John C. Danforth is one Missouri's most admired -- and least astute -- politicians.
The former U.S. senator and ambassador to the United Nations has criticized the Republican Party for transforming itself into the "political arm of conservative Christians." His observations carry weight. Danforth is both a Republican and an ordained Episcopal priest.
But at some point, Danforth may need to recognize that his membership in the GOP is just plain silly.
Danforth spoke recently at the Center for Practical Bioethics in Kansas City. His address opened by criticizing Rush Limbaugh for rooting for President Obama to fail. Danforth went on to lament the emphasis on hot-button issues, including "gay marriage, abortion, proposals to criminalize certain stem cell research, politicizing end of life decisions and the public use of religion."
Gee, Jack. Which party uses all the issues you just mention to stir up the base?
Take same-sex marriage, for instance. This is not an issue Democratic candidates are using to increase their hold on power. In fact, they tend to want to avoid the topic.
Danforth, a stem-cell research supporter, also criticized the exploitation of Terri Schiavo. Again, this was a Republican thing.
To make the point that the left politicizes abortion, Danforth recalled the confirmation of Justice Clarence Thomas. Danforth, who considered Thomas a protege, called the event his "worst political battle."
Danforth said he stood by Thomas because he was his friend. But for opponents of Thomas' nomination, "the issue was abortion. They thought he would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, so they stopped at nothing to block his nomination."
Really? This is how it played out?
Abortion-rights supporters were certainly wary of Thomas. But Anita Hill's allegations put the nomination on an entirely different plane. Antonin Scalia, John Roberts and Samuel Alito are conservative. Why did they not endure similar trials? Because they were not alleged to have asked who put a pubic hair on their Coke can.
By the same token, abortion-rights opponents who protest Barack Obama's nominee to replace David Souter won't necessarily be engaging in the politics of division. They'll simply be expressing the entirely reasonable fear that an Obama appointment will make it less likely that Roe v. Wade is overturned.
In his address, Danforth complained about the dialogue on Fox News and MSNBC. To be sure, Bill O'Reilly and Keith Olbermann are not paragons of civil discourse.
But Danforth needs to go a step further and realize that his party is the one that's most likely to reach for a wedge. If this strategy is as bad for America as Danforth says it is, his allegiance to its most frequent source makes very little sense.
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