Powerline’s John Hinderaker on Pundit Review Radio
It was our great pleasure to welcome John Hinderaker of Powerline to Pundit Review Radio. John and his colleagues at Powerline are among the best in the blogosphere. We talked to John about the latest gift from 60 Minutes to the blogosphere, their hit piece last week on Karl Rove.
We also discussed the campaign and how the GOP should go after Obama in the general election. John also gave us some insight into a leading contentder for VP on the Republican side, MN Gov.Tim Pawlenty.
This was a fun half hour and we look forward to visiting with John again as the campaign unfolds.
All of our interviews are also available for download at iTunes and Podcast Alley via the Pundit Review Radio Podcast.
What is Pundit Review Radio?
Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station
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March 2nd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
[...] UPDATE: John Hinderaker discusses his findings in a radio interview. [...]
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:37 pm
I doubt McCain will make a big deal about abortion, nor should he. If he did, it would encourage people to publicize his own history regarding abortion. In 1999, McCain said:
“I’d love to see a point where it is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations.”
The above paragraph could have been uttered by any pro-choice democrat, or for that matter by Mitt Romney, especially before he decided to run for President.
Now in 2007, McCain says it should be overturned. It will be easy for Democrats to portray McCain as a ridiculous flip-flipper who is now supporting, in McCain’s own words, “forcing women to undergo illegal and dangerous abortion” or something like that.
On the issue of abortion, John McCain just says whatever seems it will cost him the fewest number of votes in his next election. His entire history of abortion comments and positions fits this pattern perfectly.
McCain is just like Romney in this respect. Romney, before each election, adopted the position on abortion that would cost him the lowest number of votes in that election, without actually violating the rules of being a Mormon. Romney’s entire history of abortion positions fits that pattern perfectly.
So, McCain should avoid the topic of abortion, because it’s his weak area. Abortion discussion, unless its restricted to pro-life audiences, may favor Obama because he’s been consistent.
I think it’s good for others to talk about Obama and the infants born alive act. Rick Santorum, predictably, wrote a column about that recently. That issue should be brought up, but by people other than the McCain campaign.
March 23rd, 2008 at 1:31 am
I should post a correction and apology. I think I misquoted McCain above. I got that quote from a pro-life website. I think it’s a distortion of the comment below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Trbaufpok8
It’s better than what I thought he said, but I still disagree with it.
Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton are either legally correct or incorrect. If they’re incorrect, then no time is too early or too late to overturn them. I think the tenth amendment tells us whether or not they’re correct.
I agree the Republican Party should include pro-choice members, because it will help the party get more votes, and help progress on the other issues. The thing is, it already does. We’ve got lots of pro-choice Republicans.
The party platform doesn’t matter because nobody in either party really feels required to follow the party platform. It’s just a general idea of the views common in that party. Lincoln Chafee voted against almost every part of it, and he was allowed to stay in the party, and had other Republicans campaigning for him.
If Roe vs. Wade were overturned, only a handful of states would have abortion completely banned, and most would probably still legalize first or perhaps second trimester abortions. The many boyfriends who pressure their girlfriends to abort would just drive them across state lines.
If all 50 states banned this practice, I agree that some illegal abortions would still happen. I doubt they’d be less safe than the abortions that now happen. They’d be more expensive, and less common. Banning things doesn’t completely eliminate things. If we had to legalize any act that the government can’t completely eliminate, then we’d have to legalize all actions, including rape and theft.