Harris Says Views Grounded In Faith

Palm Beach Post ^ | 24 July 2006 | Sandra Hong

[NautiNurse]

STUART — Before the Sunday service at a church near downtown, U.S. Senate hopeful and Republican U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris gave brief but pointed comments on issues including immigration, abortion and gay marriage.

Appealing to about 200 at First Baptist Church, Harris said her views were rooted in what she described as the country's Christian origins and principles.

Harris, flanked by two large American flags, spoke mostly about immigration, from which she drew parallels to the current fighting between Israeli troops and the Hezbollah militia.

"Israel is fighting a global war, a global enemy, its terrorists, on all of our behalf," Harris said, adding that the United States must take aggressive steps to tighten its own borders to block terrorists.

"We hear of Middle Easterners — they could be fundamental extremists — taking Hispanic names and coming into our country. We do not know where they are. This is a matter of great national security," she said.

Harris acknowledged that recent immigrants were a vital engine of Florida's economy, but said that workers "must be legal, temporary and have an identification that is secure and cannot be replicated."

Harris, of Longboat Key, near Sarasota, also made appearances Saturday in Stuart and Port St. Lucie, seeking support for her Senate bid. Polls show her trailing Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson by more than 30 points.

Three other Republican candidates will be on the Sept. 5 primary ballot: Will McBride, a lawyer from Orange County, Peter Monroe, a Pinellas County developer, and Adm. LeRoy Collins Jr., a retired naval officer.

Harris' church visit Sunday was at the invitation of First Baptist's pastor, Darrell Orman, who described it as a chance for Harris to "share her testimony" with the church.

Harris assured the audience that "there are many people who care deeply about the Lord that are your elected officials."

Just as the authors of the Constitution looked to the Bible for guidance, so should government today, she said.

"They believed if they had a government according to the Bible, that we would be a nation blessed," she said. "But there has been so much confusion on this church vs. state — it was never intended as it has become, as it has been allowed by politically correct people who want to change the course of western civilization."

Harris said her firm opposition to gay marriage was affirmation of her Christian faith and one that "very much distinguishes me" from incumbent Nelson.

She also pointed to her "100 percent voting record" against abortion, including support for the parental-consent law and the ban against the "heinous" procedure of "partial-birth" abortion.

[NautiNurse]

Harris describes her conservative ideology to a group of 200 church members.

[NautiNurse]

Katherine Harris ping!

[joesbucks]

Wait a minute. I thought conservatives weren't allowed to speak to conservative church attenders. From what I've always read, it only happens with liberal candidates in liberal constituency churches.

[Patrick1]

Glad her views are grounded in faith because her campaign is going to Hell.

[AdvisorB]

Who does she think she is? Jesse Jackson?

[Pukin Dog]

One of the rules of faith is to avoid prideful behavior. Harris should swallow her pride and DROP OUT. Everyone appreciates her conservative views, but she is a massive liability for these elections, and should continue her party loyalty by getting out of this race.

[NautiNurse]

One of the rules of faith is to avoid prideful behavior.

Using your argument, nobody of faith should ever run for any political office.

[Pukin Dog]

That is quite a stupid take on what I wrote.

My argument is that nobody whose campaign does more harm to their original goals, by becoming a laughing stock, lightning rod, joke of a candidate, who can be used by the opposition as an example of what Conservatism stands for: SHOULD NOT RUN FOR OFFICE.

Got that?

[NautiNurse]

Harris' conservative campaign platform is addressed in this thread. If you want to bash Harris with name calling and generic smears, start your own thread.

Got that?

[Pukin Dog]

I bashed no one. I accurately assessed Harris' campaign. That you dont LIKE it, does not make it bashing.

It is NOT conservative to hurt Conservatism itself every time you issue a press release. Harris should go.

Generic smears, my ass.

[NautiNurse]

If you want to address comments regarding the Palm Beach Post article posted at the beginning of this thread, go for it. If you take issue with the campaign platform described in the article above, knock yourself out item by item.

Otherwise, you are off-topic.

[Pukin Dog]

That is YOUR opinion. I dont agree.

[ClaireSolt]

Finally, she is getting some real coverage and is expressing her own views. She's been through a bunch of handlers who insisted she run as a Rino. I have just believed Julie, because her campaign didn't appeal to me much. And the coverage has all been negative and process.

You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince, and she has run through the staffers. Now let's see how she does. The others are pretty much invisible.

[One_who_hopes_to_know]

Now ... now ... now

DEEP breaths everyone ... and count to 10 ... LOL

I can see validity in both of your points. Katherine Harris does appear to be diving in the polls. However it would be absolutely delicious if these early polls were all proved useless (not the first time) and she trounced Sen Nelson.

[fish hawk]

Harris, to me, seems like a nice person and a smart woman. Can either of you explain to me how and why the press and even other Republicans are so down on her? When I hear the Dems say things like "the Republicans are eating their own", I think of how the Republicans are treating Katherine Harris. She did good for their party and now they turn their back on her. Even President Bush. I just don't get it.

[Pukin Dog]

The facts are that Katherine Harris' personality quirks were not known to most of us during the 2000 election. Although we are all grateful for her insistence on following the election rules which resulted in Bush's win, it has been established beyond argument that she is a weirdo.

No one is turning their back on her without good reason. She is prone to temper tantrums and does not accept responsibility for mistakes. She is indecisive, and unwilling to take advice from campaign professionals.

Just because someone is Conservative, does not make them a great politician. Kathrine Harris might be a great Conservative, but she is a LOWSY candidate for elective office, and in continuing this joke of a campaign, she is becoming a not well respected Republican.

[Pukin Dog]

She's been through a bunch of handlers who insisted she run as a Rino.

I don't know where you got that, but it is false. Ed Rollins and others wanted her to run as a pragmatist. You don't beat an incumbent Senator, even one as weak as Nelson by leading with your chin. You state your opinions in a thoughtful, descriptive way, instead of with a sledgehammer.

The results of the way Harris has insisted on running her campaign are obvious to all. She is handing Democrats the club to beat her with, every time she opens her mouth because she cannot self-edit. The thinks it, she says it, Democrats laugh, Republicans cringe.

[Pukin Dog]

"She thinks it-she says it"

[marron]

So far from what I have been able to gather of her political views, her views track mine right down the line.

[duckln]

she is a massive liability for these elections

When it comes to MSM bashing, who isn't? The MSM poisons weak minds, that take their venom down into the grassroots. Don't you have anything better to do?