When good men lose

Richard Mourdock lost his senate bid, not because he’s a bad man, but because he’s a good man. Not because he gave the wrong answer, but because he gave the right answer.

He illustrates the challenge facing evangelical conviction politicians. To begin with, opposing the rape exception is a hard sell. And, of course, it’s much harder in a debate when you’re having to give snappy answers to complex questions. There’s no time to lay a foundation for your answer. Indeed, the point of springing that question on his during a debate was to put him in a tight spot. What do you say when the right answer is bound to be unpopular?

Of course, Richard Mourdock suffers from another handicap. He’s not a bioethicist like Robert George, Wesley Smith, Scott Klusendorf, or Francis Beckwith. That’s not his specialty. He’s just a decent man. A pious layman.

For that matter, he lacks the natural eloquence of Mike Huckabee.

That’s why it’s important to support parachurch ministries like the Life Training Institute. They can do presentations around the country. They can take the time to make a case. They can defuse hostile questions:

http://prolifetraining.com/

Politics is a retail business, not a wholesale business. Most politicians need to get their arguments from people who devote full-time to issues like these.