The Rev. Jerry Falwell acknowledged saying on Sunday that if Hillary Rodham Clinton were the Democrats' presidential nominee in 2008, it would motivate conservative evangelical Christians to oppose her more than if the devil himself were running.
Clinton press secretary Philippe Reines said Sunday, "Working for someone who believes in the Golden Rule, we're not going to engage in such vitriolic discourse—but it seems that a new low has been reached in demonizing political opponents."
Falwell told the AP that he did not intend to demonize the former first lady. "That was totally tongue-in-cheek and everyone in the building knew that and everyone laughed," Falwell said.Falwell said religious conservatives do not favor Clinton for several reasons, but mostly because she is pro-choice on abortion, "the cutting-edge issue for social conservatives."
"I just think that she has enough of a record before our people now to bring most of them to the polls," Falwell said.
The Rev. Barry Lynn, director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said, "I don't know why Jerry Falwell always has to drag politics into the gutter."
Lynn, whose advocacy group scrutinizes the religious right and was monitoring last week's conference, added, "Maybe the devil made him do it."
Attendees also were assured during the prayer breakfast that God would preserve a Republican majority in Congress.
Falwell would not say what he thought would happen in 2008 if Clinton were not the nominee."In '08, I think that's too far ahead to know what's going to happen in the domestic- and foreign-policy issues," Falwell said in the interview. (AP)
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