Oct. 15, 2006
A Loss Of Faith
Former White House Insider Tells Lesley Stahl Staffers Called Evangelicals "Nuts" And "Goofy"
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A Loss Of Faith
David Kuo was once the deputy director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. But Kuo says religious leaders were manipulated for political gain. Lesley Stahl reports.
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David Kuo (CBS)
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Asked if in retrospect this was morally wrong, Kuo says, "I feel like it was more spiritually wrong. You’re taking the sacred and you’re making it profane. You’re taking Jesus and reducing him to some precinct captain, to some get-out-the-vote guy."
Kuo believes they helped some Republicans win elections, but that didn’t translate into more money for religious charities.
"David Kuo says that what the president delivered on the faith-based initiative was a 'whisper' of what he promised," Stahl tells Jim Towey.
But Towey says it's not true. "He has delivered on every single thing he promised."
"But not the money," Stahl replies.
"But not every cent of it," Towey says. "He’s not king. He had to work with Congress. It’s naïve to say, 'Oh, because the president asked for it and didn’t get it, that meant he didn’t really want it.'"
And, Towey says the White House got more money after Kuo left.
"Here’s the White House: they say 'Okay, we’ve added $740 million to these programs. We signed an executive order ending discrimination against religious charities.' I mean, they say that these are genuine accomplishments. And aren’t they?" Stahl asks Kuo.
"I think, perhaps for any other president, you know it's not bad. But when he continued to make a promise in the campaign and over and over again: 'This is my signature domestic policy initiative,' and you look at the numbers and you say, 'Well, it really doesn't match up with a man who says that,' and he was supposed to be different," says Kuo.
"Are you being a little naïve?" Stahl asks. "In the sense that the president operates in a political world where everything is compromise, where new priorities had to bubble up because of 9/11. And how could he fight for these programs when he had to worry about Iraq and all these other issues?"
"You know if naïve is believing in a promise, I'll plead to that sort of naiveté," Kuo replies.
This has been gnawing at both him and his wife since 2003, when he learned he had a malignant brain tumor, and left politics for good. Now he has written his book, "Tempting Faith," published by a CBS sister company.
"I have this burden on my heart that the name of God is just being destroyed in the name of politics," Kuo says. "I felt like I had to write this."
"You’re calling for a fast. That’s your expression," Stahl remarks.
"Yes. I think that Christians, particularly evangelical Christians need to take a step back. To have a fast from politics," he replies. "People are being manipulated. Good well-meaning people are being told, ‘Send your money to this Christian advocacy group or that.’ And that’s the answer. It’s just not the answer. It’s not the answer."
Asked if he thinks the White House is going to view his book as a betrayal and may go after him, Kuo says, “Of course they will. I can hear the attacks, right? ‘Oh, he's really a liberal.’ or, ‘Oh, maybe that brain tumor really messed up his head.’ Or, you know, ‘He's an idealist.’"
"But you're okay with that?" Stahl asks.
Says Kuo, "I'm fine with it."
Produced By Rich Bonin
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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I'm not making fun of Christians.
I'm making fun of anyone that thinks "family values "and compassionate conservatism" are really part of the GOP platform.
Beware of FALSE PROPHETS.
Just one more example of the hypocritical depths to which the Republicans will go to amass and retain power.
This article is simply an attempt to discourage the Republican base before the election. But the question is, %u201CCan the Christian conservative expect better treatment at the hands of the Democrats? Would the Democratic Party promise more, give more or mock conservative Christian leaders less the the Republican Party?%u201D
In every conceivable way, the Republican treatment of the conservative Christian base, though imperfect, is still far superior than they could ever hope for if the opposing party panders its way back into power.
Who wouldn't want to work for a president whose vision about compassionate conservatism would be matched with sweeping legislation to help the poor ? OK, call us both naive and simplistic. And at the same time you can call Bush a big fat liar !
I am Pentecostal, and have been often characterized (demonized?) as a Bush supporter, even though I have never voted for him.
Your comments are exactly right.
I too am heartened that this attempt to join church and state (i.e. Iran) has failed. Funny. That most Christians point to Iran as a failure between church and state, and yet do not see that Bush had attempted to do the same thing.
There are many Christians who believe that The Bible holds all the answers, and for me personally and for my family they do. America is one crazy place and I like the fact that I can teach my children about morality and have a good reference to read to them about it. Whether or not my children continue to Believe after they grow up and leave the nest is entirely up to them; at least I was able to gave them some clear answers whenever they asked.
A reference to any "(surreal) reality" TV show makes my point clearer. Some people actually believe that actors display "real" emotion and attitude. Strange. Actors are paid to do whatever it takes to get ratings for their shows, so how can that be real? Anyway, I digress.
And, well, actors and politicians are the same, are they not? When it comes to defining their professions?
With regard to how to country should be run, Jesus never left behind such a mandate: He never said that The Great Commission was to preach the Word through government office, that belief must be gathered, harnessed, and ultimately, controlled.
The Power Elite is composed of men whose positions enable them to transcend the ordinary environments of everyday men and women; they are in positions to make decisions having major consequences%u2026For they are in command of the major hierarchies and organizations of modern society%u2026They occupy the strategic command posts of the social structure, in which are now centered the effective means of the power and the wealth and the celebrity which they enjoy.".
Mr. Kuo is clearly of the masses and needs an education on the power elite. We all do. And that's the truth. God help us if we don't know and perpetuate the lie forever.
5. This article is simply an attempt to discourage the Republican base before the election--
A news flash for you-- such revelations of GOP corruption have been coming out for the last five years. Those GOP voters still paying attention are more than discouraged, they are bitterly angry at being lied to by those who counted on their trust. Like those who supported Nixon and discovered he was, indeed, a crook, they have every right to be angry.
6. "Would the Democratic Party promise more, give more or mock conservative Christian leaders less the the Republican Party?%u201D--
There, in your own words, is the problem-- the GOP not only cynically manipulates religious voters, the GOP does not understand religion is a matter of the conscience, and cannot be bought like a commodity. The GOP tried, and failed to use taxpayer dollars to buy itself votes on religious issues.
David Kuo, Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction (copy and paste the URL below into your browser)
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-4133496-2944811?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=david+kuo&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go
3. The Faith-Based Initiative diverts tax dollars to the GOP infrastructure, all in the name of religion--
Towey and the White House were embarrassed by a Washington Post story saying the faith office to trying to woo voters. Though Bush repeatedly denied the politics, Kuo says the story was true, and it was endorsed at the high level. After Kuo developed his idea, he brought it to Ken Mehlman of the Bush political affairs office, and suggested holding events for Republicans in tight races to reach religious voters. Mehlman, Kuo says, was "thrilled... He just whipped off a bunch a names of particular races and said, 'We need to go there, there, there, there and there'" The practice was widespread. Far from Washington, a local congregation in Philadelphia, PA, church whose pastor publicly endorsed Bush in the 2004 election year promptly got a $1 Million 'Faith-Based' Grant.
4. The Faith-Based Initiative is largely a campaign of slogans--
Kuo saw political connections as a way to "empower" the program. "And you think if you can get it tied %u2013 hooked in with the political people, that they'll then come back and support you, is that the thinking?" reporter Leslie Stahl asked. Kuo replied, "This is not rocket science or brain surgery, this is a matter of survival." Nonetheless, Kuo's estimate, the mere $60 million actually delivered by Bush in the first two years was less than one percent of the original federal promise of $8 billion (actually .075 percent).
Meanwhile, the confessions of David Kuo ( Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction ) is only part of a parade of facts returning to haunt those at the highest GOP levels with charges of massive corruption-- in the very regime which once claimed the right to govern on its mastery of "moral values". Among the GOP-confounding facts--
1. Evangelicals, as individuals, are not for sale, and frequently vote for the Democratic Party--
The evangelical spectrum runs widely across traditional religious boundaries and many do not consider Bush to have honestly delivered on promises to help those in need or to witness faithfully to the moral values he claims to champion. They also oppose prosyletizing imposed by many Faith-Based groups under a new Bush provision allowing them to "consider" religious beliefs for eligibility. Like other Americans, they do not agree with the Bush plan to combine church and politics.
2. Many conservative Christian churches-- at least, in the opinion of Bush's own staff-- DO care for government funding--
According to White House documents, Bush-defined faith-based groups got $1.17 billion from federal grants in 2003. Faith-Based head Jim Towey claimed another $40 billion was available from federal money distributed through state governments. How much was actually delivered in the first two years is much less, according to Kuo.
This article is simply an attempt to discourage the Republican base before the election. But the question is, %u201CCan the Christian conservative expect better treatment at the hands of the Democrats? Would the Democratic Party promise more, give more or mock conservative Christian leaders less the the Republican Party?%u201D
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Thank you for a revealing series of non sequiturs about the GOP and its hidden partisan agenda in a supposedly "non-partisan Faith-Based Initiative" It is interesting how your attempted defense of Bush policies-- which might boast of Faith-Based accomplishments-- has little to offer. Instead, it turns into an attack on Democrats and others who do not favor Bush. After a fashion, you *** the GOP with such faint praise.
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The correct spelling of "proselytize" no longer escapes my fingers.
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This blog resolutely refuses to allow long URLs. Suggestion-- select the whole URL, and paste into Notepad with wide margins or completely open, then copy and paste that line into the browser window.
If it looks like a liberal, talks like a liberal and the talk smells of bones and flesh from crunching on Christians ....IT'S A LIBERAL!!!!
This is perhaps the ultimate in cynicism and dirty tricks. They used people%u2019s faith by promising to infuse government with a Christian agenda; then laughing and referring to them as %u201Cnuts%u201D when they are out of earshot.
They took every one of the Evangelical leaders and played them like fish on a line. They baited each line with the single hot button issue of abortion, stem cells, ***, evolution and then stole their votes. They did this just to stay in power.
Power is not the means but is the end to these hypocrites. It%u2019s all they want, it%u2019s all they need. It%u2019s the monkey on their back. It%u2019s their drug, and they will lie, cheat, steal and even torture and murder to keep it.
So each of us needs to ask ourselves: %u201CWhat bait are they trailing in the water for me?%u201D
Don%u2019t take the bait. It%u2019s a lie. VOTE these addicts out!
Most religions exist today, not to have an open philosophical conversation, but to create political alignment within society.
Rome converted to Christianity back in 2 A.D. when the Jews were overpowering them POLITICALY.
We as a people need to return our religious beliefs back to their philosophical origins so as to open the discussion about why we are alive, once again.
"Religion can still send us the truly delicious sins. The fine flower of unholiness can grow only in the close neighbourhood of the Holy. Nowhere do we tempt more successfully as on the very steps of the altar."
These days I am reluctant to call myself a Christian because I don't want anyone to associate me and my beliefs with the "conservatives" or the "right". I think "follower of Jesus Christ" is more appropriate since he is the leader.
To expand on what grumpas said earlier, the "right" wants to shove their Christian ideology and their style of laws on those of us who don't practice Christianity the way they do as well as those who aren't Christian. There are many of every denomination who are fearful of retribution from their fellow church members if they express their true beliefs.
Please go to the polls and vote against every candidate whose slogan includes the word "right" such as The Right Candidate" or "Right for You". Take all your friends to vote too. We can make a political statement against theirs. It is our duty as free Americans and essential to keeping our Constitutional freedoms.
It should go back to the citizens before it lines the pockets of any religious leaders.
Doesn't sound any worse (or better) then a Democratic White House would, does it?
Did everyone on staff during the Clinton presidency cheat on their spouse? Even Nixon's staff had a few that weren't arrested...!
Think a minute...
Unlike Chistians, Jewish and Muslim people have totally integrated their religion with politics:
Isreal = Jewish state.
Iran = Muslim state.
(I think Buddhists have no state though.)
To then respond that Christians would do no better under Democrats, shows how much some have bought the "faith," and turned they're backs on a genuine spiritual vision. To circumscribe God within the confines of a human agenda may be comforting, especially when its one's own agenda, but any sense of an Almighty and transcendent is lost.
Wake up Church you've made a deal with the devil.
It's amazing how you can spin this to try and make people believe that more than two years ago when he started writing his book, David Kuo anticipated all the OTHER scandals in US politics would lead to the POSSIBILITY of Democrats taking over the House and MAYBE the Senate so he timed it so his book would come out now. That theory is just ludicrous!
Republicans are scared because they've made a whole bunch of big mistakes that are now coming up to bite them on their butts. Who's fault is it? Democrats, who haven't held power since '94? Please, get real.
Bush skirts legality by violating the separation of church and state and the churches violate their unacceptable tax exempt status by electioneering for their supposed benefactor.
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by jimlaregina
October 18, 2006 9:13 AM PDT
- nikosk1, you asked, "Remember how Kerry lost in 2004?" John Kerry won the election but Bush Republicans in Ohio and other states rigged voting machines to award the vote to Bush. Read Mark Crispin Miller's book FOOLED AGAIN. Also, read RFK Jr.'s ROLLING STONE article:
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See all 49 Commentshttp://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen