The Maverick Tribe

Weekly Standard-bearer and Iraq cheerleader Bill Kristol debuts in the New York Times today with a banal piece of crap.

James Fallows of the Atlantic marvels at the stylistic mediocrity.

But notice something else about the column:

[Huckabee] began by calmly mentioning his and Obama’s contrasting views on issues from guns to life to same-sex marriage. This served to remind Republicans that these contrasts have been central to G.O.P. success over the last quarter-century, and to suggest that Huckabee could credibly and comfortably make the socially conservative case in an electorally advantageous way.

If you pay close attention to Republican political strategy, you notice that they continue to rely on the premise that America is basically a "center-right" country, that "liberal" is a dirty word, and that a solidly conservative platform wins elections.  These right wing comrades are still living in the Reagan Revolution.  But the weaponry of guns, God, and gays, not to mention free markets and low taxes, is getting rustier and rustier every year.  Voters are being to realize that these positions are insufficient to contend with the complex problems of our times.  Ain't gonna cut it in 2008.