Bill Kristol isn’t Christian, so his political take on the subject is vulnerable to error. I’ll take Newt’s assessment of the Bible Belt before Bill’s.

Nothing against Bill however, who I like, and who I would like to see in the White House in some capacity.

A more telling critique of Newt is found in Robert Novak’s review of DeLay’s new book.

One of Newt’s strongest claims is that of competence, but Delay said that Newt bungled the agenda, and was prone to flying off in all directions, to the injury of the existing agenda.

I like Bill, but what he finds politically appropriate wasn’t shaped in the deep South, but is informed by the mores of New York City and Washington, D.C. I understand what Newt was doing, and most everybody else does. It could be, in fact, it probably is that Bill considers a Newt nomination destined for failure. So this is a way of brushing back Newt, and allowing someone like Romney to get the nomination. There is a great deal of political calculation going on out there, and Kristol’s piece seems to be a prime example thereof.

Dobson’s invitation to insincerity and Newt’s expectation of Dobson’s acquiescence in insincerity is what is shocking. Anything can go in a credulous cave, but I wouldn’t be surprised if many in the Bible Belt see right through this sickening theater. Really. Can you imagine Newt on his knees???

Whether or not Kristol is right in the absolute sense is irrelevant, because like he admits, he’s about the only person thinking that way. Clearly Newt’s political instincts led him to confess publicly. Kristol is amusing and sometimes thoughtful, but he is also at times off the wall (wanting to go at Iran full bore) and this is one of those times.

Dan has an interesting idea that Bill is just trying to sweep Newt away for a potential Romney nomination. I think he’s on to something with that, although I would guess that Kristol might be a Rudy guy before Mitt. But if such is the case it just shows how bad the "GOP" elite has missed the boat by trying to force northeast moderates like Rudy and Mitt on us.

If anything good comes of 2008 (praying it will), it will be the crash and burning of the centralized intellects and tyrants of the GOP. These guys are pushing bad candidates, and if enough conservatives mutiny for an outsider, maybe we can send the power-brokers home.

Dobson is unlikeable, but that’s a trivial side issue. Kristol appears to reject any deference to the family-values demographic in regard to a candidate’s personal life. I strongly disagree. Anyone who seeks, or may seek, to be the president is well-advised to address their legitimate concerns about personal character, including adultery. One could quibble with Newt’s choice of words. But showing respect for those who are serious about family values, and answering their honest questions honestly, is to be commended, not
denounced. Kristol is off the rails on this one.

I think that for Bill, right now, the war is trumping everything. He realizes how enormously important it is for us to prevail. Whoever wants to win, whoever will do whatever it takes to prevail, will more than likely enjoy his support.

And I agree with David about Dobson.

Someone high up in the GOP needs to have a sit down with Falwell and Dobson and tell them to stay off the television, tell them to decline all interviews, and in short, tell them to shut the hell up. They do more damage to the Conservative cause than they help. There are other religious figures who speak on their favourite issues, who are younger and who don’t carry the baggage of a Falwell or a Dobson.

Every time a hot-button social issue hits the news for some reason, MSNBC or CNN rush off to get Falwell or Dobson to comment. The media is using those men to shape the public perception, for the media know those men are toxic, and by implication, any cause they support becomes toxic.

It’s like what the Dems did in November, ’06; Bush was and is toxic, so attach any and all Republicans to him, and just watch them wither and politically perish, due to the radioactivity and toxicity of Bush. That’s what they do with Falwell. And somebody needs to inform Falwell and Dobson of that fact.

They need to be asked, "what’s more important to you, the cause, or facetime?"

Bottom line, if a guy will lie to his wife, isn’t it fairly likely he’ll have no problem lying to the American people?

As to Newt’s redemption, sorry, but it only plays if accompanied with sackcloth and ashes. Anyone who thinks Newt has a political future anywhere needs to ask why he was never a candidate while Georgia has elected two GOP Senators and the first GOP governor since Reconstruction,

Newt for Pres? Only if the Dems run Gary hart!

Bill Kristol is a left-wing neocon (is that redundant?)

Bill Kristol believes

(1) that the US should spend billions to defend the borders of Israel and deport foreigners from Iraq

and simultaneously supports

(2) the open-borders, third-world invasion of the USA.

Is this or is it not treason?

https://conservativetimes.org/?p=9