Category: The Dish

An evangelical video for horny males. Kinda expensive for the boss, don’t you think?

They’re here already. But are they ethical? Do they follow the laws of warfare (those rules that aren’t waived in advance by the Decider, of course)? A big PDF thumbsucker is now available for perusal on the matter. And one mil-blogger has some issues with it. I’d be happy if we could have a president who abided by the Geneva Conventions myself. I guess I’m quaint in that respect.

Part of a continuing series devoted to Doug Coupland and other Lego nutters.

"As engaging as it is provocative … It is — unsurprisingly — on matters of religion that he’s at his most persuasive. "The Conservative Soul" is grounded in Sullivan’s tenacious Catholicism, and, as a staunch atheist, I’m impressed by his ability to write plainly, unmawkishly, even movingly, of the intermittent presence of Jesus Christ in his life. He reveres the antiquity of his church, loves the mystery and beauty of its rituals, cherishes the play of nuance and paradox in its theology, but is engaged in a running battle with the present occupant of the Episcopal Palace in Vatican City, Benedict XVI, over the issues of abortion, homosexuality, and, crucially, the role of individual conscience… Sullivan swashbuckles his way through these issues with what seems to me an enviable command of both the relevant science and the relevant theology…

What is so timely about Sullivan’s book, and why it should be read closely by liberals as well as conservatives, is its embedded firsthand report on the widening ideological cracks in the house that Rove built — a building that Rove used to boast was permanent and impregnable, and that Sullivan now makes look like a tottering fixer-upper," – Jonathan Raban, New York Review Of Books.

You can buy the book, just out in paperback, here.

Shhhh. Don’t tell the Thomists. But some mushrooms seem to exhibit same-sex reproduction. They join many other species of plants and animals where same-sex sex and bonding is common.

Dave Weigel listens. This on Rudy:

It’s not excruciating, but it’s close. Giuliani clearly has a few applause lines embedded in this thing, and when he hits one he looks up very fleeting for some audience member who’s finally come around. He’s met with some scowling granny or a guy with his arms crossed over a Target-bought suit and tie.

From Dave’s excerpts, Bennett seems even more shameless than usual:

This is amazing: Bennett’s entire speech is crediting Screwtape with the perfidy of liberals and libertarians. Screwtape "might advise" us to do the litany of crimes assigned to Alan Colmes: Abiding by the Geneva conventions, inviting Ahmedenijad to Columbia, so on down the line.

Yep: he also uses the flag pin issue unironically against Obama. They will demagogue anything, won’t they?

David Brody has a pretty important post on the FRC poll. It turns out that Ron Paul’s strong showing, as often, is related to the Internet. The onsite straw poll shows something quite remarkable: a landslide for Huckabee:

Mike Huckabee     488 …    51.26%
Mitt Romney          99 …     10.40%
Fred Thompson      77 …       8.09 %
Tom Tancredo       65     …   6.83 %

Romney is the man the Christianist elites thinks has the best shot; but the rank and file like Huckabee, a man who does not believe that human beings evolved from apes. Brody:

Huckabee is poised now to really take off. Why? Two words: Sam Brownback. With Brownback out of the race, many of the votes may go to Huckabee. That could translate into some marginally better poll numbers. Plus, Huckabee can claim victory here and go around the country saying that social conservatives have spoken and that he’s the guy. Romney will make that same claim but don’t tell me for a second that the onsite margin differential doesn’t have some in the campaign concerned. Maybe because Huckabee is financially challenged, they’re not too worried.

Meanwhile, Lowry swoons for a protectionist:

Wow. Let me repeat: Wow. What an incredible communicator. His message has gotten stronger with the accent on Buchanesque nationalist/protectionist notes, and he speaks the language of these kind of voters better than anyone. I found myself getting goose-bumps near the end of his speech when he invoked a long series of Biblical underdogs, beginning with David and his five smooth stones. He made as strong a case as possible for putting all pragmatic considerations aside and going with him. And no one could mistake the shots at Romney, including a reference to candidates who have as many positions as Elvis had sizes to his waist-band. Watch out in Iowa.

(Photo: Stephanie Kuykendal/Getty.)

Yeah, I know the headline is Huckabee’s near-victory in the Christianist straw-poll. It’s also pretty amazing how poorly Giuliani did. But it’s staggering to me that Ron Paul did so well:

1.  Mitt Romney  … 27.62 %
2.  Mike Huckabee … 27.10 %
3.  Ron Paul                … 14.98%
4.  Fred Thompson … 9.77 %
5.  Sam Brownback … 5.14 %
6.  Duncan Hunter … 2.42 %
7.  Tom Tancredo … 2.30 %
8.  Rudy Giuliani  … 1.85 %
9.  John McCain … 1.40 %

I’d say that these results show that the Christianists are far less concerned about the war on terror than the culture war. If Thompson can’t beat Huckabee, the entire point of his candidacy is moot. You need a Southern Christianist? You’ve already got one, guys. Oh, and: They really hate McCain, don’t they?

Soren Dayton:

The news tomorrow is going to be that social conservatives are split. When the social conservative leaders meet tomorrow for their post-mortem, they will not be able to push people into supporting Romney.

The split continues. And Rudy is less unacceptable than people thought.

"The obituary of Doolittle Raider Nolan A. Herndon in Monday’s California section gave his nickname as Sue. In fact, he was known only as Nolan Anderson Herndon. In addition, his sons were listed as Nolan A. "Sue" Herndon Jr. and James M. "Debbie" Herndon. Neither son goes by those nicknames; Sue and Debbie are the names of their wives," – Los Angeles Times, October 18.