Posted on 02/08/2008 5:48:30 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
NEW YORK (CBS News) ― Last fall, Mike Huckabee taped an appearance on Kenneth Copeland's popular television show. The theme: "Integrity of Character."
"Treat people like you'd want to be treated," Huckabee said.
Now some are raising issue with Huckabee's character, principally his judgment, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.
They are focusing on his association with the televangelist, who has refused to cooperate with a Senate investigation into his ministry's finances.
At issue, as reported by CBS News last week: whether millions of dollars in tax-exempt church donations have been used to bankroll a lavish lifestyle and a slew of private, for-profit businesses.
"Mr. Huckabee has terrible judgment because not only is he being closely associated with someone under this ethical cloud, but he's refusing to distance himself," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics In Washington.
When Huckabee appeared on Copleland's show, the evangelist said "Gov. Huckabee is not here in any kind of political role."
After his appearance, like many guests, Huckabee stayed overnight at the ministry's lavish 18,000 square foot lakefront home.
"All I know is he's a delightful human being," Huckabee said of Copeland.
But, before the show aired, Grassley's probe went public. So Copeland went back to the ex-Arkansas governor with an offering.
"I said, 'Governor, if this will negatively impact your campaign in any way, I won't run it,'" Copeland said. "He hollered at me on the phone and said, 'Are you kidding me?'"
CBS News has learned that Copeland's family has donated more than $29,000 to Huckabee's campaign.
And just three weeks ago - when Huckabee was on the financial ropes - Copeland helped raise thousands more from hundreds of ministers attending a meeting at his West Texas headquarters. Nobody is saying how much.
"If it's legal, legitimate, honest contributions, I'm not sure what the premise would be for giving that money back," Huckabee said.
For some, it may well be the premise of a presidential candidate not practicing what he preaches.
BTTT
Spiteful, slanderous, mudslinging false conservatives will tend to side with spiteful, slanderous, mudslinging liberals.
It appears that real Christians are not allowed by the PC left to run for President. Just the “christians” like Bill, Hillary, and Obama are acceptable.
Oh please Extremely Extreme Extremist, are you going to join the one sided call to silence pulpits across the land even when they share values that normal Americans share?
You do see the bait don’t you?
Copeland isn’t a Christian. If Huckabee knew God, he’d know that.
Bingo! Copeland is a just another ‘name-it-and-claim-it’ con artist. The heresy of demanding from God is old as the hills and a Bible-thumping gasbag like the Huckster should have known better. Unless, of course, he’s one of the club himself...
Huckabee solicits funds from embattled televangelist
Not a re-post Nazi... just say'en.
The MSM is now questioning Huckabee’s support and ethics...You ain’t seen a millionth of the negative articles bashing Huckabee until McCain gets all of the support of the RNC with Huckabee as his running mate. This is the just the tip of the iceberg.
Just the ones occupied by scam artists.
Do you know Kenneth Copeland personally Mr. Rogers?
The real anti-conservative here is Grassley. Using the Senate powers to attack evangelicals is outrageous.
And CBS News is to be the judge of that Red_Devil 232?
When did CBS news gain so much credibility as to play censor and have FReepers buy it?
And you trust Senators to do that?????
Wait! Wait! Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: “There once was an ethically challenged ex-governor of Arkansas who was running for President...”
I don’t like Huck, but there is nothing wrong with a tv preacher talking to him on camera.
There are real issues to criticize Huck about, this isn’t one of them.
And now that we are down to Huck and McCain, I have to assume that an attack on Huck is a vote for McCain, and all I can say is, spare the bandwidth.
Maybe Huckabee knows God well enough to know that he's not the judge of Copeland.
Newsflash: Your candidate’s a joke.
I agree; on its face this is ridiculous. If there's anything more to it, then, as with anything else, or anybody, I'd have a problem.
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.