Posted on 07/01/2005 11:09:50 AM PDT by tyw
Friday, July 1, 2005 10:09 a.m. EDT
The Rev. Billy Graham said Friday that he didn't intend to endorse Hillary Clinton for president when he told her husband at a massive New York City revival meeting last weekend that she should "run the country."
His son Franklin Graham, who heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, tells the Charlotte Observer:
Story Continues Below
"For a long time, my father has refrained from endorsing political candidates and he certainly did not intend for his comments to be an endorsement for Senator Hillary Clinton." "My father, of course, was joking," the younger Graham said, when he hosted the Clintons onstage and told the crowd of 90,000, "They're a great couple. ... He should be an evangelist because he has all the gifts and he could leave his wife to run the country."
Although Billy Graham has called himself a Democrat, Franklin said that didn't mean he supported the former president, saying, "His political views, as well as mine, are quite different than the Clintons'."
The Clintons, however "remain good friends," he added.
The Rev. Graham felt compelled to issue the clarification after receiving more than 100 e-mails and calls of protest, the Observer said.
The Rev. Graham's words of praise for the former first couple prompted significant consternation among some of his most devoted followers.
National Clergy Council President Rev. Rob Schenck, for instance - who had traveled from Washington, D.C., to Queens, N.Y., just to hear his "role model" preach - walked out of the event after the Clintons were feted onstage.
"I was stunned and appalled," the Rev. Schenck told the Christian Wire Service.
"It was disturbing to watch Billy Graham, a man whom I’ve admired for years, being used by evil to mislead countless Christians," complained the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, head of the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny [BOND].
Wow you sure know a lot about Minus_the-Bear! I'm wondering what you know about ME.
That Franklin Graham felt the need to deny there was any "endorsement," speaks even louder than letting the Klintoons use Rev.Graham like a soiled tissue the way they did.
I am NOT happy about THAT either, but the cause was a good one and I don't recall anyone from the Bush camp saying SHE should run the country. Anyone hear that?
And I think Jesus probably feels that way about all of us, don't you agree?
========================================
The Rev. Billy Graham said Friday that he didn't intend to endorse Hillary Clinton for president when he told her husband at a massive New York City revival meeting last weekend that she should "run the country."
Didn't see the post here earlier, just saw it on Newsmax. Graham knew they would be onstage with him, seems he could have thought of something else to say to them!
I think he called them "lukewarm".
It seems that there is a feeling among some here that anything/anyone that associates/touches/appears with the Clintons is evil and must be destroyed.
While I do agree that Hillary IS Evil Personified and shouldn't even be allowed to VISIT the White House, and her Husband-In-Name-Only is basically a big, dumb sex machine, I do NOT think the Rev. Dr. Graham should be vilified or looked upon with condemnation for what was at worst a lapse in judgement.
He has avoided scandal for over 50 years, and now ain't the time to try to nail him to the wall for anything. The preaching of that one man is responsible for millions not going to Hell. Does one minor slip-up (doesn't even qualify as a sin in my book) negate all that?
Besides..."Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". The Man who said that is the ONLY one qualified to throw that stone...and He won't.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.