NPR: Evangelical Leader Gary Bauer Endorses McCain

Evangelical Leader Gary Bauer Endorses McCain

It's an endorsement that's probably going to help Sen. John McCain overcome friction with some religious conservatives.

Gary Bauer, former presidential candidate and a leader of the anti-abortion movement, endorsed McCain Monday, saying that he admired McCain's "consistent 24-year pro-life record and demonstrated commitment to the values that keep our families and communities strong."

Bauer's endorsement will help blunt some of the negative comments that were made about McCain by Focus on the Family's James Dobson, who also endorsed Mike Huckabee. Bauer is the former head of the Family Research Council and founder of the Campaign for Working Families.

Jennifer Skalka of National Journal's Hotline On Call writes that the endorsement, however, is another another sign of just how fractured the Republican Party is at this time.

In announcing the endorsement, The Associated Press said McCain understood why people kept voting for Huckabee, despite the general sentiment that he had the nomination sewn up.

"Because they like him," McCain said. "I never expected a unanimous vote, although I would certainly like to have that. But I think we'll continue to win primaries across the country, including tomorrow.

The Arizona senator admitted he doesn't do well in states with caucuses. But he said many of the next set of elections were in states with primaries, where he predicted he would do much better.

1:28 PM ET | 02-11-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

McCain's challenge now is to keep the people who WILL vote for him, voting.
It's never too late to lose a vote.

Huckabee's "fire and brimstone" belongs in another era.

Sent by Harold | 2:18 PM ET | 02-11-2008

I haven't listened long and carefully to Huckabee and as he has said, he's conservative but not angry about it. I haven't heard any "fire and brimstone".

Instead, I have heard grace and compassion when talking about the most incendiary topics. On abortion, for instance, he said he didn't want to throw women in jail, just stop babies from being thrown in the trash.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of anti-Christian bigotry that raises its head in ways that are sometimes subtle, sometimes not.

Sent by David Knight | 7:46 PM ET | 02-11-2008

Huckabee is positing himself slowly as a modern day William Jennings Bryan, or so I think. All he really needs ia a bona fide economic speech on par with the "Cross of Gold" one.

Sent by platonicform | 8:04 PM ET | 02-11-2008

>> Unfortunately, there is a lot of anti-Christian bigotry that raises its head in ways that are sometimes subtle, sometimes not.

You mean similar to the anti-Mormon sentiment that Huckabee raises? Of course, in his case, it's not very subtle. Huckabee himself is a religous intolerant.

Sent by lance | 8:57 AM ET | 02-12-2008

posted by David Knight:
"there is a lot of anti-Christian bigotry". There is MORE Pro-Christian bigotry.
That bigotry is the reason I am so uncomfortable with the idea of an ordained minister in political office.

The conservative party has been over-run by the (all to eager) religious personalites. I go to church to hear "How to live my life". I don't need the federal (or state) government shoving (their) morallity down my throat!

If Huckabee is to be the "modern day Williams Jennings Bryan" (as a posted by platonicform), that to me is an example of the "absolutly WRONG kind of conservative".
In WJBs day, Prohibition, anti-Darwin, Free Silver are causes (though popular) that were as pig-headed as a Razorback!

Prohibition, created an enormous black market, gave rise to organized crime on a scale never seen before (or since).
Though it was good for the Kennedy family (JFKs grandfather?) was a rumrunner.

Anti-Darwinism, has compromised the science education of our children (by catering to the belief in 3000 year-old bedtime stories as fact) And would (will) leave our children completely clueless in finding solutions (or causes) to the plagues of tomorrow (such as Avian Flu).

Free (coinage of) Silver!
Sure, put alot of (cheap) money into the ecomomy instantly. Watch the price of everything double in six months. Does that make you feel rich? Because your really poorer (can't keep up with the inflated prices. See the sub-prime lending/ 100% finacing/ housing bubble for more.

Just because an idea is popular, doesn't mean its good for the country!

Sent by Harold | 11:05 AM ET | 02-12-2008

I hear that Harold, definitely not a conservative, but a opportunist populist.

Sent by platonicform | 12:26 PM ET | 02-12-2008

Huckabee seems like a nice guy, but no matter what he says, I would never vote for a minister for president. what's sad is that's probably the only reason he's getting as much support as he is. come on people, there's more to a person than how he brown noses for a particular invisible guy. if Huckabee can't see the evidence for evolution, how the hell is he going to run a country?

Sent by Nate | 3:21 PM ET | 02-12-2008

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