- Jul 25, 2002
- 10,053
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Christian Right over Political Issues
Eviscerating the 'Separation of Church and State' policies of fair Government.
This has no buisness being considered as any form of Government policy.
This Fundamental Activist group should be stripped of all Tax Exempt status & any
groups that co-operate with thier activities should have their exemptions as well.
<Blatent Power Play>
WASHINGTON ? Leaders of conservative Christian organizations plan to jointly interview Republican contenders for the 2008 presidential nomination, perhaps even endorsing one of them ? steps that could expand their already considerable political influence.
"We'd like to try to stay together," Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said at a breakfast with reporters Wednesday. The ad hoc group includes "free thinkers" and "strong personalities," he says, but they might unite behind a candidate who "unquestionably" best represented their views and priorities.
Gary Bauer, president of American Values, said in an interview that the sit-down sessions, likely to begin after the 2006 elections, would be "a very effective way to nail down where people are on cultural issues." He said candidates have become "very astute" at answering written questionnaires in ways that avoid making firm commitments.
Those who plan to participate include leading figures of the Christian right: James Dobson of Focus on the Family, Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation, the Rev. Donald Wildmon of the American Family Association, Perkins and Bauer. Others also would join them.
Their groups, which represent millions of social conservatives, have taken the lead in lobbying to restrict abortion, ban same-sex marriage and confirm conservative judges. Their top priority, Perkins said, is winning confirmation of conservative Supreme Court justices.
Evangelical Christians, who overwhelmingly backed President Bush in 2004, already are an influential constituency in the Republican Party. Coordinated action could increase that influence, especially in a crowded GOP primary field.
"It would have an impact," Republican strategist Charles Black said.
But being seen as the "candidate of the Christian right" would be a "very, very mixed blessing" in the general election, said Stuart Rothenberg of the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report? akin to Walter Mondale's stamp as the "candidate of labor" in the 1984 campaign.
"That would really pigeonhole a candidate," Rothenberg said.
Perkins spoke favorably of one likely Republican presidential contender, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, and dismissively of another, Arizona Sen. John McCain. He criticized the bipartisan compromise that McCain and 13 other senators reached last month to avert a showdown on judicial filibusters.
Perkins said those who joined the so-called Gang of 14 risked "political repercussions."
The Family Research Council and Citizens for Community Values ran radio ads in Ohio attacking Sen. Mike DeWine for joining the accord. Perkins said backlash to DeWine's involvement was a factor in the defeat of his son, Pat, in the Republican primary Tuesday to choose a candidate for an open House seat in Ohio.
Eviscerating the 'Separation of Church and State' policies of fair Government.
This has no buisness being considered as any form of Government policy.
This Fundamental Activist group should be stripped of all Tax Exempt status & any
groups that co-operate with thier activities should have their exemptions as well.
<Blatent Power Play>
WASHINGTON ? Leaders of conservative Christian organizations plan to jointly interview Republican contenders for the 2008 presidential nomination, perhaps even endorsing one of them ? steps that could expand their already considerable political influence.
"We'd like to try to stay together," Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said at a breakfast with reporters Wednesday. The ad hoc group includes "free thinkers" and "strong personalities," he says, but they might unite behind a candidate who "unquestionably" best represented their views and priorities.
Gary Bauer, president of American Values, said in an interview that the sit-down sessions, likely to begin after the 2006 elections, would be "a very effective way to nail down where people are on cultural issues." He said candidates have become "very astute" at answering written questionnaires in ways that avoid making firm commitments.
Those who plan to participate include leading figures of the Christian right: James Dobson of Focus on the Family, Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation, the Rev. Donald Wildmon of the American Family Association, Perkins and Bauer. Others also would join them.
Their groups, which represent millions of social conservatives, have taken the lead in lobbying to restrict abortion, ban same-sex marriage and confirm conservative judges. Their top priority, Perkins said, is winning confirmation of conservative Supreme Court justices.
Evangelical Christians, who overwhelmingly backed President Bush in 2004, already are an influential constituency in the Republican Party. Coordinated action could increase that influence, especially in a crowded GOP primary field.
"It would have an impact," Republican strategist Charles Black said.
But being seen as the "candidate of the Christian right" would be a "very, very mixed blessing" in the general election, said Stuart Rothenberg of the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report? akin to Walter Mondale's stamp as the "candidate of labor" in the 1984 campaign.
"That would really pigeonhole a candidate," Rothenberg said.
Perkins spoke favorably of one likely Republican presidential contender, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, and dismissively of another, Arizona Sen. John McCain. He criticized the bipartisan compromise that McCain and 13 other senators reached last month to avert a showdown on judicial filibusters.
Perkins said those who joined the so-called Gang of 14 risked "political repercussions."
The Family Research Council and Citizens for Community Values ran radio ads in Ohio attacking Sen. Mike DeWine for joining the accord. Perkins said backlash to DeWine's involvement was a factor in the defeat of his son, Pat, in the Republican primary Tuesday to choose a candidate for an open House seat in Ohio.
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