Sorry, But This Is A Non-Starter–For Now

Condi2 Hillary is the likely Democratic nominee for 2008.

Condi is a plausible Republican who may run as well. She recently refused to rule out running.

GET THE STORY.

The trouble is that, as things presently stand, Condi will either not get the Republican nomination or, if she does get it, she will lose.

Why?

Because she describes hereself as "mildly pro-choice" (see the linked article).

Don’t get me wrong: I’d love to see Condi run if she were pro-life. I’d love for us to have a Commander-In-Chief who is Drop Dead Gorgeous (certainly compared to other women who are political officeholders!). Who doesn’t want that?

But being pro-life is more important than all of that–to me, and to millions of other pro-lifers.

If Condi doesn’t flip on the subject of abortion then, even with hard-evil Hillary as the opposing candidate, too many pro-lifers will simply stay home on election day rather than vote for someone who is "moderaly pro-choice."

Even Bush barely won the first time because social conservatives were dissatisfied with his long-ago DUI. That’s mild compared to being "moderately pro-choice."

Fortunately, Condi has time to be educated on the issue of abortion and, as she hasn’t spoken on it much nor built a pro-abort voting record, she has fewer ties to abortion than many other politicians.

Let’s pray for her.

Oh yeah, and if she’s pro-abort then she also needs to get educated on the need for originalists on the Supreme Court.

Let’s pray for that, too.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

29 thoughts on “Sorry, But This Is A Non-Starter–For Now”

  1. Jimmy, would you want to redact “I’d love for us to have a Commander-In-Chief who is Drop Dead Gorgeous (certainly compared to other women who are political officeholders!)”?
    See also: left-handed compliments.
    God bless Texas.

  2. No one can get the Republican nomination who is not pro-life. That includes Giuliani and it seems Condi Rice.
    Unless….. Suppose R v W were overturned in 2007 by Bush appointees to SCOTUS. Then abortio ceases to be a critical issue at the federal level.

  3. Well, it’s hard not to be disappointed with “moderately pro-[death].” I was–perhaps naively–hoping Condi could be the Hillary antidote, but it looks like it’s not that clear cut. Will a viable national pro-life candidate emerge in time for 2008?
    This is well worth our prayers as well.

  4. What are her qualifications?
    What organizations has she managed?
    What campaigns has she run in?
    What campaigns has she managed?
    What public speeches has she given?
    What is her position on crop subsidies?
    What is her position on monetary policy?
    What is her position positon on environmental issues?
    What is her position on Amtrak?
    What is there about this country that glamour and “likeability” become key criteria in choosing presidents?
    If Kerry looked and talked like Clinton, he would have beaten Bush by at least five points.

  5. What is there about this country that glamour and “likeability” become key criteria in choosing presidents?
    Around the time that television ownership become nearly universal.
    If Kerry looked and talked like Clinton, he would have beaten Bush by at least five points.
    If Bush looked and talked like Clinton, he would have beat Kerry by at least ten points.

  6. Condi vs. Hillary in 2008?

    Jimmy Akin thinks its a non-starter and I think he’s right. There are other problems besides abortion sitting between her and the White House too, not the least of which is that her current position, secretary of state, hasn’t been a launching pad fo…

  7. “I’d love for us to have a Commander-In-Chief who is Drop Dead Gorgeous (certainly compared to other women who are political officeholders!). ”
    It’s your blog and you can blog as you want to…but I feel I have to say (that IMHO), that was a pretty tactless and derogatory statement.
    I have neither looks nor holiness,but I know which I want more~ internal beauty (and i’m not talking about my organs) and a soul that strives for holiness with each breath (I fail at that too ~ Dum Spiro Spero!).
    God Bless.

  8. I just read what I posted and realised that it probably comes across as ‘Sour grape Syndrome’!
    When will I learn to keep my fingers off the post button?
    God Bless

  9. Why won’t she get the nomination? Correct me if I’m wrong, but Bush is also pro-choice when it comes to rape, incest, and life of the mother.
    I was thinking of the prospect of a female president the other day, and I’m not sure I’m too desirous of one. The president needs to be the head of the nation, tough, strong, resolute, etc. The quality, and the role, of leadership is best suited to males, as is evidenced by nature itself. A female president will further feminize a culture that needs men to once again reclaim their place as leaders, both in society and in the family.

  10. “tough, strong, resolute, etc.” “feminize a culture “………Reminds me of 1992-2000.

  11. Why won’t she get the nomination? Correct me if I’m wrong, but Bush is also pro-choice when it comes to rape, incest, and life of the mother.
    Because there is a big difference, at least in the minds of most of the GOP base, between pro-life with a few exceptions and pro-choice. Bush (rather weakly) opposes the legality of the vast majority of abortions that take place in this country; Condi supports the legality of the vast majority of abortions that take place in this country. I’m sure you can see the difference, but even if you don’t, the Republican base does. That’s why she won’t be nominated (without reworking her position) even though Bush did.

  12. “”I’d love for us to have a Commander-In-Chief who is Drop Dead Gorgeous (certainly compared to other women who are political officeholders!). “”
    “It’s your blog and you can blog as you want to…but I feel I have to say (that IMHO), that was a pretty tactless and derogatory statement. ”
    UKOK: I’m sorry if I gave offense. That was not the intent. The line was a *joke* in two respects: (1) the obvious fact that being gorgeous is *not* a qualification for being president and (2) the subtle fact that a Commander-In-Chief may have to cause people to (literally) drop dead (e.g., in wartime).
    I also know what it’s like not to feel attractive as for years I had a serious weight problem and even now I’m too shy for my own good when it comes to romance, but when someone is being touted as a presidential candidate and this person happens to be beautiful, I don’t see the wrong in noting the fact in the course of making a clearly absurdist joke (e.g., note the remark “Who doesn’t want that?” as if this was a widely shared perspective–something that is clearly absurd).
    P.S. Also, the U.S. media has been commenting on Dr. Rice’s attractiveness of late. In an outrageous story the Washington Post remarked that on a recent diplomatic trip her coat and boots “speak of sex and power,” which caused many to remark at how outrageous the coverage was and that the MSM wouldn’t dare talk about a Democrat that way. This may be a dimension of the joke that has not be generally known on your side of the pond.

  13. >>>”I’m sure you can see the difference, but even if you don’t, the Republican base does. That’s why she won’t be nominated (without reworking her position) even though Bush did.”
    Fair enough. But I won’t be surprised if they decide to sell their soul down a river to win the election, because no male is going to beat Hilary Clinton.

  14. because no male is going to beat Hilary Clinton.
    I don’t buy the Witch-queen of Angmar interpretation (“They say that no man can beat her”). She’s probably the most divisive Democrat in the country, already has a confirmed base of Hillary-haters and lacks the charisma of Bill. She’s also going to have to posture as a hawk to appeal to moderate Dems and to be electable while simultaneously appeasing the growing Deaniac segment of her party. While she’s certainly a force to be reckoned with, he election is far from a done deal. A lot can happen in four years.

  15. While I agree that being Pro-choice would make getting the Republican nomination a bit harder, I think being Pro-Choice will likely be, sadly, in her favor.
    If you need any proof of that assertion, I’ve got one word for you: Arnold. As in the governer of California, Arnold. One of the reasons he was able to win over so many democrats is because he was Pro-Choice.
    While many Pro-Lifer’s would stay home on election day, many more Pro-Choicers may find themselves voting for a republican.
    It’s sad, but unfortunately I believe it is the truth.

  16. Ken,
    California is a very liberal, heavily Democratic state. It is not representative of the country as a whole and certainly not of the Republican primary process. Even if it were, Arnold won under truly extraordinary circumstances: he’s a movie star, the sitting governor being recalled had approval ratings in the 20s, and his main Democratic opponent was not exactly the strongest candidate the Dems could have put out.

  17. Here’s my solution: We whack Jeb in the head until he agrees to run in 08.
    A Bush succeeding a Bush? If Hillary is running, it would be possible since it would be one dynasty against another, but I think it would still work against Jeb. If, however, Hillary for some reason were to fail to secure the Democratic nomination, Jeb would sink like a stone.

  18. When the republicans put up a clearly pro-abortion candidate then it’s time to abandon the republican party. It’s one thing to support a party that allows pro-aborts in for populist/electibility considerations. It’s quite another to support a party that is being led by the death squad.

  19. I don’t a woman president would be a good idea, for the reasons Jason said. Also, read John Knox’s “The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monsterous Regiment
    of Women.”

  20. Hillary will never be elected President. Ms. Rice stands little chance at this point of getting the nomination. Republicans are in a state of wanting to like her right now. They want to like her, because she is black, a woman, and very respected by the establishment. No, Republicans aren’t racists, the Dems go through the same phase. See Jesse Jackson, Barack Obama for examples. The point is that lacking significant executive decisions (specific legislative actions, etc.) there is wider speculation of what a candidate would do once in office. In other words, lacking a real governance record, people will find reasons not to like Ms. Rice real quick once she begins to speak on issues.

  21. Jimmy,
    I’m sorry for being overly sensitive. I apologise that I misunderstood the nature of your post and I thank you for taking the time to explain to me those things that flew right over my head.
    I understand about the fluctuating weight problem…I suffer that (self inflicted) cross too, though it seems that yours is under control…whereas I’m in serious avoidance mode…I lack self discipline and motivation.
    As for ‘romance’…I watched Jane Eyre this afternoon and i’m feeling stuck in a victorian time warp at the moment…so, in the words of Jane…”I may be poor and I may be plain, but i’m not without feeling”…whereupon the delectable Mr. Rochester takes her in his arms…
    *swoon*
    God Bless.
    p.s you can always rely on me to add nothing of credibility to a conversation, can’t you!

  22. No, I can’t.
    By which I mean: Your comments are valuable! So are everybody’s (except those tiny few I’ve had to ban).

  23. I agree with Publius to some extent. I believe that pro-choice will work to any candidate favor on a national stage. However,it seems that in the Republican primaries it would be a difficult issue to pull through for a party nomination. Some moderate republicans are not necessarily enthusiatic about overturning abortion directly. It would have to be subtle change to the law–and even that-may incite the dominant majority of the population. I, personally, believe that John McCain would serve the party better as a whole–to avoid risking a “strong abortion opponent” from sinking like a rock in quicksand. I personally believe in “free agency” and prefer the government to not get involved in matters concerning individual bodies. I believe that is a matter that should be left up to the church, family, and community (social laws & codes).

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