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Watch: Billy Graham’s Son Franklin “Cannot Say” If Obama Is A Christian

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Franklin Graham, the son of Evangelical leader Billy Graham, dropped a bombshell today on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” strongly questioning President Barack Obama‘s faith as a Christian, and suggesting that Mormons, in fact, are not Christians at all. The younger Graham very clearly proclaimed GOP frontrunner Rick Santorum as a Christian, but played the Muslim card directly when it came to President Obama.

“Islam sees him as a son of Islam because his father was a Muslim, his grandfather was a Muslim, great grandfather was a Muslim and so under Islamic law, the Muslim world sees Barack Obama as a Muslim,” said Franklin Graham, who refused to state whether or not he truly believed Obama was a Christian, suggesting that Obama may secretly be a Muslim. “I can’t say categorically,” Graham answered, “because Islam has gotten a free pass under Obama.”

New York Magazine journalist John Heilemann at the end told Franklin Graham he was applying “an incredible double standard” in determining who is and who is not a Christian.

That’s an amazing double standard. Your reaction to the difference. The question about Rick Santorum and President Obama, I think, just exposes an incredible double standard you’re applying to the two people. They’re exactly the same situation.

Franklin Graham’s father, Billy Graham, is seen as a celebrity among Evangelicals, having been an advisor to several presidents, and having counseled or met with at least 12 during his lifetime. The elder Graham is now 93. In 2002, Billy Graham’s lifetime audience was estimated at over 2 million people.

Franklin Graham was vehement in stating that the United Stated should work harder to protect minorities around the world, withholding foreign aid to countries that do not protect their minorities, although didn’t directly demand the use of military force, but said Obama “could be demanding they protect Christians in those countries.” Of course, Graham was referring to Christians as the minority — not gays or lesbians, or bisexual or transgender peoples.

Graham also told Michael Steele that “I’m afraid the government is going to come and tell me who I can hire.” He added there were many people he didn’t want working for him, and that he is afraid he “won’t be able to discriminate against people who believe the way I believe.”

“There’s a lot of people that I don’t want woking for me, because they don’t have a faith in Jesus Christ and their moral standards are not going to be the same as my standards.”

Graham pointed to Santorum as one who shares his moral values.

Franklin Graham, according to a report minutes ago in Politico, “gave sharply different answers Tuesday when asked whether he believed Rick Santorum and Barack Obama were Christians.”

Via Politico:

  • ON OBAMA: “You have to ask him. I cannot answer that question for anybody. All I know is I’m a sinner, and God has forgiven me of my sins… You have to ask every person. He has said he’s a Christian, so I just have to assume that he is.”

Pressed as to whether Obama had “accepted Jesus Christ,” Graham said, “I don’t know,” recounting a conversation with the president over how Obama came to accept Christianity.

…

  • ON SANTORUM: “Do you believe Rick Santorum is a Christian?” asked Geist. “I think so,” responded Graham.

“How do you know, if the standard is: only the person knows what’s in him when you apply it to the president, why is it different for Rick Santorum?” replied Geist.

“Well, because his values are so clear on moral issues. No question about it. I just appreciate the moral stances he takes on things. He comes from a Catholic faith… I think he’s a man of faith,” said Graham.

  • ON ROMNEY: “Most Christians would not recognize Mormons as part of the Christian faith,” said Graham. “They believe in Jesus Christ. They have a lot of other things they believe in too, that we don’t accept, theologically.”

“I like him,” Graham conceded. “He would be a good president… He’s a sharp guy.”

  • ON GINGRICH: “I think Newt Gingrich is a Christian, at least he told me he is.”

Graham continued to say that Obama seemed more concerned with Muslims than Christians.

“Under President Obama…the Muslims of the world, he seems to be more concerned, than Christians who are being murdered in Muslims countries,” said Graham.

…

The “Morning Joe” panelists and others challenged Graham’s comments.

“That’s an amazing double standard,” panelist John Heilemann. “It’s an incredible double standard that you’re applying to the two people.”

“Franklin Graham, there’s a couple of pages missing from his bible that happen to be in most other people’s bibles,” said Barnicle later.

“Franklin Graham has a lot to learn from his father,” tweeted Chuck Todd after the segment.

Franklin Graham is currently trending on Twitter, which has lit up in fury over his comments.

Keith Boykin tweeted:

“How can Rev. Franklin Graham say for sure that Rick Santorum is a Christian but can’t be sure about Barack Obama’s faith? This is nonsense!” and, “Who made Rev. Franklin Graham the decider on who is or is not a Christian? I’m sick of this stuff!”

New York Times’ Op-Ed writer Charles M. Blow added, “To paraphrase the old folks: these “Christians” are going to make me lose my religion. #FranklinGraham”

 

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News

McCarthy Ousted as Speaker in Historic First as Republicans Vow Vengeance Against Gaetz: ‘Kiss My A–‘

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October 3, 2023

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U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has been ousted as the elected Speaker of the House of Representatives after a weeks-long campaign by his fellow Republican, Congressman Matt Gaetz. The Republican Florida lawmaker vowed over the weekend to put a “motion to vacate” on the House floor, which he did Monday night. Tuesday afternoon McCarthy lost the support of the majority in a full House vote.

No Speaker of the House has ever been ousted by a motion to vacation, according to the Associated Press, until McCarthy.

“The Office of the Speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives is hereby declared vacant,” the presiding Republican lawmakers declared. The final vote was 216-210.

No Democrats voted to support McCarthy as Speaker.

Overall House Republicans are furious with Gaetz, with some vowing to expel him should the House Ethics Committee submit a negative report on their investigation into his alleged, possible sexual misconduct, unlawful drug use, and public corruption.

In addition to Gaetz, other House Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy include Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Bob Good, Nancy Mace, and Matt Rosendale.

READ MORE: Trump Has Now ‘Crossed the Line Into Criminal Threats’: Top Legal Scholar

“After talking to a few House Republican lawmakers and aides,” during the vote to oust McCarthy as Speaker, Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman reported he “would not be surprised to see someone move to have Gaetz expelled from the House Republican Conference.”

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) in a profane rant slammed Gaetz, in a recorded video, saying, “You want to come at me and call me a RINO you can kiss my ass! You go around talking your big game and thumping your chest on Twitter. Come in my office and have a debate mother —!”

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-LA) help up his phone while delivering remarks against Gaetz, chastising him for fundraising off his efforts to oust McCarthy.

“Using official actions to raise money. It’s disgusting!” he told his colleagues.

What happens next? According to The New York Times on Tuesday, “If McCarthy is removed, the House would be paralyzed.”

“A vacancy in the speaker’s chair would essentially paralyze the House until a successor is chosen, according to multiple procedural experts. An interim speaker would be chosen from a list prepared by Mr. McCarthy and his staff at the beginning of the year, but staff intimately familiar with House rules say the role of that person would be to oversee a speaker election and little more.”

As for McCarthy, he has said if removed as Speaker he would not resign from Congress. On Tuesday he suggested he would definitely run again for Speaker.

READ MORE: ‘Fool or a Liar’: GOP Knives Out for ‘A–hole’ Matt Gaetz as Vote to Oust McCarthy Appears Likely to Succeed

Watch the videos above or at this link.

 

 

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‘Fool or a Liar’: GOP Knives Out for ‘A–hole’ Matt Gaetz as Vote to Oust McCarthy Appears Likely to Succeed

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5 hours ago

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October 3, 2023

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House Republicans are expressing outrage at one of their own, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who by day’s end may succeed or come close to ousting Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy for relying on Democrats’ votes to keep the federal government from shutting down Saturday night.

“I prefer, you know, common sense over chaos,” Republican Congressman Anthony D’Esposito, who referred to Congressman Gaetz as an “a–hole,” told Fox News on Tuesday.

“I think that we should be focused on governance rather than grandstanding, and the fact that we have one a–hole that is holding us up and holding America up is a real problem,” D’Esposito added.

Far-right Republican Derrick Van Orden told CNN’s Manu Raju that Gaetz is “either a fool or a liar.”

“I’m telling you,” warned Republican Andy Barr of Kentucky, “it definitely puts the majority in jeopardy when you see disunity.”

READ MORE: Trump Has Now ‘Crossed the Line Into Criminal Threats’: Top Legal Scholar

GOP Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas said, “I think it’s sending a terrible message to the electorate in advance of the 2024 election that this Republican majority could not govern itself.”

On camera, another Republican called Gaetz “a chaos agent,” and another said: “I don’t have tolerance for some pseudo psycho political fetish.”

Still another warned, “I think it’s sending a terrible signal to the electorate in advance of the ’24 election, that this Republican majority cannot govern itself.”

Watch below or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’: ND Republican Unleashes Anti-LGBTQ Christian Nationalist Rant Calling for ‘Christ Is King’ Laws

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‘Probably So’: McCarthy Says His Speakership Likely Will End After Vote

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7 hours ago

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October 3, 2023

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The Republican Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, is acknowledging his leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives “probably” is about to end.

“If five Republicans go with Democrats, then I’m out,” McCarthy, sounding resigned to his possible future, told reporters late Tuesday morning. The Speaker acknowledged that if all Democrats vote against him in a vote schedule for Tuesday afternoon, and just five Republicans join them, he will lose his job.

“That looks likely,” ABC’s Rachel Scott told McCarthy.

“Probably so,” he responded.

There are currently at least five Republicans who say they will vote to oust McCarthy, according to CNN’s Haley Talbot, as of last Monday night.

Democrats on Tuesday have said they will not support McCarthy.

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has been on a campaign to oust McCarthy, who was elected Speaker in January but only after the House voted 15 times before granting him the gavel. That gavel came with public and private concessions, among them, that any one member of the House could initiate a “motion to vacate,” which Gaetz did Monday night.

Gaetz claims he is working to strip McCarthy of the Speakership because he reached across the aisle and accepted votes from Democrats very late on Saturday to avoid what had been an almost-certain shutdown of the federal government. But McCarthy has long contended for Gaetz it’s “personal,” because the Speaker would not intervene to save Gaetz from a re-opened House Ethics Committee investigation into possible violations including sexual misconduct, unlawful drug use, and public corruption.

if Republicans do succeed on the motion to vacate, there currently is no one named to replace McCarthy. That would leave the position that is second in line to the presidency vacant.

Watch today’s House session live below, starting at 11:45 AM, see his remarks to reporters above, or watch both at this link.

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