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TC: Let me get away from details for a second. Describe your vision for the future of the conservative movement. And what’s it going to take to get there? Two years from now, where do you see the conservative movement being? Pence: I think the conservative movement two years from now will be where it is today, where it was 50 years ago, and where it will be 50 years from now. It will be a strong and steady belief among millions of Americans in limited government, fiscal discipline, a strong defense, and traditional moral values. I hold to the view that while Washington and political movements make great pretenses, the real conservative movement is fixed in the American ideals of the overwhelming majority of our country. I think that when Ronald Reagan won 49 of our states, it was not because he necessarily expressed the ideals of any particular party, but he expressed American ideals of limited government, individual responsibility, a strong defense, and traditional moral values. And he did that unapologetically. And I think to the extent that our movement rises or falls, it will be exclusively based on the clarity with which we articulate what is in the hearts of the overwhelming majority of the American people. TC: Is there somebody that can articulate that as well as Reagan did—a contemporary? Pence: There are many effective voices in the conservative movement. But in terms of someone who currently is in a position of national prominence, I haven’t yet heard any of our leaders sound a clear call for limited government, a strong military, and traditional moral values. I’m listening hard. Those men and women who will enter the fray for the Republican nomination, may find their voice. But like millions of other ordinary Americans, I’m listening. And I haven’t heard the unapologetic expression of American ideals in any of the voices on the national scene or in our party. TC: I think you will find a lot of sympathy from our readers on that point. I think that’s one thing we hear over and over again: where is the contemporary Ronald Reagan? What do you think about conservatism down the line? What do you see as maybe the one or two single greatest threats to conservatism? Pence: I think that allowing ourselves the believes that big government is good government if it is out government is the single greatest danger to the conservative movement today. True conservatives understand that as government expands freedom contracts. Regardless of who is in charge. It is inherent in the nature of government that is gets bigger and more intrusive and more expensive. That is precisely why our Founders and every great American leader who has embraced the principles of limited government have understood that government that governs least governs best…and fought to restrain the size and growth of government at the federal level. To the extent that we lose focus on that…then I think we have ceased to be a movement that is grounded on the cornerstone of the constitutional republic enshrined in our founding documents. TC: Yeah, at that point you are no longer true to yourselves any more. I agree… Pence: Well its true and I will say one other threat is if we continue down a path of timidity with regard to the sanctity of life and the sanctity of marriage. I don’t have much enthusiasm for talking about being a quote “culture of life”…I tend to think that the American people long for leaders who will look them in the eye and tell them plainly that human life is sacred, that marriage is sacred and that the supreme law of this land ought to reflect those timeless truths in our society. I haven’t had much patience for that timidity. I tend to believe that we greatly over estimate the sensitivity that voters – even voters who may be willing to accept some form of legal abortion about when we mention these things. I was always moved when Ronald Reagan – if you read his early speeches he often began his speeches in front of service organizations and business groups by saying that “I am going to say some hard things, and I want to warn you in advance that I am going to say them.” Every time I heard Ronald Reagan speak – when I was an active Republican in the 80’s and I got to be around the President more than once – he always, invariably brought up the indelicate matter of core values. Whatever venue he was in front of he demonstrated, maybe with just a single line, the courage of his convictions. And I think that what we fail to understand is that people respect people who are candid, straightforward and respectful about precisely what they believe, and they inherently don’t respect people who use weasel words and mumbling phrases to avoid giving offense. Ronald Reagan personified the grace and the truth that is necessary for true leadership. He spoke the truth, but he spoke it with grace. To the extent that our movement and our Party continue to shy away from speaking boldly and plainly about the sanctity of life and the sanctity of marriage that we do so at our peril. http://www.townhall.com/blogs/capitolreport/TimChapman/story/2006/01/03/180850.html

Pence: I think the conservative movement two years from now will be where it is today, where it was 50 years ago, and where it will be 50 years from now. It will be a strong and steady belief among millions of Americans in limited government, fiscal discipline, a strong defense, and traditional moral values. I hold to the view that while Washington and political movements make great pretenses, the real conservative movement is fixed in the American ideals of the overwhelming majority of our country. I think that when Ronald Reagan won 49 of our states, it was not because he necessarily expressed the ideals of any particular party, but he expressed American ideals of limited government, individual responsibility, a strong defense, and traditional moral values. And he did that unapologetically. And I think to the extent that our movement rises or falls, it will be exclusively based on the clarity with which we articulate what is in the hearts of the overwhelming majority of the American people.

OKAY, I'm changing my vote. Until I see another Republican say it this clearly, Pence for President.