Indeed Returns Ralph Reed

Our liberal media has declared former Christian Coalition front man Ralph Reed absolved of his ties to convicted lobbyist fraudster Jack Abramoff, and back in the political god-botherer business. His new outfit, the Faith and Freedom Coalition, is ready to become a major force in the 2012 GOP primary.

Mr. Reed is pursuing these grand, some say grandiose, plans with a nonprofit group that he has described as “a 21st-century version of the Christian Coalition on steroids.” As the name implies, the Faith and Freedom Coalition hopes to rope in a broader constituency. His “sweet spot,” he says, is the millions of people who were fired up by the fiscal concerns of the Tea Party and share the cultural values of evangelicals.

“That’s our market,” he added.

The coalition’s red, white and blue logo is reminiscent of the Christian Coalition’s. The new group is holding its second annual conference in Washington on Friday and Saturday, conjuring memories of the “Road to Victory” events that the Christian Coalition held in the capital every year.

As with the Christian Coalition, this group’s conference roster includes nearly all the likely contenders for the presidential nomination, including former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Herman Cain, a retired businessman, and Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, as well as a famous almost-candidate, Donald Trump. There will also be evangelical leaders like Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, and establishment Republicans like Speaker John A. Boehner and Reince Priebus, the Republican National Committee chairman.

“Ralph is rebuilding his image,” said Matt Towery, a columnist and pollster in Atlanta who formerly managed Newt Gingrich’s Congressional campaigns. “How powerful will he be? We have no way of knowing, but he’s very clever and has the talent and connections to reinvent himself.”

Many of the retirees gathered here could not even recall who Ralph Reed was, let alone ponder his past. But they loved his message. Weaving together themes of the Tea Party and evangelical Christians, he called the debt crisis a sign that the country has lost sight of its founding moral principles. He said that by working together, fiscal and cultural conservatives can “begin the process of turning the country around.”

“Our goal for 2012 is to build a file of 29 million conservative voters,” he said, describing to cheers the political “ground game” he is best known for, now souped-up with Internet technologies. “We’ll e-mail them, we’ll call them, we’ll knock on their doors and, if necessary, we’ll drive them to the polls.”

No matter if his goals are realistic, Mr. Reed’s return is welcomed by many Republicans, said Phil Cox, executive director of the Republican Governors Association, because “Ralph has a great track record.” The Abramoff ties are “largely in the rear-view mirror,” Mr. Cox said. 

Any wonder then that the last time Ralph Reed had any political pull was in the mid 90's, as Newt and the Contract With America swept to power and the Christian Evagelicals flocked to stop the horrors on a Clinton second term?

Who says Republicans don't believe in recycling?  Those of you too young to remember what Reed and friends did to Clinton 16 years ago, you're about to get a front row seat.