Newsweek’s Religion Reporter Again Features Former Bush-Supporting Pastor Now Backing Obama

Townhall.com ^ | October 10, 2008 | Kristen Fyfe

[Kaslin]

For the third time, Newsweek religion reporter Lisa Miller has informed the world that Kirbyjon Caldwell, an African-America pastor from Texas, who formerly supported President George W. Bush, has “given himself heart and soul” to Democratic nominee Barack Obama. 

Miller, whose latest Caldwell feature is a three-page spread in the current issue of Newsweek, writes “last summer he aligned himself with a man who he believes better represents the Christian ethics and American values he preaches.”

Miller wrote effectively the same story about Caldwell in June and July of this year, following closely on the heels of Obama’s break with his former pastor Jeremiah Wright at the end of May.  The article in June, “His Mobile Ministry” prominently featured Caldwell as one of many pastors who were part of a telephone prayer ministry for Obama.  The July article “Finding his Faith” was about Obama’s search for religion.  In the third article, Miller describes Caldwell as a former Bush supporter who, “when he talks about Obama, he can barely keep the emotion out of his voice.” 

Miller is clearly fascinated that Caldwell, who delivered the invocations at both of Bush’s inaugurals and who presided over the marriage of the President’s daughter Jenna earlier this year, has thrown his support to Obama.  One can almost sense the glee she feels in the headline and subhead of the story: “Obama’s Other Pastor: Conservative, outspoken, and Houston born, this preacher and Bush friend is backing Barack.”

The headline “Obama’s Other Pastor” appears to be yet another attempt by Newsweek to distance Obama from the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the pastor who had a close relationship with Obama for twenty years.  One can’t help but wonder at the timing of this piece and its headline, coming out immediately after Senator John McCain’s campaign announced it would be aggressively going after Obama on the character front in the final weeks before the election.

Miller even manages to get the words “hypocrisy” and “Republican” together in the same sentence, following up with implied disdain for John McCain.

In Obama's unconventional biography, Caldwell clearly sees himself. The hypocrisy of Republican attacks on Obama disappoints him greatly, he says. "Senator Barack Obama went to two good schools. In the neighborhood I grew up in, that's what they said: 'Get a high-school education, get into a good school.' He did that. And now, they are taking his educational background and trying to twist it to make him an elitist."

Caldwell twists his salad with a fork, visibly angry. "In the church I grew up in they told me, 'Son, we want you to get married, but you'll mess up your life if you marry the wrong woman.' Senator Obama and his wife have a great marriage. He confesses Jesus Christ. He practices his faith …" Here Caldwell pauses. "Do you want me to let loose on brother McCain?" Then he calls out McCain especially for his crass language, which he says is "rude, crude, lewd and unbecoming a presidential candidate."

Miller’s portrait of Caldwell isn’t completely positive.  Her feature includes the opinions of some of the pastor’s critics who find him politically opportunistic.  In the primary example of this critique, however, Miller inserts her own bias regarding the Christian ministries that preach that homosexuality is a lifestyle that can be overcome.

[xcamel]

one-in-180-million is not considered “good odds”

[valkyry1]

How can a Pastor support and Abortion Goon like Obama?

[grey_whiskers]

“last summer he aligned himself with a man who he believes better represents the Christian ethics and American values he preaches.”

Refuted in three words.

God. D@mn. America.

Case closed.

Cheers!

[mewzilla]

I'm not sure how well this is gonna go over. Get a loada this...

Barack Obama and Kirbyjon Caldwell: Somebody’s Fibbing (Maybe Everybody)

[mewzilla]

How can a Pastor support and Abortion Goon like Obama?

Isn't Caldwell a United Methodist now? If so, I expect that helps.

[HondaCRF450]

The virtues of the Obama mystique, his carefully crafted persona, apparently override any considerations on “old tired issues” like abortion. Unfortunately.

[Ulysse]

SO WHAT?

The democraps are priceless as usual shooting in their own feet! It only proves that that pastor is...read my lips!
I thought they believe that GWB(and his Pastor)is evil!!!

Democraps thin consistency at its best

[raynearhood]

For the third time, Newsweek religion reporter Lisa Miller has informed the world that Kirbyjon Caldwell, an African-America pastor from Texas, who formerly supported President George W. Bush, has “given himself heart and soul” to Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

What sort of pastor, no... what sort of Christian would say such a thing. Qouting the Bible and spitting in God's face in such a way is simply reprehensible.

[seemoAR]

If the Quotes are accurate, he has given hinself “heart and soul” to the Black Messiah. Nothing but an Idiot

[cp124]

Bush probably is too. Obama can continue his big new world order government. I wish I could take my two votes back.

[tessalu]

Well, we all know about one pastor who said “God damn America”, so what do you expect?

[tessalu]

I believe that all of the things happening now have been orchestrated by the UN to get Americans to fall in line with the New World Order. They will show Americans that they can control travel, and now the finances of all people can be controlled as well. Bush is a globalist and so is Obama, I do not know, perhaps McCain is one, too.

It has been prophesied that no man may by or sell without the Mark of the beast, so maybe it is nearer than we think.

[uncbob]

Bush sure can pick them can’t he

[pray4liberty]

Barf.

[kcvl]

With Palin, the Religious Right Is Reborn | Newsweek BeliefWatch ...

Lisa Miller

A Religious-Right Revival

The senior pastor of Palin's former church preaches hellfire for anyone who isn't saved by Jesus.

Since 2004, the story goes, evangelicals have softened. Sure, they still care about abortion and gay marriage. But a new, outspoken generation also cares about global warming, Darfur, illiteracy, human trafficking, preventable disease. The era of divisive religious rhetoric, characterized by James Dobson and Jerry Falwell, is past. Eager to help care for the planet, these Christians are building bridges between left and right, between the secular and the devout, even among subscribers to different holy books. These "new" evangelicals, according to the mainstream press, are exciting now because they're politically powerful. As Frances Fitzgerald put it in The New Yorker this summer, they have the potential to "change the Republican Party beyond the recognition of Karl Rove or doom it to electoral defeat for many years to come."

Not so fast. If the selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as the Republican veep candidate means anything, it's that conservative Christians—the kind who listen by the millions to Dobson's "Focus on the Family" radio program and were galvanized to vote for Ronald Reagan thanks to Falwell—are still numerous and powerful. Of the 60 million white evangelicals in this country, 60 percent of them believe the Bible is literally true. More than a third believe the end of the world will occur within their lifetimes. Palin, despite her fresh young visage, speaks directly to them. Her pro-life credentials are obvious and beyond dispute.

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