Electability Trumping Values

The reports this morning that Pat Robertson will endorse Rudy Guiliani for the Republican nominatino for President is frustrating (to put it mildly). Here we see a clear-cut example of a conservative endorsing a candidate based on their perceived electability rather than their moral and social values. Rudy Guiliani may be a tough, no-nonsense politician who is fit to deal with issues related to our national security and terrorism, but he is no conservative. His promise to appoint strict constitutionalists in the mold of John Roberts and Samuel Alito to our judicial benches must be considered in light of Guiliani's infidelity in his own personal life. If he has been unable to remain faithful and honest to the promises made to those closes to him, why should we expect that he would honor promises made to the American public at-large once in office. I have a hard time understanding why evangelicals endorsing Guiliani are so easily dismissing his lack of integrity in his private life. Why is it so hard for Republicans to see that if the voting base would rally behind a conservative candidate such as Mike Huckabee or Ron Paul (whom I don't know enough about so that isn't an endorsement) or even Fred Thompson, that he would instantly become "electable". Our fear of a Clinton presidency is eroding the principles the Republican party has embraced because of our willingness to embrace a socially liberal, morally misguided candidate. Guiliani is polarizing the voting base in the Republican party and this will likely result in handing over the office to the very person Republicans are trying to keep it away from.

One a side note, Mike Huckabee's campaign faced a serious blow when Sam Brownback endorsed John McCain this morning.