Hate Group Summit Honors Kim Davis as a Heroine

Over the weekend the hate group sponsored "Values Voter Summit" took place in Washington, D.C., and as usually provided an overdose of batshitery.  As an added example of the anti-gay animus of  the sponsoring groups - Family Research Council is the principle organizer - the ridiculously named

“Cost of Discipleship” award was given to four times married, serial adulterer Kim Davis, the anti-gay Rowan County, Kentucky clerk of court.  Sadly, many would be GOP presidential nominees attended the gather of haters to prostitute themselves in the hope of garnering votes from the deranged and spittle flecked attendees. The Washington Blade looks at the disgusting spectacle.  Here are highlights:

Upon taking the stage at the Values Voter Summit at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in D.C., Davis was handed a bouquet of flowers and wiped tears from her face as she took to the podium to applause.

“I feel so very undeserving,” she said. “I want to start by thanking my lord and savior, Jesus Christ, because without him this would have never been possible, for he is my strength that carried me.”

Raising her arms in the air, Davis shouted, “I am only one, but we are many!”

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, compared Davis to civil rights leaders Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., in remarks prior to giving Davis an award and urged others to follow the example of the Kentucky clerk.

“It is time that Christians in American began to stand for their faith,” Perkins said. “Kim Davis should not be an outlier. Kim Davis should not be something that surprises America.”

Mat Staver, chair of the Liberty Council, which is defending Davis in court, dismissed the contention Davis is unsuited for being honored for defending marriage because she’s been married four times, noting her conversion to Christianity four-and-a-half years ago.

Stephen Peters, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, said the decision by the Family Research Council to recognize Davis with an award isn’t surprising.

“What is actually shocking is the number of Republican candidates who, in 2015, are prepared to attend a conference sponsored by an anti-LGBT organization and applaud someone for depriving same-sex couples of their Constitutional rights,” Peters said. “We are going to make sure that the overwhelming majority of pro-equality voters in this country don’t forget that.”

Davis wasn’t the only person at the summit honored for engaging in anti-LGBT discrimination. Prior to her award presentation, the twin brothers David and Jason Benham, baseball players-turned conservative activists, moderated a panel featuring seven individuals who faced consequences for engaging in anti-LGBT bias.

Those individuals were Casey County Clerk Casey Davis from Kentucky, fired Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, Air Force Sgt. Philip Monk, Baronelle Stutzman from Washington State, Richard and Betty Odagaard of Iowa as well as Melissa and Aaron Klein of “Sweetcakes by Melissa” in Oregon.

If there is an upside, the event helps underscore the reality that the message of conservative Christians is one of hatred of others - not to mention hypocrisy.

FRC Doubles Down on Lie Of Link Between Homosexuality And Pedophilia

I often say that if the lips of a Christofascist are moving, it's a pretty safe bet that they are lying.  Few individuals prove this truth more than Tony Perkins, president of hate group Family Research Council ("FRC") who seemingly would not be able to tell the truth if his life depended on it.  That's not to say that Perkins doesn't have competition from the likes of Bryan Fischer or Don Wildmon or Mat Staver (or Victoria Cobb here in Virginia).  But Perkins seems the most able to know that he's lying and simply doesn't care what harm he does.  It's all about staying in the right wing news and, more importantly, to keep simpletons sending checks to FRC.  Huffington Post looks at Perkins' latest anti-gay screed.  Here are highlights:

At the Values Voters Summit over the weekend, Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, had two words for LGBT and progressive groups who took out an ad in The Washington Post which stated that his organization’s “groundless demonization of LGBT people,” linking homosexuality with pedophilia, is contrary to the “highest ideals” of the nation: “They’re wrong.” 

[T]he LGBT and progressive groups stated in the ad. “These groups engage in repeated, groundless demonization of LGBT people -- portraying them as sick, vile, incestuous, violent, perverted, and a danger to the nation. The Family Research Council, the summit’s host, is vigorously opposed to extending equal rights to the LGBT community. Its president, Tony Perkins, has repeatedly claimed that pedophilia is a 'homosexual problem.'"

To the specific criticism that FRC’s linking of gays with pedophiles is extreme and out-of-step with the political establishment, Perkins responded, “Well, they’re wrong.”

According to every legitimate  medical and mental health association in America, Perkins is the one who is wrong.  Worse yet, he knows he is wrong and like so many of the "godly Christian" crowd has nothing but contempt for the truth if it gets in the way of his theocratic agenda.  Perkins and FRC underscore why more people are walking away from institutional religion.  Oh, and did I mention Perkins' ties to white supremacy groups?

Jeb Bush Will Not Save the Republican Establishment.

This weekend at the misnamed Value Voters Summit - the attendees at which share a mindset akin to that of those who backed the Salem witch trials - Ted Cruz, a demagogic lunatic in my view, won the so called straw poll for preferred GOP presidential candidates. The prospect of a Cruz candidacy ought to terrify the GOP establishment and anyone who hopes to steer the GOP back towards some remote semblance of sanity.  Some hope that Chris Christie will rehabilitate himself sufficiently to secure the GOP 2016 nomination, although the death grip of the Christofascists on the grassroots and nominating process could derail any such Christie effort.  Others hope that Mitt Romney will throw his hate in the ring again, although I and others believe that he is too damaged to successfully challenge someone like Hillary Clinton as the echos of Romney's "the 47%" comments continue to resonate.  That leaves potential savior number three, Jeb Bush.  A piece in Slate makes the case that Jeb Bush is dead in the water even before he starts.  Here are excerpts:

On Wednesday, Jeb Bush went to Greensboro, North Carolina, to stump for Thom Tillis, the state House speaker and the GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate. This wasn’t a policy seminar or think tank event, it was a party rally and Bush had one job—to give red meat and boost enthusiasm for a flailing campaign.

And he failed. Speaking to an audience of conservative North Carolinians, Bush made the case for immigration reform—“Fixing a system that doesn’t work is a big thing that I think will restore and sustain economic growth for this country”—and voiced his support for Common Core standards, a verboten stance among Republican voters.

That put Tillis in the uncomfortable position of needing to distance himself from his advocate, telling Bush that—on immigration—“You have to make it clear that amnesty shouldn’t be on the table,” and attacking the federal Department of Education as “a bureaucracy of 5,000 people in Washington.”

The New York Times called this “rough,” and it was—the tone-deaf showing of an amateur. Which gets to the problem of Jeb Bush.

At every turn, the former Florida governor is hailed as a savior for the Republican Party, and for good reason. Even with the baggage of his brother, he brings powerful advantages, from the network of the Bush dynasty and fundraising prowess, to policy chops, potential Latino support (on account of his time in Florida), and the enthusiasm of the GOP establishment.

But as almost anyone can tell you, there’s a huge step between “good on paper” and good, and, judging from his recent performance, it’s hard to say that Bush stands as a genuinely good candidate. Instead, he seems like a cipher—a vessel for the hopes and wishes of wealthy Republican donors, who fear another cycle of embarrassing candidates and lackluster campaigns.

The Tillis affair is representative of Bush’s flaws as a candidate. A more talented politician would have tailored his message to his audience. Indeed, it doesn’t take a savant to know that—if you’re supportive—immigration and Common Core are areas to avoid with a conservative audience. But then, Bush isn’t in the same world as rivals like Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Rand Paul, or even Gov. Chris Christie.

It’s possible that Bush could abandon this and shape himself into a warrior for Republican conservatism. But I doubt it. As a major advocate for Common Core (his Foundation for Excellence has collected millions from pro–Common Core groups) and immigration reform, he’s too removed from the world of conservative politics to adapt. And even if he could make the shift, he’d have to stand against more genuine competitors like Sen. Marco Rubio and (potentially) Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Put another way, even after Bush flipped on a path to citizenship last year, he was still behind the curve on anti-immigration rhetoric.

Here are the facts: Jeb Bush has been out of the political game for almost a decade. If he had the intensity of a Richard Nixon or a Ronald Reagan—who had long respites from national politics before winning the presidency—it would be different. But he hasn’t done the usual work of regular campaigning and fundraising that defines the active candidate. If there’s a fire that defines a presidential contender, he doesn’t seem to have it.

Yes, Republican elites want a champion. But in Jeb Bush, they don’t have a fighter, they have a Fred Thompson. For a genuine contender, they’ll have to look elsewhere.

Part of me almost - "almost" being the operative word - feels sorry for Jeb Bush.  He, rather than the Chimperator, should have been the candidate in 2000.  Had he run and won, I suspect that much of the batshitery that the Chimperator and Emperor Palpatine Cheney unleashed on America and the world might not have come to pass.  Now, however, Jeb is both haunted by the horrid legacy of his brother and a political party that has gone ever more insane as the influence of the Christofascists has grown even stronger.

Ad Targets Congressman Randy Forbes' Ties to Hate Group

Ken Cuccinelli is not the only Virginia Republican who seems only too willing to prostitute himself to far right anti-gay hate groups that also involve a strong undercurrent of racism and ties to white supremacy.  Another one of such Republicans is Congressman Randy Forbes whose district includes parts of Hampton Roads.  I've known Forbes for going on 39 years since law school days and he wasn't always in bed with the Christofascists and de facto racists.   But that was then and increasingly he has aligned himself with some of the nastiest groups in the anti-gay pantheon, including the American Family Association ("AFA").  But it isn't just gays that AFA seeks to denigrate and relegate to an inferior level of citizenship.  AFA spokesman Bryan Fischer has made heinous comments about Native Americans, non-whites, and of course immigrants.  Now, the non-profit group Faithful America, is conducting an online petition drive asking Forbes to cancel his speech at an AFA gathering later this week.  Here's are highlights from a statement from Faithful America:

Faithful America, a national Christian organization, is airing a new TV ad that calls on Virginia Congressman Randy Forbes to cancel his upcoming appearance at a Washington, D.C. luncheon sponsored by the American Family Association, a fringe hate group whose spokesman has blamed America for 9/11, claimed gays caused the Holocaust, said black people “rut like rabbits” and argued that women have no place in politics. Watch the new ad, “There’s nothing Christian about hate,” which is running this week in Virginia’s 4th Congressional District. 

 

“As founder and chair of the so-called Congressional Prayer Caucus, Rep. Randy Forbes holds up himself up as a Christian leader in Washington, D.C. But there's nothing Christian about the hateful rhetoric of the American Family Association. Thousands of Christians across America are calling on Rep. Forbes to cancel this appearance.” said Faithful America executive director Michael Sherrard.

The American Family Association and its spokesman, Bryan Fischer, have a long track record of extremism. During the last election, Mitt Romney confronted the group, calling out its “poisonous language” and lack of “decency.” The AFA has officially been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its outrageous and bigoted statements about gays, which include: “Homosexuality gave us Adolf Hitler, and homosexuals in the military gave us the Brown Shirts, the Nazi war machine and 6 million dead Jews.” 

Faithful America’s new TV ad comes on the heels of a national petition to Congressman Forbes, which was launched last week and so far has over 12,000 signatures.

Both the Virginian Pilot and the Richmond Times Dispatch have coverage of the effort.  Here are highlights from thre Pilot:

Progressive Christian activists are running TV ads urging U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes to cancel a Friday speech sponsored by a conservative Christian association that has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The Chesapeake Republican, a founder of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, is scheduled to speak at a $40-a-plate American Family Association luncheon. It is part of the 2013 Values Voter Summit, an annual three-day event in Washington sponsored by several conservative groups.

Its 30-second spot opens with a close-up of Forbes' face as a narrator says, "Congressman Randy Forbes talks a lot about his Christian faith, so why is he working with a hate group?"
 
It then switches to images of Bryan Fischer, host of an American Family Association radio show, citing comments Fischer has made that are disparaging of homosexuals, women and blacks.

"We're focusing on Rep. Forbes mostly because of his clear leadership on Christian issues in the House," Viles said. "The idea that you have a congressman who is constantly touting his Christian values giving credibility to an organization like this.... It doesn't smell like Christianity."

 Here is a sampling from the Richmond Times Dispatch:

Several human rights groups have called on Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, and other Republican legislators to cancel their speaking engagements at the Values Voter Summit in Washington this Friday, an event co-sponsored by the American Family Association and the Family Research Council, in Washington this Friday. Both organizations were categorized as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center because of “vilifying the LGBT community and spreading other forms of bigotry.”

“Public officials need to know the real ‘values’ they’re endorsing when they attend the Values Voter Summit,” said Heidi Beirich, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project. “Offensive and bigoted lies are not magically transformed into the truth just because a group with the word ‘family’ in its name keeps repeating them.”

The coalition letter was signed by the NAACP, the National Council of La Raza, Faithful America, GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, People For the American Way, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Dean Petrone, a spokesman for Forbes, said that the congressman has no intentions of changing his plans to attend the event.

My comment to my former classmate?  Randy, if you are really the sincere Christian that you claim to be - as opposed to a pandering whore groveling for votes from haters - you would cancel your appearance immediately.  If you fail to do so, it speaks volumes and none of it is good.  AFA, Family Research Council and their co-hosts are literally killing Christianity.
 

Ann "Marie Antoinette" Romney Booked to Speak at FRC Hate Fest

UPDATED: Ann Romney declines Value Voters hate fest appearance: Apparently, someone in the Romney-Ryan campaign woke up to the downside of Ann "Marie Antoinette" Romney appearing at the September 14th coven of haters being sponsored by three hate groups.  While appeasing the Christofascists and constituting a form of kneeling and kissing Tony Perkins' ring, her appearance would have done nothing but further reinforce the negative image of the GOP and Mitt Romney in particular disseminated through the GOP convention.  One has to wonder why she ever originally accepted the invitation.

Click image to enlarge

While Ann "Marie Antoinette" Romney recently refused to to answer questions about same-sex marriage and contraception which she dismissed as distractions "from what the real voting issue is going to be" in the November election, she is now booked to speak at the Family Research Council/Liberty Counsel/American Family Association sponsored "Values Voter Summit" on September 14th - an event that typically becomes a hate fest against gays, liberals, contraception/abortion and non-whites and immigrants.  Needless to say, it seems a bit bizarre that Marie Antoinette refused to address the issues that predominate the hate fest yet now will be a headliner at this always foul and divisive event.  Right Wing Watch looks at this development.  Here are highlights:

Ann Romney, the person tasked with humanizing her husband Mitt, is apparently scheduled to address a conference that dehumanizes others. I’m talking about the Values Voter Summit, which is hosted and sponsored by three Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate groups – the Family Research Council, American Family Association and Liberty Counsel.The National Journal Daybook and Values Voter Summit website both list Ann Romney on the schedule.

Notably absent from the list is Cardinal Timothy Dolan, whose spokesperson pointedly declined FRC’s invitation. Yet there Ann Romney is.

It’s an odd move by the Romney campaign. They’ve previously deployed her to show the softer side of Mitt. Now they’re sending her to stand on stage with a man who paid $83,000 to use David Duke’s mailing list and addressed a white supremacist group while in public office. The same person – Tony Perkins – also praised a law in Uganda to execute gays and warned senators they would have “the blood of innocent soldiers on their hands” if they repealed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Ryan and Ann Romney, if she appears, will be speaking on stage with Perkins in a lineup that includes Kirk Cameron and Michele Bachmann. They’ll be kicking off a conference that features a who’s who of Todd Akin backers (e.g. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Steve King) and anti-Muslim McCarthyites (e.g. Frank Gaffney and Jerry Boykin). And, of course, there will be gay-bashers – featured speakers like Perkins and Liberty Counsel’s Mat Staver, who recently defended Malawi’s law criminalizing homosexuality. They would push for the same thing here in America if they thought they could pull it off. In fact, FRC’s Peter Sprigg and the American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer have already done so.

One can only assume that Mitt Romney is so desperate to firm up the Christofascist vote that he's literally willing to prostitute his wife to some of the vilest individuals in the GOP if not the country. The question is, does Marie Antoinette realize that she's being offered up like some kind of tawdry whore to these people?  People that would seem to be within her "you people" remark but for the color of their skin.

Will GOP Extremists Sink the GOP in 2012

After a weekend of undisguised batshitery and bigotry at the so-called "Values Voter Summit" - which might be better described as a mix of the Klu Klux Klan meets the Inquisition - the questions remains of whether or not a somewhat sane GOP standard bearer can win the nomination for 2012. The extremists in the Christian Right/Tea Party camp remain decidedly against Romney in significant part because he's "not a Christian" but also because he doesn't obviously drink Kool-Aid by the pitcher full. The GOP leadership that in past years cynically pandered to the unhinged and those who want to return society to the times of the Salem Witch Trials now is faced with the possibility that a viable candidate will be difficult to nominate because the insane asylum inmates have taken over too much of the GOP. Meanwhile, moderates and those who are not comfortable with unbridled religious extremism have fled, A piece in the Washington Post looks at the GOP quandary. Here are some excerpts:

There is a key bloc of Republican voters whose ambivalence has turned the GOP nomination contest into an erratic mix of roller-coaster ride and dating game. . . . . The one point on which they have been most consistent, however, is their resistance to the candidate who has been making his case the longest: former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

The anti-Romney activists, many of whom identify with the tea party movement, say they are hesitant about Romney because they simply do not trust his conservative credentials, recalling his past support of abortion rights and a health-care mandate.

Many Republican donors and establishment figures have flocked to the former Massachusetts governor in the days since Christie said he would not run, arguing that Romney is the strongest and most electable GOP candidate. In interviews over the past several days, key anti-establishment party activists say they are reevaluating the Republican field now that Christie and Palin have said they aren’t running . . . .

Rhodes [of the Iowa Tea Party], who attacked Romney as a “liberal,” says he is sticking for now with Bachmann. But the Minnesota lawmaker’s declining fortunes illustrate how many Republicans have ironclad beliefs about conservative policy but very mutable feelings about their candidates.

Bachmann’s support dropped from 26 percent in July to 7 percent in a survey this month. Perry plunged from 45 percent last month to 18 percent in October after a series of lackluster debate performances and controversial remarks on immigration.

The Republican field is effectively divided into two groups of candidates, with Romney and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman Jr. on the more moderate end, and Bachmann, Cain, Perry and others competing for the most conservative voters.

Some anti-Romney Republicans are beginning to acknowledge that their votes could be divided, leading to a Romney victory. “If Romney wins, it would show the weakness of us as a movement,” said Deace of conservatives.

But other Republicans remain confident that the party’s anti-establishment wing will eventually find a champion who will compete in a long primary battle with the former Massachusetts governor.

I love the way the media describes the Tea Party crowd as "conservative." Insane, ignorant, bigoted and delusional are all far better adjectives.

Mat Staver: Gays Threaten Survival of Western Civilization

The "Value Voters Summit" continues to provide an endless stream of venom and batshitery as a who's who of Christianist hate groups spews attacks on LGBT citizens, Muslims, immigrants and pretty much anyone who isn't a white Christianist that wants to see an overthrow of the U.S. Constitution and its replacement by the Christianist version of Sharia law. One of the speakers at the coven of haters was Matt Staver from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia - a true blight on Virginia and an example of the mindset that is holding Virginia back from more widespread prosperity (more on that in a future post). Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin looks at Staver's ridiculous statements and has a great come back. First, the batshitery from Staver:

We are facing the survival of western values, western civilization. And I think those survival, whether they win or lose, what will the future of America be will be determined in our lifetime…. One of the most significant threats to our freedom is in the area of sexual anarchy with the agenda of the homosexual movement, the so-called LGBT movement. It does several things, first of all it undermines family and the very first building block of our society, but secondly, it’s a zero sum game as well and it’s a direct assault on our religious freedom and freedom of speech.

Jim Burroway correctly summarizes that it is Staver and the Christianist religious extremists who pose the greatest danger to western civilization. Staver and those of his ilk would happily turn western civilization back to a level last seen in the Middle Ages before the rise of the Renaissance. And as for religious freedom, no one would have it except the Christianists who seek to rule like jack booted Nazi storm troopers. Here's highlights from Jim's reply:

Do you really want to know what threatens the survival of Western Civilization? Well, if one of the great pillars of Western Civilization is the rule of law, then Staver’s Liberty Counsel and law school pose a far greater threat to Western Civilization than treating all people equally. Members of Staver’s organizations have been implicated in facilitating the kidnapping of then- seven-year-old Isabella Miller-Jenkins, in defiance of a court order ordering Isabella’s mother, Lisa Miller, to turn custody of the child over to her other mother from a civil union, Janet Jenkins, after Miller refused to follow to previous court orders granting visitation rights. There is considerable evidence that Miller may be following the advice of legal counsel in defying the courts’ rulings. Teachers at Staver’s law school presented a case study that was remarkably similar to the Miller-Jenkins case, and taught students that, as future lawyers, they should encourage their clients to chose “God’s law” over “man’s law” and defy the legal system.

If there is a threat to Western Civilization, it’s posed by those who would impose legal anarchy to further their narrow religious agenda in open defiance of the law.

Oh, and don't forget that many historians blame Christianity as one of the causes of the fall of the western Roman Empire - not the gays the Christiansts like Staver and Bryan Fischer so love to blame.

Romney Calls Out Bryan Fischer's Bigotry

While he did not call out Bryan Fischer by name, Mitt Romney did condemn the vilest of the Christianist demagoguery while addressing the coven of haters at the "Value Voters Summit." While it would have been preferable for Romney to have boycotted the event entirely, at least he said something about the toxicity of some of the leading merchants of division. Right Wing Watch has the video clip and here's part of what Romney had to say:

Our values ennoble the citizen, and they strengthen the nation. We should remember that decency and civility are values too. One of the speakers who will follow me today, has crossed that line I think. Poisonous language does not advance our cause. It has never softened a single heart nor changed a single mind. The blessings of faith carry the responsibility of civil and respectful debate. The task before us is to focus on the conservative beliefs and the values that unite us – let no agenda, narrow our vision or drive us apart.

It goes without saying that trying to constantly denigrate others and inflict a hate and fear based theocracy on all citizens doesn't exactly jive with "civil and respectful debate." Not surprisingly, Romney's comments were not followed by thunderous applause. FRC and AFA are all about poisonous language and the endangerment of hatred. The Gospel Pharisees look like pretty nice people in comparison.

"Values Voter Summit 2010" - A Coven of Christofascists

The ever toxic Family Research Council is hosting its 2010 gathering of Christofascists and far right extremists and the agenda of these folks ought to make rational, thinking Americans cringe. Especially if one is Hispanic or LGBT. When you listen to the rhetoric of these people one thing is clear: they want a WHITE, CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN nation. No one else is welcome in their world in which they want to impose their "Biblical world view" on every level of government. Here are the 2010 break out topics:
*
* Who's Politicizing Science? The Obama Administration's War on* American Apocalypse--When Christians Do Nothing, Secularists Do Everything--The Case for Christian Activism
* Indivisible: Social and Economic Foundations of American Liberty
* Social Justice: Am I My Brother's Keeper?
* The Falsehood of the Inevitablity of Same-Sex "Marriage"
* The Economic Impact of Illegal Immigration
* How to Reach the Online Generation (Without Losing Your Soul)
* Against the Odds: Real Students Making Real Change
* A Special Polling Presentation: Who are Tea Party and Christian Voters and What Do They Believe?
* Establishing a Culture Impact Team In Your Church
* Why Christians Should Support Israel
* Getting Out the Vote on Election Day
* Who's Politicizing Science? The Obama Administration's War on Life

*
If there's any war going on, its the "value voters'" war on the U. S. Constitution and the rights of other citizens. These people are truly the Christian Taliban - and the present a clear and present danger to constitutional government. The list of other dangerous organizations backing this event can be found here.

McCain Sends Out Robocall hitting Mitt - And Using Gay Baithing

Politico.com is reporting (http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0108/McCain_sends_out_harsh_robocall_hitting_Mitt_from_Right.html) that in Florida, John McCain is now using Bill Clinton type tactics on Romney. Don't get me wrong, Mitt IS a major league flip flopper, but bashing him for treating gays as citizens deserving equality and freedom from discrimination is pretty creepy in my book. Would that we could flush all the sleaze and dirty tactics from political campaigns in this country. I truly would like to just pack up and leave this hate filled country at times. Just to live in a country where I would not feel like disposable campaign fodder would be so refreshing. Here are some highlights:

John McCain launched perhaps the toughest robocall yet here this afternoon, using a woman's voice to attack Romney on abortion and gay rights and to claim he has treated "social issues v"Mitt Romney thinks he can fool us," says the voice.

"We care deeply about traditional values and protecting families. And we need someone who will not waver in the White House: Ending abortion, preserving the sanctity of marriage, stopping the trash on the airwaves and attempts to ban God from every corner of society. These issues are core to our being.

"He supported abortion on demand, even allowed a law mandating taxpayer-funding for abortion. He says he changed his mind, but he still hasn’t changed the law. He told gay organizers in Massachusetts he would be a stronger advocate for special rights than even Ted Kennedy. Now, it’s something different."voters as fools."

Wing Nuts Berate The GOP "Gutless Wonders"

I love it when the fundies and hard right GOP start bashing each other. One can only hope that in 2008 the wingnuts will be sufficiently disillusioned by gay baiting politicians that they stay home on election day. Here's a portion of a rant by Joseph Farah (pictured at left) from World Net Daily (which clearly has an alternate view of the Universe) focused on GOP presidential candidates who passed up on attending the "Value Voters Debate":

Would you elect a man president of the United States who was afraid of tough questioning from Phyllis Schlafly or Star Parker? Would you consider voting for a man who had better things to do than to talk to an audience of millions concerned about the assault on family values? What would you say to front-running GOP presidential candidates who take your vote for granted because they think you have nowhere to go?

These are some of the questions you should be pondering today as we get ready for a Republican presidential debate next Monday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – a debate in which four major contenders will be conspicuously absent. They are: Willard "Mitt" Romney, Rudolph Giuliani, John McCain and Fred Thompson. Isn't it amazing how scheduling conflicts and other business kept all four of these so-called front-runners from talking directly to people like Isn't it amazing how scheduling conflicts and other business kept all four of these so-called front-runners from talking directly to people like Donald Wildmon and James Dobson and Paul Weyrich and Rick Scarborough? ?

What I find amazing (and frightening) is that Isn't it amazing how scheduling conflicts and other business kept all four of these so-called front-runners from talking directly to people like Donald Wildmon, James Dobson, Paul Weyrich and Rick Scarborough think they should get to anoint the GOP nominee.