Buchananism, RIPWhat is the deal with Pat Buchanan? That is the question that many conservatives have been asking themselves lately. In a news report from the Birmingham News on November 2nd, Buchanan trumpeted Gore's experience and said that, "There's no question, if you talk about background, experience, knowledge of the issues, there is no question he is fully qualified from that standpoint, and very qualified from that standpoint." While he stopped short of an endorsement, one wondered if he was about to ask the Vice-President to give him a call sometime. Several days later, an article from the Associated Press came out entitled, "Buchanan Re-examines 3rd Party Idea." Here Buchanan says, "I've decided that a presidential campaign is really not a place where great ideas and great issues can be best advanced." Pondering which outlet was the best way to reach Americans with the gospel of Buchananism, Pat declared that, "This (constantly running for the White House) does not appear to be the best format to do it.'' It seemed for a moment that Buchanan had figured out that the Reform Party's best days were long gone. Not so. The next day, Pat declared that the Reform Party would soon "become the core of a national conservative populist party." It will be the first in America. It's a number of years off, but it will happen." Well, which one is it Pat? Is the Reform Party a vehicle and means to achieve a conservative political utopia? Or is it, as most people think, and as you almost acknowledged the day before, "not the best format" to get your message across? Then came election day and the lunacy that followed, with news networks giving Al Gore Florida, then giving it to Bush, then naming Bush president-elect, followed by a Gore concession, followed by a retraction of that concession, and a demand for a recount, thus leading us into one of the most bizarre spectacles in American political history. The main controversy revolves around the so-called "butterfly ballot" used in Palm Beach County, where a bunch of whiny senior citizens claimed that they didn't know how to vote on a ballot that any third grader could figure out. As everyone knows, their beef is that while Al Gore was the second name on the ballot, Buchanan's punch hole was second in line to be punched, with Gore's under it. Never mind the obvious fact that anyone with vision could notice that large arrows pointed to each candidate’s specific punch hole. Let’s not forget the inconvenient little factoid that a Democrat designed the ballot. Not to mention that party officials and voters on both sides of the aisle had ample time to complain about the ballot design far in advance, that sample ballots were given out before the election, and that their was no hysterical outcry until a bunch of partisans realized that their socialist guy probably lost. But Pat has shown sympathy for the viciously partisan crowd that has decided to show their collective stupidity to the nation. Pat says that, yes indeed, most of those votes probably weren't really meant for him. "`I don't want any votes that I did not receive and I don't want to win any votes by mistake,'' says Principled Pat. He went on to say, "It seems to me that these 3,000 votes people are talking about – most of those are probably not my vote and that may be enough to give the margin to Mr. Gore.'' Did Pat forget that in the 1996 GOP primary he received more than twice the amount of votes he did last Tuesday? Various reports have surfaced from Newsmax and National Review which show that most of those votes were in all probability Pat's, but Buchanan instead chose to further undermine the process and give legitimacy to the claims of the lying and/or illiterate crowd in Florida. In another wave of unpredictability, Pat later said what he should have said to begin with: that Palm Beach voters must live with their votes and for Al Gore should concede the election for the good of the country. That would have been the bold and honest thing to say to begin with. However, his earlier statements detract from that, as Gore partisans are using Buchanan's own words about the votes not really being his to make their legal and public relations case to the American people. (Good for his vice presidential nominee, Ezola Foster, for being right from the beginning on this question.) Buchanan is speaking out of both sides of his mouth, which is very disappointing. Many people, including myself, supported Buchanan for a long time and looked upon his honesty and straight talk with admiration and respect. In fact, throughout this whole campaign, Buchanan has disappointed many people, including hordes of former supporters. His jump to the Reform Party, which at the time seemed like an exciting development, turned out to be exactly what his critics said it was: selling out for 12 million dollars in federal funds. Buchanan had an immediate identity crisis when he started chasing the Reform Party nomination. Gone was the Pat Buchanan who issued a bold call to arms to what he properly labeled, "a culture war for the heart and sole of America." Gone was the Pat Buchanan, who while still running as a Republican heavily criticized George W. Bush for not being pro-life enough. Instead we got a new Pat Buchanan, one who only focused on leftist economic trade and foreign policy. Worse, we got a Pat Buchanan who silenced his views on important moral issues simply to appease liberals who were still in the Reform Party and who decided to name a loopy Marxist as his campaign co-chairman. Then the Reform Party Old Guard decided it was time to ditch the person they used to chase out Jesse Ventura and his supporters. In place of Buchanan, they then flocked to support a little known weirdo who believes he can fly. When the liberals in the Reform Party left and began hurling the usual despicable allegations of "Nazism" and "hate" towards Pat, he realized it might be beneficial to start talking again about the issues that got him a following in the first place. Now, gone was the two-issue candidate, and back was the uncompromising social conservative. After a series of surgeries, Buchanan returned to the trail in mid-September, and attempted to re-ignite his campaign with a visit at the now infamous Bob Jones University with a passionate speech about cultural decline. Throughout the entire 2000 campaign, Buchanan has been a walking contradiction, from his on and off again social conservatism, to the speaking out of both sides of his mouth regarding the Florida ballot controversy. And after all this, what does he have to show for it? He obtained less than half a percent of the national vote, he lost the precious 12 million dollar welfare subsidy from the federal government that made him go to the Reform Party to begin with, and he has further eroded his credibility. Before the few remaining Buchananites start sending me hate mail, let me state that during this campaign cycle, I donated close to $700 to the Buchanan campaign in response to fundraising letters or by attending paid events. I volunteered for Pat locally, and have every one of his books on my bookshelf. I have also consistently defended Buchanan against the ongoing smears from liberals and con-artist conservatives who claim he is a racist or anti-Semite. But it became more and more apparent to me throughout the campaign that, instead, Pat was just a typical politician and that his campaign was a strategic mess. So what lesson can be drawn from the whole debacle? Several things. One, when you compromise your principles in a chase for government money, don't expect a rosy outcome. Two, just like oil and water don't mix, neither does conservatism and liberalism. All the dreamy talk of a "left/right coalition" is pure nonsense, and no political party will ever survive with such an apparatus. Third, to the dismay of many conservatives, politics is not the answer nor the cure to the moral disease that is rotting America's core. Neither the Republican Party nor any third party is going to restore a Christian nation. Finally, Pat Buchanan is not much different from any other politician. I have no doubts that he is a good man. Everyone I have spoken to who knows him personally says that he is a wonderful individual.
November 13, 2000 Bill Barnwell is a freelance journalist and co-editor in chief of www.thepotatoe.com |
However,
politics is an evil institution that corrupts most everyone who
gets involved it. Politics takes good people, folks who start with
the best intentions, and systematically tears down their principles
in the pursuit of power. And as much as the hardcore Buchanamaniacs
would like to believe otherwise, they must eventually come to grips
with the fact that their hero is no different.