|
|
|
Jewish World Review May 24, 2005 / 15 Iyar, 5765 The symbolic battle for Santorum's seat By Kathryn Lopez
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
If you believe the political Left, Rick Santorum is public enemy No.
1. But watch them try to get Pennsylvania voters to agree with them.
Republican Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania's junior senator, usually
gets coverage for supporting the federal marriage amendment and
opposing abortion. Up for reelection next year, Santorum is the
Democrat's top target for the midterm election. And, barring some
dramatic change in campaign events, he's going to have a steep
uphill battle. An April Quinnipiac poll had Santorum 14 points
behind his likely Democratic opponent.
v
On their team, the Democrats are marketing a familiar face — or, at
least, name. Robert Casey Jr. is son of the late Pennsylvania
Democratic governor who was ostracized by his party for his vehement
opposition to abortion: He wasn't allowed to speak at the 1992
Democratic convention. Instead, the Bill Clinton convention gave
speaking slots to six abortion-supporting Republican women. Casey
Sr. had a tough road and never backed down.
Casey Jr., Pennsylvania's state treasurer, is, like Santorum, a
pro-life Catholic (he's also against gay marriage but doesn't want a
Constitutional debate over it). Casey Jr., the presumptive nominee
for his party, is hoping that and his name carries him a lot further
than it should. And it might. But that would be unfortunate. You
see, they don't make Caseys like they used to.
When Casey has spoken about the abortion issue, he doesn't approach
Santorum's passion, though Democrats who worry about such things
hope the "pro-life" descriptor neutralizes discussion.
A few feminist abortion groups have done a little grumbling about
his position on their issue, but backed by the likes of leading
Senate Democratic obstructionist Charlie Schumer of New York, Casey
has made his loyalties clear. Rather than being a fresh voice,
singing a "break the gridlock" kinda tone, Casey fits in lockstep
with the current Democratic senatorial club.
President Bush's judge nominee Priscilla Owen has been waiting for
confirmation for over four years now, largely over a
parental-notification (barring minors from getting abortions without
a parent's permission) ruling. Instead of being miffed at the unfair
delay she and others like her are subject to, largely because of
abortion and religion, Casey is mimicking Democratic senators'
talking points. He's against changing the filibuster rule because it
"forces bipartisanship."
But anyone who has been hearing the "nuclear" talk on Capitol Hill
knows so-called forced bipartisanship doesn't cut it.
Meanwhile, pro-life Republicans would be foolish to embrace Casey if
they actually want their agenda advanced across the board, and
voters looking for an independent thinker should know that Santorum
doesn't neatly fit the right-wing stereotype.
He's done a lot of notable work beyond abortion and gay marriage
that doesn't get as much play in the media. He's been a leader in
the effort to advance religious liberty throughout the world,
heading a bipartisan congressional working group involving both
House and Senate members. Recent focus has been on the plight of
Sudanese refugees; Iraqi Christians' struggle as a minority; and the
squelching of religion (and much else) in China and North Korea.
Believe it or not, in 2004, the political magazine National Journal
rated Santorum "slightly to the left of the GOP center." He's been a
proponent of raising the minimum wage; he's reconsidering his
support of the death penalty.
At the end of the day — even though his Santorum's style may not be
your cup of tea, he's a good guy who has risen quickly to be a party
leader (at 46, he ranks third among Senate Republicans).
And to be honest: I'm a card-carrying member of the "Vast Right Wing
Conspiracy" and even I don't always agree with Santorum. National
Review gave him plenty of grief during the last election cycle for
supporting his colleague, Arlen Specter, a liberal Republican, in
the Pennsylvania primary. I understand why Santorum did what he did
— it was the collegial thing to do and there was a presidential
race hanging in the balance, but I'm still a little miffed.
But it's another election now. And the Pennsylvania Senate race is
the eye of the storm in 2006. "This race is about Republican control
of the Senate, not so much for control in 2006, but for 2008 and
beyond," says Cesar Conda, a former adviser to Dick Cheney. "The
Left recognizes it — that's why MoveOn.org and other Democrat 527s
will be pouring millions of dollars into Pennsylvania." A winning
takedown strategy would make Santorum only the first of many.
The Pennsylvania race is about a lot more than Pennsylvania. Voters
in every state would be wise to bear that in mind in the coming
months as they watch the "Vast Left Wing Conspiracy" move into the
Keystone state to take down the senator the media most loves to
hate.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Comment by clicking here.
© 2005, Newspaper Enterprise Assn. |
Arnold Ahlert | |||||||||||
