Sorry, I just love those Yankee accents. I’m home with a gouty ankle so I thought I would pontificate for a moment.
Surprise, surprise, surprise! The pollsters were totally wrong, and for a very good reason.
The turnout models that pollsters are using are not considering the large voter turnout that we’ve seen in both Iowa and New Hampshire. It’s great for America when we can get 70-75% of eligible voters out there voting, particularly if they are informed. Also, nearly 1 out of 5 voters are making their decision when they go into the voting booth. This tells me one of two things is happening if not both; folks are taking this vote very seriously and/or they’re having a hard time making up their mind.
Nevertheless, congratulations to Hillary Clinton for an amazing comeback. Let it be known that unlike most Conservatives, I am rooting for Hillary to win the Democratic nomination because I think she’s easy to beat in the general election. Not so with Barack Obama. If you’ve not seen his speeches after Iowa and last night in New Hampshire, this guy is good and comes off as authentic. I for one believe he is authentic, an authentic socialist that is. I wrote about Obama’s genuineness in a New Media Journal article titled, “Losing My Religion.”
Are voters going to look beyond the charisma, eloquence, youth, and passion and look at Obama’s stances? Let’s hope so! My dear friend Greg Allen of The Right Balance sent me this article about the GOP which is good news to me. It tells me they learned their lesson from 2006 and are not counting on a turnout message to win the day.
The Chairman of TheVanguard.org’s Rod Martin wrote an excellent article on this subject a couple of days after the 2006 election and it rings truer today than when he wrote it.
As for the GOP, I’m not as sold on this being a two-way race between Romney and McCain. I think Huckabee is a very viable candidate, especially with RINO voters and “moderate evangelicals” (an oxymoron), and if you look at the national polls (I know, but it’s all I got), it is still a five-way race. Romney and Thompson are beginning to slip out of contention, which delights me with the former and depresses me with the latter!
Rod talked about cleaning house and that is what the sponsor of this blog is all about. If you’re not already a member of TheVanguard.org, please join up today. We are the real antidote to MoveON.org and Rod and his lovely wife and co-chairman Sherri Martin have been working tirelessly for the past year to get on board some big hitters in the conservative movement.
Join before it becomes the popular thing to do!
This comes more in the form of a question that a comment. Why choose Thompson as the “Jesusland” candidate? I understand that he has “conservative” values and his stance on the issues lines up with most conservatives but, this may not be true, the word on the street is that he has little to no “authentic” Christian values. I realize that the ideal candidate would have both if the second took precendence and their take on the issues lined up with our beliefs. However, I feel like integrity is much more valuable than getting the job done no matter the cost. Would you agree?
I agree with your premise but Ronald Reagan was accused of much the same. Although I wish he was more vocal about his faith, he says he is a christian, is pro-life record is 100%, and everything dear to evangelicals he is totally behind, so that is why I’m supporting him.
Hi Dave- first off, I hope your ankle gets better ; ) I sure do appreciate you and everyone who tries to keep us informed and up to date. I think I am liking Thompson now for something no other candidate seems to feel- that this is not something that he really wants, but is so concerned about the direction of this country that he feels that he needs to run. All the others seem to only care about the power that comes with the white house-and how it will benifit them and their friends. I don’t know, I just haven’t been as excited yet about this race. I just pray that the right person will be elected- I get nervous because the Bible tells us (in so many words) that people of a nation get the leader they deserve- I pray we don’t deserve a socialist. God Bless you Dave-
Hi Dave,
I don’t know how I feel about all those candidates. Two requirements are essential in my opinion. One, are they pro-life and two are they pro-Israel. Now the second one doesn’t seem to be so all important to some. But with Islam as a threat, sorry but it’s not radical Islam we’re fighting it’s Islam in itself, I think it’s even more so important that they are behind Israel and therefore realize the real danger that we are dealing with.
Bernie,
I say this in kindness, don’t trust “the word on the street” regarding Thompson. Honestly, I can’t understand why evangelicals aren’t rallying behind him. He was endorsed by The National Right To Life. He is dead on right about most everything.
Dave, I hope I can vent a little here? ;~)
Speaking of evangelicals and Huckabee: I must say that one of the issues I have as an “evangelical” is how so many of us have fallen for Huckabee.
Not only did I investigate his record, but I have been watching him closely on all of his interviews and lately how he has handled this recent ‘ad-pulling’ stunt.
Huckabee spoke about taking the high road by pulling the negative ad, yet Huckabee was the lead speaker in the attack ad. One would think if he were a man of integrity he would have nixed the script the minute he read it. Instead he filmed it and canceled it the night before it was released then showed it to the media. Shortly after that he then goes and attacks Romney right at the beginning of the debate. I thought he was against attacking other candidates. I am learning that Huckabee is very good at coming up with excuses for doing this stuff.
Shouldn’t that last stunt be all it takes for ‘thinking’ Christians to drop their support? Unfortunately, I don’t think so and to me that is telling about us. There are many biblical issues Huckabee is on the wrong side of.
If I may be blunt, it disgusts me to see a Christian using Jesus to get ahead and that is exactly what Huckabee is doing.
I highly recommend listening to Mark Levin’s show he did last Monday. I believe it was monday night that he gave the most accurate assessment of Huckabee and McClinton, I mean, McCain.. ;~). Mark is right on the money with his analysis. Dave has Levin’s website on his side bar. It is really worth the listen.
Rivka (Rebecca)
I understand your frustration. I am experiencing the same in trying to decide who to back. That’s why I posed a question instead of a comment.
I think that the reason why most Christians are having a hard time deciphering through the noise because there is so much of it in which to deal. Politics is built upon perception. Politicians know that the majority of Americans have not the time or the interest (sometimes for very good reason) to wade through all of the junk that is out there. So they put on a good face and hope their past doesn’t catch up to them. I know that this is something that you probably are already well aware.
I think the reason that Fred Thompson has not come up short, is that he has not yet been pushed to the front and had the scrutinty that some of the other candidates have. Nobody is perfect all of the time. Mistakes are going to be made. They will find problems with his record and reputation.
You pose a good question on another point. How do you run a campaign as a Christian and not include Jesus? I think Huckabee is saying the things that he would want Christians to know about him. Who knows if all of them are true? If I was running, I would definitely be aware of the fact that there a lot of Christian voters that are looking for the real deal. If I felt I were in line with what they wanted, I would let them know that part of myself. I don’t know where the balance is in this conversation. But, I don’t think the key is shrugging off anyone that authentically uses Jesus as part of their platform.
I will try an take a listen to Mark Levin and see what his assessment is of the candidates. Thanks for the recommendation!
Dave, thank you for your kind words about TheVanguard.Org. We are, in deed, out there, working like crazy for the cause. Rod is a rock. He works tirelessly, even with an abscessed tooth this week!
God bless America. God bless Americans!
S
Bernie,
T
hanks for the response! You sound like a very thoughtful believer.
I agree with your assessment on the struggle we have as believers in making this decision.
I always remember what I heard Rich Mullins say and I think it is worth repeating.. He said that the mere fact that government is run by men makes it corrupt and it is sad when I see people putting their hope in man and not in Christ.
Our hope as conservatives and conservative Christians is not who is elected because we don’t rely on the government to solve all our problems. We know our problems will never be solved because of sin and Jesus solved that one ultimately already for us anyway so we can rejoice!
The problems we see in America are only symptoms of the bottom line issue that we have forgotten “In WHOM we trust”.
That said, I also believe God has given us a brain and he wants us to use it. We need to vote for a pro-life candidate definately because that man will be harder pressed to put up strict constructionist judges for supreme court nominees. However, there are other biblical issues we need to consider as well. We can’t be one issue voters.
If we get a true conservative in office, it will demonstrate how the biblical principles in scripture are beneficial and for our own good. It will bring God glory whether the conservative is a Christian or not. How do we know if Fred is a Christian or not anyway? He stated a while back that the first thing he is going to do if he were to get in the oval office is fall on his knees and ask God for direction. I don’t know if those were his exact words but that is basically what he said.
Nevertheless, I am passionate about politics because I care about the freedom we have as a country and as a believer it is important we maintain it so that we can freely share the gospel.
I also care about our witness to the world. I care about our military men and women that they are well taken care of and are supported to the highest in everything.
Even though I care about all of this, I know God is sovereign and in control and above all I trust him for the outcome of this election, but I am not going to check out and depend on the media or my friends to make my decisions for me. It is my responsibility to know where the candidates stand, and in the end vote my conscience.
Sorry for the long rant! ;~)
I am done for now..
Rebecca, aka Rivka