The American Conservative Union Foundation, one of the nation’s leading conservative institutions, announced that thirty-six national conservative organizations have formed a coalition to lobby at the national party conventions for the adoption of conservative platform planks. Among the groups are Americans for Tax Reform, the Christian Coalition, Citizens Against Government Waste, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Independent Women’s Forum, the National Rifle Association, National Right to Life PAC, and National Taxpayers Union.

From the Bush campaign journal…

George W. announced that Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who has strong pro-life and conservative credentials, would head the Republican National Convention’s platform committee. RNC Chairman Jim Nicholson called Gov. Thompson “an articulate advocate of smaller, smarter government, greater freedom and stronger families. His leadership and vision will be invaluable as our party crafts a platform that reflects the hopes and ideas of Republicans and a majority of Americans.”

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge said the GOP platform plank should be changed to reflect a wider range of Republicans’ views on abortion. “The fact that it fails to recognize that good people could differ is not the best kind of signal that you would want to send, in my judgment.”

The current platform as approved in 1996 states, “The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life, which cannot be infringed.” An appendix states, however, “The Republican Party welcomes individuals on each side of the abortion issue, encourages their open discussion, solicits their active participation in the party, and respects their positions and beliefs.”

Mr. John McCain is still hovering in the wings. Asked if he would “enthusiastically endorse” Mr. Bush even if they do not reach an agreement on campaign finance reform, McCain said, “If I didn’t, I would be litmus testing him, and I don’t think that’s appropriate for me to do. But I believe he has begun to and is continuing to pursue a reform agenda.”

On the trail, talking about colossal mistakes, George W. had this to say about that “read my lips” thing: “I think the mistake was to say, ‘read my lips’ … and then raise the taxes. I think it undermined some of his credibility, particularly with Republicans and fiscal conservatives.”

Memo to Mr. Bush: The mistake was not keeping his word with the American people, and that undermined virtually ALL of his credibility with fiscal and social conservatives.

Observation Points: “Senator McCain said he was going to drop out of the presidential race. But he hasn’t quite gotten around to it yet. He’s still clutching the microphone and waiting for his close-up. And he’s still scuffling with W., trying to out-macho, out-patriot and out-moralize the man who beat him.” – Maureen Dowd {} “On key issues, Bush sounds more like a centrist democrat than Gore. … On a series of major issues, Bush has embraced the exact position taken by the [Democratic Leadership Council] and its congressional allies, while Gore has either kept his distance or actively opposed the DLC stance. … [While] disagreements between Bush and an organization so intimately linked to the Clinton administration are hardly surprising…it’s more revealing that Bush and the DLC agree so much.” –Ron Brownstein {} “…[R]unning as a Republican on Democrats’ rhetoric is hardly an example of high principles.” –Thomas Sowell

From Bore2000 – The “Family Values” Campaign…

“Tipper and I send the best wishes for a wonderful event. We are proud to have you here.” –A letter from Al Gore to the organizers of the Millennium March for Equality, a rally of homosexual advocates featuring Ellen DeGeneres, who told the crowd that she would like to shove the counter-demonstrators’ signs “up their….” Another speaker suggested using the Washington Monument as, shall we say, a strap-on organ to sodomize conservatives.

In other news from the Vice Prevaricator, he proposed drug-test requirements for prisoners and parolees – excluding White House employees.

On Mr. Bush, Gore says, “He dangerously fixates on the Cold War past when speaking of the use of force. He suggests he would not intervene to relieve even the brutal repression of ethnic cleansing and genocide. One has to assume these gaps in Governor Bush’s foreign policy views will be filled by the ideologies and inveterate antipathies of his party; the right wing, partisan isolationism of the Republican congressional leadership. … We are in a global age. Like it or not, we live in an age when our destinies and the destinies of billions of people around the globe are increasingly intertwined. We should neither bemoan nor naively idealize this new reality. We should deal with it.”

Translation: Let’s do away with that old notion of sovereignty and party with the UN!

GoreGasms: “I believe we have not just a chance, but an obligation, to use today’s prosperity to make sure no American is left out or left behind.” {} “To me, Social Security is more than a government program. It is a solemn compact between the generations.” (In 1992, Bill Clinton said he was launching the “new covenant” between man and government – presumably replacing that “old” Covenant. Now AlGore sees Social Security as the new covenant Village’s answer to that old family bond between generations.)

Observation Points: “The Gore campaign often plays the Fatboy Slim song "Praise You” at events…. But the album it’s on comes with a ‘Parental Advisory Explicit Content’ sticker. Don’t tell Tipper.“ –National Review Online. {} "Over the weekend Al ‘Yo-Soy-Un-Hombre-Sincero’ Gore turned his attention from pandering to the Cuban-American community in Miami to pandering to the Latino community of Los Angeles. This, just before he attended a billion dollar soft-money fund raising event in that barrio of every-day-people, Beverly Hills.” –Rich Galen

Oh, HILLARY! Rodham-Clintonista…

“As a person of faith, I am appalled that [Rudy] would make false statements about me and my respect for religion,” says HILLARY! We suppose she is referring to her “faith in government.” (See the “new covenant” in the previous section.)