Rise of "Rainbow Right" Challenges Clinton's Demographic Argument

In an interview on NBC Sunday, reports Politico.com, Meet The Press interviewer David Gregory asked Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, "Your wife famously talked about the vast right wing conspiracy targeting you. As you look at this opposition on the right to President Obama, is it still there?"

Clinton answered in the affirmative; "Oh, you bet. Sure it is. It's not as strong as it was, because America has changed demographically. But it's as virulent as it was. I mean, they're saying things about him. You know, it's like when they accused me of murder, and all that stuff they did... Their agenda seems to be wanting him to fail."

Bill Clinton's mention of the political import of demographic changes likely referred to an analysis, popular in liberal think-tank circles, which projects that because much the GOP's base has been rooted among white European-Americans, Democratic Party fortunes will rise in coming decades as non-European minority groups, which historically have tended to vote for Democratic Party candidates, come to constitute an ever-larger share of the voting electorate.

But that analysis ignores aggressive efforts to move the American conservative movement past its latter 20th century ties to race-based politics. While the 2008 election amounted to a resounding defeat for the GOP, a multi-ethnic constituency of Christian conservatives managed unexpected upset victories in Florida, Arizona, and California by passing resolutions against legalized gay marriage in those states.

Those victories suggest the rise of a new, non-aligned but decidedly right-leaning faction in American politics, the Rainbow Right.

Organized around an anti-gay marriage and anti-reproductive rights agenda and a Christian nationalist vision for America, the Rainbow Right reflects ground-level developments on the Christian right as a decade long push to make the movement more racially and ethnically inclusive is coming to fruition so that many churches on the Christian right, such as Texas megachurch pastor John Hagee's San Antonio Cornerstone Church, now boast an impressive level of ethnic and racial diversity.

Behind the Rainbow Right is a rapidly growing charismatic movement within conservative Christianity that has gained enough influence that 2012 presidential election hopefuls such as Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee pay its leaders public obeisance. A number of national GOP politicians, such as U.S. Senator John Ensign, are associated with the tendency, which also claims former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin [also see here] and reflects large-scale changes within global Christianity.

But Evangelical leaders in this new charismatic tendency aren't merely content wielding influence within the Republican Party. Rising young lions in the new charismatic tendency such as the Reverend Samuel Rodriguez, who as President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Council purports to represent over 15 million Hispanic Christians, also are helping shape initiatives within Democrat-centrist think tank efforts such as the Third Way.

Comments

[skatoolaki]

Anti-gay marriage, yet they use the "rainbow" to represent themselves. Oh, the irony.

[sdskelton03]

I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat.

That said, it makes me happy that at least one party is attempting to build a coalition around ideology rather than building a coalition of groups practicing identity politics.

[dadw5boys]

Republicans ride the backs of the Fundmentalist into Power now the same Republican act as if they were out voted on everything to FOOL the Fundmentalist again..

Strange they can not see Fundmentalist in the USA and the Fundmentalist in Afganistan, Asia, and Eroupe in the same light as they see themselves.

We do !!!!!!!!

[sdskelton03]

I can see it. Just last night in my neighborhood the Christian church stoned three woman to death because they were raped. A man also divorced his wife just by saying it three times. She was then kicked out of the house with no money or possessions.

[MrMaus]

I have had personal conversations with two of the republican candidates for Governor of California. In a left leaning state they both understand the need to broaden the base from the traditional white and wealthy or religious. One candidate is focusing where you are looking, the conservative religious base of immigrants. The other is focusing on the fiscal conservatives, regardless of social views on gay rights and abortion . It will be an interest primary and, assuming one of the two is the republican candidate, election. Interestingly enough the Democratic contender will not be able or willing to reach out to either of those constituents as they are for increasing the state budget and gay marriage.
On a different note, I see the space almost as a circle with the moderates at the top and the left wing nuts and the right wing nuts meeting at the bottom. The republicans take the right side and the democrats the left. Since we have a screwed up system and lack a credible third party the odds of the republicrats or democrins imploding as voters withhold their votes or vote for the third party of their choice (libertarians or greens for example) is slim. The end result is the monopoly of power for the two parties that grease each other’s pockets or trade pork barrel projects. One can only hope that a state link Oregon where the two powerful parties are losing members fast makes the jump to proportional representation in a second

[Bruce Wilson - Huffpost Blogger]

Interesting - Those may be two viable strategies for Republicans in CA. Indeed. And, I imagine coded racist appeals would be off the table in either case.

[oafishcad]

I think only calling this movement Christian right is misleading. It's Religious right. Conservative muslims and jews are every bit as homophobic. And the Christian left is very welcoming of gays and birth control.

[Bruce Wilson - Huffpost Blogger]

Well the movement I'm writing on doesn't accept Muslims and although it accepts Jews, sort of, it also fetishizes and stigmatizes them. And, I'm not discussing the Christian left or Christianity in general. My piece concerns a growing segment of the Christian right.

[dadw5boys]

You mean Jews accept them ? right

[sdskelton03]

It's a pretty broad brush you paint with there.

There is a difference between believing a practice is sinful and hating those that practice it.

If Christians hated all of those who sin, they would hate everyone including themselves.

[pons1595]

Viewing their actions, I believe they do hate themselves as ingeniously as they pervert Christ's commandment to love one another.

The contemporary bastardization of Christianity and its fusion into right wing politics is more insidious and dangerous to our country than Al-Qaeda.

Arrogance and humility are solid opposites; one, arrogance, comes from self-hate and the other, from self-love. It doesn't take a genius to see the arrogance of the right-wing, religious political folks surrounding us.

[DenverJim]

I love it when churches and conservatives claim that they are now "diverse", because they now welcome people of color to their tent. But they all have one thing in common....­.the hatred of gays.

[RedDogBear]

I can certainly understand your apparent hatred of religion. I'm an atheist myself but I have to tell you some of my best friends are christians and none of them hate gays. OK, I get a biased view since I live in the one city that Bill O'Reilly has invited Al Queda to bomb but some churches actually practice the message of Jesus and embrace everyone regardless of who they choose to love.

[oafishcad]

There was no indication of hatred of religion in that post. I'm a Christian and I don't see it. I'm also in a big city where many Christians welcome the message of Christ that doesn't exclude gays.

[Bruce Wilson - Huffpost Blogger]

Sure, that's part of my point. The Christian right tent is getting bigger but, generally speaking, gays, uppity Jews, and non-Christians need not apply

[oafishcad]

Except of course Conservative Jews and Muslims also have the same hatred of gays.

[RedDogBear]

RNC's Spanish Press Release For Hispanic Heritage Month Riddled With Errors

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/29/rncs-spanish-translation_n_303429.html

An example of how the GOP is reaching out to the "Rainbow Right"

[mediamarv]

Race-based politics defines the conservatives and Republicans, your wishful thinking not withstanding.

Rainbow Right is a fiction. A couple of right wind loonies who happen to have bundles of money are entirely responsible for any conservative gains, i.e., Prop 8 passage, which ties in nicely with the basic conservative belief: everything is for sale.

[Fabienne]

Most of the young are listening to hiphop and watching Stewart and Colbert. There may be a minority of young who do not do this, but they are most likely considered dorks. And it is difficult to believe than any informed minority could possible align himself or herself with the gops, and if they are not informed, they are losers, so the gops are welcome to them.

[oafishcad]

The person who wrote the article is right. The Christian right is not all old white men. When it comes to social issues a majority of many minority communities is perfectly willing to vote away the rights of other minorities, especially gays and "uppity" women.

[swansong50]

Bruce, I find that a lot of liberals and left leanng people are missing this movement.

[Bruce Wilson - Huffpost Blogger]

Sure, I agree. What's astonishing to me is the degree to which big megachurches now boast diversity that one wouldn't always see in liberal and moderate mainline Protestant churches.

It's very easy for the left, I think, to look at anti-health care and "teabagger" rallies and assume they're wholly characteristic of the right or Christian right. But, I don't think that's the case.

[RedDogBear]

Can you provide ONE actual example of a big megachurche that boasts diversity? I've seen documentaries on them such as this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKcfcgn6zlM&feature=channel_page and they are always a sea of white faces just like the Republican convention and the Tea Bagger rallies. On the other hand as a resident of San Francisco I've been to "liberal" churches such as Glide memorial and they are about as diverse (including not just all shades of non-white but embracing LGBT) as you could imagine.

[MajorKong]

"Christian nationalist vision for America"

If that doesn't scare you it should.

[ThinkCreeps]

Very Jeffersonian sounding, now, ain't it?

[j0em0mma]

Wow, now THAT's one heckuva alternate reality, Bruce. I had no idea an unaligned, but conservative, group was hiding behind all the fanatics, slowly building steam... Of course, it's total BS, but it SOUNDS great! If you're a fringe moderate conservative watching his country and party fade into the sunset...

[ImmanuelGoldstein]

Yeah, notice how he doesn't provide any actual numbers just a lot of arm waving. Any basis for these claims other than unverifiable andecdotes?

[valkyrie607]

Black, white, and hispanic republicans, all united in their hatred of homosexuals and women who claim sovereignty over their own wombs.

It's positively heartwarming.

/snark

Sorry, I think this movement is a demographically doomed one, too. Homophobia just isn't going to be the rallying cry it is today, 20 years from now.

[AJH]

he's right and he's wrong. Prop 8 was clearly benefitted by never before voting blacks and hispanics in California. They were likely the decisive victory margin. At the same time when it came to voting for a suite of policies they supported obama overwhelmingly.

That is asked gay marriage or no they said no.

Asked Obama's vision of america or McCain/palin's vision of america they said Obama's by resounding numbers.

I'm married to one of those religious conservative first time hispanic voters it took alot of convincing to get her to see the light on gay marriage. I didn't convince her it was right just that democratic society had no business saying it wasn't. She would never vote for the suite of ideals of a republican candidate however.

[Bruce Wilson - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, your impression - pro Prop 8 & pro Obama - fits my evolving sense of what went down in the '08 election. I think you're living in a fascinating place, or perspective and I'd love to hear more.

[RedDogBear]

AJH, sorry you have been duped. Its an understandable error. After Prop 8 passed there was all kinds of propaganda about how the african american community had made it pass. It was all over the MSM. As usual it was based on pure speculation by people like Mr. Wilson. A few weeks later, after some real analysis it turned out that blacks hadn't voted for Prop 8 any more than other groups. Don't be fooled by lies that are meant to turn blacks and hispanics against the LGBT community. Our interests are really the same and we need to work together not fight each other.

[Aerows]

If you aren't a white male and you vote for GOP candidates, you need your head examined. Even the female "leaders" of the GOP like Bachmann and Palin actively work against the best interests of women. Bachmann and Palin wouldn't even be able to vote, much less run for office if it hadn't been for all the "radical feminists" who pushed for equal opportunity, and the same thing goes for minorities.

The "Christian Right" doesn't act very Christian to me - they act like people who pay lip service to Christianity in order to get into and remain in power. Cheating on your spouse, lying to your constituents and voting against health care aren't family values, and they certainly aren't anything Christ advocated.

[oafishcad]

As a white male Christian, I take offense at being left out of the group who should have their head examined if they vote Republican. Anyone should. Leaving me out is just anti-white-male Christian bigotry.

[RedDogBear]

right on, faved

[skatoolaki]

Thank you, very well said.

[mrmike1962]

I'm sorry but I'm calling BS on this article. The rainbow right is a total fantasy unless you consider monochrome white a rainbow. The size of the group articulated in this article has never changed and they have always voted as a block on the cultural issues. I agree that they are louder than they used to be because they have more amperage than they used to have (Rush, Beck, FOX, Hannity, etc), but a bigger amp does not a larger choir make.

[force fed up]

agreed

[oafishcad]

Wrong. In California Blacks voted to deny gays equality, as did Hispanics. Bigotry is not owned by white folks. In fact whites and asians voted for equality for gays (except older voters and republican­s.)

[force fed up]

They were misled by advertising paid for by the Church of Latter Day Saints, it had nothing to do with some rainbow coalition of conservatives.