Family Research Council Action is alerting constituents that a senior Barack Obama advisor on religious issues bowed out of a high-profile debate with a counterpart from the McCain campaign yesterday:
People hoping for a lively discussion on faith and values from Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) campaign were surprised yesterday when Team Obama failed to show for a media-heavy debate. The capacity crowd that gathered at the Capitol Hill Club had expected Obama’s Senior Advisor for Religious Affairs, Rev. Evna Terri La Velle, to square off with Bob Heckman, a representative from Sen. John McCain’s campaign. Just hours before the lunchtime event began, members of the sponsoring organizations, the National Clergy Council and Evangelical Church Alliance, received word that Obama’s delegation of 11 had backed out. Rev. Rob Schenck, who was scheduled to moderate the debate, released a statement questioning the Obama campaign’s genuine commitment to issues of concern to social conservatives. “Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean assured me…that his party would do everything possible to constructively engage Evangelicals, traditional Catholics, and other moral conservatives… Barack Obama has made similar promises. They did a couple of high-profile media events, but it appears they were not serious at a grassroots level.” While the Illinois senator and his campaign never shy away from talking about faith, they have missed opportunities to let that faith be examined up close to determine how it would impact their public policy positions.
The Obama campaign had no comment, but didn’t contest FRC Action’s version of events. For conservative Christian groups that are eager to prove that Obama’s religious outreach is empty talk, the Obama team just made their job a little easier.
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posted September 25, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Your post repeats FRC’s claims but leaves out crucial information, which is that Rob Schenck is an extremist who has repeatedly maligned Obama’s Christian faith – there’s no reason for the Obama campaign to give him credibility or to expect that he would have played the role of a fair moderator. Reporting on the event – see http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_fundamentalist_092408 — where Obama was compared to Hitler – make it clear that the campaign made a wise choice.
posted September 25, 2008 at 6:57 pm
I have had many opportunites to study the philosophy of the Family Research Council. As they do have a conservative slant, they would never express this type of propaganda. Why would the democrats be afraid to meet the challanges regarding a personal faith in Jesus Christ? Maybe many of them don’t know what that means…………try it, you may discern what is Truth and what is false.
posted September 25, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Let’s see…McCain’s campaign cancels a debate during a national crisis and he is a leader. Obama’s campaign cancels a debate during a national crisis and he is considered afraid of address the questions of conservatives.
I’d call the FRC hypocrites, but the hypocrite union would sue me for defaming their good name.
posted September 25, 2008 at 9:18 pm
“Why would the democrats be afraid to meet the challanges regarding a personal faith in Jesus Christ?”
Why would the Democrats be afraid to meet the challenges regarding a personal faith in the Flying Spaghetti Monster?
posted September 26, 2008 at 10:36 am
“Why would the Democrats be afraid to meet the challenges regarding a personal faith in Jesus Christ?” Perhaps because this forum is not about personal faith but religious intolerance, rigidity and intransigence.
Unfortunately, the FRC “debate” was not that at all but an open opportunity for pride exceeding faith.
My sincere prayer is that the discussion of faith becomes an open, frank, and mature exchange concerning the Christian faith espoused by both candidates. Unfortunately, the “debate” also excludes the relevant religious milieu of this nation. We cannot hold a discussion only of Christian faith. This is a nation of many faiths and many approaches to God and Heaven. We as Christians consider our means the only path. We know that others consider their paths equally valid. Do we intend to speak for God? Has someone in the FRC had a revelation from God?
Pray, please, that we discern our place in the world with a strong faith in good and honesty and true convictions rather than exploitive and demoralizing diatribes about the “right” way to Heaven.
posted October 5, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Why worry about OBAMA? He is a man…ask the WOMEN in America what they think.
And speaking of women – here is a fresh new person on the Evangelical horizon – they are salivating – here is her “WORLDVIEW”
Her husband is/was a member of the secessionist group whose founder says:
” The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government…and I won’t be buried under their damn flag…
I’m an Alaskan, not an American. I’ve got no use for America or her damned institutions.”
Let’s agree with Senator Obama that WOMEN have a right to choose to go to heaven or hell without us legislating that – and with Sarah Palin that Alaska needs to seceede from the Union – how is that?
Quote from another site:
“Sarah Palin probably attended the AIP convention 1994, the McCain campaign admits she attended in 2000, and as governor, Palin taped a welcoming message to them in 2006, saying:
Your party plays an important role in our state’s politics. I’ve always said that competition is so good, and that applies to political parties as well. I share your party’s vision of upholding the constitution of our great state… So I say good luck on a successful and inspiring convention. Keep up the good work, and God bless you.
Add to that, Todd Palin, aka, the “First Dude,” was a registered member of AIP from 1995 until 2002, coincidentally changing his party affiliation when she began her first campaign for public office.”
posted October 7, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Elite politicians, including presidential candidate Barack Obama, are trying to limit access to on-demand, short term financial assistance in America. Some cities and towns are even placing restrictions on where these legitimate payday loan companies can establish their businesses. Even worse, several states including Georgia and North Carolina have successfully imposed complete bans on the payday loan industry, and several more states are following in their footsteps. Nationwide, American citizens are struggling to have their voices heard. They want to fight legislation that would wipe out the payday loan industry in the United State. Obama, and many other misled political officials, are advocating for an all-out ban of the payday loan industry for the sake of personal political gain. Their desire to eliminate the payday loan industry holds no regard for the people who need financial help in this depressed economy.