Correction appended
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(Photo: AP Images / Carlos Osorio)Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, center, addresses the media on the Grand Hotel porch at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference on Mackinac Island, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007.
WASHINGTON – A well-known evangelical leader is encouraging conservative Christians to give presidential hopeful Fred Thompson and all other candidates a fair chance not long after another prominent conservative leader criticized the former senator for being too weak on key issues.
Although he doesn’t endorse Thompson, former Republican presidential candidate Gary Bauer contends that conservative Christians should seriously consider him if they want to avoid a “nightmare scenario” where they are forced to choose between two pro-abortion, pro-gay rights candidates – Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani.
“He (Thompson)’s obviously against same-sex marriage. He doesn’t support quite the same constitutional amendment that some of the others of us do, but he’s been talking with us about it, and has been moving closer and closer on the amendment,” said Bauer, who is president of American Values, according to OneNewsNow.
“So I hope that we can, as a movement, be very wise about this, and not savage candidates that we may very well have to support in 2008 if they’re running against Hillary Clinton.”
Last week, Dr. James Dobson, founder and chairman of Colo.-based Focus on the Family, wrote in a private e-mail to friends and supporters that he will not support Thompson for president because he is too weak on key issues that concern the Christian right.
In particular, he criticized Thompson for not supporting a constitutional amendment that would prohibit gay “marriage” on a national scale.
Thompson, an actor and former senator from Tennessee, is against same-sex “marriage” but favors a softer stance, calling for each state to decide their own legal definition of marriage and forbidding states from imposing their marriage laws on other states.
“Isn’t Thompson the candidate who is opposed to the constitutional amendment to protect marriage, believes there should be 50 different definitions of marriage in the U.S., favors McCain-Feingold, won’t talk at all about what he believes and can’t speak his way out of a paper bag on the campaign trail?” Dobson wrote, according to The Associated Press.
The prominent Christian conservative also blasted Thompson for his seeming lack of commitment to Christianity, highlighting the candidate’s rare expression of faith and for not attending church regularly.
“He (Thompson) has no passion, no zeal, and no apparent ‘want to.’ And yet he is apparently the Great Hope that burns in the breasts of many conservative Christians?” wrote Dobson.
“Not for me, my brothers. Not for me.”
Bauer, on the other hand, highlighted Thompson’s conservative views on key issues and noted that Christian voters will likely make “their own judgments” on the candidate after watching debates and observing who can raise campaign funds.
“I think the one thing that almost every conservative Christian agrees about is that we cannot allow Hillary Clinton to be the next President of the United States,” concluded Bauer.
According to the latest Associated Press-Ipsos poll, the race for the 2008 GOP nomination is highly fluid, with Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor, and Fred Thompson virtually tied at 24 and 19 percent, respectively. Not far behind at 15 percent is Sen. John McCain of Arizona while former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has 7 percent. Continue >>
Comments
Christians need to get behind Ron Paul! He will overturn Roe vs Wade, get rid of the IRS and protect home schooling rights etc etc... He is not a wasted vote. Support him today as millions of Americans already have! He raised over $1.2 million in less than 5 days! If we spread the word about him he can win the nomination.
Ron Paul For President 2008 www.ronpaul2008.com
dgnymn, I don't always agree with you but this time you are correct. Ron Paul at times is the only one who makes any sense at the debates. As for his religious beliefs, likewise amongst protestants he seems to be the only one who makes any sense. His article: Theology, not politics
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul244.html
Simply brilliant!
Hey dgnymn, I really appreciate your passion on this.Oh by the way, if you'r the same dgnymn that I just ordered an R.C. Sproul book from on Half.com/Ebay, you need to get busy and ship my book out to me.Just kidding!!
Hello people? What Republican candidate is right on target in every issue of concern to the Christian including sanctity of marriage which begins at one's own home? Senator Sam Brownback.
http://www.brownback.com
First of all: voting for Ron Paul is a wasted vote. Worst yet, he will be like a Ross Perot vote, which got Bill Clinton elected in the first place. Voting for Ron Paul will get Hillary Clinton elected in 2008. Evangelicals need to add their votes with the conservative middle ground voters (fiscal conservatives, Reagan Democrats, Catholics, etc) to win a majority. That's how Bush got in...and barely!
I still say we cannot view electing a president of a secular govt being akin to selecting a pastor of a congregation. Dannypoo made a great point when he said: "the spiritual perspectives of a person running for President is incredibly important to the way a President will respond to a given situation." I agree. But has Bush's evangelical "perspectives" stopped abortion? Caused an amendment to prevent redefinition of marriage? No. However, would conservative appointees to the court be able to do that? Yes. The court judges dont have to answer to anybody politically, where the pres still has to work with congress to get his ideas passed.
So I vote for president with the court in mind. PEriod. That's really the only real power he has...to appoint judges. Everything else just sounds good. And that's why I think Dobson is wrong in his appraoch.
Folks, this is not a Christian nation, and I'm not sure it ever was. Or ever should be. Hmmm...what was that thing Jesus was referring to about the coin with caesar's inscription on it? Hmmm....
By the way, Rudy is the most reasonable choice for a candidate who could beat Clinton. Sorry, that's just the truth. He is not the most desirable but he is the most logical candidate for beating Hillary. Quite a few people who are actually involved in the political process will tell you that. That is why for the life of me I don't understand from a political perspective such an irresponsible comment like that coming from Dr. James Dobson! Because just as Rudy could beat Hillary so Thompson might overtake Rudy! Thompson could be our best hope! Sorry but Romney isn't looking too good and as many are probably expecting the nomination will most likely be between Rudy and Fred.
I am suprised that Dobson wrote such inflammatory words against a conservative candidate!
Fred Thompson might not regularly attend "Bright Light Baptist"but he could be our most reasonable hope for a conservative candidate ! Sometimes or perhaps too often I have been wondering whether America's "fundamentalist" Christan leaders really have the heart of Jesus or the mind of God.
The top issue for me is abortion. Clinton supports abortion. Even Bush said that she would be the Democratic choice. A catholic that has an abortion or someone who is participating are ex-communicated. This does not mean they are not Catholic but require penance for the forgiveness of sins. We are encouraged to vote for a politician that does not support abortion. I am voting for Fred Thompson. He stands for my beliefs, in steps, toward re-establishing our Constitution, "Under God".
Do you want to know why the Christian "evanjellycals" are all split and screwed up. It's because people like Gary Bauer contend or others do, that he's "religious/evangelical leader." This is NOT the case. As has been said, he's a political pundit, and it really doesn't matter what he says, because he DOES NOT speak for the community of Christian believers who vote. And who gave him the inside scoop on Thompson? Thompson is NOT the candidate to support. And it's not about the Supreme Court, either. The Supreme Court, as far as this writer is concerned, has lost all credibility, and it doesn't matter a lick what they say. They are all political appointees and all vote politically anyway. What's the deal with that? We don't have to listen or support them!!! Period!!!
Why is it that some think that "Hillary" can't get elected or shouldn't? Who said so? Did God somehow give the "leaders" of the conservative Christian Right some "Secret" that she shouldn't be voted in as President? Has anyone read in the Scripture that it is the Lord Almighy who sets up kings and takes them down again. This means all leaders, as well as women leaders!! But maybe the Christian Right or "Christian" conservatives have forgotten that part of the Scripture. We just don't vote for somebody who "can beat Hillary." Don't you people get it? Don't the Believers in Christ in get this??? It's all about character in the Biblical sense. It's not who's a Republican, Democrat, or Independent. It's about who will follow the Way of Christ irrespective of the consequences, and Christians need to abide by this. Forget about the sidling up to "anyone but Hillary" crowd.
There's only "ONE" candidate who is qualified to be President on both sides of the aisles, and that's Dr. Ron Paul!! That's it!!! Do your homework, believers, and stop playing patty-cake with Fred Thompson or all the other political icons of your own making. Thompson is an empty suit, and you need to beware of all Trojan Horses.
Dr. Dobson is CORRECT in his assessment!! Do your homework on Thompson and you'll see he is not the one who will beat a Clinton-Obama ticket. Not a chance!!! Bauer is incorrect and he's fooling you all. The question is this: What's in it for him if Thompson gets elected? Has Thompson promised something to Bauer for "delivering" the Christian vote? Important questions.
My vote is for Ron Paul!!!
ovationeddie, you make two points. One I agree with and One I disagree with.
Where I agree with you is that at this point in our current political outlook, it's unlikely to get a guy in who is a true conservative in every respect. Also, depending on how the primary's go, as long as the Republican presidential nominee is moderately conservative, i will vote for him over the strong liberal Democratic nominee.
Where I disagree with you is your statement "...Fred Thompson is running for President of a country, not Pastor of a congregation." Few people will dispute this, it is true we are not electing a Pastor, however the spiritual perspectives of a person running for President is incredibly important to the way a President will respond to a given situation. Therefore, their spiritual preference is a fair thing to evaluate in regards to voting for an individual.
Also, if our standards for our Presidential pick, is lower than our standards for our Pastors (then for that reason we should exempt presidential nominees on these grounds?). It is no wonder that our country is struggling to the degree it has. A Pastor's sphere of influence is far smaller, we should critique the viewpoints of a potential President with greater scrutiny because their sphere of influence is vast.
Fred fully appreciates our situation, however, he also understands what our Constitution does not allow for. Do not seek what appears to be quick remedies for our own failure to act while getting to this dismal point in our history. The wrongheaded and loud have pushed our society into the brink of suicide by the following generations through judicial and legislative activism. Our core values can only be returned by undoing what was done. Our solutions rely in our full participation to correct our circumstances. Therefore, do not talk to Fred but instead listen to him at length.
No matter what Gary Bauer is (evang leader or political pundit), I do know for sure that Fred Thompson is running for President of a country, not Pastor of a congregation. When will evangelicals get more straight on this? America's majority in 2007 will not vote for President a guy who is a solid evangelical, right wing on all issues. Aint gonna happen.
Think about it.....if you dont support somebody electible, then Hillary will get in there and put liberals on the supreme Court. Then it doesnt matter who was more conservative on abortion or gay marriage among the Republicans.
It's all about the supreme court nominees, not the President himself (or herself).
Vote Fred Thompson!
Gary Bauer is not an evangelical leader. He is a political pundit.
So many Christians are investing more in hating Hillary that the will compromise the obedience to God. Bauer will back any Republican, no matter how evil, if they can beat Hillary.