Taking names

Although pro-life Republican rebels lost a battle in Palm Springs, insurgent Tim Lambert believes the vote over funding GOP liberals provides the background information and ammunition to win the war. | Roy Maynard

There's a country-club feel to the lobby of the Renaissance Esmerelda Hotel in the California town of Indian Wells near Palm Springs. The place is a winter golfing draw, so bags of clubs are carried through by bellmen and guests. But golfers' shirts and cleats are outnumbered by the blue blazers of Republican Party national committee members, at least for this weekend. The party stalwarts have come to California to quash a rebellion.

Texan Tim Lambert moves through the lobby with the ease of an old political hand, matching smiles and waves and quick-grips of other committee members. He wears a gray suit and round-rim wire-frame glasses, fitting in perfectly well; but this homeschooling father of four (and president of the Texas Home School Coalition) is leading the rebellion.