Free Republic

Previously, I have criticized Paul Weyrich's endorsement of Bob McEwen here in detail and here for his (Weyrich's) inconsistency on term limits. There is a larger topic here, and that is the propriety of such endorsements in a race of this nature. There is a place for outsider endorsements in politics, but this race isn't it, and I'll explain why.Outsider endorsements can pass the smell test in two situations: The first is if there are only a few candidates involved, and there is a clear philosophical divide between those few candidates. The outsider can claim that they know the person...

Bob McEwen is touting his list of high-profile “moral” leader and celebrity endorsements. One of his most prominent endorsers is Paul Weyrich, to whom conservatives, and really the entire country, owe a debt that can never be repaid (”progressives” will disagree, but in vain). Weyrich founded The Heritage Foundation in 1973 and began forming the intellectual foundation that ultimately led to Ronald Reagan’s election, the unprecedented prosperity of the 1980s, and the proactive overthrow of Soviet communism. He also was, and continues to be, a pioneer in tapping the social and cultural conservatism of grassroots citizens and giving it a...