A: Yes, there are some inconsistencies and hypocrisy of people who mix religion and politics sometimes. I have said it’s important for Democrats to reach out to the faith community, and the reason is because 90% of Americans believe in God. It’s a source of values. It’s a source of their moral compass. And I know it’s a source of strength for me and my family. I think it’s important for us not to presume that faith has no part in the public square. Look at Martin Luther King, the abolitionists, the suffragettes. We have a long history of reform movements being grounded in that sense often religiously expressed that we have to extend beyond ourselves and our individual immediate self-interests to think about something larger.
A: Well, I would say to them that I want to be president. I believe I’m the most qualified because of my ability to bring change and experience. I’ve done a lot of these things that everyone talks about in their 10-point plans. I’m not interested in being vice president. If I’m not selected, I will return to the best job in the world, governor of New Mexico. I’ll start riding my horse again. I’ll have a normal life. I have four years to go. Being a governor, the CEO of a state, is the best job I’ve ever had. So, I would not leave the arena, sadly.
Q: So, you wouldn’t leave the governorship of New Mexico to be vice president on anybody’s ticket?
A: No, no. I’m very happy where I am.
As a studious man of immigrant background with the kind of credentials admired by coastal intellectual meritocrats--Brown, Oxford and McKinsey & Company--the Republican governor, at least on paper, has a chance to appeal to the middle, should he run for president in 2016. He also has an impressive record as a government bureaucrat and administrator, both in Washington and in Baton Rouge.
Yet given his own deep faith and his roots in the Bible Belt, Jindal's early focus will be on wooing evangelical Christians and others on the cultural right.
If he can solve this Rubik's Cube of religious belief and scientific trust, he may not only do the country a favor; he might reach the White House.
Powell criticized Trump for "insulting everybody," from world leaders to blacks to immigrants to women, and for calling the media the "enemy of the people." "How can a president get up and say that the media is the enemy of Americans? Hasn't he read the First Amendment? You're not supposed to like everything the press says or what anyone says in the First Amendment, that's why we have a First Amendment, to protect that kind of speech," Powell said.
"Cuomo thinks that I should stick to acting, but after seeing Cuomo try to play the part of a progressive, I think he should stick to politics," said Nixon. "His performance has not been very convincing. You might say he's an unqualified thespian." Her comment was a nod to former NYC Council speaker Christine Quinn's dismissal of Nixon as an "unqualified lesbian." Quinn later apologized, but the phrase lives on.
But none of Nixon's remarks got as much applause as her "Vote for the homo, not for the Cuomo" line, which has historical precedent. During the 1977 New York City mayoral campaign, when Ed Koch ran against Cuomo's father, Mario Cuomo, flyers appeared that read, "Vote for Cuomo, Not the Homo."
Nixon ended her remarks by suggesting that the younger Cuomo come out of the closet ... as a Republican.
Sure, Johnson was technically appearing at a forum on the future of conservatism, and sure, Johnson's Antarctic expeditions and hot air balloon hobby didn't exactly have a lot to do with that. But Johnson wasn't there to gab about the 10th Amendment. Johnson was there to let you know that bro skis, that bro mountain bikes, that bro climbed Mount Everest on a broken leg and that bro, in bro's own words, is a "fierce competitor."
Pataki said, "Clinton put an unsecure server, in her home. We have no doubt that that was hacked, and that state secrets are out there to the Iranians, the Russians, the Chinese and others."
It is true that Clinton had a personal email account on a private server. It is also true that some emails contained unmarked classified information. But was Clinton's server "hacked"? And did the Iranians, Russians and Chinese obtain "state secrets"? That's all speculation.
Pataki is referring to reports of hacking attempts that may or may not have been successful. Investigations have found that some hacking attempts originated from Russia, China, South Korea and Germany--but no evidence that any were successful.
"All too often we're associated with being 'anti' everything," Bush said. "Way too many people believe Republicans are anti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-science, anti-gay, anti-worker, and the list goes on and on and on. Many voters are simply unwilling to choose our candidates even though they share our core beliefs, because those voters feel unloved, unwanted and unwelcome in our party."
The only way to attract these new faces to the party, Bush said, is through building real, ongoing relationships with others over a long period of time. "As Republicans, we need to get re-acquainted with the notion that the relationships that really matter are not made through Twitter and social media. Real relationships take time to grow, and they begin with a genuine interest in the stories, dreams and challenges harbored within each of us," he said.
"I'm not ashamed to say that I believe in God and I believe in His word. The Bible teaches us no one has all the answers. Only God does. And neither political party is always right. This is my compass, my north star. It gives me comfort and guidance to do what's best for Arkansas. I'm Mark Pryor, and I approve this message because this is who I am and what I believe."
The centrality of faith in Pryor's life is well-known. But the ad was slammed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, who mockingly suggested the ad contradicted comments Pryor had made last year: "The Bible is really not a rule book for political issues. Everybody can see it differently."
The ad has drawn a mixed response from progressive commentators, especially Pryor's "I'm not ashamed" line, suggesting it is a dog-whistle for those who believe that Christianity is under attack in America.
Broun calls the Bible "the basis of our nation," and says the fact that we aren't running society accordingly will mean the death of our Republic. The founding fathers, he says, were "Bible-believing Christians" who believed that "every aspect of life should follow the dictates of God's inerrant word. That's what I believe in. That's what we should all believe in."
King responded, "McCarthy's decision to remove me from committees is a political decision that ignores the truth. I will continue to point out the truth and work with all the vigor that I have to represent 4th District Iowans for at least the next two years."
The controversy was reignited last week after King gave an interview to The New York Times in which he asked: "White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization--how did that language become offensive?"
King held seats on the House committees on agriculture, the judiciary and small business.
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| 2016 Presidential contenders on Principles & Values: | |||
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Republicans:
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX) Carly Fiorina(CA) Gov.John Kasich(OH) Sen.Marco Rubio(FL) Donald Trump(NY) |
Democrats:
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY) Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT) 2016 Third Party Candidates: Roseanne Barr(PF-HI) Robert Steele(L-NY) Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA) | ||
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