Still, Martin is certainly not the kind of association one would expect from a born-again Christian like Bush. But perhaps most of all, Eminem matters because of the contradictions the issue reveals within both liberalism and conservatism. In some cases, this has been true. But the contradictions within contemporary liberalism are too profound to ignore. In the end, Democrats are caught in a bind.
Conservatives have two souls, too.
The other is built on the ideals of self-restraint, community, orthodox religion and public morality. But more obvious today is the paralysis and inaction of the Republican Party in the face of a culture that moral conservatives despise. In the end, these contradictions present Republicans and Democrats with both a problem and an opportunity. The problem is that by trying to hold together completely rival spirits, they seem and act like hypocrites, and so end up undermining their most cherished values and adding to the general cynicism about politics and politicians. The opportunity is that either party, if it had the courage and the wisdom, could forge a new, centrist, morally consistent and morally compelling politics of responsibility.