Top 10 Conservative Stories of 2008

Without much fanfare, pro-life advocates marched on Washington on Jan 22, 2008, to protest the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortions in America. Many believe the 1973 decision was what sparked the social conservative movement, giving rise to a new element in American politics: the religious right. Despite a phone call to the protesters by President George W. Bush, who thanked them for their vigilance, and remarks delivered by Texas Congressman and then-presidential candidate Ron Paul, who encouraged their efforts, the press failed to give the event much print or airtime. It would be the first of many questionable and clearly liberally-biased calls by the national media in 2008.

In a despicable act of domestic terrorism, a deranged gunman opened fire July 27, 2008 inside the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church near Knoxville. Jim D. Adkisson, 58, was arrested for the shooting and a four-page letter, presumably what he thought would be a suicide note, was found inside his car. Because Adkisson's motivation according to police was a "stated hatred for the liberal movement," many saw his rampage as a violent conservative protest. The reality, however, was that besides taking the lives of several people, the killer's actions undermined the movement considerably. The aftermath of the shootings led to a highly charged debate over the motivation of madmen and the nature of violence.

The US Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling on June 26, 2008 in the case of DC v. Heller not only struck down Washington DC's draconian ban on handguns, it unambiguously returned the rights of gun ownership to the individual rather than the governing state, which previously had the sole "collective" right to form armed militias. The highly-detailed, 67-page order examines the Second Amendment in-depth and provides clear and convincing support for the argument that while gun violence may be a problem, gun ownership shouldn't be.

In a stunning victory for religious and social conservatives, gay marriage was defeated in all three states where it appeared as a referendum on the election ballot. Voters in Florida, Arizona and, most notably, California struck down gay marriage as a recognized state practice. With the passage of Prop. 8 in California and the defeat of similar referendums in the other two states, conservatives and religious organizations became the objects of ire for the gay community. Conservatives continue to be painted as "homophobic" or "intolerant" by their liberal detractors, when the truth is that many just want to preserve what they see as a sacred bond between a man and a woman.

Many Americans were truly alarmed by a sudden and unexpected rise in fuel prices all across the country in 2008. Places like Alaska and California got hit the hardest and the issue became a major component of both presidential campaigns. The sharp upturn in prices (the national average at one point nearly eclipsed $5 per gallon), combined with a souring economy, resulted in major cutbacks in production by the three major American auto manufacturers, GM, Chrysler and Ford, which were all brought to the brink of bankruptcy in the closing days of 2008. Environmentalists argued against the demands of an angry American public which called for more oil refineries and the opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil exploration.

It began with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, which the federal government prudently allowed to go bankrupt. But when other major financial players began to stumble, the government decided to get involved. The first financial giant to get bailed out was Bear Stearns. Soon, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac followed suit. Before anyone knew what was really going on President Bush and the US Treasury were proposing a $700 billion bailout package to the entire banking industry. Bailout fever began to catch on everywhere, and by the end of 2008, CEOs of the three major US automakers -- GM, Ford and Chrysler -- were zooming into Washington in their private jets to ask for $25 billion. A week later, they raised their request to $34 billion.

After a brutal and sometimes bitter Republican primary battle, all obstacles to John McCain's nomination were officially cleared on March 5, 2008. The defining moment of the GOP primary came when former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee withdrew from the campaign and threw his support -- as well as his delegates -- to the Arizona Senator. Texas Congressman Ron Paul remained in the race until the middle of June, however, refusing to acknowledge McCain's overwhelming numerical advantage. As McCain plotted his strategy for the general election, the primary battle between New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama raged on. Many conservatives believe McCain was the only candidate who could defeat either of the two Democrats.

As early as January, it was apparent that the US economy was going to fall hard and fast in 2008, but few could have predicted just how bad things would get. The first sign of trouble came as the housing market tanked and mortgages began to go bad at an alarming rate. In March, Fed chairman Ben Barnanke was announcing measures the federal government would take to ease Americans' pain. By mid-summer, despite the rosy optimism of politicians like Senate Banking Chairman Chris Dodd, it appeared several financial giants were in dire straits. Fuel prices contributed to the trouble and by August, the Age of the Bailout had officially begun. Finally, in December 2008, financial experts were willing to admit that the US was in an ugly recession.

Despite the outcome of the 2008 presidential election, conservatives were energized by the nomination of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as John McCain's running-mate. Most conservatives considered Palin the quintessential Washington outsider, a woman whose down-to-earth, conservative viewpoints could galvanize the nation behind the Republican party. In the end, Palin proved to be an unpolished politician and was hurt by the very qualities for which many admired her. A polarizing figure, she remains a leader in the conservative movement, a fact that has repelled some conservatives and attracted others. Her future in American politics is virtually assured, and when she learns how to handle the national media, she'll undoubtedly be a star.

Although it was not the outcome conservatives wanted, no other story can surpass the election of Barack Obama on Nov. 4 as the dominant headline of 2008. In electing the nation's first African-American presidential candidate, Americans sent a strong message to Republicans and conservatives that it was time for a change. And the news wasn't all bad for conservatives. Obama proved to give those on the right a reason to hope as he populated his cabinet-level positions with people of opposing viewpoints, reviving the long-lost Lincoln-esque notion of a "Cabinet of Rivals." Obama seemed to be letting the nation know that all political ideologies would be welcome and considered on his watch. It was a change even conservatives could appreciate.