Friday, May 05, 2006

The Pandering Continues

John McCain, who at one time seemed like a leader who could seize that middle ground that the Democrats and Republicans have left behind in the search for lucre (instead of common sense and respect for American values), is fast becoming just another right-wing theocrat, hungry for power. Why? His willingness to speak at Falwell's Liberty University -- after comparing Falwell's extremism to that of Louis Farrakhan.

Andrew Sullivan (link at right) states it well (as usual): "Falwell and the forces of intolerance he represents control the base of the GOP; and McCain simply has no choice but to kowtow to them. But that in itself is surely an indication of how far right the Republican center has now become. Farrakhan is a religious anti-Semite. Falwell is a religious homophobe. Falwell, however, also blamed Americans for 9/11. He did so while the ashes of many such Americans were still in the air in Manhattan. If he isn't beyond the pale, who is? And if he represents the key to being nominated in the GOP, what has happened to conservatism?"

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