THE ONLY ISSUE

Until a few nights ago at a small dinner at a private home in Washington, it never even occurred to me that I might someday actually call the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by his first name.  Yet for several hours as we sat next to each other, it was "John" and "Jack" for the evening.

I cannot tell you what we talked about, and he of course did not say anything untoward or inappropriate.  What I can tell you is that besides being seriously smart and having a funny albeit dorky sense of humor (he came up with some real groaners), he is a Great American in every sense that you and I understand it.  He is one of us.

I couldn't help glancing at his profile inches from me in gratitude to President Bush for placing him in his office – then shuddering to think of who his next fellow Justices will be should Bill Clintons' wife get to choose them.

For a large number of voters, one issue is of overriding importance to them.  Judicial appointments is a good example.  The next president will almost surely appoint hyper-liberal John Paul Stevens' successor as he's 87, possibly Ruth Bader Ginsburg's whose health is not good, and hundreds to lower courts.

National security is another.  We are at war with a religious cult of murderous fanatics with billions of petrodollars with whom no compromise is possible.  Either they kill us or we kill them, and they are desperately seeking nukes. 

Or illegal immigration.  Or abortion, homosexual marriage, cultural degradation, increasing government control of our lives and economy, the list goes on.  For me, the only issue that matters is preventing the Democrat Party, the Party That Hates America, from winning the White House.

To put it another way, the only issue is the survival of America.

Does this translate to:  Who has the best chance to defeat Hillary Clinton?  Maybe.

Lots of very politically savvy guys are convinced she's got the nomination nailed.  "She's in like Flynn," Ralph Reed for example assured me earlier this week.  "Baked in the cake."

It sure looks like she is – but then, toute le Washington was convinced in late 2003 that Howard Dean had it nailed.  No one was paying any attention to John… who?

There's this nagging whisper in my brain saying it's too good to be true that the Dems will nominate the one single candidate with the best chance to lose, the one person guaranteed to ignite Republican grass roots passion and unlock Republican donor wallets.

I sure hope Ralph is right, that the Dems will be that stupid.  If he is, then it seems clear the best guy to take her on is Rudy.  Giuliani is the only one tough enough to not just withstand the impossible viciousness of Hillary's campaign against whomever the Republicans' choose, but to go straight for her jugular and kick her right in her huge wide rump with no hesitation or apologies.

(There's a funny story about Her Thighness.  She had her staff give strict instructions to her Secret Service detail never to look at her when she was in a bathing suit, swimming for example in the White House pool or at a home in Hawaii.  That's because, as a Secret Service fellow told me who saw her, her calves and ankles were as thick as her thighs, so much so her nickname among the detail was "Thankles.")

Rudy has cojones of solid brass, the only Republican opponent Hillary would be afraid of, as in real actual fear.  As U.S. Attorney for New York, he indicted and put in jail people far more dangerous than her, actual Mafiosi, members of all five of New York's major Mafia families. 

They tried to put a murder contract on him and he went after them anyway.  He is a relentless and thorough investigator, and if he uncovers solid evidence of Clinton criminality, he will move to get her indicted and imprisoned.

Electorally, Rudy, more than any other GOP guy, has a shot of gaining New York and California.  Hillary, on the other hand, will not carry a single southern state.  She cannot win without both of the Big Two.  Rudy will contest her in all 50 states, a full court press no other Republican can do, quite possibly resulting in a Reaganesque electoral college blow-out.

The nagging voice telling me the Dems can't be that dumb to nominate the PIAPS is answered, however, by another buzz in my brain saying "Oh, yes they are!" – because such stupidity is no exception but part of a pattern.

On issue after issue, they are caving to the moonbats.  On illegal immigration, they are turning Indie (independent) voters against them by pushing legislation giving illegals special benefits (the "DREAM" Act, Spitzer in New York giving them drivers' licenses, etc.).

They keep pushing special rights for homosexuals, the latest being the outright fascist ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination ACT).  They want to raise taxes by two trillion dollars with Charlie Rangel's "tax reform."  As we saw in Pelosi and the PKK, straight-out treason may be being committed at the highest levels of the Democrat leadership.

And the craziness is going to get worse.  The more we win in Iraq, the more our victory in Iraq becomes undeniable, the more the Code Pink/MoveOn moonbats will be in denial, the more rage-filled crazy they will become.

Some of that rage will be directed at Republicans, like the Code Pink lunatic lady who physically assaulted Condi Rice (10/24).  But most of the rage will be focused on Democrats for not being radical anti-war enough.  A lot of it will target Hillary.  With luck, we may be delightfully entertained by a Dem Civil War this spring.

The more the Dems tear themselves apart, the less it may be necessary to have the guy with the biggest brass set leading our charge.  Think so?

Whatever you think, let's keep one thing in mind:  The path to victory in 2008 lays in uniting behind whomever comes out on top on February 5 (Primary Super Tuesday), and in getting the other folks to be so disunited over theirs they're at each other with pitchforks.

What I'd like to suggest, then, is that we continue to keep our powder dry regarding our presidential favorites – the "we" being members of our TTP community.  It's fun and educational to participate in the debates on our User Forum regarding favorite GOP candidates.  Just be sure the spiritedness remains respectful of each other while keeping our eye on the goal.

Pick the issue of paramount importance to conservatives.  No matter which, every one without exception will get dramatically, even catastrophically worse if the Moonbat Party wins the White House.  No matter who among the eight GOP candidates comes out on top, he will be a far better alternative to that.

Keep our powder dry, our eyes on the prize, pull a SunTzu on the enemy (winning by getting the enemy to destroy himself).  That's the only real issue.