There's been a lot of energy expended on the question of who is the leader of the Republican Party. Much controversy has been stirred up over whether it's Rush Limbaugh. Democrats are happy to push that memo. Republicans less so (but don't want to say so publicly, lest they be forced to apologize to Rush). Limbaugh is more than happy to note how his listenership increases just because of the controversy.
Anyway, is there a late-comer to the party? Could a legitimate "leader" of the GOP be the daughter of the party's most recent candidate?
Could be.
First Meghan McCain, while only 24-years old, has shown that she's inherited her father's knack for being able to mix it up with others on the right. Just this year, she's picked fights with both Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham (the former ignored her; the latter did not). Well, she managed to get a reported six-figure book deal out of it.
Today, she decided to chart out a specific policy area where she would like the party to go: Meghan "came out" as pro-life and a supporter of gay marriage.
Recently, I seemed to have rocked a few individuals within my party by saying that I am a pro-life, pro-gay-marriage Republican. So if anyone is still confused, let me spell it out for you. I believe life begins at conception and I believe that people who fall in love should have the option to get married. Lest we forget, our founding document, the Declaration of Independence, grants the same rights to everyone in this country—“All men are created equal.” If you think certain rights should not apply to certain people, then you are saying those people are not equal. People may always have a difference of opinion on certain lifestyles, but championing a position that wants to treat people unequally isn't just un-Republican. At its fundamental core, it's un-American.
While the younger McCain may rile some up on the right, polls suggest that she in many ways reflects her generation, which seems to be holding onto the pro-life sensibilities of its older peers, but less so the resistance to the mainstreaming of gays. Keep in mind that McCain is two decades younger than either Coulter or Ingraham.
U.S. & World
Interestingly, McCain shows no indication of backing down on her views when called out on them. Undoubtedly, other, more conservative members of her generation will step up to disagree with her. So be it. That's what politics is all about. But, right now, Meghan McCain may be just the tonic that a tired right needs to perk it up.
Robert A. George is a New York writer. He blogs at Ragged Thots.
