Disappointed with the GOP

I can put a happy face on it, but I am in basic agreement with Andrew Sullivan. He gives his "Derbyshire Award" to Sen. Santorum:

"Isn't that the ultimate homeland security? To defend the sanctity of marriage?" - Senator Rick Santorum, equating his campaign against marriage rights for gays with the war on terror.

That's over the top. I don't quite see the Religious Right Bogeymen under every bed that Sullivan sees, but I think the FMA vote was a mistake.

I know we have different views around here on Gay Marriage. But, from a purely political view, does anybody think this was a winner for the GOP? I think it scares off moderates and highlights the divisions between some very popular Republicans (Giuliani, Schwarzenegger, McCain, Pataki) and the GOP leadership.

It has been suggested that it might divide the Limousine Dems and the minority constituency but that's a longshot.

I laugh at Silence when he tells me that the Religious Right is running the GOP -- they have got few of their wishes of late. The FMA vote, though, is hard to explain.

I hope Rich Lowry and Kathryn Jean Lopez are happy. "We smoked out the real social conservatives!" And handed W a legislative defeat. And divided the party in an election year. Nothing else would have scared away Andrew Sullivan and his readers so effectively.

I am not even consoled that "I was right." I knew it would not get a simple majority. No way in hell this thing would pass. Why did we do it again? Is National Review a Kerry Plant?

Posted by jk at July 14, 2004 02:56 PM