Right Wing Nut House

It happens every once and a while. You write something while angry and instead of being funny, you end up being hurtful.

Such was the case yesterday with this post on Huckabee. Many commenters - in fact the overwhelming majority believe I went too far.

I agree. I never should have hit the “Publish” button. Not to make an excuse but this is the nature of blogging - raw, immediate, and occasionally inappropriate.

I apologize for offending people of faith. My brush got too broad in painting the religious right since more than half do not support Huckabee.

However, my point, if I may make it a little more delicately, still stands. There is going to be a reckoning within the conservative movement between classic conservatives who believe that a society must have a just, moral order to survive and social conservatives who wish to “take back (sic) the country for Jesus” while imposing a moral order on the rest of us via top down, government solutions. It does no good for social cons to deny the latter - not when couching issues like abortion and gay marriage in moral terms. There may indeed be secular arguments against both. But the solution will eventually be found in local communities who will decide for themselves the definition of “moral order” without diktats from Washington.

Perhaps after the New Hampshire primary I will write further on this issue to get a discussion going on the topic. I should give it some thought first - unlike my post yesterday that was clearly over the top.

I don’t believe we are possessed with a “soul” in the traditional Catholic or religious sense - a mysterious “life force” perhaps that animates us and gives us consciousness, but not an ethereal presence that floats off to heaven once we die.

But I’m not so sure that Andrew Olmsted wasn’t possessed of something that not too many of the rest of us have that may be - could be - what the poets and writers of scripture were thinking about when they invented the term.

Andy died in Iraq yesterday. And before I go on, I will post his thoughts written in anticipation of his death on the question of using his passing as a political football:

I do ask (not that I’m in a position to enforce this) that no one try to use my death to further their political purposes. I went to Iraq and did what I did for my reasons, not yours. My life isn’t a chit to be used to bludgeon people to silence on either side. If you think the U.S. should stay in Iraq, don’t drag me into it by claiming that somehow my death demands us staying in Iraq. If you think the U.S. ought to get out tomorrow, don’t cite my name as an example of someone’s life who was wasted by our mission in Iraq. I have my own opinions about what we should do about Iraq, but since I’m not around to expound on them I’d prefer others not try and use me as some kind of moral capital to support a position I probably didn’t support. Further, this is tough enough on my family without their having to see my picture being used in some rally or my name being cited for some political purpose. You can fight political battles without hurting my family, and I’d prefer that you did so.

That frees all of us to write and talk and remember Andy as the extraordinary individual he was rather than the way his life ended.

Except, like Hilzoy, I am unable to find the words. Her simple, eloquent farewell I shall shamelessly steal - in the finest tradition of blogging (something I’m sure Andy would appreciate):

Andy was a wonderful person: decent, honorable, generous, principled, courageous, sweet, and very funny. The world has a horrible hole in it that nothing can fill. I’m glad Andy — generous as always — wrote something for me to publish now, since I have no words at all. Beyond: Andy, I will miss you.

I got to know Andy through his all too brief participation in The Watchers Council. And, of course, through his writing. His occasional emails to me were always incisive and funny. His courtesy and kindness always appreciated.

Please read his entire posthumous post. If you knew Andy at all you will have trouble getting through it. But if Andy does have a soul, it is locked up in that last post - as he intended - so that we can visit him whenever we want and reflect on a life that may have been interrupted but was nevertheless lived with a fullness the rest of us should envy.

Here’s wishing all of you a very happy and safe New Year.

I urge you to be careful and not do something stupid like drink and drive. The process that one must go through legally in order to get your license back is the biggest racket in the history of American jurisprudence. The state, the courts, the lawyers, the DUI and alchohol rehab centers - everyone ends up making a pile of money. And it all comes out of your pocket.

Besides, it’s the second most dangerous thing you can do in life - besides going to a Moveon.Org meeting wearing your Ronald Reagan T-shirt and hat.

And while we’re all celebrating, why not toss a few back for The House.

My little weblog just passed two million visitors since January 2005 - and a million since April of last year. Let me just say I am grateful for your patronage and I hope you continue to pay me regular visits in 2008.

Not the best picture of Ebony

I told my Ebony that about 15 minutes before my friend of 16 years took her last breath.

She never tired of me calling her a “pretty girl.” As I would repeat the endearment over and over, her face would scrunch up in pleasure and she would purr loudly. She connected the same way if I repeated her name again and again. In the end, she couldn’t purr anymore, but her last hours were filled with emotion and pathos nonetheless.

The last few weeks had seen a change in her behavior. She was more demanding of attention, more vocal. She would actually jump on the back of my computer chair and butt her head against my shoulder if I didn’t drop everything and pet her, tickle her.

And then about a week ago, she simply began to disappear for long stretches of time, coming out only to nibble on some food and drink some water. She was under the bed or behind the couch, content to lie there for most of the day and sleep.

Then on Thursday, I went out in the morning to make some coffee and lo and behold, lying in the middle of the kitchen floor directly in front of the coffee pot so that I couldn’t miss it was a very dead mouse. And five feet away, lying on the floor and cleaning herself proudly was Ebony. I gave her some catnip and stroked her lovingly.

I didn’t see her again until late last night when she began a pitiful series of cries. After a few of those, Sue and I decided to move the couch and find out what was wrong. When we pulled it away from the wall, she was lying on her stomach, face down and obviously in bad shape.

Her breathing was very shallow and she was very weak. She couldn’t hold her head up. She trembled and she was very cold. We both knew then that the end was very near.

We laid her on her cat bed. Sue had some heating paks left over from when she had surgery so she heated those up in the microwave and placed them on top of the warm blanket we threw over her. We spoon fed her a little of her favorite food which she enjoyed immensely. The heat seemed to ease her breathing. And then, the death watch.

How do you say goodbye to a friend? For all the cats I have been possessed by, I had never gone through this. Previous kitties had been stolen or more likely killed by a car or captured by some family despite the tags I had on them. A couple of long time companions I had to give to friends when I moved to a new place that didn’t allow pets. But with all the cats I’ve loved, I never had to sit by and watch one as they died.

We talked to her constantly and stroked her continuously. Every once and a while, she would reach out and grab one of our hands and pull it tight to her chest, vigorously licking our fingers - an act that would make both of us dissolve in tears. She would also occasionally raise her head and look at me right in the eyes, reaching out her paw as if to touch my face. The effort would cause her to tremble and shake and she would fall back, resuming her struggle to keep breathing.

Her breathing got shallower and quicker. She slept a bit. I kept telling her goodbye but I think after a few hours, she couldn’t hear me. Her eyes were already glazed over and barely open. Then I dozed off briefly. When I awoke, she was gone.

Everyone owned by a cat has stories of their magic, their feats of athleticism, their maddening aloofness. My Ebony was no different. She was an extraordinary athlete who loved the outdoors, a tremendously attentive and loving mother, an affectionate and hugely entertaining companion. She had that cat sense of knowing when you needed company and when to avoid you. But mostly, she had that otherwordly sense of how best to fit in to my life, to be awake when I was awake and recognize the rhythms of my day.

Our other cats sense our loss and are depressed this morning. We have made a special effort to pay attention to them, to reassure them. Aramas, Ebony’s son and lover, is especially upset, walking around aimlessly and looking at us pitifully. He and the little one are now asleep and I hope they stay that way until after the burial.

Our Christmas season is darkened somewhat by the death of my friend. But we had been expecting the end for many months as her physical condition deteriorated. To have it happen early morning on Christmas eve was very sad. We had just trimmed the tree on Saturday night and were laughing about how Ebony would take up her accustomed spot, lying for hours on end on the stand cover underneath the tree, the colored lights reflecting off her shiny coat giving her a weird glow.

Instead, we will simply remember her and all that she gave us and thank her for being our friend.

We’ve had some big problems with the site the last 24 hours. However, the good folks at Blogs About are working on the latest DNS attack of the spam bots and it’s a little better this morning.

I aplologize for the inconvenience and hope to have a post up later today.

Note: We’re going to play a little counterfactual game today based on the following input: Suppose the primaries end and no GOP candidate has achieved a majority of delegates? In that case, the role of the Republican convention will revert to what such conclaves used to be about; a venue where nominees were actually chosen rather than the idiotic beauty pageants and love fests they’ve become today.

Following are some excerpts from my blog posts from the time I arrived in Minneapolis on August 30, 2008 to the end of the convention.

(I will update this post for the next few days) Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here.

*******************************************************

September 2, 11:00 AM

The adventure at “Ed Morrissey’s Happy Bottom Riding Club and Flop House” continued this morning when several dozen of us wanted to take a shower and shave. Cleanliness may be next to Godliness but that didn’t stop the First Mate from standing outside the bathroom with an egg timer, giving everyone exactly 2 minutes to shower. If someone dared go over she would immediately threaten to send Ed in with a wet towel to snap the offending guest on the rump - regardless of the sex of the bather. It worked. All but a few of us had hot water although I have about 5 nicks on my face from shaving so fast. Ed gave me a palmfull of Brut to rub on the cuts so now I not only look like Scarface but I smell like a gigolo.

Arriving at the Excel Center, you immediately notice the prevalence of social cons in the crowds milling outside. They’ve come for the big floor fight this morning over the anti-gay marriage amendment or, as some refer to it, the “unnaturally offensive amendment.” That’s because of this passage that the social cons are fighting to keep in the plank:

“We believe that marriage should be defined as a union between a man and a woman and should be preserved and protected from unnatural alterations.”

Such an amendment would make sense - if we were talking about preventing men from marrying sheep or women from marrying goats. But the social cons want their pound of flesh (and an expression of their nauseating bigotry) so there was no compromising in meetings leading up to the convention.

As an aside, I believe there is a secular case that can be made against gay marriage. I am less and less swayed by it but people of good conscience and character can disagree.

But no purpose is served by referring to gay marriage as “unnatural.” Therein lies the rank bigotry that makes many of us secular conservatives ashamed of that ideological label.

It’s almost as if the social cons are bringing on this fight to deliberately anger the rest of the party. They made it clear in no uncertain terms that the savaging of Mike Huckabee during the primary campaign was just about the last straw.

James Dobson’s reviving his dark mutterings of setting up a third party following the bruising March 4 Texas primary where religion played such a huge role and where Romney’s campaign was resurrected after his month long series of attacks on Huckabee’s supposed “hypocrisy.” The Huckster had it coming after calling himself the only “real” Christian in the race - a gaffe he has yet to live down. It shattered his momentum and put Romney right back in the ballgame with a strong second place showing to Giuliani. That and his big win in Ohio on the same day (and Fred’s surprising second place) assured Romney that he would be in the field until the end.

To placate the social cons, the Platform Committee gave in to most of their demands on the anti-abortion plank, the “Faith in the Public Square” plank which called on the party to defend people of faith (Christians) from attacks of the godless secularists, and the homeschooling plank which called on Republicans to acknowledge the contribution of home schooling to the education of children.

But the Committee and much of the party wouldn’t budge on the unnaturally offensive amendment, thus, the floor fight.

And a fight it is with the social cons doing all the punching. It’s as if all the years of frustration spent in the background have been unleashed - the bitterness and what they consider “betrayal” bubbling and frothing at the surface.

Most of the speakers this morning have been pro-Amendment - many of them preachers from this group or that one. Much biblical quoting, usually passages involving the devil (libertarian conservatives), demons (liberals), and “Judas” (the rest of us). Their over the top rhetoric is being met with roars of approval by supporters in the half full convention hall.

At times, the place takes on the aura of a revival meeting with shouts of “Hallelujah!” and “Amen!” coming from the colorful array of characters dotting the convention floor. Political conventions are famous for their weird and wonderful individuals dressed in funny clothes, wearing funny hats. Christians are no different except their funny hats are festooned with crosses. Once and a while, you catch a glimpse of a bunch of people standing around in a circle with linked arms. They appear to be in deep thought but then you realize that they are praying.

I would not mind one bit of that was the face of the Republican party - people united in faith, sharing that faith with one another in peace and harmony. But that is not the face of the party on display on stage. It is a face I don’t recognize nor do I want to associate with. It is the face of anger, of exclusion, of resentment that has burst forth from the frustrations and slights endured by social conservatives for many years and is pouring out in a rush on national television.

This will go on for another 2 hours at least. Dobson will speak in about 1/2 an hour. I’ve been told that they expect an almost full house for his speech which Fox News reported is going to be very tough on the party and on secular conservatives.

So a very tense, angry crowd appears to be in no mood to compromise. And what was all love and roses last night is now fire and brimstone. How many will sympathize with the social cons and support them in their platform fight is one question. How many would be willing to vote for Mike Huckabee in a fractured, broken convention is quite another.

I’ll be back in a couple of hours with the climax of this fight.

UPDATE: 3:00 PM

Well, that cuts it.

The fix was in on this one all along. There was no way the party was going to commit suicide and present a blatantly bigoted party platform to the American people so basically, they “disappeared” the amendment down a rabbit hole and rammed through another one that simply reiterated what was said about marriage in the 2004 platform.

It’s the power of the chair that can make this kind of thing happen and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it. But it wasn’t a pretty sight and it may very well have fractured the party once and for all.

Dobson’s speech was like throwing nitroglycerin on a fire. In a nutshell, he believes the party has come under the influence of “evil forces.” (I guess he thinks himself too sophisticated to just come out say that the Devil has a hold of us.) He talked about intolerance of Christians. He spoke of the years that Christians have suffered in silence as their concerns have been given short shrift. He said that the party was in mortal danger of losing its soul unless it acknowledged that love between two people of the same sex was “unnatural.” Of course he didn’t actually say that but a five year old could grasp his meaning.

Meanwhile, the crowd was going nuts. Many were weeping. Many had both hands in the air drinking in “the spirit.” The ovation after he was done was long and heartfelt. And then, the railroading.

Before anyone knew what was happening, the chair recognized the delegate from New Jersey who asked that the amendment be tabled (or killed). No debate, no discussion, the chairman asked for the yeas and nays. The tactic caught the social cons by complete surprise. Even though there were plenty more “nays” shouted out than “yeas,” the chair announced that the ayes had it and the motion was tabled.

The pro-amendment crowd still didn’t know what was happening. They were only vaguely aware that they had just had the legs cut out from underneath them.

At this point, it is the custom for someone from the opposing side to ask for a roll call. It wouldn’t matter if that had happened because the chair relentlessly continued. Screaming into the microphone over the wailing objections from a dozen delegations, he recognized a delegate from Wyoming who asked for unanimous consent that the language in the 2004 platform on marriage be offered as a substitute. “Without objection, it is so ordered,” he shouted - despite the fact that not only was there objection but there was a danger right then and there of things exploding out of control.

These kind of strong arm tactics by the chair are not unknown to political conventions.But watching it happen in front of you is something else entirely. The chair gaveled the afternoon session to a close as at least 20 very angry people were screaming into their microphones for recognition and delegates in the aisles were pushing and shoving, trying to make their way to the stage. I saw many delegates sitting in chairs, looking lost and forlorn. They had been steamrolled and never had a chance.

Now what? The fallout from this will be grim. And whoever ends up the nominee, I don’t envy him the task of putting this party back together.

Back later with more.

UPDATE: 4:30 PM

As expected, there are many calls from the evangelical right to walk out of the convention. But not many from leaders like Dobson or Pat Robertson, who showed up on ABC and graciously forgave us our folly.

The reason a walkout won’t do anything that already hasn’t been done is because of alternate delegates who will simply take the place of the walkouts. The convention will go on, the damage already inflicted.

But there is much seething and anger is not far below the surface. Anything is possible.

Whatever happens is going to happen later. Allowing a few hours for passions to cool, the convention will now not reconvene until 7:00 PM tonight where the first order of business will be the speech by Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska. She’s the “anti-Hillary” face of the party and I understand is quite an effective speaker. Then the President of the United States will speak. The place will be packed with Bush partisans so I’m sure it will be a rouser.

And now for a change of pace - a little levity in the midst of the tenseness and emotion.

I’ve learned that conventions are fertile ground for all kinds of rumors. Earlier this afternoon, word was flying around the convention floor that Jeb Bush was going to announce his candidacy and that the President would deliver the nominating speech while George Bush #41 delivered the seconding speech. The idea was to stampede the convention to Jeb and give him a second ballot victory.

Apparently, CNN tracked down Jeb Bush who laughed a lot but didn’t deny it outright. Well that set the rumor mill churning even more until finally, George H.W. Bush granted Carl Cameron of Fox News an interview and squelched the idea right there. He denied everything and that was that.

Still, there’s a nagging thought at the back of my mind that the rumor could very well have been some kind of trial balloon. Perhaps not offered by the Bush’s directly but it is not impossible to think they weren’t aware of it. What feedback they got was pretty discouraging. People are pretty tired of the Bush’s right now and the prospect of another one at the head of the party doesn’t excite too many people.

I’ll have a short summary of the speeches later.

UPDATE: 11:00 PM

Back at home base - a considerably less crowded place. Evidently a dozen or more boarders at Ed’s place have found alternate housing. Good for them. Maybe I’ll find some floor space tonight to rest my weary head.

With Sarah Palin, I think you’ll agree with me that a star was born last night. She charmed the delegates with her humor and wit while uplifting the entire convention with her stirring stories of triumph by individuals over long odds. If it wasn’t likely that one of the Fab Five was going to be selected as Veep, that speech might have pushed Palin’s name toward the top of the list. As it is, she is definitely a rising star and someone to keep an eye on.

President George Bush came home last night. His approval ratings still only in the 30’s, the future of the economy uncertain, Iraq still taking two steps forward and one back - but it didn’t matter. He’s a Republican president and for many, that is enough. A covention trip is often a reward for party loyalty and the hall was full of party regulars and Bush loyalists.

One more night in the sun.

Indeed, he was interrupted by applause 19 times in a 45 minute speech. He mainly talked about the importance of a unified party, mixing in a defense of his policies. He was effective, as he has been in all his major addresses.

But for many of us, we were like ships passing in the night. Bush - for better or worse - is now part of history. His legacy will be a mixed one (certainly better than his unhinged critics give him credit for and not as good as his shameless apologists say it should be). He is handing his successor a plateful of problems - some of his own making. I don’t envy the guy who emerges from this scrum.

As the balloons came down signalling the end of the evening and the entire Bush clan stood on the stage basking in the warmth of the crowd’s applause, there were many of us, I’m sure, who were breathing a sigh of relief. The father-son Bush dynasty was not unique in American history; the Adams’ John and John Quincy preceded them. But there was 25 years between the two Adams Admininstrations while 8 short years seperated the two Bushs’. And crowded into the 20 years of a Bush presidency was perhaps more history than a country can bear to live through. The end of the cold war, the Gulf war, recession, the Clintons, 9/11, Iraq, and now a brokered convention.

I feel like we’ve been cursed with the old saw “May you live in interesting times.”

Note: We’re going to play a little counterfactual game today based on the following input: Suppose the primaries end and no GOP candidate has achieved a majority of delegates? In that case, the role of the Republican convention will revert to what such conclaves used to be about; a venue where nominees were actually chosen rather than the idiotic beauty pageants and love fests they’ve become today.

Following are some excerpts from my blog posts from the time I arrived in Minneapolis on August 30, 2008 to the end of the convention.

(I will update this post for the next few days) Part 1 is here.

********************************************************

September 1: 8:00 AM

Got up early this morning thanks to Fausta falling out one of the hammocks Ed had strung up in the living room. Apparently, the poor dear fell right on top of Frank of Political Vindication who yowled in protest. This caused his partner Shane to wake up with a start and hit his head on the underside of the First Mate’s 18th century walnut Louis the XVI Gilded Trumeau, the poor guy forgetting he had fallen asleep underneath it.

Shane didn’t cause too much damage and I’m sure after applying a little Super Glue and chewing gum, the priceless antique will be as right as rain.

At any rate, the opening of the convention isn’t scheduled for another two hours but there’s big news coming out of the closed door meeting of the Rules Committee this morning.

According to Rule 16 (f), there is no appeal of the sanctions applied by the RNC to the 5 states who violated party rules by holding their primaries before February 5. But when did rules ever stop politicians? The deal worked out involves suspending the rules and seating the delegates anyway. This will be accomplished by the chair recognizing Florida and Governor Charlie Crist asking for the suspension of rules regarding infractions. The other 4 states will second the motion while a 5th state - probably New York - will also second thus fulfilling the rules requirement that 5 delegations be in favor of the rules suspension. The chair will put it to a voice vote where the “ayes” will have it.

Thus, a bloodbath is avoided - temporarily. It seems with the whole world watching, everyone so far has seen it in their own interest to try and maintain some semblance of decorum and unity. As Samuel Johnson said (or maybe it was Ben Franklin), “The prospect of being hung in the morning concentrates the mind wonderfully.”

Indeed.

A couple of notes on speakers. As you know, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal will be the keynote speaker tonight. The speech is being billed as a plea for unity (duh) and a call to defend America from all enemies both here and abroad. I would hope that Governor Jindal has a few words of comfort for Democrats who may not be able to stomach voting for Hillary. There are certainly enough of them and reaching out to centrist Democrats would be a good idea politically.

Also, CNN is reporting that James Dobson is upset at his being slotted tomorrow afternoon. Did the guy think he rated a prime time shot? Pretty arrogant considering the fact that he’s still threatening to bolt the party if Rudy gets the nomination.

Finally, President Bush’s speech tomorrow night will probably begin around 9:00 PM local time (10:00 PM eastern). There was some thought given to shortening Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin’s speech but in the end, it was decided that the “anti-Hillary” concept was too important to shortchange.

Mostly boring rules debates this morning. Senator Coleman’s speech tonight is probably the next bit of news so I will update this post after he’s done.

UPDATE: 1:00 PM

Just got handed this press release from Mark Sanford’s people:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(No Embargo)

Governor Sanford will address several southern delegations later this afternoon in an effort to garner support for his campaign…

Not entirely unexpected. Sanford mulled running this year but held off, smartly in my opinion. The tip-off to this move came when he failed to endorse McCain last January (after endorsing him in 2000) following the Arizonian’s shocking win in New Hampshire. It was at that point that talk of an up-for-grabs convention really started to become more than idle curiosity and perhaps Sanford saw a possible opportunity.

Regardless of what he says, he is, in fact, a “favorite son” candidate - and a regional one at that. His goal is to force the number of ballots go beyond 4 or 5. At that point, if he has a pocketful of delegates, he could probably name his own price in a Thompson administration (most observers see him leaning toward Fred). If Fred has retired at that point, he may offer himself as Romney’s Vice President.

How many delegates could he realistically hope for? A nice round figure would be 100. And in a close race where every single head is being counted, 100 votes is a huge number.

Sanford is a very capable and attracive politician - a man whose time may be in the near future. Is there any scenario where the convention could stampede his way? I would think only if the delegates were exhausted and had no where else to go would they consider someone outside of the Fab Five who are already here.

One humorous note: There’s a rumor that Rudy’s people are hopping mad at the order in which the candidates will be nominated on Wednesday night. Each candidate will be allowed one nominating speech and one seconding speech lasting no more than 5 minutes. They have also limited the “demonstrations” of support to no more than 15 minutes.

The Giuliani people are upset that since they are going first the speeches and demonstration for Rudy will begin before prime time - around 5:30 eastern. The order was determined by lots so I don’t exactly know what Rudy’s people think the RNC could do about it. The rules require that the voting begin immediately after the nominating speeches are over. Since it’s already likely to be a long night, I think the RNC is doing well to get the speechifying and demonstrations over by 8:00 eastern so at least people can see a little of the drama of how this convention will play out in prime time.

More after Coleman’s speech.

UPDATE II

And so ends Day I of what is proving so far to be something of a love fest. The two speakers tonight acquitted themselves well. Norm Coleman’s welcoming speech was short, sweet, and funny. The bit about Minnesota being in the midst of an Al Gore caused heat wave was priceless.

Everyone was interested to see Bobby Jindal, Louisiana’s new governor and someone many believe might make a run some day for president. As keynote speaker, his job was to hit the themes of the convention and inspire some optimism about the future. An impossible task given the circumstances. Still, he also did pretty well. I think they could have gotten a better speaker (Alaska governor Sarah Palin would, in my opinion, have been a better choice) but Jindal wasn’t a disaster.

Debate on the platform began this afternoon and surprisingly, the social cons were holding their fire. Of course, the real controversy comes tomorrow when the convention takes up the controversial plank on gay marriage.

Given that no one wants to alienate anyone else’s supporters, there haven’t been the bruising fights on the platform this year as there has been in the past. Almost all the major disagreements were worked out in the last two weeks behind closed doors in the Platform Committee.

But the libertarians are not going to sit still for the Huckabee-inpsired amendment on gay marriage which goes far beyond the 2004 GOP platform which didn’t mention gays, only “that legal recognition and the accompanying benefits afforded couples should be preserved for that unique and special union of one man and one woman which has historically been called marriage.”

Huckabee’s swipe at homosexuals to include the word “unnatural” in the plank has set off a firestorm. This morning, the debate hits the floor with James Dobson taking the stage to defend the wording. It will be interesting to see how the party wriggles out of this one.

Back to the Morrissey Hotel for a couple of hours sleep.

Note: We’re going to play a little counterfactual game today based on the following input: Suppose the primaries end and no GOP candidate has achieved a majority of delegates? In that case, the role of the Republican convention will revert to what such conclaves used to be about; a venue where nominees were actually chosen rather than the idiotic beauty pageants and love fests they’ve become today.

Following are some excerpts from my blog posts from the time I arrived in Minneapolis on August 30, 2008 to the end of the convention.

(I will update this post for the next few days)

***********************************************************

August 31 - 11:00 AM

I’m sitting in Ed Morrissey’s home office trying to get comfortable on the floor. Every available seat has been taken up by one of the 50 or so bloggers Ed graciously agreed to put up during the convention. It’s not as crowded as you might think although internet access is, as you can guess, at a premium. The only really bad thing about it is the bathroom situation. Ed partially fixed the problem by setting up a couple of port-o-potties in his backyard next to the circus tent where a couple of dozen bloggers are sleeping but it hasn’t helped much - at least judging by how quickly the flowers in his garden are wilting as a result of people who just can’t hold their water long enough.

But we’re here anyway -witnesses to what most observers are saying is going to be the most exciting convention in 100 years. Five candidates have arrived with enough delegates to challenge for the Republican nomination for president - the result of an extraordinary primary season that saw no candidate receive the 1191 delegates necessary to claim the nomination.

As a refresher, here’s where we stand:

1. Guiliani - 712 pledged delegates and superdelegates
2. Mitt Romney - 633 pledged delegates and superdelegates
3. Mike Huckabee - 502 pledged delegates and superdelegates
4. Fred Thompson - 278 pledged delegates and superdelegates
5. John McCain - 255 pledged delegates and superdelegates

(About 135 of the superdelegates have made it known that they are committed to their candidate for the first ballot only.)

And to give you an idea of how contested this convention is going to be, even the number of delegates it takes to win is up in the air. That’s because the current number of delegates who are to be seated may change when the rules are discussed at tomorrow’s session.

Back in November 2007, the GOP National Committee decided to punish Florida, New Hampshire, Michigan, South Carolina, and Wyoming by taking away half their delegates because they held their primary or caucus before February 5, thus violating Party Rule 16. That’s an extra 136 delegates that each of the winning candidate in those states would dearly love to add to their total. If the rules challenges are successful, the magic number rises to 1259.

So tomorrow will have a lot of blood on the floor. That’s because in their infinite wisdom, the rules committee, meeting last week, decided to take up the challenges to Rule 16 on a state by state basis rather than en masse. This has assured a bloodbath as individual candidates will seek to deny the others the full fruits of their caucus or primary victories.

(There’s already a rumor that Florida is going to seat its entire delegation regardless of the outcome of the rules vote. The imagination has not been invented that can conjure up a more horrific scenario.)

All the candidates sound confident. Thompson thinks he’s a third or 4th ballot shoe in. Romney is banking on disaffected Guiliani delegates from the northeast to put him within spitting distance of a majority after the second ballot where switches will then be allowed. Rudy has the same strategy only grabbing disaffected Romney delegates. Huckabee says he’s doing a lot of praying. And McCain doesn’t think he has much of a chance but came to Minneapolis to honor the commitment of his supporters.

An ABC delegate canvass that ended yesterday shows that Giuliani has a chance for a second ballot win - if the rule 16 fight goes his way in Florida where he edged Huckabee in late January. But there are so many uncommitted superdelegates that it’s just too hard to be definitive about anything - as ABC points out.

I’ll update this entry later if any news breaks.

UPDATE: 11:00 PM

Got a few minutes before the scramble starts to find a place to sleep. I see where Jon Swift has taken the entire dining room table, the lucky sot. And I can’t be sure but I think Ace deliberately chowed down on raw garlic so he could have the sofa all to himself.

The First Mate is being a good sport about everything except I think I overheard her talking to a lawyer. Something about “extreme cruelty” although I couldn’t be absolutely sure.

At any rate, I just watched a Charlie Gibson interview with Mike Huckabee who seemed imbued with the spirit throughout. As near as I can tell, the Huckster is looking for a compromise on Rule 16 that would guarantee all delegates being seated after the 2nd ballot is over. This would seem to help Giuliani but I think the governor believes the goodwill engendered will buy him some delegates when the Chairman calls for switches following the second ballot. And if he can keep Rudy from going over the top, that third ballot should be the wildest convention scene since the Democrats in Chicago in 1968.

Meanwhile, ABC is also reporting that Mitt Romney met with representatives of Thompson late this evening. No one is saying anything but the speculation has been that if Thompson can’t get any closer to the frontrunners following the second ballot, that he may throw his support to Romney.

And yes, you can bet that the Veep spot will be discussed. It is thought that Rudy’s negative ad campaign against Thompson in Florida, hinting that his health problems may return, soured the Tennessean on Giuliani to the point he would never accept the second spot from him. But Fred has no problems with Mitt although he went after him for flip flopping in South Carolina - one of the 6 states he won. But this is September and the convention where bygones will be bygones - as long as the Veep spot is in play.

One last morsel of info. The National Committee is thinking of putting Haley Barbour in the Chair for the rules fight tomorrow. Haley is an old hand and could probably maintain control as well as anyone.

Off to bed. I wonder if the dog would mind if I slept in his basket…

With the writers talks collapsing in a heap of acrimony out in Hollywood (and Keifer Sutherland going to jail for the next 48 days) it appears that next month’s premier of 24 is going to be put off indefinitely.

But that doesn’t mean you have to suffer the pains of withdrawal from our favorite show. Sterling Publishers has just released a book guaranteed to give you your 24 fix and then some. Entitled Secrets of 24: The Unauthorized Guide to the Political & Moral Issues Behind TV’s Most Riveting Drama, the book will give you tremendous insight into how the show is seen as well as some extraordinary background on the show’s characters and settings:

Secrets of `24′: The Unauthorized Guide to the Politics, Moral Philosophy, and Technology Behind the Most Riveting Show in TV History uses this blockbuster series as a jumping off point to pursue real issues of relevance to our times–from whether torture is ever justified to whether individual rights should be sacrificed in the fight against terrorism. These are “big think” issues, complemented by a survey and analysis of the technologies and methods that drive the suspenseful plots. The illuminating collection combines original interviews and commissioned essays from leading political figures, cultural commentators, celebrities, and experts on technology, security, and terrorism with carefully selected anthologized op-eds and essays. It follows the wildly successful model the authors established with Secrets of the Code and their Secrets books–which have more than four million copies in print worldwide and have been on more than a dozen international bestseller lists, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and USA Today.

Secrets of `24′ is an exciting, engaging, and informative read for everyone fascinated with the series–and an essential companion for understanding the show’s central concerns. It will be in stores just in time for the start of the show’s seventh season in January 2008, and the widely anticipated movie.

Yours truly was asked to submit an essay. It’s on page 50 and entitled “The Circles of Hell: Dante, Daniel Boone, Gary Cooper, and … Jack Bauer.”

A sample:

Bauer has transcended the entertainment world and become a political talisman; stroked by the right and bashed by the left, 24 has become the favorite guilty pleasure of the political class in America. Even many liberals confess their addiction to the show, despite Bauer’s enormously troubling use of torture and the cavalier way in which he disregards the constitutional niceties. And many conservatives, seeing Jack taking the fight directly to our enemies (along with maintaining a moral certitude that is both refreshing and emotionally satisfying), cheer their hero on as he battles evil.

Sound familiar? It should. Hollywood long has prospered making heroes of such men — although not quite in the same context. Jack could best be compared to the small town sheriff who finds himself up against the ruthless outlaw gang as Gary Cooper played in the classic western High Noon. Cooper’s portrayal of Marshall Will Kane, who must vanquish a gang of criminals bent on revenge on the day of his wedding, had many of the same points and counterpoints found in the character of Jack Bauer. It is the solitary nature of his fight – the man willing to do his duty against terrible odds – that brings to mind Bauer’s predicaments as Jack flies from the frying pan into the fire week after week, always coming out on top because in the end, good must triumph over evil.

The book features interviews with people like former DCIA James Woolsey as well as columnists like Frank Rich and of course, interviews with the stars about their characters.

I will have a review of the book in a few days but you can reserve your copy at Amazon by clicking on the link above.

Here are the rules. Follow them or your comment will be deleted.

Any fair minded person perusing this blog and its comments will see I allow plenty of leeway for people to criticize what I write - my ideas included. Anyone who tries to argue otherwise hasn’t read the comments, period. But I will not abide personal insults nor insults to other commenters. And if you have problem putting more than 3 words together in the English language, do not fill the void with expletives.

Comments will be open until I get sick of the trolls again - probably a couple of weeks. I figure life is to short to have to endure the aggravations caused by of half wits, nitwits, and peawits.