Blogs For Victory

Allahpundit has the story of Palin’s Hannity-show endorsement of Christine O’Donnell in the Delaware GOP Senate primary (with audio link) – and if you listen to the audio, it is clear that Palin is just determined to endorse, in race after race, the most conservative candidate running. A lot of cyber-ink is being spilled over what this – and other – Palin endorsements mean. I think it means she’s got a conservative world-view and wants it advanced. Never ignore the possibility – even in politics – that someone is just doing what they think is right.

The big heartache here is the story that O’Donnell’s GOP opponent, Mike Castle, is the only candidate who can win. This view is held by both the GOP Establishment as well as a very large selection of conservative New Media. Nominate O’Donnell, goes the talking point, and we just about ensure the Democrats retain the seat – and that might even be the 50th seat the Democrats need to retain their majority. Castle, of course, is a RINO – something acknowledged by pretty much everybody. He voted for Cap and Trade and quibbles about moves to repeal ObamaCare on grounds that Obama will veto it.

It is an odd formulation, to say the least, to believe that something shouldn’t be done because its certain the other side will try to stop it. Aside from being just plain weird, it is also tactically unsound – it means that we’ll only go for things we think Obama likely to support. We’re not supposed to be surrendering on issues – we’re supposed to be relentlessly pressing Obama and his Democrats. Harrying them day and night and forcing them to either back down, or defend their absurd views to the electorate. That is, this is what we should be doing – if we are really trying to advance conservatism.

Are we trying to advance conservatism? Are we conservatives, at all? Do we believe that we have rights endowed by God? Do we believe in limited government? Are we insistent upon a strict interpretation of the original intent of the Constitution? Well, are we? If you answer those questions with a “yes”, then the only possible move is to back only those candidates who agree. To do otherwise just to secure someone with an “R” after their name is a negation of all we work for…all it does is ensure that in the by and by we’ll have another GOP Congress like that of 2005…and do I need to remind everyone where that wound up?

This is not to say that everyone on our side has to toe a particular line – as I’ve noted before, I’m as conservative as they come, but I’m opposed to the death penalty and I want what amounts to amnesty for at least part of the illegal population; not exactly in line with most conservatives, right? We can tolerate in our movement people like me. We can also work around a libertarian leaning conservative who has no problem with gay marriage. We can additionally deal well with someone who doesn’t want an outright ban on abortion. Heck, it is not even outside the realm of possibility to have a fellow conservative who might want a tax increase, or more money spent on social programs. But what a conservative must be is someone who strictly believes in the ideals embodied in the Declaration of Independence while also being a stickler for obeying the Constitution as it is written.

Mike Castle? He backed Cap and Trade – a horrific, unconstitutional usurpation of the rights of the American people. He doesn’t seem enthusiastic about repealing ObamaCare – a horrific, unconstitutional usurpation of the rights of the American people. Don’t get me wrong – Castle has his good points. I’d be delighted for conservatism to work with him in areas of mutual agreement…but after the Specter mess, I’m simply not inclined to just put another RINO in the Senate in order to possibly secure a GOP majority. Castle’s problem is not that he’s a bad man (he’s not); its not that he doesn’t have any good ideas (he does have some), but that he doesn’t grasp the crucial battle of our times – a fundamental conflict of visions about what government is for and what the rights of the people are. Given this, it is almost a certainty that when the chips are down and its time to stand firm for basic, American principles, Castle will defect to the Democrats and give them bi-partisan cover for some usurpation or other.

Sarah Palin understands this – in fact, of all the potential 2012 GOP candidates, she’s the only one who seems to understand it completely (here even Christie has faltered – endorsing Castle). The only person one can claim as a RINO endorsement by Palin was of John McCain – who shifted very hard towards the conservative position and, hey, he was the guy who picked Palin as VP…and loyalty is a two way street. Other than that, Palin has simply been doing all she can to ensure the largest number of people are exposed to the conservative message. Even in Delaware – because if Delaware has problems (and it does), then only conservatism will cure them…just because they routinely vote heavily liberal doesn’t mean we can’t ever reach them. And any attempt to convert States like Delaware will have to have a first step. This is it.

And this is what we must do – always seek out the most conservative candidate and do our best. Out here in Nevada, that resulted in me backing Mike Montandon in the GOP gubernatorial primary. He was, in my view, the most conservative. He lost; and now I’m backing the GOP nominee, Brian Sandoval, because between him and Harry’s little boy, Rory, it is Sandoval who is clearly the most conservative candidate. And so it will be with Delaware – conservatives should rally ’round O’Donnell…and if the good people of Delaware opt for Mike Castle, then it will be our duty as Republicans to rally ’round him…because, flaws and all, he’s still going to be miles ahead of the liberal the Democrats are set to nominate. Politics remains the art of the possible and half a loaf is better than none – but this doesn’t mean we eagerly go after the half a loaf, when the full loaf beckons.

And if O’Donnell wins the primary and then loses in the general? Then so be it – Reagan ran and lost before going on to run and and win the Presidency. Rome wasn’t built in a day – and neither will a reformed, conservative America be built in one election cycle. But win or lose, with Castle or O’Donnell, if we do this right then we’ll still have made our statement – we’ll still have made our point: that conservatism is good and true and is what America, even Delaware, needs. And even in a loss, the seeds of conservatism in Delaware will be a bit more firmly planted, to reap a rich harvest in later years and different elections.