Huckabee Gives Church Sermon; Expounds on Christmas Ad
Mike Huckabee stirred up the faithful at a mega-church in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday, preaching to a congregation of 10,000 evangelical Christians who gave him a superstar welcome, including a 30 second standing ovation, and plenty of applause for his refusal to apologize for invoking Jesus’ name in a recent Christmas ad.
The former Arkansas governor and current Republican frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary race said he wasn’t appearing in a political capacity at Cornerstone Church, which boasts 25,000 members, but he wasn’t shy to discuss the latest advertisement and accompanying controversy.
The ad, airing in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, shows Huckabee in close-up while the camera pans left past a bookshelf and a a Christmas tree. In the ad, he asks: “Are you about worn out by all the television commercials you’ve been seeing, mostly about politics? Well, I don’t blame you. At this time of year sometimes it’s nice to pull aside from all of that and just remember that what really matters is the celebration of the birth of Christ and being with our family and friends.”
The bookshelf is lit so that it creates a cross-like image. Complaints of subliminal messages and mixing politics and religion have followed Huckabee since the ad began airing last week. Meanwhile, most of the other candidates have launched their own holiday ads, with varying degrees of religious reference.
“Sometimes in the middle of Christmas, Jesus is the one person who’s tough to find. You notice that? I can find Santa at every mall, you can find discounts in every store but if you mention the name of Jesus, as I found out recently, it upsets the whole world. Forgive me but I thought that was the point of the whole day,” Huckabee told the congregation.
Huckabee also discussed the ad during an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation” before delivering the sermons.Asked whether he was running for president of Christian America, Huckabee said he was campaigning to be the “president of all America, to be the people’s president. And that’s how I served as governor.”
He said the ad was put together quickly, and that book shelves formed the cross in the background.“Everyone thought that we were so smart and clever. The truth is, it was a book shelf,” Huckabee said. “We hurriedly put the spot together. It wasn’t scripted. I ad-libbed the spot. It was done at the end of a long taping day, and really kind of a thought of, well, let’s do a Christmas spot just in case we decide to use it maybe on our Web site.”
Huckabee, a Baptist minister, said he was not at the church as a candidate and wanted to “get that out of the way” to avoid any tension.
“I have to remind people there’s a time for political things and this is not one of them. Trouble is when you’ve been a Baptist pastor and then you run for office, you become a political person. People get real nervous when you show up for church, and in part because they think Okay, pastor, politician, they expect two things will happen. Number one you’re going to be here a long time and the second thing they fear is am I going to ask for money,” Huckabee said, then joking, “Will the ushers please come forward?”
But Huckabee’s appearance at the church undoubtedly brought with it an undercurrent of a man seeking the approval of influential opinion-makers. Cornerstone is run by evangelical leader Pastor John Hagee, frequently a spokesman for the 50-million strong movement. Hagee, a well-known defender of Israel, has received criticism from the Catholic League for statements he’s made about the Catholic Church’s connection to the Nazis in World War II Germany. “I want to thank your pastor, Pastor Hagee, for having me here today. (He is) one of the great Christian leaders of our nation,” Huckabee said. Huckabee, who’s returning to his home for the holiday before getting back on the trail ahead of the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, warmed up the crowd with his trademark jokes, and recounted how when he first ran, a woman approached him and said, You’re one of those Baptists who thinks you’re the only one going to heaven. Huckabee said he replied, No ma’am, I am Baptist but I don’t think of a lot of them are getting in either.While press cameras weren’t allowed into the church, FOX News spotted at least six cameras operated by church officials who broadcast the services. The large orchestra style band accompanied a 40 person choir. Huckabee finished his speech by noting that those who believe in Jesus won’t have to worry about the current events of today.
“One hundred years from now when all your worries are over, if your faith is in that child in Bethlehem born that day, and you’ve taken yourself off the throne and you’ve decided you’d rather be a shepherd than a Herod, then the good news for you is, when the game is over no matter what It looks like now, you win in the end. That is the message of Christmas so I say to you, Merry Christmas! Jesus is lord!”
Meanwhile, Huckabee wasn’t the only presidential candidate at Church on Sunday. Hillary Clinton was joined by her husband Bill and a sparse crowd at the Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in Waterloo, Iowa. The two arrived midway through the service as the choir was singing, and made their way to their seats to the right of the preacher’s lectern. The crowd that braved the snowy weather stood and applauded as they entered.
Introducing President Clinton, Rev. F.T. Whitfield referenced the popular VH1 show, “I Love New York,” a dating show similar to “The Bachelor.” Apparently one contestant on the show told a story about meeting the former president, who had taken off his tie and given it to the man. The pastor paused and said, “I do like neckties.”
President Clinton then spoke for three minutes, giving a very focused introduction centering on his wife’s life and achievements. At the end he said now is a time for giving. He then took off his orange tie and gave it to the reverend. Hillary Clinton followed, speaking about domestic issues like health care and education. She did not quote any scripture as she sometimes does in these settings. She closed by referring to the Christmas holiday. “We’re looking forward to being with our family and giving the people of Iowa a well-deserved break from politics. On Christmas eve, I’ll be thinking of those I’ve met in Iowa, (and) will always do my best to make changes that give people not just hope, but results.”As she spoke, President Clinton sat tie-less to her right, with his legs crossed and his hand on his chin when he wasn’t applauding. When the service returned to the reverend’s sermon, the two listened attentively.Prior to Clinton’s arrival the service had been political in nature. Several Hillary Clinton surrogates in attendance included former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb. Another surrogate — a pastor from Chicago — delivered an address making the case for Hillary Clinton by arguing that “hope is not a method,” and Clinton can get results.
FOX News’ Serafin Gomez and Aaron Bruns and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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“Like many Christians though, I’ve become tired of all this political correctness and appreciate Huckabee for not being scared to stand his ground — what he shows is conviction, integrity, and character!”
Umm, how ’bout a firm belief in the totally indefensible and irrational? That’s Huckabee, just like GWB, no matter what the facts show, “stay the course!”
Huckabee needs to quit mixing political and religious speech. It is not appropriate for a Presidential candidate to give a sectarian sermon. He is not running for Minister-in-Chief. If he wants to be the President of the Nation, he must stop trying to present himself as the only Believer running. Admittedly, he is a Liberal with a thin resume, but that is no excuse to run as though all the other candidates are heretics. He cannot be allowed to undermine the GOP with his rhetoric. Republicans must reject Huckabee.
Why is it that everytime a Christian invokes Jesus name he or she is declared a zealot and nuts for being a religious freak — but the same people blasting Christian faith are quick to point out how insensitive Christians are to other faiths by not agreeing with them?
Why can’t those opposed to Christianity practice their own convictions without judging us? You want us to shut up or agree with your views, but how dare we disagree with another religions beliefs!
I’m Christian, but I don’t force my belief on others — yes, I will share it and am not afraid to confess it, but I recognize the rights of others, even when I don’t agree with them.
Like many Christians though, I’ve become tired of all this political correctness and appreciate Huckabee for not being scared to stand his ground — what he shows is conviction, integrity, and character!
Mary and Bill O’Riely Says — you are both on the money. It’s funny how Huckabee is scrutinized for talking to the congregation at a church before Christmas (as a preacher); but Clinton is given a free pass to lobby for votes in a church without even mentioning the ‘reason for the season.’
All promotions are given from above and it is God that ordains those in leadership above us, so no matter who is elected it will be within God’s will — true Christians understand that and don’t live in fear of what we cannot control.
My pastor has a saying that is appropriate for these situations — “God is not worried or taking Rolaids because He still sits on the throne and is still in control.”
Gotta respect a preacher with a conceal and carry liscense?
Hes got my vote!