Religious right starts to consolidate for John McCain

Barack Obama got good reviews from some conservative quarters after his Tuesday speech outlining his plan for building upon the faith-based initiative established by President Bush.

But John McCain is getting better news from the right -- signs of a real push by conservative Christian leaders to coalesce on his behalf.

First, a taste of the reaction to the Obama speech in Ohio.

During an appearance Tuesday night on MSNBC, Pat Buchanan said that although Obama wouldn't "win over the evangelicals," his embrace of the federal program that aimed to make it easier to funnel tax money to religious-based charities would "diminish some of the hostility" toward him among social conservatives.

Added Buchanan: "It looks like he's reaching out to them. ... It's a win for him."

And David Brody, senior national correspondent for the Christian Broadcast Network, said on CNN today that the reaction to Obama's speech within the community he covered was "relatively positive." Obama, he added, "has seemed to be one step ahead when it comes to this faith and politics intersection."

Brody, meanwhile, details on his website a huge step that a major figure on the religious right has taken to build support for McCain.

Phil Burress, head of the Ohio-based Citizens for Community Values, not so long ago said of McCain: "We don't like him and he doesn't like us." But, as Brody relates, Burress is now in McCain's corner, following a sit-down with him. Indeed, the evangelical honcho sent out a note to allies which wraps up by saying:

"I was once one of those people who said 'no way' to Senator John McCain as President. No longer. The stakes are too high. And if Obama wins I need to able to get up on November 5th, look at myself in the mirror, and when I pray, say, 'Lord, I did all that I could.' "

Burress also was among about 100 conservative Christian leaders who met in Denver on Tuesday and "agreed to unite behind" McCain's candidacy, Time magazine's Michael Scherer reports.

In a comment comparable to the concluding line in Burress' missive, one of those at the get-together explained the backing for McCain partly as a reaction to Obama.

Mat Staver, head of a group called Liberty Counsel and a former Mike Huckabee supporter, told Scherer: "Collectively we feel that [McCain] will support and advance those moral values that we hold much greater than Obama, who in our view will decimate moral values."

The full story can be read here.

Noticeably absent from the meeting ...

... was James Dobson, whose Focus on the Family organization is located in Colorado Springs, an easy drive to Denver.

Dobson just last week caused a stir with a commentary taking strong exception to Obama's reading of the Bible. But he clearly is still having trouble warming up to McCain.

A Newsweek story published earlier this week focused on the disconnect others on the religious right felt toward McCain. But these more recent developments indicate that even if it's only grudgingly, a key GOP constituency seems poised to fall in place for him.

--Don Frederick

Photo credit: Getty Images

Comments

[ZachJonesIsHome]

Senator Obama’s Patriotism – What it means to this Navy Veteran. I hope you consider the following article: Senator Obama's Patriotism - a Veteran's Perspective
It is found at:
http://zachjonesishome.wordpress.com/senator-obama%e2%80%99s-patriotism-a-veteran%e2%80%99s-perspective/

[Walt]

get on the southern baphist bandwagon...how dumb...

[lousycandidates]

Re: "GOP constituency [Christian evangelicals] seem poised to fall in place for him" [Sen. McCain].

Well, it figures; they went for GWB, didn't they. And what we have with John McSame, for the most part, is a likely role as W's successor. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not looking forward to facing the prospect of enduring what may be called a Bush third-term.
Yuck.

[VJ Machiavelli]

Many followers of "IGOD" feel Mccain is the "Better" choice. He is not "Bitter" and he will work to save lives of the unborn. I find it odd that many people support "CHOICS" who cannot have children. They go to china to adopt a child. The only ones they can adopt for the most part are girls. How if these same people who "partner" with a women who did not want the baby put would bring it to birth and then let their "partner" adopt it.

Another way is to transfer to another women to bring to birth. In fact "Boston Legal" did a show onnthis very topic last year. It was very interesting. but in the end the women lawyer (THE SHOW WRITERS) choice to have they child.

VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com
ps.This election is all about shoes, yes shoes do we keep them on or do we take them off and never put them on again when we board a plane. it's that simple. On shoes or off shoes

[dave]

though to those people still thinking along political party lines, it might be hard to see...mccain and obama basically stand as agents for the same corrupt, deceitful, treasonous agenda - whatever superficial differences they might exhibit for distinction, division and diversion.

[ted811]

Yes, As sad as it is that USA has no better to offer than McCain Obama, we faithful citizens, for the most part, will give in to the urge that says "make your vote count".

Obama is an empty waggon that makes alot of noise. He is a preacher want to be with preacher friends who want to be politicians. Look for much "heartfelt" Jesus schmoozing in the days to come. Yes, Jesus loves the Middle class too and REALLY wants to help the poor souls. He and Bill will feel our pain and, well you know the rest.

Huckabee is a comedian want to be who shoots himself in the foot at an NRA friends ralley, then sticks it in his mouth, effectively ending his political carreer. (my opinion)

McCain and the lovely blonde Ms. ... Well, he will blink his eyes dry trying to tell the truth to us all---trying to convince us of his sincerity. I think he is a politician want to be and extremely well connected to the Washington political machine. He will pretend to be the great savior of the middle class---continue the "trickle down "into his rich friends pockets long before a middle class anything sees it.
Perhaps it really doesn't matter WHO is cunning for office!

[Richelle]

He should have done this months ago, when the press was focused on the Obama-Clinton fight. Waiting until now means he may alienate independents who he needs in the GE.

[Will]

The evangelical right is basically a whites only hate club. Their saviour who was in all likelihood a darker skinned man with semitic features would never stand a chance of getting elected in any of their districts.

They are laughable in the extreme.

[nails]

GAS BAGS, THE LOT OF YA!

[TM]

Sadly people forget American's have fundamentalist too - so yes should this really surprise you? Religious Right and Religious Left (if that is even a term) just means "Fundamentalist" in laymen terms.

[RJII in DC]

i think white christain conservatives are just like blacks...blindly loyal to a Party that does little to nothing for them after voting season.

[South Austin]

As a Christian, the best I can say about the so called "religious right" is that when I go to heaven I don't have to worry about these false prophets being there.

[David Bradwell]

Funding "faith-based" ptograms in return for votes is unconstitutional whether undertaken by Republican or Democratic politicians
.Let pastors adopt whatever moral or ethical criteria they like for membership in their churches, but once they seek to impose these values, however laudable, on a wider public by way of the political process , pull their non-profit status.
Yje Noxon era spin doctors brought abortion to the fore to split off Catholic voters from their traditional democratic roots. The issue was nurtured ub the political realm, not the religious.
What happened to "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar;s and render unti God that which is God's?

[joe]

I guess the religious right isn't for the family or women rights. How can any woman or any moral person vote for John McCain who abandon his first wife Carol at a time she needed him the most. Than McCain met a filthy rich beauty queen in a bar in Hawaii, had an affair with her, divorce Carol and married the woman (Cindy) he was committing adultery with a month later. The religious right is anti-family if they support McCain who has demonstrated by his action that he is also anti-family.. McCain may had been an officer but he is no gentleman.
http://joeland7.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/beware-
http://www.zimbio.com/Carol+McCain/articles/5/IIN+DEFENSE+OF+CAROL+MCCAIN

[nails]

HAVE YOU SEEN THE MOVIE "LIVING HELL"

[Flander Anapolis]

Religious yes, Christian no ! Thes people take one issue and beat the country over the head with it. How can they call themself Pro-life and be for the death penalty? BTW everyone is Pro-life, some just believe a person has a choice about childbirth. This may sound harsh but, Christian should realize that God is pro-choice. He gives us a choice every day that we are alive.

[jimjoebar]

Obama - HA! we might as well have Joseph Stalin running for President.
It's funny ... but sad in an ironic way, that Demcrats don't see the Marxist policies he's talking about instituting. Democrats are like lemmings going over the cliff to death & destruction. The only difference is the pied piper Obama is looking over the edge of the cliff with his big wide smile saying "thanks for the support". And instead of him saying "we can do it", he'll be saying, "I've done it ... you suckers! See ya ... wouldn't wanna be ya!".

Wake up America, Obama will bring this country to distruction ... yep ... you'll get CHANGE alright. Hey ... since when does Marxism work?!
God help us!

[Rick]

Just like the " Christ " "ian's"

Put george hitler in office so he may " murder " people, then bring in john Mc hitler to carry on the murder campaign, then on sunday stand up and spread the good word and works of murder.

you go murders !

[Michael]

Lol - JimJoe, we just went thru 8 years of Stalin. Too bad you dumb right-wingers can't ever say anything good about your candidate, all you spew is is the hate you hear from Rush and crew.

[Brian]

Before you vote for McCain instead of Obama, ask yourself:

Who would Jesus bomb?

McCain is a warmonger and un-Christian.

[Blake]

This is ridiculous. "Lord, I did all I could"... give me a break!

Jesus wouldn't vote for war, Jesus wouldn't vote against children's healthcare, Jesus wouldn't vote to make the rich richer and he definitely would never vote for John McCain.

[abby0802]

The right is not always right, and they certainly don't speak for this Christian.

[Karen]

He has secret contempt for them otherwise he would not have picked Hagee and Parsely, the worst examples of the religioius right one could find, to attempt to solicit. .

Also, the leaders of the religious right are not in such secure positions any more. The "Green" evangelicals and those concerned with poverty, hunger and AIDS in Africa and in the US, are deserting the people who feel that being concerned with body parts (homosexuality and abortion) for a new view of what Jesus's teachings were about.

It is unlikely that Obama would get their vote by his faith and community based initiatives but it is equally unlikely that this group is going to McCain in the wholehearted way it went for Bush, who used them and promised them that the Bible would replace the Constitution.

[nails]

Luke 16:18 "Everyone who divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery".

Matthew19:7-9 They *said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND {her} AWAY?"
He *said to them, "Because of your hardness of hearts Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.
And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

[militaryfamily]

To ZachJonesisHome: I respect your service. Thank you. Three members of my family are military. Two are home after serving in Iraq. One is presently deployed.

But I don't understand how you can continue to perpetuate a lie. Senator Obama has never refused to place his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Alliance. They were playing the National Anthem.

The facts are easily researched. I don't understand your objective or justification for these kinds of smears. It just makes me sad.

Can't we just debate the facts? We are all Americans. No one asked my family members about their political views before sending them off to defend this country.

I would like to think that no matter how much you dislike or disagree w/someone, you could do it without distortions.

[lexx74]

I hear a deep undertone. It's saying, "I will never support the black guy". Is this what the "so called" Religous Right is saying?

[osage]

"FOR 25 YEARS HIS WAKING HOURS WERE DOMINATED BY THE NEED TO VIEW PORNOGRAPHY"

"Disarming in his candor about his own past, Mr. Burress, 60, comes across as a happy warrior who says pornography nearly ruined his life.

For 25 years, he says, his waking hours were dominated by the need to view pornography. It destroyed his ability to be a loving husband, cost him financially and kept him emotionally estranged from people who should have been close.

"It consumed my life. It was my hidden secret," he says.

The twice-divorced Cincinnati native sees himself as a blessed survivor, whose acceptance of God and admission of his "addiction" to pornography allowed him to reverse a life he is convinced was spiraling into a personal abyss."

He simply moved from one "extreme" value to another. There is no middle ground for this man. The problem is, the vast majority of human beings on this planet live somewhere in the middle.

[chrisinCA]

I thought that churches were tax exempt as long as they stuck to religion and stayed OUT of politics. Since they all want to get down and dirty, it's time they paid their fair share of taxes.

[Lori]

How dare you pass judgment on John McCain and his chosen wife? The Lord allowed for divorce between and man and wife in the Scriptures, therefore the McCain's have done nothing wrong. John McCain's wife always stands by his side and supports him - she is always there right behind him, and she always has been and we should have nothing but admiration for what is obviously a very loving and supportive marriage!

I, too, struggled with my decision as a Christian as to who to vote for. I liked Huckabee, but I never got inspired by him. I never considered Giuliani or Romney - they never appealed to me.

But I have seen John McCain on TV many times, and every time I see that man and hear how he served our country as a war hero in Vietnam, I think the Lord has prepared him to be our President. I have prayed on this a lot and the more I do, the more my heart opens to him.

I would NEVER vote for Osama Hussein, and when I see him and his wife together and compare those two grinning theives with a Senator and his wife I can't imagine how anyone would consider letting them anyhere near the White House! Everything they do and say makes my skin crawl! We a;ready had Bill and Hillary turn the Presidency into their own personal sex palace, and we don't need Osama and his Mama jumping and swinging around and destroying our country and our reputation in the world. If you're not sure then just think about the example it would give for children. We have enough problems with gangs and drugs, and we need children to have the leader of the free world to be people they can admire and who are Christians. If you're not sure pray about it just a little bit and ask God to guide you and I can promise you he will open your eyes as he did with me. The Lord has prepared John McCain, a real hero who is intelligent and Christian and a family man with a beautiful wife to be our President! You can pick him or you can defy God and pick a the other guy but don't blame anyone but yourself when you live in a country that is no longer recognizable after four years it will be like Italy or Africa or Siam. Make your decison wisely and you will not regret it for your children's sake!

[Lori]

Where can I find this information? EVERYONE should knwo about it! I haven't seen one single TV show or ready one single story on the worldwide web about it.

They are hiding it and protecting Obama so that stories like this are never told to the American public. Because THEY KNOW that if the people knew that Obama had a porn habit for 25 years then it would be OVER!

Wow! Thank you but please give us a link to a place that we can send it to others with email chain letters maybe. LOL! Or some better way! LOL - sorry I don't know all of the internet methods but you know what I mean!

This is REALLY important! TRUST ME! You might just be the one to stop Obama from taking away our freedom just by your story about him! Send this to EVERYONE you know - ALL OF US MUST DO IT!

(I'm just laughing and so happy because I almost didn't read it but thank the Lord for you finding it! you probably have no idea how BIG this is and I'm just so glad I didn't overlook it!)

PS: I just KNEW he was into stuff like that! One of those feelings and i was RIGHT!

[djames]

I am sick to death of paying notice to all these "Faith-Based, Evangelical Christian Nutjobs." Let us not forget, they are the ones who voted for our current disaster of a president, which makes them largely responsible for
the sad condition of our country.

[rube ruiz]

McCain has said in the past he was for gay rights, he has condemed the religious right too!
He voted for a war that was built upon duplicity and subversion! He has offered no oversight into this war!
Millions of women and children have been killed and displaced because of such callousness!
He gambles in casinos.
He has changed his mind on taxes- he does not feel the pain of the America's middle-class!
Is this a righteous man? Is this a man Jesus would walk with? My family and I have left the religious right.
We are leery of the message being delivered behind the pulpit!

[solomon]

Luke 16:18 "Everyone who divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery".

Matthew19:7-9 They *said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND {her} AWAY?"
He *said to them, "Because of your hardness of hearts Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.
And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

Right on Karen. You can't cherry pick what sins you deem as demonstrative of one candidate's moral high ground, or another’s lack thereof, and disregard others you deem as "less serious". If you do you also degrade the legitimacy of our great faith to those who have yet to receive God's grace. Focusing on the abortion and Homosexuality issues alone does more in service of the understood motives of GOP political aspirations (which are the same motivation behind any political entity i.e. POWER) than it does to minister the good news of Jesus Christ to a sinful world, which is the calling of all members of the faith.

By focusing Christian morality on only one specific issue we unintentionally advocate the judgment of individual (women) and especially politicians on the basis of our own personal spiritual understanding of this lone issue. In my understanding our charge is to minister the good new of Jesus Christ to a sinful world we were not and have not been called for the purpose of proselytizing to those we judge as in need of moral leadership. Also we are more likely to define the "values" of an individual based solely on how said individual's spiritual perception of this issue varies with ours, as if we ourselves are the measure by which any may obtain salvation.

Scripture speaks against judgment as well as murder amongst many other things.

The Christian Conservative Right is more conservative than Christian. Policy which is based on a judgment cloaked in spirituality is still judgment based on proselytizing in the name of Jesus Christ.

In my opinion if God, the father was a strict conservative, he would have never given his only begotten Son to a sinful people so as "they" the believers (MIGHT) have everlasting life, especially given that there was already an divinely authorized "LAW" for the faithful to follow (of which Jesus Christ did not change one jot of)

The CCR in my opinion doesn't lift of the teaching of Jesus Christ and his divine love, acceptance and forgiveness as the rallying cry for the spiritually weak and betrodden amongst us, but rather they lift up a politically opportunistic summary of those Christian principles most readily identified with the GOP brand and agenda.

Now before I get excoriated I am not at all implying that the Democratic agenda is Christ-like or spiritually superior, only that is doesn't use our Lords name nor the faith of millions of American democratic and republican alike as a moral seal of approval for an agenda which could be taken as spiritual or political.

Example:

Religion (social morality) - Abortion position
Religion (homosexuality) -Same Sex Marriage Position
Political (National defense) - War/Military Position
Political (Personal Defense) - Gun Rights Position
Political (Criminal Justice) - Death Penalty Position
Politics (Trade Policies) - Human/ Environmental Rights

Honestly there are only 2 issues which I as a Christian see that is defined based on a spiritual perception.

All the others are politically motivated and in my opinion run contrary to the teachings of my faith, if God is against murdering unborn babies, then I would also imagine that he would also be against murdering those who have not yet received Jesus into their hearts. Remember some of God's most instrumental devotees were once dreadful sinners.

Take Saul the murderer of Christian who was converted on the road to Damascus, the CCR would have sent him to them chair if their perception of the faith was consistent which the faith throughout the ages.

What about turning the other cheek? Loving one's enemy?, Doing unto others as you would have them do unto you? How about being meek, longsuffering, forgiving?

And many conservatives agree that the CCR is and has been detrimental to the American Christian Church.

[Lazarus]

Lori, you fool, read peoples blogs more closely. The comment about pornography was about Phil Burress, one of your Christian buddies. This is how rumors are spread, which is just what people like you want. Oh and by the way his name is Barack Hussein Obama, or to you "Mr. President," you biggot.

[grrr]

Note to all you bible-thumpin' fascists: To quote the great song writer and fellow southerner, John Prine " Your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore. The place is full from your dirty little war. Jesus don't like killin' no matter what the fightin's for. Your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore."

[Lori]

Rube, you're a funny guy! But your message (although I don't believe most of what you are saying) is an example of how JESUS CHANGED HIS HEART! Of course he is a righteous man now!

I will not judge you for your decision to "walk away" from the Lord. But I'm shaking my head and smiling right now after reading your little post. Really, how can you be surprised by the fact that your mind is muddled with Democrat ideas after turning your back to God!?! Maybe you can have a seat next to Obama and his Mama in Hell where you will be separated from GOD for ETERNITY if you don't get BACK to the LORD and I mean SOON because every day is a day closer to the day that GOD will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his KINGDOM will have NO END! And when he says NO END he means NONE except for we will be surrounded by his LOVE if we follow his WORD.

Would Jesus "walk with" John McCain? The anwer is that Jesus is ALREADY walking with him! And Jesus PROMISED us in the BIBLE that he would not mislead us and walk among those who oppose him (LIBERALS). He also warned us that they would LIE to us and pretend to love him but that HIS WORD (the BIBLE!) reveals the TRUTH.

You can TRUST in the BIBLE precisely for that reason! It is the ONLY thing in the WORLD you can trust (except for Jesus himself) because GOD would NEVER let his WORD mislead or be manipulated by mankind. So its all right there in plain ENGLISH (and - BY THE WAY MY DEAR LIBERAL - if THAT'S good enough for Jesus then it's good enough for me! And it ought to be our U.S. official language before it is too late and just wait if Obama wins because that will be the END of the language of English in America and that would be a shame to our CHRISTIAN heritage. DON'T get me started on THAT!).

So just think about it! Jesus IS GOD and if GOD is willing to walk with John McCain then that's good enough for me! You wouldn't have to ask if you'd just READ the BIBLE! It's all there in plain ENGLISH in the words of Jesus himself!

And I have one other liittle question for you. Just call it a hunch of mine ... Are you a homosexual?

[solomon]

chrisinCA, chrisinCA, chrisinCA

If you call yourself by the Lords name then you should get your bible out and verify that your rationale is justified before attacking someone from offering a scripture from the bible for comment.

You are content to assume that you know about one Sen's morality due to a policy opinion which doesn't even require him to "approve" of abortion, and a sciptural approximation and interpretation of a de facto sin agaisnt unborn children through abortion (I agree that abortion is morally bankrupt, but "approval" is not the issue with a pro-choice position, I would never abort a child or even suggest it)

And then when you are presented with a scriptural reference to the sinfulness of adultry through ANY divorce absent infedelity you attack the messenger, GOD'S MESSENGER

THE VERSE GOES AS FOLLOWS BELOW, YOU SHOULD READ AND STUDY TO SHOW YOURSELF APPROVED A WORK(WO)MAN THAT NEEDTH NOT BE ASHAMED!

Luke 16:18 "Everyone who divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery".

Matthew19:7-9 They *said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND {her} AWAY?"
He *said to them, "Because of your hardness of hearts Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.
And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

GET IT, NOT ONLY IS THE MAN COMMITTING ADULTRY SO IS THE WOMAN IF IMMORALITY WASN"T THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE DIVORCE.

The Christian Conservative Right will never spotlight this tenant because it doesn't serve their political agenda.

Sen. Obama's wife is his first wife, not his baby's momma, his marriage is approved by GOD and my faith. His example if followed would aleviate the urge to even consider abotion. Get married before having sex (fornication as they can it), marry someone you respect and who respects you (equally yoked as they say) and I promise that those children born within this spiritually approved context will be less likely to be aborted.

Chess not Checkers the Conservative Christian Right plays checkers with the Lord's Chess pieces, and evidentally you do too.

But alls well our Lord forgives those who repent and ask sincerly for forgiveness after recognizing the err of their way.

[solomon]

Too chrisinCA

You don't speak for God and your feeble mind would melt if you could

WHAT?

"GOD told you to vote for McCain."

REALLLLLY?

I would imagine that (since I can't speak for) God would be minimally concerned with the petty politics of man, but rather more so with the eternal souls of mankind, that group is bigger than American, Conservatives, or you

You are lost sister, slow down, pump your breaks, and get a grip on the fullness of your heart, lest you allow that to lead you away from the truth.

Posted by: djames
McCain has said in the past he was for gay rights, he has condemed the religious right too!
He voted for a war that was built upon duplicity and subversion! He has offered no oversight into this war!
Millions of women and children have been killed and displaced because of such callousness!
He gambles in casinos.
He has changed his mind on taxes- he does not feel the pain of the America's middle-class!
Is this a righteous man? Is this a man Jesus would walk with? My family and I have left the religious right.
We are leery of the message being delivered behind the pulp

[Lori]

IT SAID "OBAMA" BEFORE AND IT HAS BEEN ***CHANGED***!!!! HOW TYPICAL! I SHOULD HAVE ***EXPECTED*** A LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PARTY OBAMA FANATIC TO CHEAT AND NOBODY BELIEVES YOU ANYWAY!!! I AM NOT A BIGOT! IT WAS HITLER WHO WAS A BIGOT AND JUST LOOK AT YOUR OBAMA HE IS JUST LIKE HITLER!!! YOU ARE THE BIGOTS AND YOU CAN TAKE YOUR HATE AND LEAVE ME ALONE! I AM NOT A FOOL AND I ***KNOW*** YOUR GAMES THEY WILL ***NEVER*** WORK WITH ME!!! YOU ARE A SICK PERSON AND BOGUS.

JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT! GOD BLESS MCCAIN AND GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.!!!!

[CC Kachies]

"Collectively we feel that [McCain] will support and advance those moral values that we hold much greater than Obama, who in our view will decimate moral values."

Ya, and I am from the planet Krypton! This is why the so-called religious right has become irrelevant and morally reprehensible. Choosing a warmonger who cussess his own wife over a churchgoing and morally upright man says a lot about the moral standard of the religious right.

[Mason Weaver]

I attended the meeting in Denver and just wanted to address those who think it was just Christian White men. I am black and can think of twenty other black people at this 100 person meeting. But only you lewd leftist would look at the color because you judge people by their differences.

There were a lot of controversy and heated discussions but since they were all based upon Godly principals the conclusion came pretty easy.

[Lori]

Well, Solomon it just so happens that we Christians DO follow the BIBLE and so if it says that our husbands can only divorce us for immorality then they are NOT Christians if the wife has not been immoral.

As for MYSELF I am not divorced and my husband has no reason to believe I am immoral. He would never defy the WORD of GOD so we'll be married forever. THAT'S HOW IT WORKS! You make it sounds so complicated and it is EASY just to FOLLOW THE RULES that GOD made for you and even gave you a BOOK (the BIBLE!) so you can check if you are not sure! Even a CHILD can DO AS THEY ARE TOLD and even a 1-year old BABY knows that if you FOLLOW THE RULES of your parents then you won't get a spanking!

I DON'T CARE who Obama married and why. But what makes you so SURE you know where the baby came from? WHO is the father? Do you REALLY know? NO!

But you DO know that John McCain is married and his wife is with him EVERYWHERE HE GOES! You can see how beautiful she is and that she loves him by looking at them together! AND SO WHAT if he divorced his last wife? As long as they did it according to GOD'S LAW it okay with me! And if he had broken GOD'S LAW, then we'd know already because GOD would NOT have placed him before our nation and prepared him as a WAR HERO to be our President if he was not a RIGHTEOUS MAN already! BUT here again, you try to make this sound difficult and confusing when it is CLEAR AS A BELL if you just use your EYES to see WHAT IS OBVIOUS about a man that God has blessed us with like John McCain.

HELLO?! Are you BLIND?!

[RA Porter]

I once heard a pastor make the comment that the Christian Army is the only Army that kills it's own. If the above "born again" comments were not so tragic they would be laughable.
As a Christian myself I have never understood why "so called" Christians have such a need to judge & condemn. The New Testament clearly states "you will be judged according to the way you judge others". It also states "you will be forgiven according to your ability to forgive." NO ONE knows what is in another man's heart. In my opinion being a Christian is a condition of the heart. It is NOT a list of do's & dont's. ( I'm sure that comment will be misunderstood.)
McCain was correct before the straight talk express lost it's wheels when he stated that some Christians were agents of intolerance.
If anyone really wants to get to know Barack how about taking the time to read his books. Try to be open minded! HE is so Very impressive! Oh, yes I also read John McCains book.
*********Oboma 08 for this 71year old "white" mother, grandmother, great-grandmother; Southern Baptist. And I still work full time as a SW support trainer & rep. Inform yourselves people.

[bibschol]

James Dobson on McCain:

"I'm deeply disappointed the Republican Party seems poised to select a nominee who did not support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage, who voted for embryonic stem cell research to kill nascent human beings, who opposed tax cuts that ended the marriage penalty, and who has little regard for freedom of speech, who organized the Gang of 14 to preserve filibusters, and has a legendary temper and often uses foul and obscene language... I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative and, in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are... He has at times sounded more like a member of the other party... I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime... I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life."

[MissClarity]

This is a free country and the religious right can do anythng they want. BUT it is soooooooo obviously skewed mental attitudes that even Jesus Christ can't teach the unteachable, self-righteous. We were buried in Christ and to malign that teaching and experiential life is shameful and is reflected in the religious rights decision to turn it's back on the righteous.

[Mrs. P]

Governor Mike Huckabee is the most logical choice for Senator McCain’s Vice President. Survey USA polls are showing that between Huckabee, Pawlenty, Romney, and Lieberman, Governor Huckabee is the best man for McCain in terms of winning votes this November.

Besides his immediate pull, the former Arkansas Governor would garner huge grassroots support that, over time, could make all the difference in this election.

Mike Huckabee also has Reagan-like speaking abilities. Should he be given enough publicity, or participate in any debates, he could counteract Obama's speechmaking skills and give McCain a sharper edge.

Mac 'n Mike '08!

[Mrs. P]

Oh, and here's one thing I forgot to mention about those SurveyUSA polls: Mike Huckabee was shown to be the best VP even in Massachusetts, where Rommney was once Governor.

[dave]

dobson might be someone who, like countless others, will be seen to write in their candidate this time - unless people in the republican party come to their senses in time to nominate at their convention their legit candidate for president, RON PAUL.

[J Davis]

Nothing will guarantee a Democratic victory like the religious right throwing their support to McCain. They scare most sane people with their idiotic ideologies. Dobson is vermin!

[elle]

To Lori: I am completely disgusted by your post and to think you call yourself a religious person and are looking out for America! Your comments reflect just the opposite. I am ashamed to think of you as a fellow American based on your post. They are filled with hate and outright lies and reflect a lack of common sense and intelligence. You must think you are clever changing Barack Obama's name, but you are simply spreading false and evil words. Your comments about the Obama's swinging in the White House is despicable, bigoted, ignorant and shameful. You should judge people by their deeds and character. Your words should be condemned by any decent person of any political party, gender, or race. Hate based on bigotry and racism should never be tolerated in America by anyone ever.