George Allen Courts Fundies

The AP reports that George Allen is trying to have the "My God is bigger than your God" General put in charge of the U.S. Special operations Command.

A Senate Republican wants an Army general who drew criticism for church speeches casting the war on terrorism in religious terms to lead the U.S. special operations command.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Sen. George Allen, R-Va., recommended Lt. Gen. William G. (Jerry) Boykin, currently the Pentagon's deputy undersecretary for intelligence, for the post at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.

[...]

In 2003, Boykin gave speeches at evangelical Christian churches in which he painted the war on terror as a Christian fight against Satan and suggested that Muslims worship idols. Boykin later apologized for his characterizations as conservatives rushed to defend him.

A Pentagon investigation the following year found that Boykin violated regulations by failing to make clear he was not speaking in an official capacity when he made the speeches, sometimes wearing his Army uniform. The probe also found Boykin violated Pentagon rules by failing to obtain advance clearance for his remarks.

With no clear successor for George W. Bush, the Republican hopefuls will spend the next year or so falling over themselves to appease the rabid christianists in the base. This would be comical if it wasn't so frightening. Sen. Allen would but an officer who violated Pentagon rules by failing to get proper clearances to speak in charge of some of the most secret and sensitive operations in the entire military just because the Dominionists like him.

Even the Senior Republican Senator from Virginia disagrees with the idea.

"Senator Allen is entitled to his views. He did not consult with me on this matter, but this officer would not be among those whom I would recommend for this position,"

When George W. Bush courted the fundies before the 2000 elections, he did so without everybody watching. It will be interesting to see if, after all this pandering to the base, Republican candidates can move back towards the center as the election draws close without alienating the base or frightening moderates.
George Allen General Boykin Christianists