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Religious Right Has Lost Its Muscle

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By BILL PRESS Tribune Media Services

Published: January 2, 2008

No matter who becomes the next president of the United States, the American people have already won a great victory - with the total disintegration of the once all-powerful religious right.

Starting in 1979, when Jerry Falwell founded the Moral Majority, Christian conservatives have been the most powerful voting bloc in the Republican party. Ironically, they began by casting out of the White House a born-again Christian who continued, as president, his life-long practice of teaching Sunday school, and replacing him with a divorced and remarried man who seldom stepped inside a church.

But of course, Jimmy Carter was a Democrat, and Ronald Reagan was a Republican. And by staying united, the religious right has been able ever since to exercise its veto power over Republican candidates and dictate the issues - abortion, same-sex marriage, stem cell research and school prayer - they would campaign on. Until, that is, the presidential campaign of 2008.

Today, the religious right has splintered into as many different factions as O. J. Simpson has alibis. Unable to find one candidate who fits the bill of being both true-blue on the issues and electable, America's ayatollahs have divided their loyalties. Indeed, in some cases, they've even declared war against each other.

The National Right to Life League has endorsed Fred Thompson, even though he opposes a constitutional amendment to ban Roe vs. Wade and admits he only goes to church when visiting his mother while James Dobson says he's not even sure Thompson qualifies as a Christian. Sam Brownback has endorsed John McCain, who once called Jerry Falwell an "agent of intolerance." And Bob Jones III and Moral Majority Co-Founder Paul Weyrich have even endorsed a Mormon, because they think Mitt Romney is the only one who can beat Hillary Clinton.

Meanwhile, Mike Huckabee, the only ordained Baptist minister in the race, is almost totally ignored by his fellow Christians because, even though Huckabee scores 100 percent on the issues, they don't think he has a snowball's chance in Hell of winning. Huckabee's only evangelical endorsement comes from Tim LaHaye, co-author of the "Left Behind" novels - which may be the appropriate title for Huckabee's campaign.

And, in one of the most bizarre pairings in politics, Pat Robertson, who blamed gays for Sept. 11 and prayed for a meteor to strike Disney World's gay pride parade, has endorsed Rudy Giuliani - perhaps because he's counting on Giuliani to assassinate Hugo Chavez. James Dobson has said he will never vote for Giuliani, even if it means staying home. But the fact remains that, with Robertson's help, the Republican party could very well nominate him.

Bill Press is a columnist for Tribune Media Services.

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