The [tag]Republican Party[/tag] is lacking in sensible elder statesman who can share words of wisdom when the party strays too far into nuttiness. Thankfully, former Sen. [tag]John Danforth[/tag] seems to be auditioning for the role.
Former Sen. John Danforth says a conservative push to ban [tag]gay marriage[/tag] through a constitutional [tag]amendment[/tag] is silly, calling it the latest example of how the political influence of evangelical [tag]Christians[/tag] is hurting the [tag]GOP[/tag].
Danforth, a Missouri Republican and an Episcopal priest, made the comments in a speech Saturday night to the [tag]Log Cabin Republicans[/tag], which support gay rights. He said history has shown that attempts to regulate human behavior with constitutional amendments are misguided.
“Once before, the Constitution was amended to try to deal with matters of human behavior; that was prohibition. That was such a flop that that was repealed 13 years later,” Danforth said.
Referring to the marriage amendment, he added that perhaps at some point in history there was a constitutional amendment proposed that was “[tag]sillier[/tag] than this one, but I don’t know of one.”
Not too long ago, Danforth considered himself something of a mainstream Republican. During his lengthy political career — which includes stints as a three-term U.S. senator and Bush’s Ambassador to the United Nations — Danforth wasn’t even known as a left-leaning moderate.
And yet, in recent years, few of his stature have been as assertive in criticizing the GOP’s direction. A year ago, Danforth wrote a blistering New York Times op-ed, criticizing what he saw as the transformation of the GOP “into the political arm of conservative Christians,” and pleading for the party to “rediscover our roots.”
Last fall, Danforth was still at it, telling students at the University of Arkansas, “I think that the Republican Party fairly recently has been taken over by the Christian conservatives, by the Christian right. I don’t think that this is a permanent condition, but I think this has happened, and that it’s divisive for the country.”
Keep in mind, just a year ago, none other than George W. [tag]Bush[/tag] described Danforth as “a man of strong convictions, unquestioned integrity, and great decency. He is a man of calm and judicious temperament.”
I suspect Bush wouldn’t repeat these praise today, which is a shame. Danforth is telling his party what it needs to hear.