I believe you misunderstand me.
My concern is the Republican Party risks moving toward a European-style **CONSERVATIVE** party in which moral values are not important. Think of French or Italian conservative politics.
Newt Gingrich is not Silvio Berlusconi or Nicolas Sarkozy. Today, neither Berlusconi or Sarkozy would have a chance at the Republican nomination because of their gross immorality, despite taking political stances which in their country's political cultures are far to the right. My concern is what happens if the Republican Party, which has become the party of moral values, decides to jettison its emphasis on moral values.
I can tolerate a Gingrich presidency. To Gingrich's credit, unlike Sen. John McCain, I think he does understand that conservative Christians need to have a seat at the Republican Party table, and that social issues voters are a key part of a winning Republican coalition.
I hope Gingrich's supporters and advisers understand that too.
Newt and his supporters do indeed understand that and always have. That is what is so maddening .
What Santorum supporters need to understand is that there are seasons, and this is not the season where the electorate gives a pitoot about anything other than rolling back the liberal statist tide that threatens to swallow not only our economy, but our entire way of life with it.
And Newt is the only one capable of leading a revolution to do that among our candidates. That warriors like Sarah Palin have (at least to some degree) jumped in behind is indicative of that.
Besides, it is the belief in family values, not necessarily the perfect practice of them, that counts.