…Well, maybe at least a heartfelt qualification, if not a hopeful retraction.

At the end of March, when i first heard about Fred Thompson’s possible bid for chief executive of our federal government, i posted this, claiming that Thompson was the “last best hope for the GOP.” Now, as i explained in my comments, what i meant by that was the fact that he was not only a true conservative (there are those in the race already), but that he actually could be elected (so far, the ones who can be aren’t).

I made that “electable” comment in response to Andy Packer’s question, “What about Ron Paul?” My answer was that he was a nobody, with no hope of being elected. Apparently, though, since the Republican debate (or, one could call it a “free-for-all”), Ron Paul has received some greater interest, not only among Republicans, but also among Democrats as well. His poll numbers may not have gone through the roof (he’s nowhere near the top 4), but i believe he has a hair’s chance at this thing if his candidacy takes off. Unfortunately, the man i originally praised may be the thing that prevents him from rising to the top of the field.

But, i say all that to say that i’m supporting Ron Paul until and unless he is no longer a presidential candidate. If you’d like to read more about him here are a few things you can check out.

• Here is Ron Paul’s campaign page listing his stance on the issues. The only thing i’d take slight exception to with him is that he wants to remove us so quickly from Iraq (even if it wasn’t the best for us to go there, we are there and need to get to a “stopping place” before we just up and leave), but his foreign policy (he wants to leave the UN, and stop trying to police the world), his position on abortion (he’s an OBGYN, for goodness sake, and he opposes abortion categorically), his position on privacy from government intervention (why does the government need to know my business?), and especially his position on taxes are all head and shoulders above the field. Now, if he’d get rid of the income tax and the Social Security Trust Fund altogether, i’d kiss him on the mouth!
• Andy Packer compiled a few defenses of Ron Paul in light of his performance at the Republican debate (Giuliani just used him for publicity…sad, sad, sad)
• Ron Paul has a MySpace page (if you’re into that sorta thing).

And since it was Andy Packer and Eric Langborgh who convinced me to endore him, i am adding them both to my blogroll.

Thanks, guys.

Does a blog debate really qualify as a debate? If it does, then Douglas Wilson will debate “the Dickens” out of this thing.

On the Christianity Today website, beginning tomorrow, there will be a debate between Christopher Hitchens, who wrote “Letters to a Young Contrarian,” and Doublas Wilson, who writes more books than i can read, but who wrote “Letter from a Christian Citizen” in response to Sam Harris’ “Letter to a Christian Nation.”

I’m sure this’ll be an interesting debate. Atheists are so quaint, aren’t they? They always say the funniest things. But i’m sure that this debate will be much more fulfilling than Rick “the Broad Evan-jellyfish” Warren debating Sam Harris in Newsweek. We need more presuppositionalists in public and high-profile debates. This is a good start.

This is a good word. I’ve been struggling with these issues for about a year myself. It was actually when i came to embrace the Covenant (some five years ago now, but it seems so much longer than that) that i expanded my view of the Church beyond some provincial or sectarian view of it (that ultimately hacks Our Mother to pieces, God forgive us). I get most discouraged because i just want to be in a place where i can see real Catholicity in action. Maybe i’m hoping for something that isn’t possible at this point in history. For now, read what Wedgeworth wrote and ponder it with me.

On Protestant Tradition and Catholicity