THIS is how Republicans get away with being wrong

[Rose Siding]

the WaPo calls the witch-hunting AG in Kansas...

A Kansan With Conviction
Attorney General Sees Abortion Records Fight as Matter of Principle

Phill Kline, Republican attorney general of Kansas, is determined not to be defensive. Making headlines with his subpoena of abortion records and his closed-door discussions of evolution with State Board of Education members, the former scholarship wrestler comes across as well satisfied with what he has wrought.

He has a job to do, Kline explained during a break at a meeting of attorneys general in Washington. Principles are at stake, he said, and liberals who dismiss the conservative values agenda as a political stratagem really do not know what they are talking about.

Take Kansas-born Thomas Frank, author of last year's political bestseller that put Kansas's red-state politics on the map.

"Mr. Frank," Kline said, "kind of mocks conviction as a guidepost for one's life, basically stating that those who have convictions are too ignorant to understand convictions don't matter; what matters is economics. And that those who claim conviction publicly are smart enough to manipulate those who are too dumb to understand convictions shouldn't exist."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50242-2005Mar19.html

This is how they'll skate on Sciavo. It's why bush is in the WH.

We may not agree with 'em, dagnabit, but at least we know where they stand. (and we're not really stupid we just like how it sounds)???

This narrow, self-serving, perverted, wrong-headed definition of convictions appeals to people.

[BlueManDude]

1. There is something to be said for clearly stating your convictions

like it or not people respond to someone who takes (or at least appears to be taking) a strong stand.

What this guy's doing is wrong as hell - maybe even unconstitutional - but he's not hemming and hawing and backing away - trying to have it both ways. The Dems should try it. They might find that they get more respect and better media coverage.

[Rose Siding]

4. As Frank contends

"it is not conviction itself that he disputes, but certain convictions"

For one side to be portrayed so consistently as having convictions, to the exclusion of the other side means repubs win. It's a GAME. Democrats and liberals ALL have convictions and it's just a ridiculous game for repubs (with the help of the media) to infer otherwise.

But they do something insanely outrageous then skate, claiming that "convictions" motivated them. DeLay's working hard right now to swing this public perception for himself.

[BlueManDude]

5. The GOP plays to win - people respect that

They fight with bare knuckles - like they have deeper convictions. Whether it's stealing elections, or unprecedented redistricting or calling a war hero a coward etc etc - they fight to win. They do not care what the editorial page of the WaPo or the NYT says about it either.

[AndyTiedye]

10. More Like BRASS Knuckles

> They fight with bare knuckles

More like BRASS knuckles, and the referee has a blackjack.

[BlueManDude]

11. When you win - you call the shots

The press isn't going to do the Dems job for them. The media isn't going to wring their hands over HOW the GOP wins and they'll do the same to the Dems if the Dems ever figure out how to fight dirty.

[autorank]

2. I agree but on this one, I think they screwed the pooch.

This is just appalling. People, all people, can relate to it because we're all going to face this. Who wants to be a vegetable? Even the fundies are against * about 50 (against) to 45 (for). Our Senate Dems (and I've been very supportive of Reid) were both hypocrites and fools on the Palm Sunday vote. That takes some doing. As for Kansas, the only 21st Century business they'll attract in that state is Ark building.

[blogbear]

3. Convictions Don't Belong to Republicans Anymore than..

Patriotism, the flag, religion, rights, or anything else..Republicans need to see that they aren't the only people here..We have a duty as a people to show them 'the error of their ways'..

[Rose Siding]

6. "Convictions" is the the new code word

They wore out "values".

[Poor Richard Lex]

8. I can think of a few CONVICTIONS some repigs should have

perjury, treason, war crimes, just for starters.

[blogbear]

9. Yeah! And I'm Fer 'Convicting' Em!

[agincourt]

7. First off, Klines a liar,

Thomas Frank does not mock people's convictions, only fat lies dressed up as "moral convictions". Second if one looks at neo-cons through adult human eyes, not sheep eyes, their only conviction is that those that have, get more. Thirdly when conservatives claim conviction publicly, they are usually lying to those who don't have enough background in the study of ethics to know what real convictions are. You have someone like Thomas Frank who separates the wheat from the rodent shit, so conservatives lie and say Mr Frank thinks that we can do without bread.