The Times-Picayune reports that Sen. David Vitter opened the first day of the 111th Congress by unleashing a flurry of bills designed to endear himself to the Religious Right, on whom he is counting for support when he runs for re-election next year:
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., has unleashed an onslaught of legislation, filing 34 bills and resolutions, on the first day of the 111th Congress that convened Tuesday.
Beyond making plain his intention to seek re-election in 2010, Vitter's opening-day volley also amounts to a political manifesto, staking unambiguous claim to issues dear to Christian conservatives -- abortion, public prayer, stem cell research, home schooling, drugs, the death penalty, illegal immigration and protecting the American flag -- with a thoroughness that leaves little room for any challenge on those issues from the right.
It'll be interesting to see how right-wing leaders respond this obvious attempt to woo them, considering that Vitter was linked to a prostitution ring back in 2007. Knowing them, they have never been much for holding one of their ally's obvious hypocrisy against them when it comes to making political calculations and will probably rally to his defense as he seeks to maintain his seat in the Senate during the next election.
