Evangelicals Should not Vote for Huckabee or McCain (so says major Evangelical leader)
This message is going out along the Christian News Wire. Hope it makes it far and wide QUICKLY!!
The Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK), in his capacity as a private citizen, today released this statement regarding tomorrow’s primary votes:
“I have spent the last 33 years as an active evangelical Christian. I am an ordained evangelical minister. I graduated from an evangelical Bible college and an evangelical seminary. I serve on the board of America’s oldest association of evangelical church leaders, and I head one of the most active evangelical ministries in Washington, DC.
“I have thought long and hard about the upcoming elections. I have prayed earnestly about them, and I have met many of the candidates and their top campaign people and I have studied their platforms and policy proposals.
“After careful and prayerful consideration, I have concluded that an evangelical vote for Mike Huckabee is a vote for John McCain, and a vote for John McCain will be a disaster for this country.
“Let me explain. It’s clear to me and many others that Mike Huckabee is not broadening his appeal enough to win the primary. Therefore, his only contribution is to siphon off votes, giving McCain a clear path to victory. It’s very possible Huckabee is being positioned to be John McCain’s pick for vice president. In order to win, McCain needs Mike Huckabee and the evangelical votes he brings with him. The specter of a McCain-Huckabee ticket is bad for evangelicals.
. . .
“Evangelicals must consider both the stakes and the realities in this election. Mike Huckabee’s continuation only helps John McCain. The consequences are just too great to take this risk. A McCain victory will hurt this country because of the long-term damage of the wrong judges and justices. Worse, McCain’s court legacy will continue to hurt our children and our grandchildren, perhaps even our great grandchildren.
“Evangelicals must choose wisely from among candidates other than Mike Huckabee and John McCain as they vote tomorrow, February 5.”
For identification purposes only, the Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK) is president of Faith and Action in the Nation’s Capital, chairman of the Committee on Church and Society for the Evangelical Church Alliance and co-founder of the annual National Memorial for the Pre-born and their Mothers and Fathers, the only pro-life worship service held inside the U.S. Capitol complex in Washington, DC.
Strong words there, and from someone who hasn’t endorsed Romney . . . just a pragmatic leader who sees how horrible McCain would be as both a nominee and/or President.
Let’s hope this makes the rounds QUICKLY!
Jeff Fuller
February 4th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
GREAT ENDORSEMENT INDEED!
However, it would have been nice to receive in the earlier states when Huckabee was only getting 7% of the non-evangelical votes. It didn’t take this long to figure it out.
But hey, we will take a great endorsement like that one every minute of every day! You gotta wonder of the robo-callers care. The robo-callers and their leaders want the race to be prolonged for their financial gain.
I hope Evangelicals for Mitt have this one out there!
February 4th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Jeff,
Have you seen this this video “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnFd5zCIpVc” on the treatment of Mitt’s Mormonism by the media?
Anyway, I think that Huckabee’s motives are crystal clear, and becoming president is not one of them.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Good for him. He is a decent man. If only all of Huckabee’s supporters could be this objective and analytical. Too many are not thinking through the whole nomination process, and the likelihood of a McCAin/Huckabee ticket, shall they vote for their #1 candidate, Mike Huckabee.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
How come EFM doesn’t have this up? Of all the things they write about, and based on the urgency of this story, you would think this would be a critical post for them.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
EFM isn’t quite as quick I’ve noticed lately. Vic are you going to the rally in Long Beach…I’m debating?
February 4th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
I just spoke to Nancy French who is going to post it now on her site.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Nancy is from Tennessee and she’s busy, I believe talking to people to vote for Mitt.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Wow, it’s fantastic that conservative leaders and journalists are coming out of the woodworks AFTER Mitt lost Florida… Thanks guys.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Have you noted how Huckabee’s campaign has become very negative with 98% anti-Romney rhetoric. Even his jokes are now just hate filled. This is his last gasp, and he knows it. His back is against the wall as he sees day-by-day support dwindle.
With such negativity, I wonder how many of Huckles supporters are deciding that he in no longer their man and realizing he is just another politician saying anything to win.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Blah, blah, blah. Heard it all before! If a vote for Huckabee is a vote for McCain, then a vote for Romney is a vote for Hillary. Because there is no way Romney can beat her. She’ll take his flip flops off his feet and spank him with them
By the way, I’m an evangelical and I know our people. I’ve never heard of this guy.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Hey Matt:
Wake up and smell the coffee, bud - Mitt Romney is the only serious adult in this race - he is focused and not “cutesy” - we need someone who is serious - we have some real “frickin” big problems guy - stop the “cutesy” and get serious.