The Daily Digest

Rosie O'Donnell vs. Elisabeth Hasselbeck

You've heard of book reviews. Now get ready for Web site reviews. Alan Rosenblatt of techPresident reviews Bill Richardson's, a redesigned version of which the candidate unveiled concurrent with his official, presidential announcement. Rosenblatt's verdict: the site is "clearly good and potentially great."

Rudy's position on Roe v. Wade may be "perfectly reasonable," as Charles Krauthammer argues, but John Dickerson points out the difference between being pro-choice and very pro-choice (my links): "He supported public funding for abortion in New York, made donations to Planned Parenthood, and backed partial-birth abortions."

Considering that the name "Jerry Falwell" probably raised far more money for the left than for the right, liberals may come to mourn Falwell's death. John Pitney explains: "[H]is name remained a fixture in liberal speeches and fund-raising letters long after his actual power had shrunk. When he endorsed school choice and opposed abortion, liberals cited his position as a reason for taking the other side. When he supported Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court, Senator John Kerry mentioned him and other conservatives in a floor speech: 'This right-wing reaction can only mean one thing: They know what kinds of opinions Judge Alito will issue in line with their extreme ideology.'"

Steve Chapman explains why Monica Goodling's recent congressional testimony was so appalling: "Considered in the most flattering light, the [U.S. Attorney] firings showed a process that was sloppy, amateurish and poorly informed, with no one in charge and no one responsible for the ultimate decisions. At worst, it revealed a highly politicized atmosphere that elevated partisan goals above fuddy-duddy concerns like honest law enforcement."

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The Daily Digest

White House staff and presidential aides disembarking from Air Force One in New York City

Bill Richardson describes himself a "market-oriented Democrat." Certainly, he's the most conservative D running for president. By contrast, his party's front-runner, Hillary Clinton, in 1996, said she agreed that "[t]he unfettered free market has been the most radically disruptive force in American life in the last generation."

Before he decided run for president, Tommy Thompson boasted an impressive resume and reputation. But each time he appears in a debate, he diminishes himself.

Approximately one-third of Americans describe themselves as evangelicals. But I often wonder to what extent these people share the views of their alleged political leaders in the religious right? In short, is the influence of the Robertson-Dobson-Falwell axis overstated? Fortunately, Right Wing Watch, a blog from People for the American Way, dug up the evidence for me. Its conclusion: at least with respect to Robertson, these guys are still very much a force to be reckoned with.

Interesting footnote: Falwell disapproved of Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil-rights activism because “preachers are not called to be politicians, but soul-winners.” The “secular” excesses of the 1960s, however, were much too much for him, prompting him to found Moral Majority Inc.

Update (6/4): The Post reports that "[i]n the view of many social conservatives, their organizational structures—from megachurches to Christian colleges, broadcasting networks and public interest law firms—have never been stronger."

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