Christian Coalition, who backs Bush, and Gary Bauer formerly of Family Research Council, who backs Senator John McCain, now has center stage in the Republican Party power struggle. The Bush-McCain controversy over Christianity has exploded during the course of this 3 part series. It provides the necessary background to an understanding of why Christians, in spite of their acknowledged numerical strength, fail to elect our own kind to office. 

The Echo syndrome, that we accept whomever the Republican Party leaders’ offering because “He is better than what you have now” resounded in San Diego in 1992 at the Republican National Convention. This time the compromised Republican leader was Bob Dole, who gave a weak affirmation to the pro-lifers but made no real commitment to the unborn. Again the phantom echo voices pleaded from the clouds: “Dole is not great, but do you want Clinton again?… Don’t rock the GOP boat.” …The turning point for Bob Dole was the announcement of Christian Coalition’s support followed by Jerry Falwell and James Dobson’s Family Research Council. Again, Pat Buchanan was silenced in what was one of the most manipulated Republican Conventions ever held. Some Buchanan delegates were not allowed to vote on the floor, and several states did not even announce the Buchanan votes. Buchanan’s pro-life speech was again never permitted even though he was the only serious challenger to Dole.

In San Diego, as in Houston, the committed pro-life advocates, though largely excluded from the convention process, marched in the streets and picketed the convention. Operation Rescue volunteers hurried from clinic to clinic in buses, sitting in at abortion clinic doors under constant threat of the new, harsh federal FACE Act. At that very hour Dole was receiving his party’s blessing; the Rescuers conducted a solemn funeral for a three pound aborted child found in a garbage can, and also mourned the Republicans’ pathetic choice. None of these events were covered in the news. Throughout the campaign to follow, Bob Dole was silent about abortion. It was later revealed that Dole was guilty of a personal, hidden abortion experience outside of his marriage, and was effectively blackmailed by Clinton‘s campaign to avoid the topic or to face exposure. So Clinton‘s abortion record was never made an issue. Pro-abortion William Jefferson Clinton won another four years and again received less than half of the popular vote, as a sign of vulnerability that was never exploited.

It was widely rumored and not denied that the Christian Coalition received a $2 million contribution from the National Republican Committee, to help support the Dole candidacy. Christian Coalition did not deny it, and pro-life members suspected a sell out.

Whom should the committed pro-life advocates blame for the procession of pro-abortion Presidents? Should the American people blame the “Always Republican and never wrong” commercial broadcasters, Ollie North or Rush Limbaugh? Should we blame Tom Brokow, Peter Jennings, the “20-20” producers or the opinion molders of the establishment press, that strive to appear balanced while promoting the internationalists’ agenda? Certainly, the propagandists are not to blame, for we know what they are, and we must expect their conduct. Should we blame the party leaders, the local state chairman, the local elected officials and legislators who go to the conventions as delegates, and who cast the votes on the convention floors? No, because these are politicians. They can be expected to blow with the wind and be influenced by state power brokers within the parties. Pro-life activists should be influencing them at the local. Who is responsible for compromise? It is the ever present power traders who repeatedly accept the compromised Republican agenda. They elect the candidates who have time and time again betrayed the pro-life cause, as did Robert Dole and George Herbert Walker Bush. A closer look shows that it is the Celebrity leaders of the Christian Right who have, in every recent election, swung the decision from conflict with honor, to compromise by shamefully weak candidates.

In this series of “Heads Up!” we will examine some of these political Celebrity Christians, several of whom have themselves been candidates. We will talk about their little understood role as the Echoes of Silent Assent, the men who always give in. The question is, why Celebrity leaders accept compromise, and how the rank and file can set their own political destiny. 


See: Abortion and the Echoes of Silent Assent, Part 1 

“Life Is Worth Living, no matter how small”