An interesting debate going on right now on National Review Online's "The Corner", concerning Rudy Giuliani and other candidates, and who's a conservative. NR's Mark Levin says this: "I believe you are trying to focus us in a way that seeks to limit our observations about Rudy and the meaning of conservatism. I don't blame you. As I said, however, taking conservative positions on certain issues, such as law enforcement, doesn't make you a conservative, in my view. Is Joe Lieberman a conservative because he's strong on national security? I don't know anyone who defines conservatism by cherry-picking issues. I understand why some candidates try it — in fact, to some extent, they're all doing it. But we need not. And my point, underscored by your concluding paragraph, is that Rudy's supporters insist that we do so — as they must. And that's okay, but I dissent. Let me put it this way: what is Rudy's political philosophy? He repeatedly refers to Ronald Reagan, he has appointed Ted Olson to head his judicial advisory committee, but apart from trying to glean his political philosophy through association, what is it?"
Well, but---don't we almost always have to "cherry-pick" issues? Even our greatest American conservative icons, such as Frank Meyer or Russell Kirk, disagreed when on issues, on emphasis, on some fundamentals. James Burnham once endorsed Medicare. Ronald Reagan once as governor of California agreed to tax increases and liberalized abortion laws. Were none of those guys conservatives?
K-Lo at NRO had a very good point on all this: Rudy as nominee is going to be a problem for a pro-life party — and I obviously encourage people to figure out a solution to that (he either won't be the nominee and someone pro-life will be or Rudy will have to try to solve the problem by teaming up with a pro-lifer with some gravitas —and the promise of a bit of a domestic portfolio — as his veep) but Sean's bottom line is a worthwhile one to bear in mind as friends get hot and angry in 2007: Most of us are going to be uniting behind one of these guys a few months down the road. Hillary must be stopped.
