Looking for the Conservative Soul

SINCE I OFTEN look to Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish blog for good information and commentary, let me take a moment to direct you to a review of his new book. Sunday's WaPo has the review in Book World.

THE CONSERVATIVE SOUL
How We Lost It, How to Get It Back
By Andrew Sullivan
HarperCollins, 2006

Andy Card on O'Reilly

THE MEDIA BUZZ surrounding Bob Woodward's new book, State of Denial, is in high gear. This weekend the WaPost published lengthy excerpts, [read here] including the excerpt dealing with Andy Card's apparent desire to have Bush replace Rumsfeld after the '04 elections.

I wonder if anyone else watched Card on the O'Reilly Factor last night. It was fascinating to watch Card dance around the questions O'Reilly was throwing at him. One fact that is clear: Card DID NOT DENY wanting to have Rumsfeld replaced. At one point O'Reilly asked Card if Woodward misrepresented him. Card DID NOT say 'yes.'

It's clear that Card is doing his best to remain loyal to Bush while, at the same time, making sure people understand that Woodward's book is a fair characterization of his views. You can watch the Card interview at Fox News. Tonight O'Reilly will have Woodward on to discuss the book. 8:00pm EST.

And while we're on the topic, does anyone else see the irony in the WH response to 'State of Denial'? Their official response to every major claim made by Woodward (Rummy should go, Card wanted Rummy out, Laura wanted Rummy out, Cheney is in charge at the WH, Kissinger is calling the shots, etc.) is to...yes...DENY the reports.

One Nation Under God?

THE REVIEWS ARE in for The Holy Vote: The Politics of Faith in America, the new book by Ray Suarez that examines the role of religion in American politics and foreign policy. I read the Washington Post review on Sunday in Book World, and you can read if for yourself here.

The publisher summarizes the book as follows:

the book 'examines the way Americans worship, how organized religion and politics intersect in America, and how this powerful collision is transforming the current and future American mind-set Not since the Civil War has the United States been so polarized -- politically and ideologically. But at the very heart of this fracture is a fascinating rig and paradoxical marriage between our country’s politics and religions.'

I welcome any comments from those who may have read the book already.