Obama Loosing Appeal to Evangelicals

Steven Waldman (editor of Belief Net) had an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal Friday. The premise was that Barack Obama is loosing his appeal to moderate evangelicals. Waldman lists several things to which he attributes this downward trend that include Obama's performance at Saddleback and the nomination of Sarah Palin for VP. But I think Waldman leaves out one very important element from his list.

The main reason I believe that Obama fails to gain traction with evangelicals (and particularly conservative evangelicals) is because we've never heard him describe a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ. He gives the mantra that he's a Christian (although some bloggers are posting about this gaffe over the weekend about his "muslim faith"), but he does so in a universalist way. There has been some writers who have covered this issue previously, and here is a link to an article by Joseph Farah that discusses the subject. Evangelicals know that there is only one way to Heaven, not many as Obama claims. And we know what it means to be a Christian, not just claim the title as Obama does.

On a different note, a friend of mine attended the RNC last week. He said that during Sarah Palin's speech Wednesday evening that NBC reporters David Gregory and Chuck Todd were mocking her, off camera. Does anyone seriously doubt that there is any political bias in the MSM?

Jerome

Keep the Momentum Going

The McCain-Palin ticket rocketed out of the RNC and into campaign stops in key battleground states. Some reports stated that John McCain and Sarah Palin drew as many as 30,000 people at an event in Cedarburgh, WI. And Neilsen has both the McCain speech and the Palin speech drawing more viewers than Barack Obama did during his acceptance speech.

Evangelicals must help maintain this momentum for the McCain-Palin ticket. This election is too important, and America can't afford for Barack Obama to be in the White House. It comes down to simply what Fred Thompson asked during his speech a couple of nights ago: Who do you trust with the presidency?

I also received the link below via email today. It is a commercial made by an Iraq war veteran who has ties to West Tennessee. It is a powerful message. I hope you will share it with others.

Joe Cook commercial


Jerome

The One We've Been Waiting For

I watched Sarah Palin's speech last night with awe and envy. (The envy part came from the fact that one of my partners was in attendance and witnessed the energy and electricity live). It was an incredible speech and was delivered brillantly.

I'm sensing more excitement among Christian conservatives than I've sensed in some time. Many were planning on staying home on election day, but now not only are they planning to vote for the McCain-Palin ticket, they're energized to work for a McCain-Palin victory. Even my wife -- who has absolutely no interest in politics -- watched Palin's speech and cheered often. Her reaction is indicative, I think, of how a lot of evangelicals (men and women) feel about Sarah Palin.

But it is far from over. If we thought the last 6 days were tough, just wait til we see what the MSM, liberal bloggers and Obama campaign have in store for Governor Palin over the next 60. They will utterly try to destroy her. Why? Because she represents the values of the heartland. She represents the values of the religious right. And they will stop at nothing to insure that she never holds elected office outside of Alaska.

Palin's speech (and Rudy's before her) was simply incredible. Now Americans realize that she is an acceptable candidate for vice president. I hope the backlash against the Obama campaign for the smears against her rises up like a tidal wave. And I hope they continue to say she doesn't have the experience to be vice president. When they raise this argument, it simply demands a comparison of the experience between Obama and McCain. A comparison which McCain will always win. So keep taking the bait, Obama.

Another thing I heard someone say earlier today (and something I've said before in an earlier post) is that an important function of the president is to nominate supreme court and federal court judges. If that is the measuring stick by which you intend to decide your vote, then ask yourself: Would you rather have Barack Obama nominating judges or John McCain? I hope your answer is John McCain because our country cannot afford to have Barack Obama selecting federal judges.

Jerome

Attacks on Palin Blamed on Obama

The MSM, liberal bloggers and Obama campaign continue to hit Governor Palin hard and tonight we'll see how well she can take a punch. I suspect she can take one quite well ... and will fire off a few of her own.

I'm not surprised at how vicious the attacks have been on Governor Palin. And as the days go by it is becoming more and more clear the source of the attacks. It is clearly the work of the Obama campaign surrogates. Did anybody see Campbell Brown's interview with Tucker Bounds Monday night? Brown's bias toward Obama leaped through the television screen into every home that watched. CNN -- and especially Campbell Brown -- are clearly in Obama's corner.

Brown asked Tucker Bounds to name an accomplishment of Governor Palin. Has Brown ever asked the Obama campaign to name one of his accomplishments? I'm sure she hasn't because she knows that Obama can't name one accomplishment of his "experience" in the Illinois state lesgilature or during his short tenure in the U.S. Senate. The MSM -- including CNN and Campbell Brown -- will never ask the tough questions of Obama.

Last night I watched Fred Thompson's speech on Fox and then switched over to see the coverage on other networks. MSNBC wasn't even broadcasting Fred's speech! That speaks volumes about the media bias in this election. Despite this overt attempt to keep Fred out of many Americans' living rooms, I do hope millions of Americans heard Fred's question: Who can we trust with the presidency? The events of the last week make the answer to that question abundantly clear.

While Governor Palin is the frontline of the attacks, the target really is mine and your values. The Obama campaign -- with the help of the MSM and liberal bloggers -- are attacking heartland values. And I think this attempt to assasinate Governor Palin's character in this first week after she was announced will backfire on the Obama campaign.

All across America there are millions of families who either have dealt with a teenage pregnancy, have relatives who have dealt with one or know friends who have dealt with one. Those families -- and voters -- will not appreciate what the Obama campaign is trying to do to Governor Palin and her family. It will turn them off, and at the same time will feed the energy of the conservative, religious base of the republican party. In the last 5 days I've seen more energy and excitement from friends and family about the election than I have since the primaries began. They're mad about these attacks on Governor Palin and her family, and their anger is directed at the Obama campaign.

There's nothing new about the MSM being in the tank for the Obama campaign, but it certainly has taken on a new dimension in recent days. And the result will be an uprising by the conservative grassroots that the Obama campaign cannot withstand.

Jerome

Time for Evangelicals to Rally

I've been astounded at the attacks by the democrats, the liberal media and the Obama campaign on Governor Palin. It has been overly distasteful but quite revealing. They have sunk to a new low. I trust the American people will see their efforts for what they are -- attacks on family values and the character of a truly great woman. Why are they attacking Governor Palin so viciously? Because they are scared of her.

Governor Palin was announced as John McCain's running mate Friday and in the span of three days the democrats, liberal MSM and Obama campaign have jumped on Governor Palin with both feet with: (1) a claim that her down syndrome child (Trig) is not hers but her daughter's; (2) her husband received a DUI 22 years ago; (3) Governor Palin committed a misdemeanor some years ago by fishing with a gillnet without a license or permit; (4) her daughter is pregnant out of wedlock; and (5) she lacks the experience to be vice president.

Come on! Is this the best they can do? Oh the horror if this woman becomes vice president!

This is laughable. Is there anybody out there who really believes that Governor Palin faked a pregnancy to cover for her daughter's pregnancy? Seriously. And those of you with medical backgrounds help me out. Isn't it more likely that an older woman will have a downs baby than a teenager?

Does the Obama campaign really want to debate the experience issue? I wish the McCain campaign would challenge the Obama campaign to have Governor Palin debate Joe Biden more than once and for her to debate Barack Obama. I suspect she'd eat Obama's lunch. And while they're at it, how about Governor Palin against Obama and/or Biden in a marksmanship contest, a fishing contest, basketball one-on-one and a bible drill!

The liberal media doesn't care to report about Obama's connections with Bill Ayers, ACORN and many other fringe organizations. Or the fact that Joe Biden spends more money on AmTrak tickets than most people earn in a year. If you get a chance, pick up a copy of David Freddeso's book, The Case Against Barack Obama. Freddeso really covers ground that the MSM refuses to cover.

What I like about Governor Palin is that she appears genuine and authentic. Her family faces the same problems and issues that I see regular, every day people face. There is no pretense with her. Unlike the Obama campaign which is just one big shell game.

It is time for evangelicals to rally to the McCain campaign and Governor Palin. They deserve and need our support. It is time for evangelicals to get excited about the prospects of a McCain - Palin administration rather than fearing an Obama - Biden one. So let's get going.

Jerome

Sarah Palin for VP

I haven't been interested in posting to this blog in quite some time because the presidential race hadn't been exciting. With the most liberal senator in the senate running against a moderate republican, there wasn't much about which evangelicals could be excited. But the selection today by John McCain of Sarah Palin as his running mate changed that.

We are living in very historic times. We are watching history unfold before our eyes. Sure Geraldine Ferraro ran on Walter Mondale's ticket in 1984, but they had no chance of winning. Mondale's selection of Ferraro was viewed by many as a "hail mary". But in less than 24 hours we have seen two historical events. Barack Obama's nomination was historic but also is McCain's selection of Sarah Palin. In November we will either have the first African American as president or the first woman as vice president. Hopefully the latter.

And if you follow that out over the next 4 or 8 years, Sarah Palin could very well be the republican nominee for president in either 2012 (if John McCain only serves one term) or 2016. Wouldn't it be great for the first woman president to be a republican?

By all accounts, Sarah Palin should excite the social conservative base of the republican party. Already many religious leaders like Richard Land, James Dobson, Tony Perkins and Mat Staver are singing her praises.

McCain Palin 2008!! Time for evangelicals to get on board!

Jerome

Recovering From Tornado -- Union University

It has been a trying couple of days. A tornado struck Madison County Tuesday night, the fourth one in the last 9 years. This one decimated my alma mater, Union Univeristy. Most of the student housing was completely destroyed and other buildings on campus sustained significant damage. Dr. Dockery, President of Union University, estimates the damage to be in excess of $40,000,000.00. Miraculously no one was killed on campus. There were two deaths in another part of the county. And there are two Union students still in critical care at a local hospital. This morning's newspaper has numerous pictures of the damage. Local TV stations from Memphis and Nashville have been on the scene as has national reporters with NBC, FOX and others.

After the tornado struck Tuesday night, all of the kids had to go somewhere. My family and I hosted 7 traumatized girls; the last 2 left this morning. People in the community opened their homes to the 1200 students who suddenly became homeless. Many of them have now returned to their homes, waiting on what will happen next. Classes will not resume until at least February 18. The academic facilities may be operational to some extent by then but only about 20% of student housing will be habitable by then. The univeristy leadership has numerous, difficult decisions in front of them. If you would like to keep track of posting about this emergency you can follow this link.

It has been a trying time. Please keep Union University, its leadership, faculty, staff and students in your prayers. They will need it for a long time to come.

Jerome