Month: June 2016

Trump Solicited Donations During the Primaries, Now He Says He Didn't Ask for a Dime

On Facebook, Donald Trump is asking for campaign contributions. This is from earlier today:
Trump donate FB Now
He said he didn’t ask his supporters for a “single dime.” The only way that is true is if he means that he literally did not ask for one dime. On his campaign website continuously throughout the primaries, Trump had at least two “Donate” buttons on the front page of his website. The “Donate” button is on the page all the way back to at least May 2015. Maybe he didn’t want a single dime, but if people wanted to click the button and donate a couple of dimes or more, they could do that. The media started reporting that Trump’s delegate count reached the magic number in late May 2016. Here is a screen cap from January 2016; notice two “Donate” buttons, one in red and the other in blue.
trump donate campaign
If one examines the self-funding claim a little more, one finds that Trump had been receiving and reporting donations all along and pretty substantial ones at that.  It just isn’t true he didn’t ask for (see above) or take donations (link).
This duplicity seems to be a part of doing business for Trump. For instance, Trump denied he said killed patrons at The Pulse could have prevented the Orlando massacre by carrying weapons. However, he did say it but later walked it back as if he didn’t.
I know voters have a terrible choice if Trump makes it through the nominating convention next month, but if you plan to support Trump, don’t pretend like Jerry Falwell, Jr. did on CNN that Trump is dealing honestly with the voters.
 

Jerry Falwell, Sr. Condemned Jimmy Carter for Playboy Interview

Times have changed.
Yesterday, Jerry Falwell, Jr. was widely criticized for a photo of Falwell, his wife and Donald Trump posing in front of a framed copy of Playboy with Donald Trump on the cover.


Falwell has been defiant in responding to criticism even blocking critical Liberty University students on Twitter.
While Falwell, Jr. may not have known the Playboy cover was in the photo, he has taken a cavalier approach to Donald Trump’s relationship with Hugh Hefner and the publication. Trump gave interviews in 1990 and 2004 to Playboy and in 2006 rewarded an Apprentice team with a trip to the Playboy mansion. Trump showed up for the festivities.
Falwell, Jr’s approach is in sharp contrast to his father’s expressions of condemnation.
In 1976, presidential candidate Jimmy Carter gave an interview which was published in Playboy magazine. This was the famous “lust in the heart” interview where Carter acknowledged attractions to women in the context of Jesus’ teaching not to engage in lust in one’s heart.
After Carter left office, leader of the Moral Majority Jerry Falwell, Sr. condemned Carter for allowing his interview to be published in Playboy which Falwell called “a salacious vulgar magazine that did not even deserve the time of day.”
falwell carter PB

Jerry Falwell Jr Tweets Photo with Donald Trump and Playboy Cover in Background (UPDATED)

One might think this was an Onion story. However, it was tweeted by Jerry Falwell Jr.
Thumbs up, baby!


One can’t change history. Trump was featured in the magazine in 1990 (he also rewarded a winning Apprentice team with a trip to the Playboy mansion in 2006). But would you invite 500 of your closest evangelical friends and leave it on display?
Apparently, Trump revels in it. On the campaign trail, he signed a fan’s copy of the 1990 issue.
Folks, you’re being played.
UPDATES:
Falwell blocked one of his own Liberty University students for criticizing his pose with Trump.


Apparently, others are being blocked as well.
Senator Ben Sasse and Falwell got into it over biblical interpretation.


Generally Falwell has been defiant in his response to his thumbs up with Trump.

Donald Trump Announces Evangelical Advisory Board

And here they are (from Politico):
· Michele Bachmann – Former Congresswoman
· A.R. Bernard – Senior Pastor and CEO, Christian Cultural Center
· Mark Burns – Pastor, Harvest Praise and Worship Center
· Tim Clinton – President, American Association of Christian Counselors
· Kenneth and Gloria Copeland – Founders, Kenneth Copeland Ministries
· James Dobson – Author, Psychologist and Host, My Family Talk
· Jerry Falwell, Jr. – President, Liberty University
· Ronnie Floyd – Senior Pastor, Cross Church
· Jentezen Franklin – Senior Pastor, Free Chapel
· Jack Graham – Senior Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church
· Harry Jackson – Senior Pastor, Hope Christian Church
· Robert Jeffress – Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Dallas
· David Jeremiah – Senior Pastor, Shadow Mountain Community Church
· Richard Land – President, Southern Evangelical Seminary
· James MacDonald – Founder and Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel
· Johnnie Moore – Author, President of The KAIROS Company
· Robert Morris – Senior Pastor, Gateway Church
· Tom Mullins – Senior Pastor, Christ Fellowship­
· Ralph Reed – Founder, Faith and Freedom Coalition
· James Robison – Founder, Life OUTREACH International
· Tony Suarez – Executive Vice President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
· Jay Strack – President, Student Leadership University
· Paula White – Senior Pastor, New Destiny Christian Center
· Tom Winters – Attorney, Winters and King, Inc.
· Sealy Yates – Attorney, Yates and Yates
Given that hundreds of GOP delegates are moving the other way, it appears to me that we have the stage set for an internecine war among evangelicals for the soul of the GOP. Just as these big names are coming out for Trump, others are moving the other direction.