Regular readers of GetReligion will know that we don't spend much time blogging about religious media, unless it is a site offering very solid information that is of interest to mainstream Godbeat reporters. The work of Ted Olsen and the CT blog crew leaps to mind. There are valuable sites on all sides of the Anglican Wars, too. And so forth and so on. But every now and then you can catch a passing reference to an uncovered news item in niche media targeting various religious camps -- especially when you are dealing with, let's say, the Alpha Celebrities who head powerful parachurch groups. It also pays to read between the lines of the denominational press organizations on both sides of the Culture Wars, such as -- sort of -- Baptist Press and Associated Baptist Press.
The politico turned activist/apologist Chuck Colson is just such a person -- an evangelical Alpha Male of the highest order. The radio commentaries written by Colson and his team of researchers often deal with political events, which is not surprising. But the current commentary with the title "The Long Run: News Cycles and Nominees" includes a very interesting glimpse into a scene that is predictable, yet interesting nevertheless.
The short script is about the guessing games leading up to the nomination of John G. Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court. People on both sides of the church aisle were tense. On the right, people were nervous about Judge Edith Clement being another Justice David Souter. Enough said. Then we find this passing reference:
This concern, while understandable, made three unsupported assumptions: first, that Clement really was a Souter-in-waiting; second, that she was actually the nominee; and third, if activists made enough noise, they could pressure the president.
When speculation shifted to another candidate, many activists breathed a sigh of relief, but during the hours Clement spent as the front-runner, saw more than one meeting regarding a possible third political party -- and panicky phone calls to the White House, and alarmist traffic on the Internet, as if we could control events.
Colson goes on to offer some patient words, urging other evangelicals to be patient. I expect he wrote this script himself.
So -- WHOA -- what was that about multiple meetings to discuss a Third Party? Does anyone have a list of the folks in those meetings? Talk about burying the lead. What was discussed? Who represented the White House, urging calm? Dr. James Dobson makes this threat every few years. So who else was inside the closed doors?
A quick Google of "Third Party" and "Christians" yields no news. Anyone out there seen anything? I am still in dial-up land and I cannot do my usual blitz work.
What's shaking?