Moore's Alabama defenders know exactly what they are doing and why

They defend him by saying he is innocent and the women are lying, yes.

But they also say that, apart from that, what matters to them is that he is a paladin of "Christian values," by which they do not mean to refer to his personal sexual conduct but to the place in the law of traditional Christian morality that he would defend and perhaps even seek to expand or restore.

They are perfectly clear that on abortion, gay rights, and anything to do with sexuality, he and the Democratic Party, and Doug Jones the Democrat running against him, are on completely opposite sides.

And that affects especially but not only how they would vote, for example, on The Duce's sociocon nominees for the federal bench.

(Steve Bannon has suggested that of greater concern to the DC Republican leadership is Moore's vote on the tax bill. He has claimed that after it is passed - assuming it is passed - they will dump Moore.)

Roy Moore and the Republican sociocons stand for Christian clericalism, what Andrew Sullivan calls "Christianism," legal enforcement of traditional Christian sexual morality and legal support for, even endorsement of, the tenets common to morally and theologically conservative forms of Christianity and the social importance of their widespread acceptance.

In contrast, the general run of Democrats are secularist and anticlericalist in their politics, firmly opposed to the legal enforcement of traditional Christian morals or legal encouragement or support for any form of the Christian - or any other - religion.

Moore's supporters understand all that perfectly well.

And that is why they voted for Trump and will vote for Moore.

Alabama Senate Race

If Mr. Jones wins, filling the seat left vacant when President Trump appointed Jeff Sessions as attorney general, Republicans would see their Senate advantage dwindle to a single seat, putting their majority in play next year.

But should Mr. Moore survive, it would illustrate the enduring limitations of Democrats in the South and suggest that the tug of partisanship is a forbiddingly powerful force.

. . . .

When Mr. Moore’s campaign held its final rally in Midland City late Monday, it was Kayla Moore, the candidate’s wife, who grabbed the headlines.

Fake news would also have you think that my husband doesn’t support the black community. 

Yet my husband appointed the very first black marshal to the Alabama Supreme Court, Mr. Willie James.  

When he first took office as chief justice many years ago, he brought with him three people from Etowah County; two were black, and one of them is here tonight.  

We have many friends that are black, and we also fellowship with them in church and in our home. 

Fake news would tell you that we don’t care for Jews.  

I tell you all this because I’ve seen it all, so I just want to set the record straight while they’re here. 

One of our attorneys is a Jew.  

We have very close friends that are Jewish and rabbis, and we also fellowship with them.

The author of the Times report and TV talking heads not at Fox News are, so to speak, rolling their eyes at those remarks, cashing in on the bizarre notion, no doubt created by liberal propagandists, that anyone protesting charges of racism or anti-Semitism by pointing out he has black or Jewish employees, associates, or personal friends must be a racist or an anti-Semite.

Which is not to say Moore or his wire are not racists or anti-Semites.