They are also sufficiently knowledgeable about American political history to know that, polls notwithstanding, their party will pay a terrible price if it allows this to become identified as a Republican issue. The Know-Nothings of the 19th century made a splash for a while, but they were soon extinct.
They will also ensure that the growing number of Hispanic-American voters – whose positions on social issues and foreign policy ought to put them up for grabs – will become a permanent part of the Democrat coalition.
Just as troubling is the other main Republican story line – the rise of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee in the polls.
Though an articulate down-home-style speaker, Huckabee’s key talking point isn’t so much his charm as his religion. The Baptist minister has crept up in the polls as much on the strength of his ability to flex his “Christian” credentials as on his hard-core anti-abortion positions.
His goal was to eclipse the Mormon Romney as the pro-life standard-bearer who could prevent a pro-abortion-rights candidate like Giuliani from winning. To do so, Huckabee has emphasized his faith in a way that has clearly appealed to evangelicals who regard the Latter-day Saints (as Mormons term themselves) as non-Christians.
Romney has attempted to defend himself against this prejudiced attack, but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to save his chances to win the Iowa primary, where Huckabee’s “Christian” ads are believed to be shifting the tide.
In the end, it may not matter so much which of these men wins the nomination if, once he’s won, they will all have driven the GOP debate into the murky waters of nativism and religious prejudice.
In such an atmosphere, a more realistic attitude about Iran may not matter much.
That may be good news for Democrats, who expect to win this year no matter whom the Republican candidate turns out to be. But it is a result that should be regretted by all Americans who understand that protecting the rights of minorities of all faiths and backgrounds is an essential part of American democracy.