Southern Baptists Remain Wary Of McCain
Many Say They Are Waiting For Him To Inspire Them But Acknowledge They Will Vote For Him Anyway
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The country is electing a president again, the Baptists are meeting again and John McCain's campaign is nowhere to be seen at a gathering of 7,200 people, most of them staunch Republicans.
The absence has some Southern Baptists wondering whether the Arizona senator wants their vote. Others are more sympathetic to a campaign still gearing up, a candidate not known for talking about his faith, and reticence McCain might feel over his recent rejection of two endorsements by high-profile, evangelical pastors.
In interviews, Southern Baptist leaders and the rank-and-file said they were warily waiting for McCain to inspire them while acknowledging that they will vote for him anyway now that Sen. Barack Obama, far too liberal for most Southern Baptists, is the presumptive Democratic nominee.
"There's a lack of fire and passion for (McCain) right now, and for him to win, that fire has to be kindled," said the Rev. Jack Graham, a former president of the 16.2 million-member denomination based in Nashville, Tenn., and among its most politically connected leaders.
"It's going to be a close election," Graham said. "That's why John McCain, in his attempts to run to the center, needs to make sure he doesn't forget the people who will support him most aggressively on the issues that matter."
Despite that sentiment, a poll released this week showed that evangelicals do not appear to be running away from McCain. The survey, conducted in April and May by Calvin College's Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics, found that about 10 percent of evangelicals planned to sit out the election, about the same number as in 2004.
The survey, taken before the Democratic field was settled, found McCain winning 59 percent of the evangelical vote, compared to President Bush's 65 percent at the same juncture in 2004.
"On the one hand, (McCain) can say, 'Where are the core traditional voters going to go, other than sit at home?"' said Corwin Smidt, director of the Henry center. "If you have limited resources, focus on groups that are more swing and more crucial. On the other hand, to ignore your base is to do so at your peril."
Jeff Sadosky, a McCain campaign spokesman, said Wednesday the campaign is working to build up its organization and motivate conservative voters "so we're successful in November."
The Rev. Frank Page, the SBC's outgoing president, said many evangelicals might not be enthused by McCain but most will vote for him. McCain's pledge to nominate Supreme Court justices with a conservative judicial philosophy is a huge draw, Page said.
Page saw some positive in the lack of a McCain campaign presence in Indianapolis.
"I have admonished - lovingly but firmly - our convention not to get too close to any political party," Page said. "Parties change. I think we need to stay close to issues, and not hold allegiance to political parties."
Page has kept his door open to politicians regardless of party, and has met with Obama. The Illinois senator, forced to reject his former pastor for his inflammatory rhetoric, has launched an ambitious faith-based outreach program. He met in Chicago this week with an array of religious leaders, including conservatives like Bishop T.D. Jakes and Franklin Graham.
"What I hear from people," said Richard Land, president of the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission, "is, 'John McCain was not my first choice, John McCain was not my second choice, John McCain was not my third choice. However, I would rather have a third-rate fireman than a first-class arsonist.' And they view Obama as a first-class arsonist."
Land and others believe the California Supreme Court's recent decision to legalize same-sex marriage will energize evangelical voters.
SBC "messengers," or delegates, approved a resolution Wednesday night condemning the ruling as a "terrible wrong," supporting a state amendment to overturn it and calling for a federal constitutional amendment prohibiting gay marriage. McCain opposes a federal marriage amendment, believing the question is for states.
SBC messengers approved a separate resolution urging political engagement while warning leaders of the dangers of endorsing candidates and "politicizing the church and the pulpit."
If Brad and Amy Brandon of Lebanon, Tenn., are any indication, McCain has work to do. Neither would vote for Obama - "never" both said - but McCain remains a puzzle.
The couple stopped at a booth in the meeting's enormous exhibition hall that urged Baptists to "test their voting IQ" and join an e-mail list that will seek to get out the "values" vote.
Brad Brandon, a 36-year-old pastor, said he was leaning McCain but not excited about it.
"He's wavered on abortion," Brandon said. "I think he's pro-choice."
McCain isn't. His voting record is against abortion rights.
"I can see why a lot of people, especially Republicans, don't want to vote," Amy Brandon said. "There's so much uncertainty now - on the economy, on immigration. You almost want a Reagan, someone strong. I don't think we have that in any of the candidates right now."
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.




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See all 100 CommentsJohn McCain knows that the fundamentalists, whether Baptists or Muslims, are clearly destined for confrontation and a perpetual state of disagreement.
During the 1930''s Southern Baptists considered it fashionable to promote their idealogy and classifications, by joining the K.K.K. and embracing racism and uncivil treatment of Non-Southern Baptists.
Today, it is customary for Southern Baptists to discriminate against doing business with Non- Southern Baptists, where possible. They have their own television shows and agenda and never share an agenda with another religious affiliation.
John McCain is wise to speak against this type of behavior and commands great respect for his stance against this type of discrimination.
The best thing the country can hope for is that God finds a way to open the mind of a Southern Baptist. They don''t exhibit acceptance of different types of people willingly, and will throw away people over superficial and petty criteria.
"maybe because of this:
"Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain''s intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain''s hair and said, "You''re getting a little thin up there." McCain''s face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don''t plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you ***." McCain''s excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days."
Posted by mike071067 at 12:59 PM : Jun 12, 2008
It does! This from Wikipedia;
"Baptists struggled to gain a foothold in the South, the next generation of preachers accommodated themselves to the society. Rather than challenging the gentry on slavery, they began to find that the Bible supported its practice. In the two decades after the Revolution, preachers abandoned their pleas for manumission. They even wanted to preserve the rights of ministers themselves to hold slaves. The Triennial Convention and the Home Mission Society reaffirmed their neutrality concerning slavery. The consequences of the decision to separate from other Baptists in defense of white supremacy and the institution of slavery have been long lived. A survey by SBC''s Home Mission Board in 1968 showed that only eleven percent of Southern Baptist churches would admit Americans of African descent."
I don''t know that political parties change as much as people do, as mentioned by the Rev.Frank Page. Gawd, why do we have to keep going back to the Civil War to declare whose right or wrong? My great grandfather was a fire and brimstone Baptist Preacher of the south that flanked a sword as an officer. He owned slaves and I often heard my grandmother talk about how things were when they became free. It is not to surprise anyone that the southern part of Baptist is in the south, so naturally they had to set their slaves free, as many southern Baptist slave owners, passed on their last names to slaves with only first names, it not to shocking that they had anything to do with freeing the slaves, it was sort of part of the two Generals agreement on the day of surrender. It also suggests why so many blacks are of the Southern Baptist belief, since their ancestors owners no doubt had felt a yearning need to pass the only belief known to them on to their servants. After all way deep down in every Baptist is a human, just waiting to pop out. I am not looking for someone to keep us in a Holy War so a books prophecy can come true. The very best the religious right could give us is "W" Bush. Religion needs to return to the people, and politics need to return to one''s conscience. Will you really vote for a man that will likely involve your kids and grandkids in a war for another 8 years?
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Posted by killtheliars at 01:02 PM : Jun 12, 2008
the word that''s missing here folks is c/u/n/t/, nice guy, huh?
They love that Butcher of Crawford Bush.
And his 935 lies.
And his murders of 4094 Americans for Halliburton.
Wasn''t it a Baptist preacher by the name of Reverend Harry Powell who said?
"A liar is an abomination to the Lord!"
George W Bush is an abomination to the Lord!
G W Bush - Son of Satan.
Damned for all time!
Posted by koko98 at 01:33 PM : Jun 12, 2008
At least you''re honest.
Make sure you bring your hangman noose in November!
Posted by koko98 at 01:33 PM : Jun 12, 2008
At least you''''re honest.
Make sure you bring your hangman noose in November!
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Posted by jerr11 at 01:46 PM : Jun 12, 2008
I think this poster is a satirist, much like gopsoccermom is; best to ignore his posts.
LMAO!
The Obama campaign hates Southern Baptists, but they''ll use any trash they can get to promote this isane Marxist shill!
McBush''s view on the Southern Baptists:
Keep the troops in Iraq forever.
lol!
Keep the troops in Iraq forever.
Oh, and cut taxes for the rich.
lol!
One would hope not. We''ve had enough of politicians masquerading as religious leaders and leading the sheeple to the voting booths with a bible in one hand and an RNC check in the other.
Posted by RowdyWicca at 02:28 PM : Jun 12, 2008"
As well they should.
Posted by Nancy_Naive at 02:35 PM : Jun 12, 2008"
Um yea...that''s either a typo or an oxymoron.
attention to the last comment!! Below are a few lines from Obama''s
books "
his words:
From Dreams of My Father: "I ceased to advertise my mother''s race at
the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was
ingratiating myself to whites."
From Dreams of My Father : "I found a solace in nursing a pervasive
sense of grievance and animosity against my mothers race."
From Dreams of My Father: "There was something about him that made me
wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white."
From Dreams of My Father: ; "It remained necessary to prove which side
you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and
name names."
From Dreams of My Father: "I never emulate white men and brown men
whose fates didn''t speak to my own. It was into my father''s image, the
black man, son of Africa , that I''d packed all the attributes I sought
in myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela."
From Audacity of Hope: "I will stand with the Muslims should the
political winds shift in an ugly direction."
Jerr11, I keep reading about the 935 lies. I guess I''ve never read a post which has 935 lies itemized; therefore, I don''t know what exactly the 935 lies are to which you refer. For my benefit, would you please list the 935 lies?
Posted by minnick8 at 03:39 PM : Jun 12, 2008"
Actually the 935 lies were by the entire Bush administration, Bush himself is only responsible for 232 of them. Powell gets 254, Rumsfeld and Fleisher each had 109 (nicely coordinated), Wolfowitz claims 85, Rice got 56, Cheney 48 and McLellan had 14.
Here''s a link sorry about the length:
http://www.publicintegrity.org/WarCard/Default.aspx?src=home&context=overview&id=945
we are ALL wary of mccain and of billary and of bam-bam and of teddy and of ALL politicians.
but that didn''t stop the powers that be from forcing us to vote for people we don''t even really care for.
at least we are way lemmings.
Are the clouds of racism to thick for you to see? Then say NO to Obamas way of ideology.
Lets say NO to racism today!
Lets say NO to Obama Hussein today!
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Posted by DarkSkyAbove at 08:03 PM : Jun 12, 2008
**************************************
***??
-$4 gallon gas
-Record Home Forclosures
-$12 billion/month for Iraq
-Crumbling infrastructure at home
Anyone that thinks that cash-strapped dottering old McSame is going to inspire anyone who is not a redneck retarded racist is fooling themselves. All the "Hussein Obama" *** will not work this year; get used to President Obabma and with 58 Dem Sens and 250 Dem House and REAL CHANGE.
Is Graham''s belief so lacking that because McCain didn''t run to talk to them that he would encourage his people to vote a president who is in favor of all the things that his religion is against, homosexuality, abortion etc, is associated with socialism/communism and the Fabian society which in turn is against religion especially Christians.
I don''t trust both leaders but as far as I am concerned one is worse than the other.. I couldn''t vote for a man who under "friends of Obama" gave almost a million dollars to the opposition campaign in Kenya, who just happened to be Obama''s cousin, Raila Odinga, who is a socialist trained in East Germany, (where did Obama get the money from??). Obama''s cousin has been trying to bring Kenya down for years and the last president threw him in prison for trying to subvert this country! December 27th elections brought cries from ODM (Odinga Camp) of rigged election. Obama and Raila speak daily. And if Obama doesn''t become president, could he use the same tactic as his cousin and cry rigged election and possibly also cause a race war in America. By the way, his true name is Barak Hussein Muhammed Obama. Won''t that sound fantastic to Muslims when he swears in as President.
Lets say NO to Obama Hussein!
Posted by DarkSkyAbove
Rev Wright just LOVES his fellow bigots!!
Posted by Gaye5 at 09:07 PM :
Sounds a lot better than George W (American terrorist) Bush!!
Posted by liberalme
Yes I supose it would to Muslims..
Posted by Gaye5 at 09:32 PM : Jun 12, 2008
What muslims would that be? All of them?
Did Obama have a choice how he was born--or choose his name?
OBAMA IN HIS OWN WORDS HE IS NOT BRINGING OUR TROOPS HOME ! ????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNTGRL0OJWQ
Obama just doesn%u2019t get it%u2026 He needs to explain theses beliefs and stop
insulting
Christians by claiming to be one..This is not Christianity !!
The Obamas have practiced Black
Theology from the writing of Marxist, James H. Cone%u2026 for 20 years !!!
this is what his church taught his daughters on Sundays%u2026
%u201CBlack theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the
goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people,
then he is a murderer and we had better kill him. The task of black theology
is
to kill gods who do not belong to the black community. Black theology will
accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white
enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in black power which is
the
power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at
their disposal. Unless God is participating in his holy activity, we must
reject
his love.%u201D
Malcolm X%u2019s autobiography seemed to offer something different,%u201D Obama wrote.
%u201CHis repeated acts of self-creation spoke to me; the blunt poetry of his
words,
his unadorned insistence on respect, promised a new and uncompromising order,
martial in its discipline, forged through sheer force of will.%u201D
While working as a community organizer for a group of churches in Chicago,
Obama
was repeatedly asked to join Christian congregations, but begged off.
How can this man represent all Americans ?
McCains Christianity is real, Obamas is NOT !
OBAMAS CHURCH OF 20 YEARS BELIEVES IN "BLACK THEOLOGY"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNTGRL0OJWQ
per a Muslim Cleric
OBAMAS CHANGE IS HE KEEP CHANGING HIS MIND, BECAUSE HE MAKES SUCH POOR DECISIONS...
Is Cindy McCain a master race advocate? Does she believe that blonde, blue-eyed white women are just better than other women?
Sorry, The Whites Only in the White House, is coming to a END.
I bet you`ll have a Problem (R) Vice President Bobby Jindal, whose Real Name is Not Bobby, but an Adopted Name.
Bobby Jindal was also a Hindu until Graduating High School and he continues his Hindu traditions of being a Vegetarian.
IF McCain`s A $$ is Elected and Jindal is his Vice President and John McCain falls Ill or Dies in office, then Piyush Jindal will become President of the USA at (36)
B!tch About that ....
You Snaggle Tooth Jack A$$`s
Bobby Jindal LOOKS MORE like an ARAB, than Barack Obama ....
I can Hear it NOW, when McCain can`t Finish his TERM as YOUR USA President...
I Piyush Jindal, do Solemly Swear, to uphold the constitution of the USA as its...President
Hahahahaha !!!!
So Much for being `Experienced`
Sorry
Governor George Bush Jr. Of Texas was In-Expeienced when he came into Office, During Office and Now Coming to the End of his Office, he leaves with the Lowest Approval rating of any US President.
A Governorship is (State-Regional Experience) Only
Ask Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton they too were of Governors of (Ga) & (Tex) with No National or International Experience, but the Most important thing, their saving Grace, they were White.
None of them had National Or International Experience....
Just say You want a White Person, ANY White Person, whether the White Person is a 72 Yr Old Semi Senile War Monger, with a Irrational Temper, with his Menaical Trembling Hands of the Button, just as long as he`s White.
PS: JIMMY CARTER BROKERED THE ISRAEL & EYGPTIAN MIDDLE EAST PEACE AGREEMENT & THE AMERICAN & RUSSIAN STRATEGIC NUCLEAR ARMS AGREEMENT AN BOTH AGREEMENTS STILL STAND, TO THIS VERY DAY.
Israel has 150 Nuclear Weapons, that could DESTROY the WORLD Times OVER an thats without Jimmy Carter Exposing this fact, NPR, Rueters & PBS Knew Israel had Nuclear Weapons, Noone knew the Exact NUMBER, Now they DO.
So the Helpless Nation All Alone Song & Dance has been EXPOSED FOREVER !!
You go DIE for Israel, they are not Helping in Iraq or Afghanistan are they...Hmmmm
Is Israel, Laying down its Flesh, Bone, Blood & Spirit ?
NOOOO
If I have (150) AK-47`s & (150) Mac-10`s and my Enemy has (50) 38 Specials & (20) 44 Magnum Revolvers.
Trust Me, My Enemy is AFRAID of ME, Not ME being AFRAID of My Enemy.
Enough of this Holy Land, Bibilical, Torah & Quran Bull Spit !!
This is about Money, Power, Might Makes Right and Humanity, on either Side, DOES NOT MATTER.
Leave your Religous & Racial Hate at the Door, its Over Played & Played Out.
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