White House described evangelicals as 'the nuts'

[Spence]

David Kuo, a former Bush White House aide, is the author of Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction which will be published later this month. The book essentially says President Bush's "compassionate conservativism" and "faith-based initaitives" were more campaign rhetoric than anything else.

Juo was on Keith Olbermann last night and had something interesting things to say. Kuo, who worked in the White House Office of Faith Based Initiatives, "says some of the nation’s most prominent evangelical leaders were known in the office of presidential political strategist Karl Rove as 'the nuts.' 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.'"

"More seriously, Kuo alleges that then-White House political affairs director Ken Mehlman knowingly participated in a scheme to use the office, and taxpayer funds, to mount ostensibly 'nonpartisan' events that were, in reality, designed with the intent of mobilizing religious voters in 20 targeted races."

[fent]

a MOC or POTUS would meet with someone they think is crazy just to make sure their base is happy? shocking!!! ;)

as for the official vs. political events, that's a VERY fine line that i'm convinced is broken daily both intentionally and inadvertently.

[lakewinola]

"More seriously, Kuo alleges that then-White House political affairs director Ken Mehlman knowingly participated in a scheme to use the office, and taxpayer funds, to mount ostensibly 'nonpartisan' events that were, in reality, designed with the intent of mobilizing religious voters in 20 targeted races."

It's a shame that this congress won't pursue any reports of possible illegal activity by members of the republican party.

[Spence]

a MOC or POTUS would meet with someone they think is crazy just to make sure their base is happy? shocking!!! ;)But you know as well as I how annoyed many on the religious right are with the GOP right now. Naturally, I'm just as eager to see this book receive a lot of attention as you would be to see it not receive that attention. It's perfectly common, as you correctly note, for a politician to describe someone they meet with as 'nuts' or 'silly.' But these people are not just any constituency. The religious right is the heart [if not the mind] of the Republican party. Bush owes his entire political career to these people. As far as I can tell, they're about the only people left who still like him. If they were to find out what the Bush admin really thinks of them...*

* I'm referring to the grass roots, not the leaders of the religious right movement. Those guys already know what the White House thinks and they don't care because being the leader of a group of nuts pays pretty darn well.

[CNYSkinFan]

I don't know whether to be mad at the president for their on going hypocracy or glad that on some level he actully understands his base is whacko.

The religious right's relationship with the GOP is much like the African American community's relationship with the Dems. Quite honestly where are they going to go? Their party may take them for granted and only pass about half of what they want but the other party won't pass anything they want.

My guess the only thing this will do is cause evangelical voters to stay hom in the mid term and push even harder for a whack job in 2008 (ruinging McCain and guiliani's chances). That would be devastating to GOP political hopes this year, but that is like throwing a gas can onto a nuclear explosion....it was pretty bad to begin with

[akhhorus]

It's a shame that this congress won't pursue any reports of possible illegal activity by members of the republican party.

And the Dems will? LOL. They don't want their own misdeeds examined.

[CNYSkinFan]

And the Dems will? LOL. They don't want their own misdeeds examined.
well they will investigate GOP wrong doings :)

[akhhorus]

well they will investigate GOP wrong doings :)


right....

[shally]

David Kuo, a former Bush White House aide, is the author of Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction which will be published later this month. The book essentially says President Bush's "compassionate conservativism" and "faith-based initaitives" were more campaign rhetoric than anything else.

Juo was on Keith Olbermann last night and had something interesting things to say. Kuo, who worked in the White House Office of Faith Based Initiatives, "says some of the nation’s most prominent evangelical leaders were known in the office of presidential political strategist Karl Rove as 'the nuts.' 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.'"

"More seriously, Kuo alleges that then-White House political affairs director Ken Mehlman knowingly participated in a scheme to use the office, and taxpayer funds, to mount ostensibly 'nonpartisan' events that were, in reality, designed with the intent of mobilizing religious voters in 20 targeted races."

i think that goes on both sides of the aisle.. i am sure a lot of dems cringe when michael moore or someone from earth first ! comes calling...

[Spence]

i think that goes on both sides of the aisle.. i am sure a lot of dems cringe when michael moore or someone from earth first ! comes calling...Earth First? Nobody in the Democratic party talks to Earth First. Democrats talk to the Sierra Club. They're more our speed, thank you very much. Anyway, you can't compare Michael Moore to the religious right. Michael Moore is one person and as far as I can tell, he's never delivered an election to anyone. [And I don't think he ever met with Clinton in the White House.] The religious right wing is the 800 lb gorilla of the GOP. They deliver elections to the GOP all the time. The comprise about 25% of the voting public and 80% of them vote Republican. It is easily the single biggest voting bloc in the party. Probably less than 10% of all registered Democrats have ever seen a Michael Moore movie.

Remember, for all the fuss over 'Fahrenheit 911,' about four times as many people saw 'Shrek 2' that year.

[shally]

Earth First? Nobody in the Democratic party talks to Earth First. Democrats talk to the Sierra Club. They're more our speed, thank you very much. Anyway, you can't compare Michael Moore to the religious right. Michael Moore is one person and as far as I can tell, he's never delivered an election to anyone. [And I don't think he ever met with Clinton in the White House.] The religious right wing is the 800 lb gorilla of the GOP. They deliver elections to the GOP all the time. The comprise about 25% of the voting public and 80% of them vote Republican. It is easily the single biggest voting bloc in the party. Probably less than 10% of all registered Democrats have ever seen a Michael Moore movie.

Remember, for all the fuss over 'Fahrenheit 911,' about four times as many people saw 'Shrek 2' that year.

you dont like those examples ? fine.. how about a more serious one. do you think for a moment that a lot of african americans don't feel that the democratic party treats them in a patronizing way and takes them for granted? and that the party power brokers behave differently when they are by themselves, as opposed to the public face of the party ? i do not know, but i have heard sentiment like that expressed..

incidentally, it is the influence of the religeous right that also keeps me from being a republican.. i am not comfortable with their influence in determining policy.. and you are also right that they are the 800 lb gorilla..

[Axegrinder]

Who do they consider to be "the fruits"?

[Spence]

Who do they consider to be "the fruits"?Two-thirds of the GOP Congressional caucus, from the looks of things.

[redskin_rich]

Who do they consider to be "the fruits"?
Two-thirds of the GOP Congressional caucus, from the looks of things.Who would have ever thought that fruits and nuts would be so opposed? They both come from trees...

:D