[Grunthor]

“Kathleen Parker broadens the point considerably beyond abortion: “The evangelical, right-wing, oogedy-boogedy branch of the GOP”

This woman has done far more harm to the conservative cause over the last three months than any Democrat has.

[TommyDale]

If the GOP thinks the Evangelicals are a drag, we can go elsewhere. Sayonara.

[jveritas]

Is the heart essential to the body? Yes and so are Evangelicals essential to the Republican Party.

[cripplecreek]

Ignore them again and see how it works.

[Tarpon]

Maybe we should all get together and form our own party ...

[puroresu]

A good friend of mine (let's call him Bob) is convinced that unless the GOP puts abortion "aside as its focal point, it simply cannot win and regain power."

They said the same thing after the 1992 elections, dubbed by the media as "The Year of the Woman". There was also a Kathleen Parker type pundit that year, though he was a male. His name was Kevin Phillips. He had been a GOP pundit for years, but he became a media darling in 1992 by predicting the GOP would die unless it dumped the religious right, particularly the pro-lifers. Not many people today remember Kevin Phillips. Kathleen Parker should prepare for a similar fate.

[sionnsar]

I am hardly an Evangelical, but if the GOP abandons abortion as an issue (what’s this “focal point”?) my support drops further.

[DiogenesLaertius]

This woman is a retard and should be ignored.

That being said, her argument isn’t completely without merit. Voting coaltions based on social preferences is not an enduring coalition. Only economic conditions are enduring.

The GOP didn’t lose because of abortion; it lost because it lost credibility on the economy, the tax issue, and on fiscal conservatism.

Still ignoring a voting block that represents 26% of the electorate and breaks almost 3 to 1 towards the GOP is probably the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my life.

Maybe we should just give up on the south as well and fall back to conservatism’s last redoubt in Oklahoma and Kansas.

[Repeal The 17th]

The republican party - agree on anything?
The republican party - come together and vote in a bloc?
It just ain’t gonna happen.
Too many splinters.
Too many haters.
Too many one-issue voters.
It’s like herding cats.
We are therefore doomed.
“We have seen the enemy and he is us.” - pogo

[DirtyHarryY2K]

Ping.
Get a load of this nonsense...

[Ingtar]

She wants to boot 25-40% of the Party in hopes of gaining a couple percent of the middle. Brilliant!

[LibFreeOrDie]

"we've lost a majority of women over this issue as they have become one-issue voters."

Ah, I see... It's OK if women are one-issue voters over abortion, but bad if conservatives and evangelicals are.

I'm a pro-life conservative atheist who is disgusted at the cr*p piled on "the religious right" by the media, RINOs, and libs.

[Vaquero]

there was a chunk of them (evangelicals and other staunch conservatives) missing during the election. If McQueeg had not been the standard bearer, we might have won this fishing tournament.

as it was Sarahcuda made it a horse race...

[Brett66]

Parker is a traitor, she has no say in what the GOP should do.

Explain how you are different from a dem if you’re for abortion.

McCain being unable to differentiate himself from Obama was why he lost.

The strongest arguments against Obama came from Palin, McCain just made grunting sounds about reaching across the aisle when what we are wanting is someone that will fight, someone that will articulate what conservatism is about.

[DirtyHarryY2K]

I will NEVER vote for a pro choice rep (national or local, ever.

[fortunate sun]

Evangelicals put Jimmy Carter into the White House.
The Evangelicals sat home for George H. W. Bush, Bob Dole and John McCain.
Those are the facts.
Essential, yes. Dependable, no.

[mozarky2]

Pity poor Ms. Parker. She’s all aglow at the moment from her recognition and praise from the left. Problem is, they’re through with her and will be discarding her soon. She’s served her purpose. On top of all that, the right doesn’t want her back. Her career is circling the bowl.

[ReneeLynn]

Right on, David.

[bilhosty]

They are both. Conservatives have different flavors and when we get over identified with one of them it causes a loss of the other flavors. Also politics is frankly more cultural then ideology. We are losing everyplace outside of the evangelical, southern and small town culture. On the other hand they are absloutely essential to us. We need a new fusion and leaders who can balance them all.

[truthandlife]

When conservative Christians don’t come out and vote REPUBLICANS LOSE (McCain, 2006 Congress, Dole, Bush Sr 2nd term).