Karl Rove's office referred to evangelical leaders as 'the nuts.'

[one...two...tree 2,762]

David Kuo, who was the number two guy at the Office of Faith Based initiatives in the White House writes a scathing account of how the administration used Christians to grab and maintain power. This story validates Tucker Carlson's admission that: "The deep truth is that the elites in the Republican Party have pure contempt for the evangelicals who put their party in power."

.......

According to Kuo, Karl Rove's office referred to evangelical leaders as 'the nuts.'

Kuo says, 'National Christian leaders received hugs and smiles in person and then were dismissed behind their backs and described as 'ridiculous,' 'out of control,' and just plain 'goofy.' "

So how does the Bush White House keep 'the nuts' turning out at the polls?

One way, regular conference calls with groups led by Pat Robertson, James Dobson, Ted Haggard, and radio hosts like Michael Reagan.

Kuo says, "Participants were asked to talk to their people about whatever issue was pending. Advice was solicited [but] that advice rarely went much further than the conference call. [T]he true purpose of these calls was to keep prominent social conservatives and their groups or audiences happy."

They do get some things from the Bush White House, like the National Day of Prayer, “another one of the eye-rolling Christian events,” Kuo says.

And “passes to be in the crowd greeting the president when he arrived on Air Force One or tickets for a speech he was giving in their hometown. Little trinkets like cufflinks or pens or pads of paper were passed out like business cards. Christian leaders could give them to their congregations or donors or friends to show just how influential they were. Making politically active Christians personally happy meant having to worry far less about the Christian political agenda.”

When cufflinks weren't enough, the White House played the Jesus card, reminding Christian leaders that, quote, “they knew the president's faith” and begging for patience.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/10/11/o...tempting-faith/

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

sounds like good ol' fashioned politiks to me.

Daniel

:energetic:

[one...two...tree 2,762]

...more.

The Office was also, literally, a taxpayer-funded part of the Republican campaign machinery.

In 2002, Kuo says the office decided to "hold roundtable events for threatened incumbents with faith and community leaders … using the aura of our White House power to get a diverse group of faith and community leaders to a 'nonpartisan' event discussing how best to help poor people in their area."

White House Political Affairs director Ken Mehlman "loved the idea and gave us our marching orders. There were twenty targets." Including Saxby Chambliss in Georgia and John Shimkus in Illinois.

Mehlman devised a cover-up for the operation. He told Kuo, "It can't come from the campaigns. That would make it look too political. It needs to come from the congressional offices. We'll take care of that by having our guys call the office to request the visit."

Kuo explains, "this approach inoculated us against accusations that we were using religion and religious leaders to promote specific candidates."

Those roundtables were a hit. Republicans won 19 of those 20 races. 76 percent of religious conservatives voted for Chambliss over decorated war hero Max Cleland.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/10/11/o...tempting-faith/

[almaty 19]

hmmm..sounds like even God's righteous soldiers are upset with the bush admin...

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

hmmm..sounds like even God's righteous soldiers are upset with the bush admin...

who isn't?

Daniel

:energetic:

[almaty 19]

hmmm..sounds like even God's righteous soldiers are upset with the bush admin...

who isn't?

Daniel

:energetic:

true...except a few diehard posters on vj...

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

hmmm..sounds like even God's righteous soldiers are upset with the bush admin...

who isn't?

Daniel

:energetic:

true...except a few diehard posters on vj...

oh yeah. but even those we still love around here.

Daniel

:energetic:

[jjjimmy 0]

i must say i am not supprised!!!!!!!