The Anti-Sam Brownback Blog

Here is some more inside baseball for the New Years crowd. The National Review Onlinee has published the results of its “insider” poll along with advice for aspiring presidential hopefuls. Here is Senator Brownback’s entry:

SAM BROWNBACK (18/N.A.): Among social conservatives, the senator from Kansas possesses sterling credentials. He could become the John Ashcroft of this cycle, which perhaps isn’t saying much because Ashcroft dropped out of the 2000 race before the first primary. Brownback would serve himself well by courting economic conservatives in 2006; he might begin by proposing a major piece of pro-growth legislation or identifying himself with the flat tax. If he can unite the former supporters of both Ashcroft and Steve Forbes, he might stand a chance. A better-than-expected showing in the primaries could catapult him to the top of many vice-presidential short lists.

I completely agree that for Brownback to have a chance he must create a coalition of disaffected, radical social conservatives and economic conservatives. The fringes of these groups both feel marginalized by the current administration and are ripe for some good old fashioned pandering. Of course, Brownback has already proven himself to be a wasteful spender, so he is coming at this from a disadvantage.

I don’t buy into the vice presidential speculation. Brownback has an enormous ego and would be loathe to play second fiddle to anyone. He has always been an “all or nothing” bridge burning, negative campaigning sort of guy. The Vice Presidency is not his style.

CNN wrote an article about the top five political plays of the past year and Senator Sam Brownback made an appearance in number three:

Play No. 3 is conservatives declaring their independence as they rose up in revolt over the nomination of Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“A number of us would have liked to have somebody who had a clear track record on these issues,” said Republican Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas.

They brought Miers down. They also refused to toe the White House line on deficit spending, immigration, Medicare and torture — and after four years, a conservative uprising loosened the White House grip on the Republican Congress.

On face, this looks like nothing groundbreaking. However, notice that Brownback was quoted as one of the new conservatives. No other conservative lawmaker was quoted. If Brownback can manage to become the got to guy on the hill for the so called “true conservative” soundbite then he will be well on his way to increasing his name recognition.

I will be watching the news closely to see if this is a flash in the pan of the start of a new trend.

It seems these days some Christians are convinced there is a conspiracy in the U.S. to rob them of their rights. Many of these “persecution complex” Christians will be gathering at “The War on Christians and the Values Voter in 2006″ conference to be held in Washington D.C. on March 27-28. Confirmed guests include:

Senator Sam Brownback
Senator John Cornyn
Congressman Tom DeLay
Congressman Todd Akin
Congressman Louis Gohmert
Rod Parsley
Gary Bauer
Janet Parshall
Alan Keyes
Rick Scarborough
Ron Luce
Phyllis Schlafly

A veritable who’s who of radical fundamentalist Christians. Do note that Brownback is the only Presidential hopeful listed. His strategy hinges upon courting this base. For Senator Brownback to have a chance in 2008 he must have their full support.

A speaker of particular interest is Rod Parsley, the radical Mega Church pastor from Ohio who Brownback has worked with in the past. Parsley has become a powerful force in Ohio and his continued connection with Brownback can only help the Senator’s bonafides with social conservatives.

Some light Christmas morning Brownback quotes courtesy of the Kansas City Star:

“Lobbyists are children of God, too.” — Brownback on his attitude toward influence peddlers.

“I’m drinking this (Pepsi) for Bob Dole (who has made Pepsi commercials) … but I’m not taking the other stuff (referring to another Dole ad gig).” — Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas.

Happy Holidays!

The Wichita Eagle confirms what I have been hearing, Sam Brownback is refusing at this point to take a stand on Intelligent Design being taught in public school science classes:

Brownback declined to say how he feels about a federal judge’s ruling in Pennsylvania that said intelligent design couldn’t be required by the Dover school district.

“You’re obviously seeing the issue of the teaching on evolution coming in and being discussed in many places in the United States, and here was a place it was discussed,” he said. “Facts should be taught as facts and theory should be taught as theory. I think that’s the way to go.”

Way to be spineless, Brownback. Good job cultivating that aura of decisiveness. Way to take a stand.

Could this foretell Brownback taking his base for granted? This is a pet issue of the religious right, normally he would take their side no questions asked. Perhaps the pressure of non-crazy primary voters is weighing heavily on his mind.

As an aside, check out Red State Rabble and Thoughts From Kansas to keep tabs on all the Intelligent Design news. They both do an excellent job covering the political wrangling surrounding this issue.

In another high profile break from the Bush Administration, Senator Sam Brownback says he is reserving judgement on the Bush Domestic Spying scandal until hearings commence. The Wichita Eagle reports:

Sen. Sam Brownback isn’t sure he supports President Bush in authorizing surveillance of people within the United States, and he acknowledged Friday that one justification given by the White House troubles him.

The Kansas Republican said he doesn’t agree with Bush that when Congress authorized him to use force against terrorists following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, it gave the president the authority to have individuals’ e-mails and telephone calls monitored without first seeking a warrant.

“I do not agree with the legal basis on which they are basing the surveillance, that when the Congress gave the authorization to go to war, that gives sufficient legal basis for the surveillance,” Brownback said during a news conference at the Kansas Statehouse.

Isn’t sure. Hmmmm. So spying on American citizens, in the US, without a warrant or any sort of judicial review might be ok under some circumstances? Brownback is heading in the right direction, but his spineless pandering could get him in trouble if this turns out to be a disaster for the President. Waffling on this issue could become costly. Let’s hope so.

The Agape press reports that Senator Sam Brownback is lining up behind President Bush and supporting the renewal of the Patriot Act:

“This is something that the President believes strongly is needed to fight terrorism and for national security purposes; and I think it’s something we need to do as well. I’ve been very hesitant about it because I’ve heard a lot of complaints,” he says. Also, Brownback notes, he has not heard of anyone who has been harmed by the act up to this point. “I think this renewal is needed,” the senator says.

Of course we have not heard of anyone who has been harmed by this act. That sort of information is certainly classified. What a ridiculous argument.

The Wichita Eagle is reporting Senator Sam Brownback will return money connected to embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff and to the Duke Cunningham bribery investigation:

The Kansas Republican, who is weighing a presidential bid, is also giving up a separate $5,000 contribution from a defense contractor at the center of ex-Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham’s bribery case, Brownback spokesman Brian Hart said Wednesday.

Brownback’s now-defunct Restore America Political Action Committee received the $42,000 in 2002 from four American Indian tribes represented by Abramoff, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Good on Brownback. If he wasn’t such a flaming hypocrite he would return the money he has taken from pornographers. I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you…

[This C-SPAN interview will run on Sunday at 8pm and 11pm. My readers get it here first]

This is the complete C-SPAN interview. I will continue pulling out excerpts and providing analysis in the days to come but I also wanted to provide my readers with the full copy. I added the Blockquotes and Subsection Titles to help make it more readable. A little light holiday reading…

Why Do You Want To Be President?

BRIAN LAMB, HOST: Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, why do you want to be president someday?

SEN. SAM BROWNBACK (R), KANSAS: To be able to serve the people and to be able to renew the society and the culture. There are lots of reasons why one wants to do something like this. And I haven‘t made a formal announcement or a formal declaration. I have been traveling to a number of the early primary states.

But at the core of it, I just see that the country really needs to renew its basic structures. We have got — I chair the D.C. Appropriation Committee, and we have got over — just right at 60 percent of the children born to single mothers. A child can be born in that situation and do well, but the numbers generally move against him.

And I think we have really got to renew just these basic structures within the society. And that‘s at the core. I‘m also an economic conservative. I push things like the flat tax. I‘m a strong proponent of the military and a robust foreign policy. I‘m a full scale conservative in that sense.

But at its core I think we have to renew the society and renew the culture.

(more…)