Forget the Obituary

A lot of media, driven by liberal wishful thinkers, have been busy writing an obituary for the Republican Party. They would have you believe that the party has boxed itself into a corner of the Deep South and today only appeals to a handful of intolerant, vindictive, religious, anti-immigrant, anti-intellectual, women-hating, gun-toting elderly nuts.

But to paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of the party's death have been greatly exaggerated -- as has the death mask the Democrats have tried to plaster on Republicans.

We were at a rally this weekend in which a Republican announced his candidacy for governor of Virginia. What was amazing was who was at the Saturday morning rally. Yes, there were white guys -- and women -- and plenty of retired military. There also were Hispanics, African Americans, Vietnamese, Chinese, South Koreans and Philippinos. There were little kids, teenagers, college students, yuppies, families, "middlers" and retirees. There were people whose roots went back to the founding of the country and those who had recently arrived here. There were blue-collar workers, housewives, homeschoolers, lawyers, small business owners, scientists and other professionals.

The talk that morning wasn't hateful or spiteful. Instead, it was full of hope, of bringing back fiscal responsibility, of restoring faith in the future for all Virginians, of honoring life, of recognizing personal responsibility. The energy and promise in that room was testimony that conservatism is very much alive and well in America.