Weigel

Live From the Values Voter Summit: Countdown to O’Donnellmania

The annual Values Voter Summit, run by the Family Research Council and a coalition of “pro-family” groups, is happening this weekend. It used to be the lone conservative mega-event of the fall; this year it comes after Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” rally and the 9/12 rally. But there is no apparent fall-off in attendance, and FRC Chairman Tony Perkins said that more than 2000 people had signed up.

The immediate theme so far: Delight over Christine O’Donnell’s victory in Delaware, which was mentioned by the emcee to huge applause. In an interview with Politico, Mike Huckabee hit on a theme I don’t think we’ve heard the end of – that O’Donnell needs to “be who she is.” In his speech, on comfortable turf, Huckabee linked the record high poverty rate to the collapse of “the integrity of the family.” One-liners? Oh, he had ‘em. On the results in November: “Maybe Jeremiah Wright will look out his window and finally see those chickens come home to roost.”