Posted on 10/26/2005 6:29:55 PM PDT by jern
Danforth Criticizes Christian Sway in GOP Oct 26 8:51 PM US/Eastern Email this story
By DANIEL CONNOLLY Associated Press Writer
LITTLE ROCK
The influence of evangelical Christians in the Republican Party hurts the organization and divides the country, former U.S. Sen. John Danforth said during a visit to the Bill Clinton School of Public Service on Wednesday.
Danforth, a former Republican senator from Missouri and an Episcopal priest, met with students during a seminar and held a luncheon talk at the graduate school.
"I think that the Republican Party fairly recently has been taken over by the Christian conservatives, by the Christian right," he said in an interview after his talks. "I don't think that this is a permanent condition but I think this has happened, and that it's divisive for the country."
He also said the evangelical Christian influence would be bad for the party in the long run.
Republican National Committee spokeswoman Tracy Schmitt declined comment.
Danforth, who recently served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, made similar criticism of the party in an opinion article published by the New York Times in June. In that article, he called for religious moderates to take part in public life.
People of faith have an obligation to be in politics, he said.
"I think the question arises when a political party becomes identified with one particular sectarian position and when religious people believe that they have the one answer, that they understand God's truth and they embody it politically," he said.
"Nothing is more dangerous than religion in politics and government when it becomes divisive," he said. "I'll give you examples: Iraq. Northern Ireland. Palestine."
Danforth, considered a conservative on social issues, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976 and served three terms. In his final term he played a key role in defending Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas against claims of sexual harassment during bitter confirmation hearings. Thomas eventually was confirmed.
Under Democratic President Bill Clinton, Danforth was appointed special counsel in an investigation of the deadly 1993 siege at the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, Texas.
The current President Bush appointed Danforth as special peace envoy to Sudan and later as ambassador to the United Nations.
Danforth was sworn in as ambassador in July 2004 and resigned in January. Wednesday, Danforth cited his age _ now 69 _ and his desire to move back to his St. Louis home as his reasons for leaving.
He most recently has worked for the Bryan Cave law firm in St. Louis. Former U.S. Sen. David Pryor, D-Ark. and dean of the Clinton School for Public Service, invited him to visit the school.
The school, housed in a remodeled red brick train station on the grounds of the Clinton presidential library, opened in August and currently has 16 students enrolled in its two-year master's degree program. It is a branch of the University of Arkansas.
"I thought that the students were bright and highly motivated and it was encouraging to have the opportunity to spend some time with them," Danforth said. "I thought the physical facilities were wonderful."
The school plays an important role, he said.
"I think it's important to encourage and inspire people who have an interest in public service and to equip them for public service," he said. "But in my view more important than any particular curriculum item is to be encouraged and strengthened as somebody who wants to participate in public service."
Danforth is a liberal posing as a moderate and has no idea how Evangelicals have seen the GOP, on many accounts , the only feasible electible party with concerns for social, economic, and cultural as well as security reasons which could be tied to Christian ethics. The Democrat Party is simply void of such ethics and morality. They will scream over this but their policies show their true colors. The GOP is not perfect but electorally has the only chance to put into effect any Judeo-Christian Western civ. ideas. Even now with the Party flirting with court, spending disasters, the GOP is the only Party in which Christians can find any hope of electoral stability and any thought of 3rd Party silliness is just that.
At best, the Republican Party doesn't care and at worst, they would prefer we leave.
We are now viewed as a threat that will turn swing voters to the Dim's. The number of snide comments by current/former high-level Republicans is telling. Telling us to "shut up and sit down, or leave". Besides, they know we'll vote for 'em anyway. Where else are we gonna go?
When you add together the Hispanic and swing vote, the Party has effectively replaced us. Silencing our voice negates a big Dim strategy of painting the Republican Party as extremist.
We're being used by the Republican Party. Now we must choose whether the positives outweigh the negatives. Time will tell...
It's amazing how such a small bristle can paint such a wide swath.
Oh it is so horrible all those Christian conservatives insisting the GOP fight against abortion on demand and same sex marriage. The nerve of those SOBs....
Bill Kristol recently stated that the Republican Party can't allow conservative elitists to set the agenda for the upcoming elections, because it's precisely those issues of importance to social conservatives that have helped the GOP win elections in the recent past.
Democrat strategy groups have decided they can't win talking faith, and have advised changing the subject. Divide and conquer seems to be their current strategy.
Danforth is a twit, as is anyone who parrots his leftist spiel.
Are you waiting for another sign?
The RINO Party has used us over & over & over & over and never delivered the goods on what they promised in order to secure our vote.
"Weeellll, just this one more chance, again, one more, and we'll see..."
I see and I've had a bellyfull. Bye Bye RINO's and koolaid drinkers.
Please change your screen name, you are an embarrassment to the man.
Not really. They still have big business/corporate facist/rich wife-beating white men, etc. Theres always somebody out there to demonize; race baiting, class warfare and so on.
True. Except the other groups represent average, run-of-the-mill political issue(s).
The Dim's portray the right-wing Christian faction as just, well...wieeerrd...
Yes, indeed!
Far more than jerks like you would without our votes.
The sooner that RINOs like him go the way of all flesh, the better off the party will be.
Yeah, Mr. Waco was OK-co.
I am very thankful for each and every good Minister that we have who still loves truth.
If you don't think Danforth is a social liberal then what is he doing supporting Christie Whitman. Her entire premise is that the social conservatives are ruining her party and her country.
It was only as she got closer to running for a second term that she relented and signed the bill.
Snicker snicker....If "we" left you would be begging us to join you again. Do you realize the money, influence and power Christians bring to the republican party? Obviously not since if you did you wouldn't have said such a thing. If purely from a political strategy move you need us, and we might not need you, so keep pushing you may get your wish. And when you do you and the dems will have to cow tow to our party to get anything that you want done.
What thing did I say that you are you referring to?
No. Seriously, why would someone want to be part of a party that doesn't want them.
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