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Sunday, March 28, 2004

Kerry Gets Biblical

By Rob on March 28, 2004 at 05:03 pm
2 Comments
While giving a speech that criticized the Bush administration, John Kerry used a few quotes from the bible. Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt wasn't too happy about it. To be honest, I wasn't all that impressed with Schmidt's reaction.

From Yahoo News:

Kerry never mentioned Bush by name during his speech at New North Side Baptist Church, but aimed his criticism at "our present national leadership." Kerry cited Scripture in his appeal for the worshipers, including James 2:14, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?"

"The Scriptures say, what does it profit, my brother, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" Kerry said. "When we look at what is happening in America today, were are the works of compassion?"

Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said Kerry's comment "was beyond the bounds of acceptable discourse and a sad exploitation of Scripture for a political attack."


Is this really an issue. So Kerry decided to utilize a few bible quotes he thought would ingratiate himself with a Christian crowd. Is it really that surprising, or even wrong?

Schmidt's reaction seems awfully petty and is surprising coming from a campaign that has, to this point, had a positive message. This smacks of the sensationalist "mock outrage" we saw from the left when Bush used 9/11 imagery in campaign ads released a few weeks ago.

So far I've been impressed by the positive message put out by Bush's campaign. I'd like to continue to be impressed by it. Schmidt should have let this one go without comment. In the end, adhering to a positive message will resonate louder with voters than snarky remarks about relatively minor issues.

Comments

Avatar for keif

Using the scripture as a weapon IS out of bounds of discourse. Kerry needs to be embarrassed when he says these things. If the spokesman hadn’t said anything, we probably wouldn’t have read Kerry’s comment in the first place.

keif on March 28, 2004 at 06:03 pm
Rob
Rob
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I’m not sure that you could classify Kerry’s use of scripture in his speech as “weapon-like.” Regardless, if you find it offensive that’s certainly your perogative.  As an atheist, its not a position I understand but I’d certainly respect your opinion on the matter.

The point I was trying to make in the post was that the Bush campaign should make an effort to keep themselves above the bitter whining the Kerry campaign has exhibited to this point.

The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.

Frédéric Bastiat, The Law

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

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Rob on March 28, 2004 at 06:04 pm
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