Republican Gomorrah

by Max Blumenthal

  266 ally of Isreal’s rightist Likud Party: “Likud: Christian Zionists Israel’s Best Friends,” Christian Broadcasting Network, April 7, 2007,

  266 “the Christian version of AIPAC”: Max Blumenthal, “Birth Pangs of a New Christian Zionism,” The Nation, August 8, 2006, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060814/new_christian_zionism/single?rel=nofollow.

  266 “an everlasting lake of fire”: The Bible, Revelation 19:20.

  266 Hagee on Jesus and the ACLU: Max Blumenthal, “The Real Mike Huckabee,” The Nation, January 11, 2008, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080128/blumenthal.

  267 “coming nuclear showdown with Iran”: John Hagee, “The Coming Holy War,” Charisma, January 31, 2006, http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/component/content/article/545-israel-the-middle-east/12391-the-coming-holy-war.

  267 “Washington-Israel” Summit: Max Blumenthal, “Rapture Ready.”

  268 “bodies burst open from head to toe”: Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, Left Behind (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 1996), pp. 226, 286.

  268 widely experienced religious teaching or evangelistic tools: Different Groups Follow Harry Potter, Left Behind and Jabez, Barna Group, October 22, 2001, http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/61-different-groups-follow-harry-potter-left-behind-and-jabez.

  268 “the authentic line of cumulative critical thought”: Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death (New York: The Free Press, 1973), p. 134.

  268 “omnipotent father-figures, extra-magical helpers”: Ibid., p. 147.

  269 psychologists set out to prove his hypothesis: Abram Rosenblatt, Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, Tom Pyszczynski, and Deborah Lyon, “Evidence for Terror Management Theory I: The Effects of Mortality Salience on Reactions to Those Who Violate or Uphold Cultural Values,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 4 (1989), pp. 681-690.

  269 mortality reminders: John B. Judis, “Death Grip,” The New Republic, August 27, 2007, http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=9e9af105-6745-497a-b 5f8-4f304749eed4&p=5.

  270 “Twelve million illegal immigrants later”: “Ex-Senator Faults ’86 Law on Immigrants,” Associated Press, May 26, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/ 26/us/politics/26thompson.html?scp=1&sq=Ex-Senator%20Faults%20 ’86%20Law%20On%20Immigrants&st=cse.

  270 Huckabee also linked immigration to terrorism: Adam Aigner-Treworgy and Ben Weltman, “Huckabee Ties Pakistan, Immigration,” MSNBC.msn.com, December 28, 2007, http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/28/537063.aspx.

  270 His claim was immediately contradicted: Adam Aigner-Treworgy, “Huck’s Pakistani Immigration Numbers,” MSNBC.msn.com, December 28, 2007, http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/28/537385.aspx.

  270 “Arabic or Farsi or Chinese”: Mitt Romney, transcript of CPAC speech, The American Conservative, http://www.conservative.org/pressroom/2007/speech_romney.asp . Also see Max Blumenthal, “CPAC 2007: The Unauthorized Documentary,” Washington, DC, March 2, 2007, posted to YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByLqJD36F7E.

  270 “kill you and kill me and our families”: Max Blumenthal, “Republicanizing the Race Card,” The Nation, March 23, 2006, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060410/blumenthal.

  CHAPTER 23: THE HATE BOAT

  272 Hagee paid for Huckabee speeches: “Huckabee Still Getting Paid for Political Speeches,” CNN, December 27, 2007, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/12/27/huckabee-still-getting-paid-on-the-speech-circuit/.

  272 “Have you prayed about this?”: Michael Sherer, “Huckabee Finally Settles His Campaign Scores,” Time, November 16, 2008.

  272 McCain brushed the question off: Peter J. Boyer, “Party Faithful,” The New Yorker, September 8, 2008, http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/09/08/080908fa_fact_boyer?currentPage=all.

  272 had uttered this disclaimer word for word: Ibid.

  273 Donohue and Hagee: Bill Donohue, “McCain Embraces Bigot,” Catholic League statement, February 28, 2007, http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1393.

  273 apologist for the so-called “Nazi Pope”: Dave Gibson, “Catholic Firebrand Bill Donohue Attacks ABC Priest, Backs Pope,” November 16, 1997, http://www.observer.com/node/39868.

  273 “secular Jews” in Hollywood “who hate Christianity”: Bill Donohue to Pat Buchanan, “Scarborough Country,” MSNBC, December 8, 2004, transcript posted to MSNBC.msn.com; December 9, 2004, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6685898.

  273 accepted an apology from Hagee: Bill Donohue on “Fox and Friends,” Fox News, May 13, 2008, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91TfmnKl3hQ.

  273 “Hitler was a hunter”: Bruce Wilson, “Audio Recording of McCain’s Political Endorser John Hagee Preaching Jews Are Cursed and Subhuman,” Talk to Action, May 15, 2008, http://www.talk2action.org/story/2008/5/15/141520/281; and Sam Stein, “McCain Backer Hagee Said Hitler Was Fulfilling God’s Will,” Huffington Post, May 21, 2008, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/21/mccain-backer-hagee-said_n_102892.html?redux.

  274 “crazy and unacceptable”: CNN video pool, CNN ImageSource, May 23, 2008, http://imagesource.cnn.com/imagesource/ViewAsset.action;jsessionid=9A946D4F957CD6E7E8474F4E59F10A78?viewAsset=&_sourcePage=%2FWEB -INF%2Fpages%2Fbrowseaction%2FsearchResults.jsp&cnnId=05506609& searchResultsActionBeanClass=com.cnn.imagesource.action.search.Browse ActionBean .

  274 the result of “poor vetting”: Holly Bailey, “A Turbulent Pastor,” Newsweek, May 12, 2008, http://www.newsweek.com/id/135385/output/print.

  274 a fruitless music censorship campaign: “A Campaign Against ‘Degrading’ Rock Lyrics,” Associated Press, March 31, 1996, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506E5DB1E39F932A05756C0A960958260&n=Top%2FReference %2FTimes%20Topics%2FPeople%2FB%2FBennett%2C%20William%20J.

  274 Lieberman had lauded the pastor in Hebrew: Blumenthal, “Rapture Ready.”

  274 Lieberman at CUFI: Max Blumenthal, “Joseph Lieberman to Headline Upcoming Pastor Hagee Summit,” Huffington Post, May 27, 2007, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/joseph-lieberman-to-headl_b_103624.html.

  275 J Street sponsored a poll: “CNN’s Schneider Asserted That Lieberman Speech at RNC Could Draw Jewish Voters, But Did Not Mention Polling Showing Low Approval Among Jews,” Media Matters, August 22, 2008, http://media-matters.org/items/200808220012.

  275 Hagee identifying the anti-Christ as a gay: Max Blumenthal, “Pastor Hagee: The Antichrist Is Gay, Partially Jewish, As Was Adolph Hitler (Paging Joe Lieberman!)” Huffington Post, June 2, 2008, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/pastor-hagee-the-antichri_b_104608.html.

  275 ally with Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority: Irving Kristol, “The Political Dilemma of American Jews,” Commentary Magazine, July 1984.

  275 “They have such funny noses”: Hackensack Sunday Record, June 21, 1981, http://www.sullivan-county.com/id3/right_jews.htm.

  275 Jews “can make more money accidentally”: “Politicizing the Word,” Time, October 1, 1979, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,947467-2,00 .html.

  275 “Why should Jews care”: Kristol, 1984.

  275 “sinking to new levels of vulgarity”: Irving Kristol, “The Neoconservative Persuasion,” Weekly Standard, August 25, 2003, http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/000tzmlw.asp?pg=2.

  276 self-control as a panacea for societal problems: William Bennett, The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993), cited by Joshua Green in “The Bookie of Virtue,” Washington Monthly, June 2003, http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0306.green.html.

  276 “preferred customer” at over a dozen casinos: Green, “The Bookie of Virtue.”

  276 a neoconservative-Christian-right alliance: Kristol, 1984.

  276 Goldfarb led the charge: Michael Goldfarb, “McCain/McSame/McStupid” blog entry, Weekly Standard, March 6, 2008, http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/03/mccainmcsamemcstupid.asp.

  277 “one that is marked by respect”: “Polls Show Obama-McCain Race Tight As Campaig
n Begins,” CNN.com, June 5, 2008, http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/05/campaign.wrap/index.html.

  277 lunch with the state’s new governor, Sarah Palin: Jane Mayer, “The Insiders,” The New Yorker, October 27, 2008, http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/10/27/081027fa_fact_mayer?currentPage=all.

  278 “she’s a blank page”: Tim Shipman, “Neoconservatives Plan Project Sarah Palin to Shape Future American Foreign Policy,” London Telegraph, September 16, 2008, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/sarahpalin/2827217/Neoconservatives-plan-Project-Sarah-Palin-to-shape-future-American-foreign-policy.html.

  278 Kristol gushed with praise for Palin: Mayer, “The Insiders.”

  CHAPTER 24: A MATTER OF TONE

  279 Vanderslice’s political action committee: Michael Luo, “New PAC Seeks to Court Christians for Obama,” New York Times, June 10, 2008, http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/new-pac-seeks-to-court-christians-for-obama/.

  279 “She was a little bit overzealous”: David Kirkpatrick, “Consultant Helps Democrats Embrace Faith, and Some in Party Are Not Pleased,” New York Times, December 26, 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/us/politics/26faith.html?_r=1&ref=politics&oref=slogin.

  279 10 percent more of the evangelical vote: Max Blumenthal, “Inside Obama’s Christian Crusade,” The Nation, July 1, 2008, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080714/blumenthal.

  279 “secularists are wrong”: Barack Obama, speech at Call to Renewal conference, June 26, 2006.

  280 “Committed Christian”: Obama’s “Committed Christian” campaign brochure, available at http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/images/2008-01-21_obama_faith_2.jpg .

  280 The concert headliner was Danny McClurkin: “Obama Supporter: ‘God Delivered Me from Homosexuality,’” CNN.com, October 29, 2007, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/10/29/obama-supporter-god-delivered-me-from-homosexuality/.

  280 Obama’s off-the-record meeting: Blumenthal, “Inside Obama’s Christian Crusade.”

  281 a “fruitcake interpretation” of the Bible: Amy Chozick, “Young Clergyman Leads Obama’s Drive to Attract ‘Faith Voters,’” Wall Street Journal, August 16, 2008, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121883753433545501.html?mod=google news_wsj.

  282 “I have never been considered a part”: Max Blumenthal, “Rick Warren’s Double Life,” The Daily Beast, November 14, 2008, http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-11-14/how-rick-warren-became-a-media -darling-in-spite-of-himself/.

  282 Warren “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?scp=1&sq=Warren%20evangelical%20liberals%20can%20love&st=cse.

  282 “people who make America great”: “The Giving Back Awards,” Newsweek, July 3, 2008, http://www.newsweek.com/id/46165/page/8.

  282 “disassociates himself from the religious right”: Wendy Kaminer, “Rick Warren, ‘America’s Pastor,’” The Nation, August 25, 2005, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050912/kaminer.

  282 “a title the media has given him”: Blumenthal, “Rick Warren’s Double Life.”

  282 “a matter of tone”: Naomi Schaefer Riley, “What Saddleback’s Pastor Really Thinks About Politics,” Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2008, http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB121944811327665223.html.

  282 a nationally televised campaign forum: Saddleback Presidential Candidates Forum transcript, CNN.com, August 16, 2008, http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/16/se.02.html.

  283 “above my pay grade”: Jonquil Frankham, “Dr. James Dobson Explains McCain Endorsement: America Needs a ‘Pro-family, Pro-life President,’” Life-SiteNews , October 22, 2008, http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/oct/08102211.html.

  283 Warren chuckled at Obama’s response: Blumenthal, “Rick Warren’s Double Life.”

  283 religious-right leaders hailed McCain’s performance: Jennifer Riley, “Evangelicals Praise McCain’s Performance at Saddleback,” August 18, 2008, http://www.christianpost.com/Society/Church-state/2008/08/evangelicals-praise-mccain-s-performance-at-saddleback-18/index.html.

  283 Minnery on Palin’s CNP unveiling: Max Blumenthal: “Secretive Right-Wing Group Vetted Palin,” The Nation, September 1, 2008, http://www.thenation.com/blogs/state_of_change/352178/secretive_right_wing_group_vetted_palin.

  CHAPTER 25: THE FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER

  285 “I am not endorsing Senator McCain today”: Dobson, “Focus on the Family,” Focus Action, July 21, 2008, http://mediamatters.org/items/200807230009.

  285 whom he personally disliked: Ana Marie Cox, “The ‘I Hate Romney’ Club,” Time, February 3, 2008, http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1709507,00.html.

  285 his name appeared on McCain’s VP shortlist: “Florida Gov. Charlie Crist Engaged,” Associated Press, July 3, 2008, http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2008/07/03/florida-gov-charlie-crist-engaged/.

  285 Pawlenty, a competent establishment dullard: “State of Minnesota Too Polite,” Onion, February 23, 3005, http://www.theonion.com/content/node/30916.

  286 Unknown to the national media: Michael D. Shear and Karl Vick, “No Surprises from Palin, McCain Team Says,” Washington Post, September 2, 2008, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/01/AR2008090100710.html; and Elisabeth Bumiller, “Palin Disclosures Raise Questions on Vetting,” New York Times, Septmber 1, 2008, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/us/politics/02vetting.html.

  286 “I’m a f**kin’ redneck”: Luisa Yanez, “Sarah Palin’s Future Son-in-Law Says He’s an Alaska ‘Redneck,’” Miami Herald, September 2, 2008, http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/51459.html.

  286 bombarded by a blizzard of rumors: see Max Blumenthal, interview with Amy Goodman, The War and Peace Report, Democracy Now! New York, October 13, 2008, http://www.democracynow.org/2008/10/13/max_blumenthal_on_sarah_palins_radical; and Blumenthal, “How Sarah Palin Excluded African-Americans in Alaska,” Anchorage, Alaska, YouTube, October 18, 2008, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVMpOoegxQU&feature=channel_page; and Blumenthal, “In the Land of Queen Esther: The Unauthorized Sarah Palin Story,” Wasilla and Anchorage, Alaska, YouTube, October 7, 2008, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpe_lOEn0VY&feature=channel_page.

  287 Johnston’s mother, Sherry, a reputed dealer: Zaz Hollander, “Levi Johnston’s Mother Hit with Drug Charges,” Anchorage Daily News, December 18, 2008, http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/crime/story/628010.html.

  287 they delayed Johnston’s arrest: “Trooper Says Election Delayed Alaska Drug Case,” Associated Press, December 26, 2008, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/25/AR2008122500930.html.

  287 a Norse word for “strength”: TurabianNights, “Alaska’s First Family,” The Bad Baby Names Blog, August 31, 2008, http://turabiannights.blogspot.com/2008/08/alaskas-first-family.html.

  287 “that little Downs Syndrome baby”: James Dobson and Tony Perkins, “Focus on the Family,” Focus on the Family Action, September 2, 2008, http://focusfamaction.edgeboss.net/download/focusfamaction/c4daily/2008-09-02-daily-c4.mp3.

  288 “You are not welcome here”: Also see Francis X. Clines, “Lives of the Party,” New York Times, September 3, 2008, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/opinion/04thu4.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss.

  288 “It’s a cool name”: Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, “John McCain & Sarah Palin on Shattering the Glass Ceiling,” People, August 29, 2008, http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20222685_2,00.html.

  288 licked her palm, and smoothed his hair: John McDonnell, “Piper Palin, Spit, Trig Palin, and John Chapter 9,” Free Republic, October 9, 2008, http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2079674/posts.

  289 “We grow good people in our small towns”: Palin’s acceptance speech, Republican National Convention, St. Paul, Minnesota, http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/president/conventions/videos/20080903_PALIN_SPEECH.html.

  289 Pegler, a prominent mid-century columnist and demagogue: Wi
lliam F. Buckley Jr., “Rabble-Rouser,” The New Yorker, March 1, 2003, http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/03/01/040301fa_fact_buckley?currentPage=2.

  289 the killer “got the wrong man”: Alden Whitman, “Free-Swinging Critic,” New York Times, June 25, 1969, http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40F15FD385E1B7493C7AB178DD85F4D8685F9&scp=5&sq=pegler%20 and%20jewish&st=cse.

  290 Sarah Palin’s background: William Yardley, “Sarah Palin, an Outsider Who Charms,” New York Times, August 30, 2008, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30palin.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&hp.

  290 she eloped with her high school sweetheart: Kate Zernike and Kim Severson, “A Low-Key Outdoorsman and Family Man Now Faces a National Role,” New York Times, September 2, 2008, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/us/politics/03todd.html.

  290 victory in the Republican gubernatorial primary: “Alaska Gov. Murkowski Concedes Defeat in GOP Gubernatorial Primary,” Associated Press, August 23, 2008, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,209918,00.html.

  290 investigation against party chairman Randy Ruedrich: Sean Cockerham, Anchorage Daily News, “Ruedrich Resigns Post As Regulator on State Oil and Gas Commission,” November 9, 2003, http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/background/story/513772.html.

  290 a 28 percent spending increase: Wesley Loy, “Legislature Passes $1,200 Rebate,” Anchorage Daily News, August 08, 2008. Also see Matt Volz, “Palin Has Mixed Record As Fiscal Conservative,” Associated Press, October 12, 2008, http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-10-12-413514155_x.htm.

  291 a whopping 85 percent approval rating: Sabra Ayres, “Alaska’s Governor Tops the Approval Rating Charts,” Anchorage Daily News, May 30, 2007, http://dwb.adn.com/front/story/8931726p-8831940c.html.

  291 Weekly Standard’s puff-piece: Fred Barnes, “The Most Popular Governor,” Weekly Standard, July 16, 2007, http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp.