SwiftVets.com

[leeinwv]

Kerry Stumps for Black Voters at Churches

2 hours, 7 minutes ago

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

MIAMI - With just three Sundays left before Election Day, Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) is asking for all the help he can get from black voters and the Almighty.

The Democratic presidential nominee attended two church services Sunday, instead of his usual one, worshipping first with Haitian Catholics and then with black Baptists, where the Rev. Jesse Jackson (news - web sites) and Al Sharpton (news - web sites) tied his election to the civil rights struggle.

"We have an unfinished march in this nation," Kerry said at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, as many congregants waved fans handed out by the campaign with his slogan, "Hope is on the way."

"Never again will a million African Americans be denied the right to exercise their vote in the United States of America," Kerry promised, referring to the disputed Florida recount in the 2000 presidential race. As he often does before black audiences, Kerry said he has a legal team that will aggressively respond to any allegations of disenfranchisement.

Black turnout is key to Kerry's plan for victory in Florida and elsewhere — less than 10 percent of black voters nationally supported George W. Bush in 2000. But Kerry's campaign says there have been efforts to turn religious blacks against him based on his support for abortion rights and civil unions for same-sex couples.

Jackson told worshippers their political concerns are issues that touch their everyday lives, not gay marriage.

"I see disturbing signs today that some of our churches have been confused by wolves in sheep's' clothing," Jackson said. "How did someone else put their agenda in the front of the line?"

"November 2, the power is in your hands, hands that once picked cotton," Jackson said.

Added Sharpton: "Everything we have fought for, marched for, gone to jail for — some died for — could be reversed if the wrong people are put on the Supreme Court."

Speakers avoided criticizing President Bush (news - web sites) by name, since they were in church, but he was indirectly vilified.

Former Rep. Carrie Meek said Kerry is "fighting against liars and demons. ... He challenges the man who walks with a jaunty step." She rocked her hips in an imitation of Bush's swagger as the congregation cheered and Kerry laughed from his high-backed seat behind the pulpit.

Bush, who spent the day at his Texas ranch, and Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) did not campaign Sunday, while Kerry running mate John Edwards (news - web sites) appeared on the five Sunday talk shows before heading to the Midwest.

In Washington, Republican Party chief Ed Gillespie criticized Kerry for saying in an interview in The New York Times Magazine that, "We have to get back to the place we were, where terrorists are not the focus of our lives, but they're a nuisance." He appeared to equate terrorism to prostitution and illegal gambling, saying they can be reduced but not ended.

"This demonstrates a disconcerting pre-September 11 mind-set that will not make our country safer," Gillespie said on "Face the Nation" on CBS. "And that is what we see relative to winning the war on terror and relative to Iraq (news - web sites)."

Hours later, Bush's re-election campaign announced a new television ad that plays off of Kerry's interview comment. "Terrorism ... a nuisance? How can Kerry protect us when he doesn't understand the threat?" the ad says. The campaign said the ad would run on national cable television networks and the campaign's Web site.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041010/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_3

[grammaj]

How is it that Democratic candidates are allowed to campaign in churches with Black Congregations?

I may be mistaken but this seems to be an acceptable thing. Whatever happened to the separation of Church/State?

Perhaps these churches pay taxes of which I am unaware; otherwise, this seems to bear some investigating.

[leeinwv]

I think they should lose their IRS deferment

[concernedgranny]

I don't remember which magazine I read this in back in the late summer, but I remember that the democrats were sending people into churches to see if they were telling their congregations how to vote, and if they were, they were filing charges against them for separation of church and state.
I'm sorry I cant' remember which one, I think it was Time or something like that cuz it was in a Dr.'s office. It was a big article. How ironic that they are the ones trying to spin it into something like they are the moral people.

[ashter]

Someone call the ACLU

[Denis]

And of course there were no million African Americans denied their right to vote in Florida, but then, as Kerry says, he's a uniter! He wouldn't pass on blatant lies that sow mistrust, division and spread fear! Not John! Unless that divise lying could help his campaign!

Considering that African Americans tend to vote at about a 90% rate for Democrats, that means he's implying that Gore would have carried Florida by about 800,000 votes, but for that million African Americans being denied their voting rights!!!

But could that be true?

Both Bush and Gore got just about 2,900,000 votes each. If another million were added to that, at 900,000 for Gore and 100,000 for Bush, it would have been 3,800,000 for Gore, and 3,000,000 for Bush.

The point: every single poll in Florida, including the ones done by local Florida newspapers and organizations, as well as the national ones like Gallup, Zogby, CNN, ABC, etc, were all calling Florida a dead heat, within the margin of error, prior to the voting.

But if those million African American votes that vanished were real, then golly, at least some polls should have called the race in Florida as a Gore landslide based on poilling of 56% (3.8 million) for Gore to 44% (3 million) for Bush, a Gore popular vote landslide in Florida!

But not one did!

So maybe Jenjis John can begin to talk about the scandal of African Americans being denied their right to be polled by polling organizations, since they seemed to have vanished there also!

Or, one can use the issue of race to divide people and sow distrust, with lies, as long as it helps the greater good, Kerry's election!

You do have to hand it to the liberals when they sow hatred and distrust with blatant lies, and can be doing so while presenting themselves as the defenders of those less fortunate!

How many young African American kids will grow up believing that was true, and be therefore distrustful of democracy, white people and America? The odd thing about this blatant stupidity peddled by Jackson and Sharpton and now grabbed at by Kerry is that it already had bad effects in the 20002 election, when African American voting fell below what it had been in previous second year elections. When African Americans were polled as to why that would be, a significant number answered 'Look at 2,000! Our votes don't count anyway!'

No wonder Kerry is not too excited about democracy in Iraq. He'll do what he can to undermine it at home also.

Denis

[Nomorelies]

Let him go to Black Churches. It just looks good on paper. Al Gore pulled 90% of the black vote in 2000. Right now Kerry is only getting 78% of that bloc. In my opinion if a person hasn't made up his or her mind by now there is no amount of campaigning that will change the dynamics on the ground. The only thing is the get-out-the-vote movement. And, we gotta get Bush voters to the polls. The people who claim to be undecided are just plain lying. There were 2 undecided voters at the debate in Missouri last week who lobbed some really fast hardballs at George Bush. They were democratic plants. Forget about the undecided. They can't be bothered and probably won't even vote. Undecided is just another way of saying "I don't care."

At this point we are all decided. And the people at that church have their minds made up. He's preaching to the choir and wasting his time.
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Nomorelies Make a donation HERE

[Stevie]

I remember seeing that on tv ! and also heard about Kerry, jackson etc this afternoon.... the only thing I can think of is that Jackson isn't the regular precher - but that shouldn't make a difference ! lots of churches have guest speakers. They clearly said on tv that they were telling the people to vote for kerry ! Any one we can check with? any preachers on this forum???? I 'preach' alot but don't thnk I really qualify !
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

[Son of a VET]

I sent a email to the aclu, like they will do something Well who knows, they my hate God and the church more than they hate Bush.
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Stolen Honor

[gia_lin_fo]

Blacks at about 10-20% of the population, represent 25-30% of the Democratic electorate. That, probably, puts them on par with the looney left within the Democratic party. Blacks have been poorly served with their blind obedience to Democrats. They should give a thought to withholding their vote this year based on the very poor candidate they have. They would at least give notice to the Democrats to not take their subservience for granted.
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VietNam 1970-1971

[Guest]

[Roon]

This is one of those items which really gets my gripe! I fill out a lot of IRS 990 (tax return for non-profits.)

Schedule A, Part III, Question 1:

"During the year, has the organization attempted to influence national, state, or local legislation, including any attempt to influence public opinion on a legislative matter or referendum?"

Now if you are a tax-exempt corporation, you list the name and address where the public CAN inspect your books, they are open for public inspection if you are tax-exempt. How much luck do you think we'd all have if we showed up to inspect Rev. Jesse's Jackson's books for his non-profit corporations?

[bk_mo]

Jessie Jackson has been ripping his own people off for years. He could care less it's all about who lines his pockets. That's his reason for needing a Democrat back in office. Another leach on society.

Kerry stuck out like sore thumb in that church. He's got Al Gore's rhythum too. Like a duck outta water. All teeth, droopy dog rappin and snappin.
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BK

[Dingbat]

I wonder if in recorded time a white Demo politician has gone to a Black church at other than election time? You'd think the congregations would see the hipocracy
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Kerry...Hanoi Jane...Murtha: same-same

1/101st ABN Song Be 3/82d ABN Phu Bai.

[jataylor11]