Billy Graham takes full-page ad in Ohio newspaper to back Romney

Los Angeles Times ^ | 10/22/2012 | Robin Abcarian

[SeekAndFind]

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the heart of one of the nation’s most contested states, newspaper readers awoke Sunday to a full-page plea from America’s most famous evangelist to vote for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Sort of.

The full-page ad in the Columbus Dispatch featured a black-and-white photo of the Rev. Billy Graham, with a brief text burned into the dark background in white letters over Graham’s signature.

“On Nov. 6, the day before my 94th birthday,” read Graham’s message, “our nation will hold one of the most critical elections in my lifetime. We are at a crossroads and there are profound moral issues at stake. I strongly urge you to vote for candidates who support the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman, protect the sanctity of life and defend our religious freedoms. The Bible speaks clearly on these crucial issues. Please join me in praying for America, that we will turn out hearts back toward God.”

It was as close to an endorsement of Romney as Graham could get without explicitly saying so.

In May, President Obama declared his support for gay marriage rights, and he has always supported abortion rights. In January, he was accused of trampling on religious freedom when his administration got into a tangle with religious organizations over whether they should be forced to offer health insurance plans to employees that cover contraception and abortion.

Romney opposes gay marriage. Although he was in favor of abortion rights earlier in his political career, has renounced that position and opposes abortion in almost all cases.

This is not the first such ad that Graham has purchased in recent days.

[SeekAndFind]

On Thursday, he took out similar ads in the Wall Street Journal, as well as USA Today. The language differed slightly, however, from his message Sunday in Ohio. In the large national papers, he urged voters to “cast our ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel. He also struck a poignant tone missing from Sunday’s ad, noting, “I realize this election may be my last.”

[svcw]

The ad doesn’t even mention Romney.

[stephenjohnbanker]

It doesn’t have to.

[cotton1706]

It’s amazing how long he’s been around. He got in trouble once for praying on the south lawn after meeting with Harry Truman. His parents made he and his sister drink beer (I think) until they threw up after prohibition was repealed. And he vowed when he was very young to never be in a room alone with a woman who was not his wife to resist temptation.

[SeekAndFind]

The ad doesn’t even mention Romney.

In September,  Franklin Graham had published an essay in USA Today that heartily endorsed Romney. In it, he sought to defuse concerns about Romney’s Mormonism,  arguing that it should not be an obstacle for evangelical Christians, many of whom do not consider the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be a Christian denomination. 

As for having to mention Romney.... well, we can draw a very easy inference from the ad itself...

Which of the two Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates:

1) Openly supports Israel and does not show hostility towards her?

2) Promises to the sanctity of life.

3) Will protect the traditional understanding of marriage as between a man and a woman.

Anybody who answers Obama/Biden to the above question must have been asleep the past 4 years.

[Catsrus]

I posted this ad on my facebook. Hopefully, others will do the same thing.

[rovenstinez]

This will be a clincher for a lot of people. These is a heavy endorsement. He has moral fiber and character authority to speak with a voice of much experience. I think this will tip the scales of OHIO just as much as the debate tonight

[stephenjohnbanker]

I will too.

[DoughtyOne]

I agree. That certainly isn’t going to apply to one of the candidates.

[blondee123]

And, Chavez, , Putin & Castro back Obunny!

[stephenjohnbanker]

” These is a heavy endorsement. He has moral fiber and character authority to speak with a voice of much experience. I think this will tip the scales of OHIO just as much as the debate tonight”

Even those who don’t care for Billy, or of another religious persuasion, know the man has lived a clean, honorable life. This will help.

[blondee123]

Me too!

[memyselfandi59]

Full page ad like that in the Tampa Bay Times this morning...used to be St. Pete Times, they changed the name, but did not change their liberal views.

[Sola Veritas]

“It doesn’t have to.”

As it shouldn’t because the Romney vs Obama race is just one of many at all different levels.

Traditional marriage support should be pushed at ALL levels of government....by those seeking office.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Good point.

[stephenjohnbanker]

It might help people to look at House & Senate candidates, and use the same criteria.

[Slyfox]

It was as close to an endorsement of Romney as Graham could get without explicitly saying so.

Pastors are completely within their rights as Americans citizens to speak frankly about the candidates.

Freedom of Speech was designed to protect political speech of all citizens.

Just because someone has a tax-free status does not take away their right to Free Political Speech,
no matter how much some stupid liberal bonehead says it does.

[cschroe]

Same ad ran in the papers up here in NE Wisconsin.

[crosshairs]

It might help people to look at House & Senate candidates, and use the same criteria.

Especially if we get a president that doesn't circumvent congress.

[Faith]

God bless you, Reverend Graham.

[Wiser now]

A reminder that all of us need to be praying for Romney leading up to and during tonight’s debate.
I’m sure Rev. Graham will be.

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, and I wish they’d start in my state.

[lugggnut]

Same full page article in Lansing State Journal in Michigan this morning

[stephenjohnbanker]

I still have a place in CA. Can’t bring myself to leave entirely, until I’m certain it is a lost cause.

[youngidiot]

I think this will put Romney over the top. There’s a lot of Evangelicals in Ohio that don’t dig the Morman thing. This’ll help push them towards Romney.

[fireman15]

The rabid anti-Romney Mormon haters will be hijacking this thread in 3 - 2 - 1...

[ansel12]

Why would you strive to hijack this thread by making such a provocative, widespread, attack against freepers?

[Patton@Bastogne]

.


Raised on a Soviet-style Collective Farm, Comrade ?


I despise Obama. Period.

I'm also an Evangelical Christian Tea Party Conservative, who usually votes for the "GOP" ...

I won't be voting for either of the "anti-Christian" 2012 U.S. Presidential Candidates.

Do I hate Mormons ?

Absolutely not.

However ... their "cultish faith" ... and their blasphemeous founder ... Joseph Smith ...

HATED and DESPISED Christians ...

and proclaimed himself as a "Second Mohammed" who would VIOLENTLY DESTROY Christianity with the SWORD.



I can assure you, Sir, that God Almighty and Jesus Christ were steamed over Joseph Smith's hatred and threatened destruction of Christ's Holy Church, His spiritual bride.

Therefore, I choose to stand with CHRIST ... and NOT the GOP gay-marriage, pro-abortion money-changers who FORCED "Myth Romney" on us this election cycle.



"Myth Romney" adores and worships Joseph Smith, who in turn HATED Christianity ...

Rev. Billy Graham's endorsement aside.



Your "Stalinist Propaganda" techniques ...

falsely labeling those of us who decide to NOT vote for a clearly "anti-Christ" Mormon candidate ...

as "Mormon Haters" is pure, unadulterated ... "BS" ...



I say you should stand firmly with the GOP gay-marriage pro-abortion Karl Rove wing of the GOP ...

but I refuse to deny my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ...

for the HOPE that Christ-Hater "Myth Romney" can bring U.S. unemployment down ...

or increase U.S. domestic oil production.



Go ahead and serve your False Gods of Wealth and Power ...

America's true economic recovery and rebirth will ONLY come from the hands of the Great I AM ...

and NEVER from the false satanic gods of Joseph Smith and his Archbishop "Myth Romney" ...

Period.




.

[MD Expat in PA]

Yep. Mitt’s a very dangerous guy. For example as governor of Massachusetts, it's a known fact that Romney rounded up all the Christians, put them to the sword if they didn’t convert, married their young daughters off to dirty old Mormon men, legalized polygamy and installed an all Mormon legislature. And Massachusetts has never been the same. I also heard that when he ran the Olympics, he replaced the American flag with a flag with Joseph Smith’s picture on it and forced all the US athletes to wear magic underwear under their gym shorts.

And don’t even get me started on Paul Ryan. If Romney is elected and should die in office, the very first thing Ryan will do is call the Pope in Rome, you know the Whore of Babylon to get his marching orders and the next thing you know, it will be the Inquisition all over again.

(Do I really need a sarcasm tag here?)

[okie01]

Yep. Mitt’s a very dangerous guy. For example as governor of Massachusetts, it's a known fact that Romney rounded up all the Christians...

You left out the re-enactment of the Meadows Massacre when Mitt did to Worcester what Assad did to Hama.

[Patton@Bastogne]

.


Unlike you, I prefer to deal with "facts" ...

and not engage in the Bill Mahr style of "stupid" attempts at comic relief ...



Neither you or the deniers at Free Republic can wash-away Myth Romney's political dupicity over the decades ...

Ronald Reagan would have NEVER signed half of the socialist or gay-marriage crap that "Myth" signed into law ...

Why ?

Because Ronald Reagan was a TRUE conservative ... not just another GOP "I Wanna Be President" kind of hack ... like Juan McCain ...



Again ... let me be clear ...

I despise Obama ... and that also applies to "any" cult ...

Islamic, Mormon or otherwise ...

whose founders wished to SLAUGHTER CHRISTIANS LIKE DOGS ...



Go serve your "gods" of money and political power ... bought at "any" cost ...

I'm sure that Karl Rove will reward you well in Eternity ...

and Eternity ... that by the way ...

has Mormon founder Joseph Smith ... and Mohammed ...

both burning in Hell's fires.



We're all "sinners to be saved by Christ's grace" ... starting with mee and my personal faults ...

When I stand to face Jesus Christ at Heaven's Gates ...

at least He won't have to say that I "voluntarily" voted for ANY U.S. Presidential Candidate that "despised" and hated Him ...

either the Moslem Obama or the Mormom Myth Romney.




.

[fireman15]

I am starting to think that maybe I am becoming psychic. How did I know that Ansel12 and Patton@Bastogne would be spouting off just seconds after I posted? I don’t know... but it is a little scary? I was just thinking of the most provocative, widespread, attackers against their fellow freepers and poof... amazing!

[ansel12]

Your post 26 was troll like spouting off, my post 27 was simply pointing out what a strange thing it is for you to try and hijack the the thread by attacking freepers in general, like that.

You seem to want to do the old troll act of looking for fights.

[publana]

Omniscient.

When I saw your post I thought of the kid in the movie that said, “I see dead people.”

On another note, I suspect Christ, our Lord and Savior, would be disappointed in anyone that did not do his best to rid America of Obama that supports live birth abortion. But I digress...

[publana]

God bless you, Reverend Graham.

[fireman15]

Anyone wanting to find some good examples of questionable behavior only needs to click on your name in the “from” box at the top of one of your posts and then go see what you have been up to. My, my, my haven’t you been busy trying to discourage your fellow freepers from voting for the only man who currently has a chance of sending Obama packing.

That is pretty strange behavior from someone accusing others of being a troll. I do my best to avoid responding to you because no one here actually takes your divisive and hurtful posts seriously anyway, but sometimes your hypocracy is a little too much to take. You hate Mormons far more than you care about the fate of additional millions of unborn children and the future of our great republic. You are a sad and hateful creature aren’t you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKOem7wiVIQ&feature=player_embedded

[fireman15]

Thank you. I often feel that way. We have a group of posters here who spend hours every day polluting these forums with garbage meant to confuse and discourage conservatives from voting in the next election. They claim that their motivation is from religious grounds, but if you examine their posting histories and long standing nastiness this becomes questionable at best. Occasionally they get themselves zotted, but they keep coming back. They Hijack so many of these threads that it is fairly predictable.

[ansel12]

If you keep insisting, then sure, I’ll join your thread.

Did you know that the pro-abortion Mitt Romney has rejected the republican pro-life platform?

Were you aware that he had reverted to his pro-abortion position?

[DoughtyOne]

If I remember correctly, it’s a great area.

[fireman15]

Thank you Ansel... anyone now wishing to confirm what I observed about your posting history does not have to bother clicking on your name in the from box at the top of your postings. Most of your posts in these forums are intended to confuse and discourage your fellow freepers from voting for the only man who currently has a chance of unseating Obama.

Obama has been the most pro-abortion president in the history of our great nation. If reelected... he will most likely have the opportunity to nominate two more radicals to the Supreme Court. Virtually every national pro-life organization in the country is endorsing Romney; virtually every national pro-choice organization is supporting Obama. You are here spreading lies in an attempt to suppress your fellow Freepers’ votes. You are actively working to get Obama four more years. Your efforts are intended to help Obama flush the futures of our children and grandchildren down the toilet.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Yeah, far enough away from L.A. : )

[GOPJ]

All the ‘bitter clingers’ get the ad...

Here’s a video you might enjoy - or need to see...

This video includes ‘the bow’ - ‘ freeer after the election’ - Rev Wright - trashing Netanyahu and Israel etc...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=paP8K1j-OCU

[ansel12]

Post 38 was very short, yet you refused/could not answer it.

Which one is the “lie”?

“Did you know that the pro-abortion Mitt Romney has rejected the republican pro-life platform?”

“Were you aware that he had reverted to his pro-abortion position?”

[djf]

I agree. It’s a very powerful endorsement.

[fireman15]

Very very funny... I posted a link which answered in detail. Did you watch it? No, I didn’t think so.

[ansel12]

No, we don’t come to freerepublic to be sent to links to watch videos by people who can’t post anything useful themselves.

Post 38 was very short, yet you refused/could not answer it.

Which one is the “lie”?

“Did you know that the pro-abortion Mitt Romney has rejected the republican pro-life platform?”

“Were you aware that he had reverted to his pro-abortion position?”

[fireman15]

Ansel, Nothing that you write is useful to 99% of the people here. My guess is that the only reason you are allowed to keep posting your dull witted anti-conservative drivel is because it helps the rest of us feel good about the level of incompetence on the other side.

Just for laughs I will take your bait... no matter how you twist them both of your statements are lies. Here is that link again to the video that you are afraid to watch from a leading pro-life Romney critic, Janet Porter and her anti-abortion group Faith 2 Action. The video does a very detailed job of refuting both of your lies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKOem7wiVIQ&feature=player_embedded

[ansel12]

How is quoting Romney a lie?

August 27, 2012 CBS interview.
PELLEY: Well, the platform as written at this convention for the Republicans does not allow for exceptions on abortion with regard to the health of the mother or rape or incest. Is that where you are?

ROMNEY: No. My position has been clear throughout this campaign. I’m in favor of abortion being legal in the case of rape and incest, and the health and life of the mother.

[fireman15]

Bravo! Bravo! So lets all get behind your candidate, a man who supports not only late term abortions, and partial birth abortions, but also leaving live baby’s to die in the back room? You really have shown us big time today. What is that you say? Obama is not your candidate? Well then why does nearly everything that you post here try to discourage others from voting for the only person who currently has a chance of beating him? Your current posts are working against everything that those who frequent this website are fighting against.

[ansel12]

Yeah, post 48 is damning, no wonder it overwhelms you.