Jan. 10, 2008
Evangelicals A Key Part Of S.C. GOP Race
Huckabee Counting On Support From Christian Conservatives, But Others Are Courting Them
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Republican presidential hopeful and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and his wife Janet Huckabee, right, tour the Carolina Pregnancy Center with center director Alexia Newman in Spartanburg, S.C. Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008. (AP)
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A win there in the Jan. 19 primary would keep the former Southern Baptist minister and Arkansas governor in strong contention for the Republican presidential nomination, no matter how he does in the Michigan voting that comes first.
"He is tailor-made for South Carolina voters, better so than Bush in 2000," contends former South Carolina Gov. David Beasley, a Huckabee backer. But Huckabee's hardly alone in seeking - and gaining - support from evangelicals.
Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson have won important endorsements. John McCain is trying to mend fences after a difficult primary experience in South Carolina in 2000.
As in Iowa, where he won the Republican caucuses, the cash-strapped Huckabee is relying on pastors to help get out the vote. And he also has the support of some in the political establishment - Beasley is one - giving him organizing power he lacked in other early voting states. That could make a difference to pragmatic evangelical voters, who want a candidate who could actually win the nomination.
His background has given him some advantages. He spoke in early November at a "pastors' policy briefing" similar to those staged in Iowa and New Hampshire, where local pastors can meet with national Christian Huckabee supporters.
"He's had wonderful opportunities to talk to the 'grasstops,' these pastors who preach to hundreds of people, while not spending any money," said Oran Smith, executive director of the Palmetto Family Council, an anti-abortion group that has remained neutral on the presidential race. "Being a Baptist minister and a candidate for president, no one would want to turn him away."
White evangelicals account for 53 percent of the state's likely Republican voters, according to the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.
Still, they "are not a monolithic group here and don't always vote together," cautioned Danielle Vinson, a political science professor at Furman University in Greenville. "Their leadership isn't giving them very clear signals this time, either."
South Carolina's political and religious elite have scattered endorsements across the GOP field:
Another question is the resurgent McCain, who has sought to mend relations with evangelicals after his bitter South Carolina defeat in 2000. McCain has a strong advocate in Lindsey Graham, the state's other U.S. senator.
In 2000, the Christian Coalition was credited with boosting George W. Bush by distributing material spotlighting "disturbing facts about John McCain," including his stances on stem-cell research and campaign finance overhaul. In one sign of how South Carolina's evangelical dynamics have changed, the weakened coalition is sitting out this primary altogether.
Huckabee supporters are quick to point out that many of the state's endorsements came before their candidate emerged as a conservative contender.
Among the state's 700,000 Southern Baptists, support for Huckabee is mixed, but many now view him as an electable candidate who shares their evangelical values, said Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page, a pastor in Taylors, S.C. "Baptists are pragmatists who support those who they believe to be electable and consistent with pro-family policies," Page said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Some evangelicals are wary of Huckabee, believing he is too liberal on issues such as poverty, health care and the environment. Page, while not endorsing anyone, dismissed those criticisms, calling Huckabee a "caring, genuine, humble person."
In the final campaign stretch in South Carolina, Huckabee backers will distribute voter guides and air radio announcements urging Christian pastors to speak out on moral issues and encourage people to vote, said Janet Folger, a Florida-based talk show host and co-chair of Huckabee's Faith and Family Values Coalition.
In Iowa, pro-Huckabee pastors reported receiving unsigned letters warning them that getting involved in the race would endanger their churches' tax-exempt status - and Folger said she expects more of the same.
During a rally Wednesday at a hotel ballroom in Spartanburg, Huckabee found a receptive audience that included a homeschooling mother, abortion rights opponents and a woman who said she learned only recently Huckabee was a minister.
Jessie Davis, a 27-year-old mother of three from Inman, S.C., held her youngest, 8-month old Abbie, in her arms. Davis said the No. 1 thing that attracted her to Huckabee was "Christian values."
"He's going to ask God what do before he asks somebody else," Davis said after the rally. "God designed everything. He knows how it's supposed to work."
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See all 124 CommentsThese sick faux christians are disgusting period.
They secretly hate Jesus, cause Jesus is just way too liberal for them.
Posted by adasher1 at 08:17 PM : Jan 10, 2008
True -- most republican politicians are in fact atheists, but they are too smart to admit that to the sheep that voted for them. It''s hard to know if Huckabee really believes in god -- he, much like Pat Robertson, has way way way too much to lose if he admits that there''s no good reason to believe that Jesus was the son of god or that god exists, and by "god," I mean the kind of god that christians, jews and muslims say they believe in, without a scintilla of credible evidence. I suspect Pat Robertson himself is too smart to believe in that BS, but one thing is does believe in is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. That''s all the proof people like he and Jerry Falwell (god rest his immoral soul) need.
To win Huckabee needs to:
1. Take Bush on be the anti Bush he can do it just say God popped in but call it the spending the Iraq the environment
2. Promise to stay away form the justice department no pardons nothing zero nada, gods criminal code is about haven and hell not the criminal code some cross over but.......hands off
3. Dont gain weight
Posted by ontheleft at 09:06 PM : Jan 10, 2008
Hallejulia and amen
...on the other side of the Demo-public coin, there is Barrack Obama who can shuck and jive with the best of the tent preachers trying to call up some sad imitation of the great "I have a dream..." speech of Martin...following the beaten path of Jesse Jackson...like some kind of Elvis imitator, these ''Martin immitators'' just can''t seem to sell the boiled peanuts when push comes to shove. Where Martin wanted peace, Barrack wants war...he''s just too shy to say so very often in public...and has the able assistance of the Regime''s media empires in keeping that quiet. But, he will most definitely land a whole lot of mullet in South Carolina...where cheap imitation, thanks to the education system, is not even recognized as such by its denizens.
Posted by ontheleft at 09:06 PM : Jan 10, 2008
Hallejulia and amen
Posted by starleo14672 at 09:44 PM : Jan 10, 2008
RAmen!
Posted by ontheleft at 09:06 PM : Jan 10, 2008
Do you support an evangelical holocaust in America?
Actually I thunk it is the opposite, he says it just enough so as to reassure the war profiteers and corrupted politicians that he is no threat to their cash cow, but quietly enough so that the 80% of thinking people don''t associate him with neocon war mongering.
But the fact that we who listen carefully past the sound bites are not sure at this late stage, illustrates the snake oil salesmanship that has become sadly, the most salient part of politics, and is indicative not of someone who really wants change, but more of the disgusting and ultimately self destructive same BS.
Still, better than any Republican, who openly commits corruption, then blatantly lies about it.
No kidding, how many times have you tried to have a rational discussion with one of them about why they believe only to be told, "I feel sorry for you because when you die, it will be too late." Or, my favorite, "You better hope there''s no God, for your sake!"
Posted by denn034
I don''t think so, he is just celebrating the hope of diminishing influence of religious hypocrisy in politics. Let the preachers live as they preach, and preach as they live, but we must maintain the total separation of church and state, unless we want to really sow the seeds of another holocaust.
We do not need some evangelical hypocrite in our White House telling us how to live.
If someone has concerns about people without any morals they should go out and find them and work with them and teach them morals. They can''t do it sitting in the Oval Office! There is too much work to be done running the business of this country, making sure that it''s people have opportunity for prosperity, and for representing us in international affairs!
God doesn''t have time to babysit our White House! We need an individual ready to to do what''s right for this country! Not someone telling us how to live!
Religious wackos have chosen their last President.
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Posted by denn034 at 10:01 PM : Jan 10, 2008
+ report abuse
THAT was our mistake... the 60''s generation that is. We had them, we had the goods on them. A full 80% PLUS belonged to the KLAN and the FBI had records PROVING it and we let them off the hook. We had a chance to wipe out the Religious Reich and we did NOT do it.... Sieg Heil Bush!!
McCain looked like an old man who has been in Washington DC too long.
Slick Huck was just that....................Slick again with his "smooth" talk.
Fred had a great debate.
If Ameircans really want Washington DC "fixed" then we need to elect "Mr. Fixer" - Mitt Romney.
Mitt has a history of working with both parties to get great things done like "health insurance" for every citizen of Massachusetts without raising taxes.
The choice is clear..........................we need to elect "Mr. Fixer" in 2008
GO MITT !!
By and far anyone who listens to that and believes it is just stupid.
If God created the Universe and everything then please tell me why he needs man to do his will.
These so called religious people are either too stupid to breath the air or should not be breathing it.
"Praise the lord and pass the bombs! Let''s go slaughter us some more Muslims until they agree to love us and become Southern Baptist Evangelicals!"
Domestic policy:
"Scre*w the poor! If god had intended them to have any money I wouldn''t be able to BS them out of it!"
With that said, I look forward to being able to vote for the politician that I think is best.
I don''t consider myself particularly religious, but don''t feel a need like the rest of you to express such profound hatred, disdain, and arrogant superiority against those that do. Go get a life.
Clinton pardoned Marc Rich, the billionaire fugitive, who never served a day in jail and currently lives "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" in Switzerland. On the FBI''s most wanted list, he was the largest tax evader in U.S. history and sold out America by selling oil to the Iranians, while they held our hostages captive.
Posted by godseyesore at 10:06 AM
Fine - we can discuss and debate that - but when you get clowns like antoniof123 making statements like "these so called religious people are either too stupid to breath the air or should not be breathing it" it gets my hackles up. That''s just obnoxious and condescending to the core.
Limbaugh, Hannity and the rest of the GOP bigmouths are really angry about Mike Huckabee. They have been railing against him day after day on the radio and TV.
And why? Because he is not part of the insider''s club. And it''s clear that if nominated, he has at least some interest in adopting some positions that actually might help the middle and lower class.
Bottom line is that the evangelicals are holding big sway on the GOP side.
Posted by godseyesore at 10:06 AM : Jan 11, 2008
Amen!!!! I did not go on the "attack" against religion until I realized that by tolerating something so profoundly stupid, I was helping to create hell on earth for everyone. I''m done with that. When religious people stop flying planes into skyscrapers, stop trying to teach their voodoo as science, and stop trying to cram their religion down my throat, I''ll stop pointing out how absurdly stupid their beliefs are.
Why is there no news at CBS?--This in-your-face attempt to suppress news is as blatant as the theft of the election in New Hampshire...as blatant as the theft in Ohio...as blatant as the theft in Florida...
Posted by erichsh at 09:20 AM : Jan 11, 2008
This is religion, by becoming part of politics and government, coming home to roost for you. Religion divides, period. Keep it out of the public arena and we might get on with talking about serious issues.
It''s kind of late now though. So much water under the bridge. When the president''s policies intended to undercut stem-cell research and his nominations to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe, one side has ceded so much advantage, it is no longer fair to just call a truce.
So religious beliefs are fair game. When they say they''re pro-life to justify banning abortion by all means, they''re playing word games. But it''s religion, stupid, not life we''re talking about. The pro-life argument has nothing to do with improving the qualify of life or preserving it once viable. But religion likes to masquerade. No surprise here about an institution built on a lie.
We do not need some evangelical hypocrite in our White House telling us how to live.
There is too much work to be done running the business of this country, making sure that it''''s people have opportunity for prosperity, and for representing us in international affairs!
Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 12:06 AM : Jan 11, 2008
While I agree with much of this, I cannot help but be concerned about the message it sends. That the President of these United States doesn''t need to have a moral standard. Isn''t that the challenge of today''s administration, if you follow some people''s opinions. I personally would prefer the standard be that Congress make no law supporting a particular religion, however morals and ethics are standards that can be agreed upon by most reasonable people during a debate. Take for instance the Alaskan Republicans that were caught on tape in backroom dealings and taking bribes. That is considered unethical, and is lower than our moral standards, but has little to do with a standard religion.
I personally believe most Conservatives of a religious bent are liars and cheats, but that is because of recent actions by them. It doesn''t mean that a redemption of those people cannot happen, but I would prefer that then not be in office.
FlaLady41 at 09:08 AM : Jan 11, 2008
FlaLady, it was you who admonished that we better get to know Jesus "before its too late." You don''t believe because you have any rational reason to believe or because it makes sense. You believe because of fear, which means that you really don''t believe. You are afraid that if you don''t believe, it will be "too late" (your cowardly words, not mine) when your imaginary god "comes to get his children" as you put it. The truth is, you can''t be scared into believing something you don''t believe. You, like everyone else, demand evidence for what you believe. But like the townspeople who claimed to see the clothes on the emperor who had none, you are too afraid to admit to us, to yourself and to your god that you don''t believe in him, so you lie and say that you do, ever hopeful that god won''t see through your lie. What sense does that make?
There is absolutely no sound reason to believe in the christian/jewish/islamic kind of god (no more than there is to believe in Zeus). Indeed, the Bible is so full of demonstrably and empirically false information that only an idiot would claim that it is the literal word of god (which is why Giulliani and other so-called believers distance themselves from it without completely disavowing it).
Let''s not elect another maniac who believes that god is talking to him and telling him what to do.
Because a person calls themselves a Christian does not mean they are. True Christians do not have the in your face mentality that you are talking about. We teach and try to show God''s love and live our lifes for Him. We don''t kill others like you are talking about. I''m not sure where you are coming from but will pray that you see the light.
Posted by erichsh at 11:11 AM : Jan 11, 2008
Wow -- since when did demanding evidence and reason before believing make someone a monsterous bigot? I don''t hate religious people, and I certainly would not prohibit them from living their lives the way they choose (if only they would do me the same respect), but that does not mean that when they go around touting "the truth" and "the word of god" that I''m not allowed to challenge them on it. I stand on firm ground here. They stand on "faith," a cop out. If you want to attack someone for being hateful, you are looking at the wrong person. I am surprisingly tolerant when you consider all of the crimes committed against humanity by religion throughout the history of the world. The religious would like to wash their hands of it, but they cannot escape the fact that but for this world''s tolerance of their irrational views, we would not have suicide terrorists, nor would we have crooks like Robertson and Falwell stealing from the elderly, the disabled and our most vulnerable citizens, using fear to do it, promising them that if they send a check, they won''t have to burn in hell for eternity. THAT is fraud and should be illegal.
Posted by FlaLady41 at 11:22 AM : Jan 11, 2008
Candide777 is doing fine. When you can create a universe and a history out of thin air, with a choice of God, Allah or whatever as master deity, despite what we know today, whatever feelings and sense of reality you might have had have already deserted you.
How about something truly radical - simply saying you don''t agree, or you don''t believe - rather than engaging in the usual contemptible practice of vile, personal attacks.
Posted by adasher1 at 09:03 PM : Jan 10, 2008
I look at religion as a virus that propagates by contagion. It has an affinity for people who aren''t strong intellectually--young impressionable people, those who are uneducated, ignorant, superstitious, people under some kind of strain. One thing is for sure--once it''s got its hooks on you, it''s hard to kick, it''s proven resistant to most efforts of intervention.
Posted by jon2012 at 11:51 AM : Jan 11, 2008
Pardon me for disagreeing with you on this. For those who promote the precepts accordingly, the merits of faith in God include wisdom, intelligence, grace, courage, love, truth, fortitude and the abilty to choose through free will.
I just get upset when instead those people eschew these merits and chose power and money instead. Since they cannot save the world, they settle for saving only themselves. That is the hypocrisy I disdain about them.
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