Posted on 11/20/2015 11:09:09 AM PST by Engraved-on-His-hands
There will be a few empty seats around one Thanksgiving table this year: Donald Trump and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush are among those skipping Friday's Presidential Family Forum in Des Moines. The event is hosted by the conservative Christian group the Family Leader. President Bob Vander Plaats is seen as an evangelical kingmaker in Iowa.
Discussions of politics and religion may be ill-advised at most holiday feasts, but not so here. Instead, Republican presidential hopefuls sit together around a table and answer open-ended questions that Vander Plaats says are designed to reveal their "character."
Vander Plaats has a track record of endorsing Iowa Caucus winners — including former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in 2012 and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008. He says it's a mistake for candidates to skip the forum. Vander Plaats says he spoke to Trump this week, and that the canddiate offered some conditions.
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
Those attending will be Carson, Rubio, Cruz, Fiorina, Huckabee, Paul, and Santorum. A little surprising, but not too much, that Trump and Graham won't be there. Conservative Christians aren't their primary base of support, but they have at least some of their support within this group. Mildly surprising, but not terribly so, that Fiorina and Paul will be there. Not surprising that Bush, Christie, and Kasich won't be there. This group isn't exactly their strong suit.
“Vander Plaats has a track record of endorsing Iowa Caucus winners — including former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in 2012 and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008.”
Not with a ten-foot poll (pun intended).
I wonder if any of the candidates will be asked about pyramids.
Jeb! can’t miss the Bush family Thanksgiving weekend gathering with the Clintons
Sadly, if that actually happened (Thanksgiving Dinner with the Clintons), it would not shock me at this point.
Another reason. As the real front runner you don’t elevate the competition by appearing on the same stage, and that Trump already gets thousands of followers in Iowa that the others cannot match.
I'm surprised that any of the contestants will be there.
Iowa does not matter for the nomination, rarely has.
It has become a joke.
I say let Grandpa Trump - 5 kids, seven and a half grand kids, (Ivanka is pregnant, remember), and Melania. Big Turkey at the Manhattan tower. May be his last chance for a quiet family Thanksgiving, because at least the next 5 will be very visible. Give Trump a break.
Is that what it’s all about to some of you. Who is the most religious?
In all fairness, Trump had already scheduled rallies for today and tomorrow morning.
Yep. I thought of that too, but I didn’t check.
Yeah. Not a terribly compelling factor there.
Compounded by the fact they will be expected to talk about religion. What could go wrong?
It’s so infuriating that we on the right have to deal with this sometimes myopic group. Faith is a great thing, but my God these people seem to think that is all that counts!
We have a nation and world burning down, and these people care more about if you can recite bible verses or how many times you go to church in a week.
And if they are so fixated on it, just imagine how little you can do to cause them to stay home in November? I just wish evangelicals put more effort in repairing the ruinous damage done to American Christianity because of those dopy televangelists they were so fond of over the past 30 years. It made us all look like simpletons, and the media still uses it to lampoon Christians.
It’s NPR. the can’t give a rats a about any of this
So Trump wants to be with his family on thanksgiving. So do I. Its a stupid time to hold a political forum. They should all be home giving thanks and celebrating the holiday.
Actually, the event is tonight, and Trump will be campaigning in South Carolina. Apparently it was an intentional decision to not be there.
Many of the “most religious” ensured Obama’s win over Romney. So much for “principle”.
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