I tend to enjoy the childish fodder politicians use against one another in attempts to beat out the competition. I loved the John Kerry flip-flop fiasco and Dan Rather’s job security aside, even the Killian document scandal delighted me. Reading about the mud-slinging is like opening up a gossip magazine — only, the magazine is The New York Times, and the gossip involves the trivial exchanges of people who are supposed to lead our nation.
Take, for instance, the latest feud to hit the campaign trail over who the better Republican is. For now, the players include John McCain and Mitt Romney who, while arguing between themselves, also claim that Rudy Giuliani is not a real Republican. Later, Fred Thompson, who would know a thing or two about acting like a politician from his days on “Law & Order,” joined McCain in his criticism of Romney.
Isn’t this the silliest thing you’ve ever heard?
It’s silly, and enjoyable, but predictable given the current nature of this presidential race.
Following the threat of conservative Christian leaders to possibly endorse a third party candidate, what Republican contender wouldn’t be scrambling to appease that large and all-important Christian right voting base? Giuliani is the reason for the possible support shift. The far right doesn’t like him for, among many other things, his pro stance on abortion rights. But, as he is arguably the Republican front runner, the Christians are attempting to force him out of the nomination by raising the possibility that their support could go elsewhere if Giuliani should succeed as the nomination for the GOP.
In the wake of this drama, Romney, McCain and even Thompson are trying to capitalize on ransoming the Christian vote with claims by each that they are the truest, purest Republican of them all.
The only problem is, without the support and combined efforts of the Republican Party, no conservative candidate stands a chance against Hillary Clinton who, as much as it pains me to say, leads in the polls and has the best shot of any candidate yet.
But still, in the face of the potential losses it could bring them, the candidates quarrel over which one is the real Republican.
Perhaps they should be reminded of the biblical story of King Solomon and the two women claiming to be the mother of one child. The king decided that the best solution would be to divide the child, giving one half to each woman. The women differed in their responses, the first saying that if it would keep the child alive, it should be given to the other, and the second woman, much like the Christian right, demanding that the child be cut.
If the GOP hopes to have any sort of chance in the next election, arguments over the identity of the truest Republican need to be abandoned for unity, and the vote of the Christian right needs to be salvaged. Because, as much as it entertains me to see Republicans fight over stupid things, I cannot enjoy any election that succeeds or fails based on the inability of a party to avoid self-destruction.