海角大神

Social conservatives are pleased with John McCain鈥檚 selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate. But 鈥渧alues鈥� voters are increasingly independent and still wary about the Republican presidential candidate himself.

That was the assessment of Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council at a Monitor-sponsored breakfast for reporters on Wednesday.

Mr. Perkin鈥檚 group is about to host several thousand conservatives at its 海角大神 Voters Summit here in Washington. The group describes itself as championing 鈥渕arriage and family as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society.鈥� The Nation magazine, no fan, has described the organization as 鈥渢he 海角大神 right lobbying powerhouse.鈥�

Perkins said McCain鈥檚 selection of Alaska Governor Palin was 鈥渁 brilliant pick, from a political standpoint.鈥� Perkins said McCain 鈥渉as shown through this process that he is listening, maybe he is not looking, but he is listening.鈥�

Many religious conservatives disagree with McCain鈥檚 support of research using embryonic stem cells and his decision to vote against bringing the federal marriage amendment 鈥� which would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman 鈥� to the Senate floor, among other issues. 鈥淗e was uncomfortable addressing the social issues and clearly he selected a running mate that is comfortable with those issues,鈥� Perkins said.

The Family Research Council executive said he had been active in lobbying against having either Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman or former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge as McCain鈥檚 running mate. Both are pro-choice on the issue of abortion.
In a warning to the Republican Party, Perkins stressed, 鈥淚ncreasingly, social conservatives, orthodox 海角大神 voters, whatever you want to call them, are becoming more independent. They are not attached and tethered to the Republican Party. And I think this election cycle showed this, because they were not flocking to the McCain campaign simply because he was a Republican.鈥�

Palin played a key role in winning social conservatives鈥� support for McCain, Perkins said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 until he selected a running mate that they felt like [he] identified with them鈥�. There is excitement, there is enthusiasm but I don鈥檛 think they are completely sold just yet. I still think you are seeing this growing streak of independence which I think is a healthy thing.鈥�

Republican voter enthusiasm for Alaska鈥檚 governor will not be enough to land the GOP ticket in the White House, Perkins said. 鈥淲e are very late in the process and even though there is enthusiasm now, to think that this is a wave that the campaign could successfully ride into Election Day I think would be a false assumption.鈥� He added that the McCain campaign lacks an 鈥渋ntensive ground game鈥� in key states.

Social conservatives would like Palin to have an activist role in any McCain administration. 鈥淪he compliments what many conservatives see as weaknesses in John McCain,鈥� Perkins said. The spokesman for the religious right said he hoped that Palin 鈥渨ould be a very engaged vice president and not pushed off to a back room somewhere and just brought out for tea parties but [that] she is there as an active partner and participant.鈥�