Pete Is Right Below

On everything, but let me just say something about abortion. I don’t have time to get the links going. But: Comparatively moderate old-school Democratic women like Eleanor Clift and Cokie Roberts are loudly complaining that the Democratic convention was over-the-top on abortion. Certainly abandoning the view that abortion should be “rare,” at least, is a strategy aimed at the enthusiastic base of the party and not at the wavering voter. Galston, the party’s token social moderate, is also sort of repulsed by this move, but he can’t help but admire the political art involved in closing the enthusiasm gap that formerly favored the Republicans.

Why are the Democrats getting away with this? They seem confident that Romney won’t challenge their extremism on the issue. And, you know, he won’t. But aren’t Eleanor and Cokie right that the Republicans should have the advantage with social moderates here? Couldn’t Ryan, at least, challenge Biden?

Next
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

The Battle of Minneapolis

Pavlos Papadopoulos

The Battle of Minneapolis is the latest flashpoint in our ongoing regime-level political conflict. It pits not…

Of Roots and Adventures

Peter J. Leithart

I have lived in Ohio, Michigan, Georgia (twice), Pennsylvania, Alabama (also twice), England, and Idaho. I left…

Our Most Popular Articles of 2025

The Editors

It’s been a big year for First Things. Our website was completely redesigned, and stories like the…