aspects of the pro-moral agenda,” according to Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Focus on the Family Action.
A spokesman for Perkins did not respond to requests for comment Monday.
Viguerie would not give specifics of the proposal or reveal additional names of participants, but said President George W. Bush “would not have been elected in ’04 without the people in that room.”
“There is such jaundiced feelings about any promises or commitments from any Republican leaders,” he said in a phone interview. “You could almost cut the anger and the frustration with a knife in that room it’s so strong. Because they don’t know what else to do, they’re talking third party.”
A spokesman for the Republican National Committee did not respond to a request for comment.
The participants were in Salt Lake City for a separate meeting of the secretive Council for National Policy, a group of conservative business, religious and political leaders that was co-founded years ago by Tim LaHaye, author of the “Left Behind” series of books. Vice President Dick Cheney flew into the city Friday to address the group, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Christian conservatives, who hold considerable sway in the Republican Party, have been deeply unhappy about the field of Republican presidential candidates.
Dobson has said he would not support Rudy Giuliani, calling the former New York mayor an “unapologetic supporter of abortion on demand.” Dobson has also rejected former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson as wrong on social issues, and would not back John McCain because of the Arizona senator’s opposition to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
Viguerie said conservatives “are still open” to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, but said, “we haven’t seen anything that guarantees that he will hold to the positions that he’s articulating.” Romney has been questioned about his record on gay rights.
However, the proposal to consider a third-party candidate comes from anger that the Republicans whom Christians have helped elect for decades have failed to act on policy issues important to evangelicals on abortion, marriage and school prayer.
“Conservatives have been treated like a mistress as long as any of us can remember,” Viguerie said. “They’ll have lots of private meetings with us, tell us how much they appreciate it and how much they value us, but if you see me on the street please don’t speak with me.”
A third-party run would be a long shot, requiring millions of dollars and challenges to ballot access. Such a bid could prove disastrous for the Republicans by splitting the conservative vote.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Beliefnet
Advertisement
posted October 1, 2007 at 6:51 pm
I am very interested to see how things will work out for the GOP this term; I for one don’t know what I’ll do if the pro-choice Guiliani gets the party nomination, and I’m curious to see if other social conservatives will decide to stick with the Republicans or migrate to another party. The next election will be interesting.
God bless.
posted October 1, 2007 at 7:23 pm
I’m a social conservative, and there’s no chance that I’ll vote for Guiliani if he gets the nomination, unless the Democrat alternative starts running on a platform that’s simply insane.
posted October 1, 2007 at 7:25 pm
I would be amazed, frankly, if any of the “conservatives” mentioned bolted from the Republican party, since that might result in they themselves losing some of the political power they’ve gained. Its all about power, people, with little or no actual ethics or moral values involved at all. Otherwise, how could ANY so-called pro-life group ever support a party that has no problem killing people for financial gain? At least when a woman has an abortion she’s not doing so in order to increase the value of their stock portfolio.
posted October 1, 2007 at 9:08 pm
I would be surprised if this were a serious threat. More likely, it is an attempt to wield more power within the GOP. A third party bid would very likely gift-wrap the White House for whomever the Democrats nominate. And, while these folks may not like Guiliani’s position, they probably hate Hillary’s, Barak’s or Edwards’ positions more. I doubt they would seriously risk it backfiring on them.
posted October 1, 2007 at 9:22 pm
It is so nice to see the RR worried a little, that their “power” might not be continuing. They succeeded in helping to get elected (at least the 2nd time, the first time was a joke) and in helping get this country in lousy shape. We’ve all seen how successful “W” has been in this his second miserable term.
What is really scary is that Dickie spoke at the Council for National Policy, described as a secretive group (like the KGB for the RR?)
I’m an independent and vote for the person I like, not for a political party. Right now I wouldn’t vote another Republican into the White House even if there was only one perosn running. I’d vote Snoopy in.
It amazes me that the RR thinks they have the right to tell women what to do with their bodies, and think it is OK to deny marriage to 2 people if they are the same gender.
posted October 1, 2007 at 9:48 pm
They should draft Ahamadinejad — he fits their ideology pefectly (though, now that I think of it, he may be too soft on gay rights for them).
posted October 1, 2007 at 10:54 pm
“I’m an independent and vote for the person I like, not for a political party. Right now I wouldn’t vote another Republican into the White House even if there was only one perosn running. I’d vote Snoopy in.”
If that’s not the most self-contradicting paragraph I’ve read all day, then I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.
posted October 2, 2007 at 12:03 am
I got a name for them – and I’ll let them have it for free. They can call themselves the Catchup party – because they will always be racing to catch up. But just think of all the clever stuff they could do with the bottles!
Also I am
a) not surprised that one of the primary conservatives is a direct mail (“junk mail”) entrepreneur (rhymes with – well, fertilizer in its basic state),
and 2) interested at how telling his remark about the relationship of the conservatives to the polticos – though I think the “mistress” characterization was too genteel. I sort of wonder who was paying whom, however, and who did what to whom. Perhaps Sen Craig can illuminate the example.
posted October 2, 2007 at 1:06 am
“pro-moral agenda,” What a sick joke. They ignore the needs of real people for medical care, education, living wages, etc. etc. and concentrate on a couple of issues that won’t inconvenience their rich contributors, who can get their abortions wherever they need to and can protect their homosexual children.
These people are responsible, directly or indirectly, for a lot of terrible things that have happened to America. I hope they choke on the Republican candidates.
posted October 2, 2007 at 9:06 am
As an example of the slimy connections of some of these people check out this story in Salon about the ties between the Bush administration, right wing Christian groups and Blackwater.
posted October 2, 2007 at 10:33 am
nnmns
I am horrified – HORRIFIED!! To think that Blackwater (can’t you just hear the Doobie Brothers singing in the background – “Gon’na play some funky Dixieland, little baby, gon’na take you by the hand”), Christian Conservatives, and Bush are in cahoots!! Who’da Thunk it?!
Actually, I truly would have been astounded if they were not in bed together, washing each other’s hands,watching each others back (now it is sounding kind of kinky).
“Slimy” is only the beginning
posted October 2, 2007 at 1:56 pm
I know, its terrible. To think.. I can’t hear that song now without thinking about that mercenary group.
posted October 2, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Oh, and no. I’m not at all surprised.
First, they are mercenaries. They don’t work if they don’t get paid, and there’s only a few private organizations or citizens that could afford ‘em (or their equipment, WHICH they get to keep). Secondly, if they were operating in Iraq without official permission, they wouldn’t have had to commit those acts before being looked into, and it wouldn’t be a Congressional committee, it’d be a court of law.
(No, you’re not allowed to just go into most any country armed to the teeth and look for people to shoot for misbehaving.)