In "Church Leader Resigns After Gay Sex Claim," today's Washington Post reports on the resignation of the Rev. Ted Haggard as president of the National Association of Evangelicals. His resignation was prompted by an accusation that he'd paid for homosexual sex.
It didn't take long for Post staff writer Alan Cooperman to link the incident to next week's much-anticipated Democratic sweep. The sixth paragraph:
"Although he has avoided endorsing political candidates, Haggard has been a staunch ally of the Bush administration. Some political observers said his resignation was more bad news for Republicans trying to rally their conservative Christian base to turn out for the midterm elections."
The following paragraph includes a quote, presumably to buttress the contention of "more bad news," from a Rice University professor: "This is one more factor that could increase the disillusionment of evangelicals with prominent leaders on the Christian right and with the political process as a whole, and some may conclude that perhaps their forebears were wise to be wary about politics."
One observer who says the incident could increase disillusionment? That doesn't seem to me irrefutable evidence that the Rev. Haggard's situation is more bad news for Republicans.
With the elections only days away, the Washington Post and other components of the mainstream media are looking for anything that can in any way be construed as hurting the GOP.
