The Endorsement Merry-Go-Round

Two important endorsements have been announced in the last week that have me thinking about the Republican candidates. Pat Robertson has endorsed Rudy Giuliani and the National Right to Life Committee has endorsed Fred Thompson. These two endorsements show exactly how much integrity these two candidates and the two endorsees really have: absolutely none.

First, let's tackle Fred Thompson and the National Right to Life Committee. Fred Thompson has repeatedly stated that abortion is a state issue and should be left up to the States. This position betrays so much about this candidate it's hard to know where to begin. Fred Thompson does not believe in a woman's right to choose. Flat out. If he did, and stated so, the National Right to Life Committee wouldn't be endorsing him. They are happy with his voting record in the U.S. Senate and are willing to give him access to their donor lists.

However, Fred Thompson is not willing to come out and say that he is against a woman's right to choose. He wants to give himself some wiggle room. It's OK with dear old Fred if abortion is still legal in Massachusetts and New York, except that it isn't and he'll appoint "non-activist judges" that will make it illegal. Of course, he won't ever say that his judicial appointments will legislate from the bench. He's a state's rights guy and taking a solid stance might actually alienate a lot of the middle class white women he needs to get the nomination.

There's no integrity in that stance. There's no integrity in that endorsement, either. The National Right to Life Committee is hoping to get someone they can live with into office with the hopes that he'll feel beholden to them. On the one hand, that's how the game is played. On the other, they're supposed to be about ending abortion. If it's that important, hold out for a pro-life candidate. Endorse Mike Huckabee or find a third party guy that shares your views. They won't do that, though. They're only uncompromising when they're winning.

Now, Rudy Giuliani is a whole other kind of evil. Rudy Giuliani accepted the endorsement of Pat Robertson. Let me say that again: Rudy Giuliani accepted the endorsement of Pat Robertson of the 700 Club.

Let me set the way back machine to September of 2001. The towers have collapsed. Volunteers and firefighters are still climbing through the wreckage pulling the bodies of victims out of the still smoking rubble. Pat Robertson has Jerry Falwell on his program to discuss the matter at hand. Jerry muses that this happened because America is too permissive. We accept gays and liberals and humanists into our midst and G-d has allowed this to happen. Pat then agrees with him! Now, Pat apologizes a few days later, but any person of integrity just has to stay a mile away from this guy, doesn't he?

Of course not! Rudy Giuliani has gladly accepted dear old Pat's endorsement!

Now, let's go over this again from another angle.

Did Rudy Giuliani, America's mayor, Mr. 9/11, just accept the endorsement of Pat Robertson? Did I really see that, or was I rendered insensate by some invisible blow? How does Rudy Giuliani even get near Pat without slugging him one in the face for what he and Falwell said about NEW YORK CITY, where Giuliani was MAYOR AT THE TIME?

That is anything but integrity.

Sadly, this is what the Republicans have to offer America in the way of candidates. Two of the top three candidates will accept the endorsements of people that will back what they think is a winning horse in order to curry favor. I think they're absolutely made for each other.