Faith Based Funding Misused For Political Partisan Purposes New Book Alleges (merged)

[SLD]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15228489/

Interesting book alleges that the Bush Administration FBI is nothing but a political scam designed to support Republican Votes. Who'd a thunk it? :huh:

The author is an evangelical Christian who worked for the office of Faith Based Initiatives and claims that Bush and senior administration shamelessly used the office and evangelical Christians to get their support while simultaneously acknowledging that evangelical leaders were basically nuts.



“National Christian leaders received hugs and smiles in person and then were dismissed behind their backs and described as ‘ridiculous,’ ‘out of control,’ and just plain ‘goofy,’” Kuo writes.

More seriously, Kuo alleges that then-White House political affairs director Ken Mehlman knowingly participated in a scheme to use the office, and taxpayer funds, to mount ostensibly “nonpartisan” events that were, in reality, designed with the intent of mobilizing religious voters in 20 targeted races.

. . .

More pointedly, Kuo quotes an unnamed member of the review panel charged with rating grant applications.

“But,” she said with a giggle, ‘When I saw one of those non-Christian groups in the set I was reviewing, I just stopped looking at them and gave them a zero … a lot of us did.’”



I hope this book will ignite a firestorm of protest. But somehow I just doubt it. I would suggest that the author may find himself a witness in a good lawsuit against the government for religious discrimination. If his claim is substantiated, the grant reviewer was guilty of blatant discrimination and the office should be the subject of a lawsuit or at least a congressional investigation. This is just utterly pathetic. :mad:

SLD

[Writer@Large]

This book sounds both fascinating and grotesque. If its credibility holds (and it should), this is the proof of what we've all "known" for years about Bush and faith. What a disgusting bunch of manipulating fucks.

Particularly telling is the quote reported that "Faith-Based Initiatives" reviewers would simply "score zero" (i.e. deny) any non-Christian group applying for funds. I'm both completely unsurprised, and completely disgusted.

I hope my local library gets this book soon; I'm keen to read it.

--W@L

[EverLastingGodStopper]

If you can't wait for the library, Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction by David Kuo can be bought on Amazon (and the II gets some commission if you use this link, or start shopping from the Amazon button at the bottom of the page). I really look forward to this book, and I appreciate that this thread was made about it.

The MSNBC report is awesome, this is the same thing that Americans United for Separation of Church and State has been saying about the faith-based initiative for the past several years: the money is being used for partisan political purposes.More seriously, Kuo alleges that then-White House political affairs director Ken Mehlman knowingly participated in a scheme to use the office, and taxpayer funds, to mount ostensibly “nonpartisan” events that were, in reality, designed with the intent of mobilizing religious voters in 20 targeted races.

According to Kuo, “Ken loved the idea and gave us our marching orders.”

Among those marching orders, Kuo says, was Mehlman’s mandate to conceal the true nature of the events.

Kuo quotes Mehlman as saying, “… (I)t can’t come from the campaigns. That would make it look too political. It needs to come from the congressional offices. We’ll take care of that by having our guys call the office [of faith-based initiatives] to request the visit.”

Nineteen out of the 20 targeted races were won by Republicans, Kuo reports. The outreach was so extensive and so powerful in motivating not just conservative evangelicals, but also traditionally Democratic minorities, that Kuo attributes Bush’s 2004 Ohio victory “at least partially … to the conferences we had launched two years before.”
Our tax dollars at work.

Don't forget, that although Bush was the President who created the FBCI office, Clinton was the President who made it possible. Clinton relaxed the regulations in 1996, but didn't act on the new financial windfall for churches. Bush made an entire Administration out of his new pay-churches-who-support-me scheme.

[Rusting Car Bumper]

The author will be on MSNBC tonight.

According the the article he will be on "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" at 8PM Eastern Time. Today would be October 12, 2006. Check your listings just in case the website or myself got it wrong.

DC

[JLK]

Video (WMV (http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Olbermann-Kuo.wmv)/Quicktime (http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Olbermann-Kuo.mov)) and full transcript (http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/10/11/olbermann-exclusive-dissecting-new-book-tempting-faith/) of Olbermann's piece last night, 10/11/06.

[lpetrich]

Niccolo Machiavelli would have understood very well. He explained in The Prince that it is important for leaders to seem religious and virtuous and all that.

[jim alison]

Exclusive: Book says Bush just using Christians
‘Tempting Faith’ author David Kuo worked for Bush from 2001 to 2003

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15228489/
[excerpt[


More than five years after President Bush created the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, the former second-in-command of that office is going public with an insider’s tell-all account that portrays an office used almost exclusively to win political points with both evangelical Christians and traditionally Democratic minorities.

The office’s primary mission, providing financial support to charities that serve the poor, never got the presidential support it needed to succeed, according to the book.

Entitled “Tempting Faith,” the book is not scheduled for release until Oct. 16, but MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” has obtained a copy.

“Tempting Faith’s” author is David Kuo, who served as special assistant to the president from 2001 to 2003. A self-described conservative Christian, Kuo’s previous experience includes work for prominent conservatives including former Education Secretary and federal drug czar Bill Bennett and former Attorney General John Ashcroft.
Story continues below ?
[end excerpt]

[Haener]

Why am I not surprised.

He says some of the nation’s most prominent evangelical leaders were known in the office of presidential political strategist Karl Rove as “the nuts.”

“National Christian leaders received hugs and smiles in person and then were dismissed behind their backs and described as ‘ridiculous,’ ‘out of control,’ and just plain ‘goofy,’” Kuo writes.:D

I agree with Rove; it's a miracle!

[EverLastingGodStopper]

Mod note: threads merged.

I got an email from a fellow activist with links to the videos of the shows, and other information about the new book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI7jyZrQX6M

This is an Olberman report about a new book, Tempting Faith: An Inside Story
of Political Seduction by David Kuo that apparently paints the picture that
the Bush White House pretty much pretended to care about what the religious
right wanted, just to get their votes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI7jyZrQX6M

60 Minutes * CBS
October 15: David Kuo, TEMPTING FAITH: An Inside Story of Political
Seduction, Free Press

CNN
October 16: David Kuo, TEMPTING FAITH: An Inside Story of Political
Seduction, Free Press
October 18: Wangari Maathai, UNBOWED: A Memoir, Knopf
October 19: Andrew Sullivan, THE CONSERVATIVE SOUL, HarperCollins
October 27: Scott Dikkers and Peter Hilleren, DESTINED FOR DESTINY: The
Unauthorized Autobiography of George W. Bush, Scribner

CSPAN2 Book TV
www.booktv.org EASTERN TIME
On Saturday, October 14 at 9:00 pm EASTERN TIME and Sunday, October 15 at
6:00 pm and at 9:00 pm
After Words: John Danforth, author of "Faith & Politics: How the Moral
Values Debate Divides America and How to Move Forward Together" interviewed
by Charles Haynes, senior scholar at The First Amendment Center

Description: In his book, "Faith & Politics: How the Moral Values Debate
Divides America and How to Move Forward Together" Episcopal priest and
former US senator (R-MO), John Danforth provides his prescription for
finding common ground and bridging the nation's partisan political divide.
He believes that religion has become a divisive political force and instead
must provide reasons for people to come together. He discusses his book with
Charles Haynes, senior scholar at The First Amendment Center where he
specializes in issues of religious liberty and the role of religion in
American life. Mr. Haynes serves as a guest interviewer and is not an
employee of C-SPAN.

Author Bio: John Danforth served three terms in the US Senate (R-MO) and
also served as US ambassador to the United Nations. He is an ordained
Episcopal priest and was appointed by President Bush in 2001, to act as
special envoy for peace in Sudan.

[Overkill]

I'll have to pick it up. I've been telling a lot of Christian "True Believers" in Bush that they've been played for chumps for years by him. Some actually came around!

[JLK]

Video (WMV (http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Countdown-TemptingFaith-2.wmv)/Quicktime (http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Olbermann-Kuo2ndNightlow.mov)) and transcript (http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/10/12/tempting-faith-christian-conservatives-duped-by-bushco-part-ii/#more-10990) of Olbermann Part II, 10/12/06.Niccolo Machiavelli would have understood very well. He explained in The Prince that it is important for leaders to seem religious and virtuous and all that.After resigning, the first director of the faith-based program, John DiIulio called Rove et al "the reign of the Mayberry Machiavelli's (http://www.ronsuskind.com/articles/000032.html)".

[Toto]

LA Times article (http://www.latimes. com/news/ nationworld/ nation/la- na-faith13oct13, 0,3875008. story?track= tothtml)

Book: Bush Aides Called Evangelicals 'Nuts'

White House advisors sought the support of conservative Christians but mocked them in private, writes a onetime administration official.

. . .

The assertions by David Kuo, a top official in the faith-based initiatives program, have rattled Republican strategists already struggling to persuade evangelical voters to turn out this fall for the GOP.

Some conservatives lamented Thursday that the book, "Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction," also comes in the midst of the scandal involving former Rep. Mark Foley, another threat to conservative turnout in competitive House and Senate races.

. . .

"Sadly, the political affairs folks complained most often and most loudly about how boorish many politically involved Christians were…. National Christian leaders received hugs and smiles in person and then were dismissed behind their backs and described as 'ridiculous' and 'out of control.' ''

[Overkill]

These people are textbook "tools". Naive people getting used and thrown away.

[ninewands]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15228489/If his claim is substantiated,
Let me assure you, David Kuo was as "inside" a source as you could possibly get on this subject. There is no "If" about whether his claims can be substantiated.
the grant reviewer was guilty of blatant discrimination
... and I'm supposed to be surprised by this HOW?
and the office should be the subject of a lawsuit
Gotta have facts ... which group were they discussing? When was it? Did the group suffer any damage because of it?
or at least a congressional investigation.
Depending on the outcome we might get one after the election ... until then we are stuck with a "roll-over, Rover" Congress.
This is just utterly pathetic. :mad:
This is US politics in the 21st century. :crying:

[ninewands]

Fun with Keith:

Olberman Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sOlZNa8Ka8&mode=related&search=

Olberman interviews Barry Lynn about "Tempting Faith":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ySQ7-L8Ids&mode=related&search=

Olberman Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTIJ4QjXqMU&NR