On Tuesday night, as the GOP rabble -- also known as the delegates -- awaited their overdue serving of red-meat rhetoric at the low-lying Xcel Energy Center, the elegantly bedraggled remnants of Rockefeller Republicanism gathered high atop St. Paul's nearby hill of privilege, in a massive historic mansion named Dove Hill, to clink glasses and commiserate. Officially, they had come to raise big bucks for the Republican Majority for Choice, a PAC supporting some 75 state and local candidates including New Jersey Senate hopeful Dick Zimmer, a "fiscal conservative" who believes "it's entirely consistent to be pro-choice and to believe that government should have a limited role otherwise as well." Unofficially, they were here to remind each other that wealthy, broad-minded Republicans are not -- contrary to widespread belief -- an entirely extinct breed.

"We are the majority not just of the Republican Party, but, frankly, of the American people," declared a defiantly hopeful Christine Todd Whitman, former governor of New Jersey and EPA administrator. "The American people are not hard-nosed, narrow-minded, litmus-test people. They are in the center. And that's where we are."

Where they were mostly not, of course, was on the floor of the convention hall with the party's overwhelmingly conservative foot soldiers -- a fact that, alone among the speakers who found creative ways to praise John McCain, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania seemed fully to grasp. After being introduced as a "leader" of moderate Republicans, Specter immediately shooed away the compliment. "I can't claim to be a leader," he said. "A leader has to have followers. And when you're in the telephone booth of the United States Senate with the other moderates, there's nobody to follow you. You can hardly be a leader."

The dominant mood of the gathering was one of genteel disappointment. "Our goal was to have a pro-choice candidate for vice president this year," said Republicans for Choice co-chair Jennifer Stockman. "I have to say, we got close."

Specter was having none of that, opining with cutting irony, "I'm glad to see this distinguished group here tonight. But I'd like to see you in the battlefields and the trenches. If we're to be successful, we've got to be a lot tougher, and a lot more active in the ground warfare.

"The platform doesn't have an exception for rape or incest for abortion," Specter noted, "which kind of surprised me because that's McCain's position. Then I looked at the platform and found that there's no exception for the life of the mother. That's really more than surprising to me -- it shocks me. Where are moderate Republicans when it comes to having some influence over the platform?" (Stockman subsequently explained, "We decided not to fight the platform this year. It was a done deal. The platform delegates are chosen for one reason: That's their anti-choice position.")

Half-angry, half-nostalgic, Specter ticked off the list of moderate Republicans who made up a "room full" when he first got elected in 1980: names like Chafee, Weicker, Hatfield, Packwood, Danforth, Heinz, Matthias. "And today we're in the telephone booth," he said. "It's lonely." Specter was particularly undone by Senator Lincoln Chafee's loss in Rhode Island in 2006. "How many of you went to Rhode Island and helped Linc Chafee?" he demanded. I saw two hands rise in the vast, wood-paneled parlor. "How many of you contributed to Linc Chafee?" A few more hands. "Well, there's some paralysis around here," Specter concluded, before shuffling away to the convention hall. He, at least, was still a delegate.

The exiled Republicans applauded their other living champions -- mostly former office-holders like Whitman, ex-California Governor Pete Wilson, ex-Senator John Danforth of Missouri, and ex-Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson. They heard some fiery pro-choice rhetoric from other exes, like longtime Congresswoman Nancy Johnson of Connecticut: "The difference between abortions being legal and not legal is not the number of abortions being done; it's the number of women who die." And they queasily pondered the irony of having a woman on the ticket who considers their pro-choice position to be the devil's own work.

"We all have to realize that choice means choice," declared Dick Morris, former Clinton adviser, pro-choice Republican and Fox News pontificator. "When people say that Sarah Palin in having a Down Syndrome baby was acting in a way that anti-abortionists would like, that's wrong. She was exercising a woman's right to choose, and that is absolutely the foundation of what we need to stand for. It's absolutely absurd that the Republican Party takes the position that if you enact a regulation on a business, or an OSHA regulation, or an environmental regulation that is intrusive or takes away a property right, you should be able to sue in court and recover damages. But if they tell you you have to have a baby, you can't. I mean, there is nothing more intrusive than regulation in the bedroom." (Take it from one who knows.)

At Dove Hill, support for Palin ran the gamut from tepid to nonexistent. On the angrier tip, an attendee who asked not to be named (you will soon see why) did not mince words about McCain's pick. "I heard it and thought -- a vagina, that's it? That's all it takes to be your vice president?"

On the determinedly tepid end was Stockman, co-chair of the group for seven long years now, who was only willing to say from the podium, "We have a ticket now that we're going to be open-minded about." Toward the end of the evening, she told me she was "an eternal optimist, or I wouldn't be doing what I've been doing for seven years. Just the fact that pro-choice Republicans were floated, and we know for a fact that McCain wanted [Tom] Ridge or [Joe] Lieberman, it's progress. What's disappointing is that the religious right says that if you choose them, we're going to have a revolt at the convention. We were not strong enough for McCain to feel that we'd be behind him if he chose someone pro-choice."

Stockman's gravest disappointment is that, "by choosing someone like Palin, McCain has brought the issue of abortion to the forefront. In the primaries, he did a brilliant job of ignoring the issue, because to him it's not a national priority. Which we like. With Bush, of course, it was a major priority. But by choosing somebody like that, it's completely endorsing the issue." Such pandering to the right-wingers won't fly in the future, Stockman said. "I don't think Republicans can keep winning with social conservatives mandating policy, or mandating anything." She predicts a long and "brutal fight" to come, post-November, for the "heart and soul of the party."

But as Specter so clearly saw, it was a little bit difficult to imagine these folks winning -- or even engaging in -- a serious dogfight to reclaim the Party of Lincoln. Downstairs, just outside a room displaying one of twenty remaining copies of the original Declaration of Independence (courtesy of Norman Lear), I ran into a bemused local independent, Laura Merrian, who said she "got snuck in here tonight" and seemed to be enjoying the show.

"I'm fiscally conservative and socially liberal," she said, rounding her O's in the good old Minnesota way. "So where do we go? I'm voting for Obama. I don't know how you can be a pro-choice Republican and support that platform, or support presidential and vice presidential candidates who oppose choice." Glancing around at the hundreds of milling, sipping, cigar-puffing misfits, she could not suppress a grin. "The moderate Republicans can't take back their party -- I mean, come on!"

Comments (21)

1. Rockefeller Repubs haven't swung real weight since Rocky got hooted at the SF Cow Palace '64 convention that gave us Goldwater. (Remember what they were shouting? "Nigger lover.")

   Rocky's billions kept him in the game, but moderate, reasonable Repubs shrank to a handful, and Rocky became the VP no one voted for.

   Nixon a moderate? Ford, the president no one voted for? Reagan Bush & Bush.

   40 years ago Nixon led the Repubs deep into bigotry land with his southern strategy ... and there's been no looking back, as it pays so well.

   Posted by sloper at 09/03/2008 @ 07:50am

2. Hello sloper,

   When you are talking about bigotry land, how about when Governor Ronald Reagan changed the practices in California State Government that had previously resulted in people of color being denied much opportunity and advancement in that entity? I am talking about the "career" or civil service type state government positions, not the political appointee jobs.

   He changed the practices that were wrong. Not a Democrat, but a Republican, Governor Ronald Reagan. How is this bigotry?

   How about when President George W. Bush has appointed more people of color to responsible positions in the executive branch of the United States government than any president before. Not a Democrat, including the so-called "first Black president Bill Clinton", but a Republican, George W. Bush. How is this bigotry?

   Enlighten us.

   Posted by sjchermak at 09/03/2008 @ 08:34am

3. But wasn't he McKeating5 before he was McMAV before he was McCave before he was McPOWhowmanyMANSIONS?

   The new leader to the new con repub unitary exec... better known as a dic'tator, for the will of the corporate MIC war profiteering.

   A dic-- dic'tates, qualifications are an illusion; merely a flimsy facade that the MSM is too fearful to report on, so it obsesses on a pregnant 17 yr old.

   Only the greediest new con repubs need remain.

   Everyone else-- fodder.

   Posted by hsuBfools at 09/03/2008 @ 08:40am

4. No doubt our local right-wingers will claim that "pro-choice Repubs are TINY minority, nothing to even consider"....

   good.

   Hope they do, because FIRST they will have to provide polling data that shows that Sarah Palin is "in the mainstream" on the issue of abortion (i.e. no abortions EVER unless the woman's live is threatened)....and how well that will play with a general public that DOES support atleast some basic abortion choice rights.

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/03/2008 @ 08:59am

5. sjchermak-What a couple of republican politicians do in order to get votes has little meaning in terms of republicans in general.

   Posted by i'm nobody at 09/03/2008 @ 09:14am

6. "With Bush, of course, it was a major priority."

   and like most of his priorities,

   he did nothing.

   which, in most cases is probably better than when he actually did something.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/03/2008 @ 09:15am

7. Mask-On these boards the only issue that people on the right disagree on is the abortion issue and some are more interested in pushing a particular moral philosophy than they are in getting the number of abortions to go down which makes one wonder how anti abortion they really are.

   Posted by i'm nobody at 09/03/2008 @ 09:22am

8. Posted by i'm nobody at 09/03/2008 @ 09:22am

   Of course. LOGICALLY, better contraception education would reduce abortions...everybody SHOULD support that.

   It's just the nutters like LVLIB who think teenagers can be "told" not to have sex...then accept that a lot of them will and will get pregnant...

   but think doing that makes us a "moral country"!

   I'm pro-choice, but I will educate my son so that he (and some girl) never HAVE to make the choice, but will be protected and smart.

   Oh and tell him to stay away from fundy/evangey preacher's daughters who are fine with the sex, but think Trojans are a sin!

   Posted by Maskdelta at 09/03/2008 @ 10:04am

9. I was inspired by Joe Lieberman and the delegates to the Republican convention. That's my party, my people.

   Ah yes, as the camera panned the delegates how many people of color did we see (one or two). What a well dressed, well fed gathering.

   McCain and his klan, talk about America and patriotism. They are referring to the good old days of Jim Crow. The delegates to this convention did not look like the America I live in.

   nhojjohn

   Posted by Nhoj_John at 09/03/2008 @ 10:31am

10. Small business owners would fare much better with low cost loans, tax credits, deductions, and lowered taxes in general under an Obama administration. In this state of NY, small business is going under daily in small towns, along with brain drain to other warmer climes.

    Now, in the Wall St. Journal, bought last year by conversvative Aussie billionaire Rupert Murdoch, there is an article saying otherwise. In other words, this is another MSM lying to Americans. It is sickening. I hope people don't fall for it, but GOP cannot just tell the truth that they suck and they are total failures and cannot possibly understand the plight of 99% of American families.

    I hope Americans aren't fooled or we are all in deep shit.

    Posted by jrs112 at 09/03/2008 @ 10:31am

11. the GOP mini convention is half deserted, since some GOP are still on the hill whining about oil drilling when they refuse to allow equal treatment of all energy, and just want to focus on a very small piece of the energy pie.

    Sure, the GOP is all white, and the klan will vote for old whitey, but KKK can't be too happy about female VP, either.

    Posted by jrs112 at 09/03/2008 @ 10:33am

12. Perhaps, Mr MOSER, your side should actually WIN first before you think in terms of "existence"

    And tell me again the difference between the Republican "rabble" and their Democrat counterparts in Denver last month?

    Chip

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 09/03/2008 @ 10:43am

13. mask-Over the years I've noticed that most pro choice people tend to look for ways to cut back on the number of abortions,but the anti abortion crowd doesn't.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 09/03/2008 @ 10:52am

14. but think Trojans are a sin!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/03/2008 @ 10:04am

    mirth control.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/03/2008 @ 10:58am

15. Posted by frosty zoom at 09/03/2008 @ 10:58am

    It's funny, if you try to pin down a lot of "pro-lifers" on contraception...

    you'll find AT FIRST they say they don't have a problem with it, then they'll start QUALIFYING that and say "except for birth control that terminates conception" and suddenly The Pill and IUDs are on the table.

    Then ask them about condoms and they will support the right of "Christian pharmacies" from refusing to sell ANY contraception.

    Eventually, a lot of them will be where the Hard Liners OPENLY are....they are against ALL contraception...which of course is the best way to truly reduce abortions!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/03/2008 @ 11:50am

16. "I'm fiscally conservative, but socially liberal"; it was Hitler who was used to say that… I can't remember. Of course there is any kind of populism in sight.

    Posted by yanovsky at 09/03/2008 @ 3:02pm

17. Posted by yanovsky at 09/03/2008 @ 3:02pm

    Do you have a QUOTE from Hitler saying that?!??!?!?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/03/2008 @ 3:23pm

18. "oh, eva! spank me with those t-bills again!"

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/03/2008 @ 3:31pm

19. McCain's selection of VP was carefully orchestrated by the Christian right in order to win over those Christian votes, and perhaps the pro Hillary "sour grapes". But perhaps it is going to backfire as Hillary supporters flock to Obama at the terrifying prospect of reversing Roe v. Wade.

    Posted by nursevic at 09/03/2008 @ 4:30pm

20. Posted by nursevic at 09/03/2008 @ 4:30pm

    Wow, nurse, you mean women AREN'T stupid (as McCain and the Repubs seem to think) and won't just vote for "any ol' female we throw at them, even if she's to the right of Sam Brownback"?!?!??!?!

    (sarcasm/off)

    Posted by Maskdelta at 09/03/2008 @ 4:35pm

21. @frosty zoom

    if only.

    Bush and his evangelical supporters have done an enormous amount to gut reproductive rights and good sex education in this country and abroad. If that's not promoting the "pro-life" agenda, I don't know what is.

    And abortion IS an issue, like it or not, Palin or not. The evangelical right has seen to it. It's way too easy to dismiss them as a fringe element.

    By the numbers, they seem to be out of step with most of the country.

    But by their successes in gaining federal funding for abstinence-only sex ed, cutting federal funds for UN family planning and disease prevention programs in Africa (condoms, again), in making abortion nearly impossible for the most needy women to obtain, and far more, the numbers really don't seem to matter. They are arguable on of the largest well-funded well-organized effective constituencies in the country.

    Posted by Bradamante at 09/03/2008 @ 4:58pm