reliable Little Rock informant says that the incumbent senator suffered a defeat, if not a knockout, in last night's debate with Democrat Mark Pryor, the state attorney general. The low point came after Pryor accused Hutchinson of voting too slavishly with his own party, when the senator was reduced to defending himself by noting how many times he has voted with Ted Kennedy. That may further disillusion devout churchgoing voters, who are already troubled by this "family values" politician's abrupt divorce and remarriage to a younger aide. (A county GOP leader in Arkansas explained that "we all have things that occur in our lives that are unfortunate.") I also hear that a newspaper poll will appear shortly showing Pryor ahead by 10 points.
Praise Jeebus.
He also notes that "Republican Walter Jones has introduced a bill in Congress that would allow houses of worship to endorse and finance political candidates" and opines "[T]he Jones bill would be fine -- if it also cancelled the tax exemptions enjoyed by the politicized clergy." Actually, unless I'm mistaken, the Jones bill wouldn't be necessary for that. The only issue is the tax exempt status. Without it, religious groups are allowed to do whatever they want. By presenting the argument this way Conason falls for the spin by supporters of the bill, that churches shouldn't be subject to such regulations.