Southern Baptists want to hear Condi
In another sign that the Religious Right and Condi are comfortable with each other and eager to engage, the Southern Baptist Convention invited Dr. Rice to speak next week, Wednesday, June 14, 2006, at their annual meeting. This will be an outstanding platform for the Secretary of State, whose foreign policy prowess is widely recognized and accepted, to speak about social issues to this politically active, core constituency of the Republican Party.
“We are grateful that we can hear personally from such an articulate spokesperson for our nation….not only will messengers (convention delegates) receive a first-hand report on our nation, but undoubtedly they will be encouraged by Secretary Rice’s personal journey of faith. Being reared in a Christian family alongside a pastor father, she will feel right at home among Southern Baptists from all over the world.” SBC President Bobby Welch (link)
Many people believe that Dr. Rice has not spoken to many social, or domestic, issues. However, if you take a look at our Issues Quotations page, you can see that this isn’t true. She has expressed, in clear language, her positions on any number of issues without pandering to any particular interest groups.
While we doubt any major changes in policies, or positions, to be announced (Although, we may be surprised!); we suspect that her appearance will reassure religious conservatives of Dr. Rice’s genuine, faith-based values that carry over into her daily life. Politically, this translates into broad agreement on most policy issues and “acceptable” solutions where there are differences — most notably abortion.
Without going into depth, because much of what we say now could be superfluous next week; we’ll add to the speculation about Dr. Rice’s address next week. With the president’s limited role in determining abortion policy, and the virtual impossibility of a federal Human Life Amendment (HLA) during our lifetimes (All it takes is thirteen states to block its passage.); Dr. Rice’s positions in areas where the president can make a difference are certainly compatible with religious conservatives: no federal funding, a late-term abortion ban, parental notification, and her stated position for a “limited” governmental role — that could turn the abortion debate back to the states where HLA’s potentially could become law, amended to state constitutions. Combined with confidence in Dr. Rice’s future appointments of conservative judges, there is the basis for agreement on this divisive issue. While many religious conservatives might prefer a candidate with unequivocal support, or outright advocacy, for a federal HLA, those potential candidates are not capable of winning in 2008. With no viable conservative pro-Life Democratic candidate (Does such a person even exist?) on the horizon, religious conservatives won’t have a seat at the policy making table unless Condi makes it into the Oval Office. After all, if your goal is to influence policy, it is better to win — much better.
An interesting side note, in the arcane political calculus of the Supreme Court, sometimes it’s not as important who you appoint, but who you replace. Given their personal relationship, Dr. Rice is probably the one Republican President to whom Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg would hand in her resignation. Otherwise, we can look forward to Justice Ruth’s poor law clerks having to haul her up and down the steps of the Supreme Court as long as she still has a pulse.
June 9th, 2006 at 9:49 pm
I am so glad to hear this. Many Evangelical Christians and those in the GOP who are Social Conservatives have questions about where she stands on social issues that they must resolve within their own hearts and minds. But, once they sign on, they will “SIGN ON”!!!
I know that she will be a BIG hit with the Baptist Convention and I also know that Conservatives will have no problem voting for Condi when she presents herself, and her views, to them. She is a lady of morals and conviction.
June 9th, 2006 at 10:15 pm
Condi is a daughter of a minister, with a firm belief system which helps her deal with the tremendous stress of her duty to our nation.
Can you imagine how she might have felt on the recent trip to Iraq with Jack Straw (when he was still foreign minister of Britian) when they had to drive from the airport to the Green Zone under a thunderstorm along a notorious deadly road? Can any of us not think the Good Lord was given a bit of a heads up with a private prayer from Condi to watch over all of them? They arrived safely, yet explosions were heard overhead later during dinner. Again, can any of us put ourselves in her place and not feel the tremendous need for guidance from prayer and putting complete trust in the Lord?
Yes, Condi will be welcomed at the Baptist Convention in North Carolina. Her appearance on the stage will be seen as that of a real person, not as pretense. My only hope is that Cspan will have the intelligence to cover it so we can all watch her speak on important issues.
June 11th, 2006 at 6:50 am
I’m just jealous my family will be there, and I won’t.
tis a shame.
zeb
June 14th, 2006 at 9:16 am
Even Hardball with Chris Matthews is watching Condi:
in a discussion with Andrea Mitchell, on June 13th, Matthews says “Let me ask you about Condoleezza Rice, you study her all the time. What is she doing speaking before the Southern Baptist Convention? I always thought Southern Baptists were white, conservative, Southern, evangelical…What is her connection as Secretary of State to that group?
Andrea replied, “This is a big push…to shore up the base on unpopular foreign policies”. She mentioned concerns from AEI, VP Cheney’s group about the Iran Initiatives, Libyan normalizations, and continued war in Iraq. “She’s going to give a foreign policy address, giving it to a political audience and this is a venue that politicans go to, not diplomats. I can’t recall another Secretary of State going to the Southern Baptist….you can have upwards of 20,000 people there.”
Matthews said, “It’s a very political role, isn’t it?”
Andrea responded “Absolutely,” ending the segment.
So here we are Condi supporters, cheering the success of Condi at the North Carolina event, hoping to find a morsel of information about it, what she says, and the reaction from the convention. Condi is not a shy violent, so she is going to handle herself with confidence as she speaks to thousands of people.
I can only hope Cspan covers it, and that they will reair it for us to watch. Otherwise, we have to depend on newspapers reporting the event. So cross your fingers, let’s hope Condi gets some ink or some TV air time today or tomorrow.
Rock on, Condi!
June 14th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
Anne Gearan of AP just reported about the event:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/14/AR2006061401021.html&sa=X&oi=news&ct=result&cd=1
Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC in DC (along with clips of Condi speaking)
“there’s been concern within the Bush Administration……..some of the more controversial steps they have taken have not been very popular
with the conservative base……… she did not mention Iran……she gave a big defense in what they are doing in spreading their belief in democracy.”
Condi, at the podium, says, “If America does not rally support for people everywhere who desire to worship in peace and freedom, then I ask you, who will?”
Andrea “then the Secretary of State on the war on terror….she got a big cheer when she mentioned this”
Condi, with drama in her voice, “this is the fate that our troops delivered last week to the terrorist Zarqawi” (applause and cheers) “and now he will never harm, he will never murder, and he will never terrorize innocent people again. That is what America stands for.”
Andrea ends with this statement, “this was very much a political speech in the broadest context of political, she has said she has no interest in running for political office, she certainly is a rising star in the Republican party, speaking to thousands of evangelicals…..they are a critical part of the conservative base.
Lastly on the issue of the Baptist convention, Fox News Bill Hemmer asked Bill Kristol of Weekly Standard, “Do you often hear that rise of passion in her voice in public?”
Kristol smiles, “Yeah, it was impressive, they should let her get out more and make the case for the war….”
So here we have MSNBC and FOX News which shows how important this event with Condi really is on the grand scale. Now we can hope for a transcript to be posted on the State Department website soon.