Republican Gomorrah

by Max Blumenthal

  242 “You Christians brought this on yourselves”: “Reports: Colorado Gunman Posted Anti-Christian Writings,” CNN.com, December 11, 2007, http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/11/shooter.youth/.

  242 a fearsome arsenal of assault rifles: Howard Pankratz, “Murray Obsesses with Guns, Shootings,” Denver Post, March 28, 2008, http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_8723969.

  242 “Do as thou wilt”: Aleister Crowley, The Book of the Law (York Beach, ME: Red Wheel/Weiser, 1976), p. 50.

  242 Murray and The Book of the Law: Kevin Vaughan, “Autopsy: Gunman Matthew Murray Killed Himself,” Rocky Mountain Times, January 8, 2008, http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jan/08/autopsy-gunman-matthew-murray-killed-himself/.

  242 Murray and I Had to Say Something: “Book on Serial Killers in Church Gunman’s Car,” Denver Post, January 16, 2008, http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_7989014.

  243 “I don’t care if I live or die”: Jace Larson, Nicole Vap, and Paula Woodward, “Gunman’s Web Writings Warn of Shootings,” 9News.com, December 12, 2007, http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=82548.

  244 “Invisible yet strong”: William Golding, Lord of the Flies (New York: Penguin Putnam, 1954), p. 62.

  244 “where was all the love”: Matthew Murray, “Chrstnghtmr,” at http://independentspirits.net/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?750, November 06, 2006.

  245 “his hate for certain Christians”: Marlene Winell, Rick Sanchez interview, “Church Shooting Tragedy,” CNN, YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY1ZJb5tZwU.

  245 “had sold his soul” to the occult: “Gunman Boasted of Following ‘Wickedest Man in the World,’” WorldNetDaily, December 14, 2007, http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=45061.

  245 WorldNetDaily’s analysis: “Attacker’s Diatribe Copied Columbine Killer,” WorldNetDaily, December 11, 2007, http://www.WorldNetDaily.com/news/ article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59148.

  246 “Not only does pornography dehumanize”: Jean Torkelson, “‘Wow 500,000 images’ of porn,” Rocky Mountain News, March 28, 2008, http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/mar/28/wow-500000-images-of-porn/.

  246 “unforgiveness leads to this bitterness”: Ronald and Loretta Murray interviewed by James Dobson, Focus on the Family radio, Colorado Springs, Colorado, February 28 and 29, 2007.

  CHAPTER 21: THE PARTY OF DOBSON

  251 “This election was about nothing”: Thomas Friedman, “Two Nations Under God,” New York Times, November 4, 2004, http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/opinion/04friedman.html?hp.

  251 voting against their economic interests: Thomas Frank, What’s the Matter with Kansas? (New York: Metropolitan Books, 2004).

  252 “I accepted Jesus Christ into my life”: Marvin Olasky, Compassionate Conservatism (New York: The Free Press, 2000), p. 192.

  252 With the help of Michael Gerson: Laurie Goodstein, “A President Puts His Faith in Providence,” New York Times, February 9, 2003, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9800E7DE133BF93AA35751C0A9659C8B63.

  252 even his answers to questions raised during debates: George Bush to John Bachman, UCSB transcript, Republican Presidential Candidates Debate, Des Monies, Iowa, December 13, 1999, http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=76120.

  252 Alcoholics Anonymous material describes as a “dry drunk”: Gary L. Fisher and Nancy A. Roget, “Dry Drunk Syndrome,” Encyclopedia of Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2008), p. 345.

  252 “‘I’m driven with a mission from God’”: Ewan MacAskill, “George Bush: ‘God Told Me to End the Tyranny in Iraq’,” The Guardian, October 7, 2005, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/oct/07/iraq.usa.

  253 though denied by a White House spokesman: “White House Denies Bush God Claim,” BBC.co.uk, October 6, 2005, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4317498.stm.

  253 “a higher father that I appeal to”: Bob Woodward, Plan of Attack (London: Simon & Schuster, 2004), p. 421.

  253 Afghani taxi driver whose legs were “pulpified”: Alex Gibney, director, Taxi to the Dark Side, 2007: Also see Jane Mayer, The Dark Side (New York: Random House, 2008), p. 312, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D02EFD8113CF931A25751C0A9649C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1 .

  253 the least popular American president in recent history: Susan Page, “Bush Approval Rating Hits Record Low,” USA Today, October 6, 2008, http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/01/bush.poll/.

  253 Harold Giuliani’s past: Wayne Barrett: Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani (New York: Basic Books, 2000), pp. 8-9, 43-67.

  253 a “vulnerability study”: Ibid., or “Rudy Giuliani’s Vulnerabilities,” The Smoking Gun, February 12, 2007, http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0212072giuliani1.html.

  253 “questions of a weirdness factor”: Christopher M. Lyon and Ronald A. Giller, “Rudolph W. Giuliani Vulnerability Study,” Giuliani for New York, April 8, 1993. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0212072giuliani11.html.

  254 appeared so frequently with his press secretary: Jennet Conant, Vanity Fair, September 1997.

  254 another mistress, Judith Nathan: Michael Saul and David Saltonstall, “City Taxpayers Picked Up Tab for Judith Giuliani’s Visit to Kin in Pennsylvania,” New York Daily News, December 1, 2007, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2007/12/01/2007-12-01_city_taxpayers_picked_up_tab_for_judith_-1.html; and Judy Bachrach, “Giuliani’s Princess Bride,” September 2007, http://www.vanityfair.com/fame/features/2007/09/giuliani200709?currentPage=1.

  254 moved in with two openly gay friends: Frank Rich, “1 Mayor, 2 Guys, 1 Shih Tzu,” New York Times, August 4, 2001, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9804E1DA133CF937A3575BC0A9679C8B63.

  254 appeared in drag in videotaped skits: Inner Circle press dinner, March 11, 2000: “Rudy Giuliani in Drag Smooching Donald Trump,” YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IrE6FMpai8.

  254 drop his contest for the U.S. Senate: Adam Nagourney, “Conflicting Advice at City Hall Complicates Giuliani’s Decision,” New York Times, May 15, 2000, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B05E2D9103BF936A2575 6C0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all.

  254 Rudy the hero was the portrait: Susan Page, “Giuliani: Can Hero of 9/11 Win Over His Own Party?” USA Today, January 31, 2007, http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-01-31-giuliani-cover_x.htm.

  254 “I’m not a perfect person”: Max Blumenthal, Theocracy Now!

  255 promise to appoint “strict constructionist” judges: Rudy Giuliani, “Presidential Commitments,” National Review, July 13, 2007, http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NDA1ZGZmOGU1OTE1ZmQ4NDE5YzQyYzM3NzFjYjc1YzU=.

  255 McCain the Baptist: Bruce Smith, ‘Episcopalian’ McCain Is a Baptist, Really,” Chicago Sun-Times, September 17, 2008, http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/560477,CST-NWS-mccain17.article.

  255 no remorse for leaving his first wife: Nicholas Kristoff, “P.O.W. to Power Broker, a Chapter Most Telling,” New York Times, February 7, 2000, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDF1439F934A15751C0A9669C8 B63; see also: http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/08/15/christian-pac-to-air-pro-obama-ad/.

  255 McCain attempted to reconcile with his old enemy: Jerry Falwell, “An Invitation, Not an Endorsement,” New York Times, May 07, 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/07/opinion/07falwell.html.

  255 Dobson’s rebuke: Bob Unruh, “Dobson Says ‘No Way’ to McCain Candidacy,” WorldNetDaily.com, January 13, 2007, http://www.WorldNetDaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53743.

  255 the Mormon organization condemned as a cult: David Van Biema, “What Is Mormonism? A Baptist Answer,” Time, October 24, 2007, http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1675308,00.html.

  255 Christian Broadcasting Network on Mormons: Frequently Asked Questions: How Do I Recognize a Cult? CBN.com, http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/CBNTeachingSheets/FAQ_cult.aspx.

  255 excluded Mormons from participation: Robert Marus, “Bush Salu
tes National Day of Prayer, But Some Christians Decry Politicization,” Associated Baptist Press, May 06, 2004, http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2302&Itemid=117.

  255 described Romney as “presidential”: Michael Kranish, “Romney Increases Overtures to Disenchanted Evangelicals,” Boston Globe, October 5, 2007, http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/05/romney_increases_overtures_to_disenchanted_evangelicals/.

  256 “Jesus is Satan’s brother!”: Blumenthal, Theocracy Now!

  256 “hang by a thread”: Bill McKeever, When the Constitution “Hangs by a Thread”: The White Horse Prophecy in Modern Mormonism, Mormonism Research Ministry, undated, http://www.mrm.org/topics/joseph-smith/when-constitution-hangs-thread-white-horse-prophecy-modern-mormonism.

  256 appearance on a Salt Lake City radio station: Ibid.

  256 to deny to reporters any divine motives: John Heilprin, “Did Hatch Allude to LDS Prophecy?” Salt Lake Tribune, November 11, 1999.

  256 Romney poured vast sums: David D. Kirkpatrick, “Romney Used His Wealth to Enlist Richest Donors,” New York Times, April 6, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/06/us/politics/06romney.html.

  256 Reverend Lou Sheldon into his camp: Favorable Statements and Endorsements from Evangelicals, aboutMittRomney.com. http://www.aboutmittromney.com/evangelicals_part2.htm#LouSheldon.

  256 a fanatically anti-gay preacher: Scott Moxley, “Lou Sheldon’s Nightmare,” OC Weekly, March 9, 2000, http://www.ocweekly.com/2000-03-09/news/lou -sheldon-s-nightmare/; also see Jewish Week interview with Sheldon, “Surprise Surprise, They Knew About Pastor Ted All Along,” posted on Talk to Action, November 10, 2006, http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/11/10/153452/07.

  256 his eagerness to line his pockets: Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi, “How a Lobbyist Stacked the Deck,” Washington Post, October 16, 2005, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/15/AR2005101501539.html.

  256 “he is clearly with us”: Blumenthal, Theocracy Now!

  257 Janet Folger, who now supported his campaign: Janet Folger, “Huckabee’s Consistency,” WorldNetDaily, December 11, 2007, http://www.WorldNetDaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59136.

  257 “Don’t Mormons believe Jesus is Satan’s brother?”: Zev Chafets, “The Huckabee Factor,” New York Times Magazine, January 12, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/magazine/16huckabee.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1.

  257 poorly funded, understaffed, and practically unknown: Holly Bailey and Michael Isikoff, “A Pastor’s True Calling,” Newsweek, December 17, 2007, http://www.newsweek.com/id/74469/page/8.

  257 $17.4 million of his personal fortune: Jake Tapper, “Romney Surpasses Steve Forbes’ Self-Funding Pace,” ABCNews.com, October 10, 2007, http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3714738.

  257 $85,000 a day on advertising: Mark Preston, “Romney Spending $85,000-plus a Day on TV Ads,” CNN.com, November 13, 2007, http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/13/romney.ads/.

  257 quarantining of AIDS patients: Andrew DeMillo, “Huckabee Wanted to Isolate AIDS Patients,” Associated Press, December 8, 2007, http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1692878,00.html.

  257 the discrediting of Bergalis: Mike Wallace, “Kimberly’s Story,” 60 Minutes, CBS, June 19, 1994.

  257 he defiantly stood by it: Dana Bash and Evan Glass, “Huckabee Refuses to Retract ’92 Remarks on AIDS Patients,” CNN.com, December 10, 2007, http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/10/huckabee.aids/index.html.

  257 billing himself as a “Christian Leader”: “Believe” ad, Mike Huckabee campaign, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjtGgfhKIvo&feature=PlayList&p=6BC86473F77ED120&index=3&playnext=3&playnext_from=PL.

  257 “I come from you”: Warren Cole Smith, “Divided We Stand,” World, April 5, 2008, http://www.worldmag.com/printer.cfm?id=13894.

  257 reversing stands he had taken as governor: Blumenthal, Theocracy Now!

  258 he resolved to deliver a major speech: Kenneth L. Woodward, “Mitt Romney Is No Jack Kennedy,” New York Times, December 5, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/opinion/05woodward.html.

  258 John F. Kennedy’s famous 1960 address: Transcript, JFK’s Speech on His Religion, Sept. 12, 1960, available at NPR.org, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16920600.

  258 he contradicted his earnest vow: Scott Horsley, “Romney: Church to Guide Him, Not the Presidency,” NPR.org. December 6, 2007, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16982216.

  258 The line so excited Rush Limbaugh: Rush Limbaugh, “Mitt Romney’s Inspiring Speech,” Rush Limbaugh Show, December 6, 2007, http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_120607/content/01125106.guest.html.

  259 Mike Huckabee’s speech: Pastors and Pews conference, West Des Moines, Iowa, June 28, 2007, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP0g4T-Egqk.

  260 Americans are totally and naturally depraved: Ibid.

  261 Huckabee was polling even with Romney: Dan Balz and John Cohen, “Huckabee Gaining Ground in Iowa,” Washington Post, November 21, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/11/20/ST2007112002497.html?hpid=topnews.

  261 showed strength across the Bible Belt: Anthony Salvanto, “Analysis: Iowa Polls Drove Huckabee Surge,” CBSNews.com, December 13, 2007, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/13/politics/main3615334.shtml.

  261 “There’s only one explanation”: John Nichols, “Playing the God Card,” The Nation, December 13, 2007, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071231/Nichols.

  261 “easy-going, self-effacing, jaunty style”: Adam Nagourney, “For a Joke-Telling Candidate, a Second-Place Finish,” New York Times, August 13, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/13/us/politics/13huckabee.html.

  261 its emotional yearning for postpartisan heroes: Frank Rich, “The Republicans Find Their Obama,” New York Times, December 9, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/opinion/09rich.html?ref=opinion.

  261 the sectarian ideologue he truly was: Max Blumenthal, “The Real Mike Huckabee,” The Nation, January 11, 2008, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080128/Blumenthal.

  262 a stunning upset in Iowa: Iowa Caucus Results, New York Times, January 3, 2008, http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/results/states/IA.html.

  262 Huckabee could claim only moral victory: “Huckabee Bows to ‘Inevitable,’ Ends GOP Run,” CNN.com, March 5, 2008, http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/05/huckabee/index.html.

  262 resolved to wish away the culture wars: Peter Beinart: “The End of the Culture Wars,” The Daily Beast, January 26, 2009, http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-01-26/the-end-of-the-culture-wars/.

  262 self-proclaimed “leading expert” on religion: Amy Sullivan, Biography, Progressive Faith Media, http://therespublica.org/progressivefaithmedia.com/Bios/sullivan.htm.

  262 Randy Brinson profile: Amy Sullivan, “When Would Jesus Bolt?” Washington Monthly, April 2006, http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2006/0604.sullivan.html.

  263 forked over his company’s mailing list: Chris Cillizza and Shailagh Murray, “The Man Who Helped Start Huckabee’s Roll,” Washington Post, December 2, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/01/AR2007120101569.html.

  263 “Dobson and his colleagues have also been stymied”: Amy Sullivan, “Is Dobson’s Obama Hit Backfiring?” Time, June 26, 2008, http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1818313,00.html.

  263 Rick Warren: Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life (Philadelphia: Running Press, 2003).

  263 “an evangelical liberals can love”: Nicholas Kristof, “Evangelicals a Liberal Can Love,” New York Times, February 3, 2008, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/opinion/03kristof.html.

  263 history of backing anti-gay crusades: Max Blumenthal, interview with Amy Goodman, The War and Peace Report, Democracy Now! New York, December 23, 2008, http://i1.democracynow.org/2008/12/23/max_blumenthal_on_rick_warrens_double.

  263 “political power counts more than Christian values”: Bill Press, “The Death of the Reli
gious Right,” WorldNetDaily.com, November 23, 2007, http://www.WorldNetDaily.com/index.php?pageId=44688.

  263 “They don’t speak for the Republican Party”: Frank Rich, “Rudy, the Values Slayer,” New York Times, October 28, 2007, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980DE7DE1430F93BA15753C1A9619C8B63.

  263 Giuliani’s run ended: Kelley Beaucar Vlahos, “Giuliani to Quit Republican Presidential Race,” FoxNews.com, January 29, 2008, http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2008/01/29/giuliani-to-quit-republican-presidential-race/.

  264 “Big Apple values”: Tony Perkins interviewed by Wolf Blitzer, The Situation Room, January 30, 2008, CNN, http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0801/30/sitroom.02.html.

  264 had sabotaged McCain’s campaign: Eric Pooley, “Read My Knuckles,” Time, February 28, 2000, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,996191-5,00.html.

  264 Dobson, for his part, had endorsed Huckabee: “Christian Leader James Dobson Endorses Huckabee for GOP Nod,” Associated Press, February 7, 2008, http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2008/02/07/christian-leader-james-dobson-to-endorse-mike-huckabee/.

  264 scrutinizing McCain’s every move: Lisa Miller interview, “‘More Comfortable with McCain,’” Newsweek, July 22, 2008, http://www.newsweek.com/id/148126.

  CHAPTER 22: THE PARTY OF DEATH

  265 “agents of intolerance”: David Barstow, “McCain Denounces Political Tactics of the Christian Right,” New York Times, February 29, 2000, .http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE2DA1239F93AA15751C0A9669 C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all.

  265 making amends and finding allies: “U.S. Pro-Israel Evangelical Leader Hagee Endorses McCain,” Reuters, February 28, 2008, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/959110.html.

  266 one of the world’s wealthiest preachers: Sarah Posner, “John Hagee’s Controversial Gospel,” The American Prospect, March 12, 2008, http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=john_hagees_controversial_gospel. Also see Analisa Nazareno, “Critics Say John Hagee’s Compensation Is Too High,” San Antonio Express, June 20, 2003, http://www.rickross.com/reference/tv_preachers/tv_preachers7.html.